by RolfM. Jeker, Federal Office for Foreign Economic Affairs Services have only quite recently become an important issue in foreign economic policy and particularly in international trade negotiations. Trade policy was traditionally perceived to deal almost exclusively with exports and imports of goods. The increasing importance of services both nationally and internationally is, mainly, due to the gains in agricultural and industrial productiv ity (freeing resources for services activities), and the progress in communication technology, facilitating trade in invisibles. Notable examples of contractual and legal frameworks for services in international trade relations are the internal market program of the European Community extended by the Agreement on the European Economic Are. a (EEA) to EFTA countries, the multi lateral Uruguay-Round negotiations under the auspices of the GATT on a General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed by the United States, Canada and Mexico. This trend is of particular significance to Switzerland, a country where services contribute about 65% to the value added of the economy, a share which will probably still increase somewhat. Ser vices also contribute to an important extent to the traditional surplus in the current account of the Swiss balance of payments. Switzerland clearly has comparative advantages in the field of ser vices, as is well demonstrated by its long and successful tradition in key services sectors like banking, insurance, tourism, consulting and engineering."

Combining a range of case studies with theoretical research, this volume analyzes current developments and best practice. The contributors discuss innovative approaches in assessment, peer assessment, the NCVQ model, the positive side of assessment, staff training for assessment, and much more.

Combining a range of case studies with theoretical research, this volume analyzes current developments and best practice. The contributors discuss innovative approaches in assessment, peer assessment, the NCVQ model, the positive side of assessment, staff training for assessment, and much more.

In contextualizing the Dutch funerary practice in its wider legal, national and local governance framework, this book describes the historical context for current practices, provides data on trends in burial and cremation, and examines recent developments including natural burial, increasing religious diversity and changing national legislation. Chapters provide an overview of funerary history and contemporary practice, alongside photographs, charts and tables of key information. Topics explored include: the death care industry; the Corpse Disposal Act; a typical funeral including funeral costs and insurance; cemetery and crematorium provision; and, the practices, technicalities and legalities of burial and cremation. The book also analyses and illustrates the commemorative practice of public mourning events related to World War II, the Holocaust and the MH17 plane crash. This book provides a broad frame of reference on funeral practices, making it a useful resource for academics, policy makers and practitioners interested in the historic, legal, technical and professional aspects of the funerary industry.

This book presents a collection of selected papers presented at the 22nd FAI International Conference on Mathematical, Computational Intelligence and Engineering Approaches to Healthcare, Business and Tourism Analytics (FAI-ICMCIE 2020), held at American College, Madurai, India, from 20-22 December 2020. This book discusses advanced mathematical concepts and computational intelligence approaches for: medical diagnostic approach in cardiac diseases, nano topology in medical diseases, stability of indicators in assessing business development, AI-guided paradigmatic competence in science and spirituality integration, neural network-TOPSIS analytics in hotel service quality, itinerary planning destination ranking tourism analytics, molecular modeling and docking simulation for unraveling medicinal properties, value-oriented approach on commercial banks security, Brownian motion in shares of the bank, internet of things linking to social media and e-commerce, and more, which are discussed by using fuzzy analytics, nano-topology, statistical, TOPSIS and neural network tools.

This book takes an in-depth look at the emerging technologies that are transforming the way clinicians manage patients, while at the same time emphasizing that the best practitioners use both artificial and human intelligence to make decisions. AI and machine learning are explored at length, with plain clinical English explanations of convolutional neural networks, back propagation, and digital image analysis. Real-world examples of how these tools are being employed are also discussed, including their value in diagnosing diabetic retinopathy, melanoma, breast cancer, cancer metastasis, and colorectal cancer, as well as in managing severe sepsis. With all the enthusiasm about AI and machine learning, it was also necessary to outline some of criticisms, obstacles, and limitations of these new tools. Among the criticisms discussed: the relative lack of hard scientific evidence supporting some of the latest algorithms and the so-called black box problem. A chapter on data analytics takes a deep dive into new ways to conduct subgroup analysis and how it's forcing healthcare executives to rethink the way they apply the results of large clinical trials to everyday medical practice. This re-evaluation is slowly affecting the way diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer are treated. The research discussed also suggests that data analytics will impact emergency medicine, medication management, and healthcare costs. An examination of the diagnostic reasoning process itself looks at how diagnostic errors are measured, what technological and cognitive errors are to blame, and what solutions are most likely to improve the process. It explores Type 1 and Type 2 reasoning methods; cognitive mistakes like availability bias, affective bias, and anchoring; and potential solutions such as the Human Diagnosis Project. Finally, the book explores the role of systems biology and precision medicine in clinical decision support and provides several case studies of how next generation AI is transforming patient care.

This textbook provides students with an essential introduction to the theoretical underpinnings and practicalities of managing the marketing of events. As a strong emerging industry, events are now contributing significantly to economies around the world and particularly within the UK. In order to market events effectively it is vital to consider marketing of events from the organiser s perspective and link it to those of the consumers attending events. As such, this is the first book on the topic which reflects the unique characteristics of marketing in the Events industry by exploring both sides of the marketing coin the supply and the demand in the specific context of events.

The book begins by defining events and the implications this has for events marketing. It then moves on to explore the event marketing landscape before discussing the consumer experience of and involvement with event marketing. Finally it focuses on the strategies and tactics employed to manage the marketing activities related to events, proposing a shift away from dominant Marketing Mix paradigm to a more consumer focussed and integrated approach. Offering comprehensive coverage the title introduces the reader to core principles as well as current developments such as e marketing, social media, sponsorship and PR and integrates practical examples from around the world to show the application of theory. Learning objectives, chapter summaries, discussion questions and annotated further reading lists aid navigation throughout the book, spur critical thinking and further students knowledge.

This accessible and comprehensive account of Events Marketing and Management is essential reading for all students and future managers.
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Armed with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory and turned morbid curiosity into her life's work. She cared for bodies of every color, shape, and affliction, and became an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead. In this best-selling memoir, brimming with gallows humor and vivid characters, she marvels at the gruesome history of undertaking and relates her unique coming-of-age story with bold curiosity and mordant wit. By turns hilarious, dark, and uplifting, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes reveals how the fear of dying warps our society and "will make you reconsider how our culture treats the dead" (San Francisco Chronicle).

During the great oil speculations in the 1920s, both promoters and investors became victims of their common greed. Outlining the activities of several different promoters and drawing on business papers, federal court records, and local land records, the Oliens describe the legal and regulatory responses to fraud. Their fascinating story breaks new ground in American social and business history and offers new insight into the culture of American capitalism.

Since the middle of the last century tourism has demonstrated almost continual growth, with international tourist arrivals now recorded in excess of one billion per annum. Given the global socio-economic significance of tourism, it is imperative to develop educational opportunities for those working in tourism-related industries. These opportunities should fulfil the changing needs of both industry, travellers, and the learners themselves. While the concept of lifelong learning in the tourism industry plays an important role, it has received little academic attention to date. This book provides a theoretical overview of lifelong learning for tourism, exploring its history, practice, and conceptualization. It demonstrates the importance of lifelong learning for tourism from a variety of perspectives, drawing on educational, industry, policy, and socio-economic insights. The book explores managerial and political implications, critical issues, best practice examples, and draws on a range of international case studies to demonstrate theory in practice. Finally, it offers a conceptual framework for future curriculum approaches. This book will be of interest to students, scholars, and practitioners of tourism studies, hospitality, business and management, and international development. It will also appeal to those interested in adult education, vocational training, professional development, and pedagogy.

Sport is a geographic phenomenon. The physical and organizational infrastructure of sport occupies a prominent place in our society. This important book takes an explicitly spatial approach to sport, bringing together research in geography, sport studies and related disciplines to articulate a critical approach to 'sports geography'. Critical Geographies of Sport illustrates this approach by engaging directly with a variety of theoretical traditions as well as the latest research methods. Each chapter showcases the merits of a geographic approach to the study of sport - ranging from football to running, horseracing and professional wrestling. Including cases from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, the book highlights the ways that space and power are produced through sport and its concomitant infrastructures, agencies and networks. Holding these power relations at the center of its analysis, it considers sport as a unique lens onto our understanding of space. Truly global in its perspective, it is fascinating reading for any student or scholar with an interest in sport and politics, sport and society, or human geography.

This book discusses the opportunities and conditions that digital technology provides to extend, innovate and differentiate the services offered by consulting companies. It introduces suitable artefacts like web-based consulting platforms, consulting applications, semantic technologies and tools for data mining and collaboration. Furthermore it examines concepts to evaluate the virtualization of consulting processes and showcases how solutions can be developed to blend traditional and digital consulting models. Presenting state-of-the-art research and providing a comprehensive overview of the methods and techniques needed for digital transformation in the consulting industry, the book serves as both a guide and a roadmap for innovative consulting companies.

The increasing importance of industrial services and rapid digitalization towards smart and remote services pose opportunities as well as challenges to the manufacturing sector. This book provides a holistic understanding of industrial service management and guides companies into building capabilities and management practices for smart and remote services. By combining insights from research and practice, it offers a unique perspective on the core and enabling activities of manufacturing companies for growth in the service business. In essence, the first part covers action-based research findings regarding service strategy, organizational design, service innovation, service sales, services operations, and customer relationship management together with insights into value networks. The second part introduces outstanding practices from leading manufacturing companies in industrial and smart services. The book concludes with a summary of key messages and recommendations to navigate the landscape of industrial and smart service management successfully.

This must-have guide to special event production looks deep behind the scenes of an event and dissects what it is that creates success. It analyses the process - the planning and business aspects - to provide a unique guide to producing a variety of events from weddings to festivals. It explains thoroughly budgeting and resource concerns, planning and cost projections and the role of the well-crafted proposal. This new edition has been significantly updated to include: Three new chapters: Event Design, Information Technology and Sustainability and Event Production. Updated and new case studies from USA, Canada , India, Russia and Malaysia. New Industry Voice feature, including an interview with industry experts from around the world commenting on their experiences of event planning and production. New content on: technology, volunteers, venues and PR and marketing. Enhanced online resources including: PowerPoint lecture slides, checklists, glossaries, additional questions and challenges, web links, sample contract templates, production schedule templates, and evaluation forms. Incorporating pedagogical features, this easy-to-read book is packed with photographs, diagrams, flow charts, checklists, sample forms, and real-life examples. It steps through the whole process from the creativity and proposal at the outset, to budgeting, the contract and risk management with event follow up to conclude. A must have resource for event planners, managers, caterers and students. This text is part two of a two book set - also available is Special Events Production: The Resources (978-1-138-78567-0). This book offers an in - depth guide to the technical aspects of a big event such as lighting and audio systems, visual presentation technology, special effects and temporary outdoor venues.

All the world's most advanced economies are dominated by service. The service sector also employs the largest number of people and it is the fastest growing sector, both in number of companies and employees. The questions posed in the book are: (1) How is it growing? (2)What are these new service innovations? (3)What are the drivers? (4)How can organizations work with service innovations in a structured way? The book views service as the value-creating activity that customers perform in their own context. The role of a company is to provide the resources and knowledge to enable value creation. Based on this view, we develop a model of service innovation and develop guidelines for what is required from the organizational perspective; how should an organization view its customers in order to be successful, what does a service development process look like, and how to transform an organization that has a product focus to a service or solution provider. Despite the heightened focus on service in society, most models and theories of innovation are based on that the norm is a physical good. We believe that the norm is actually experiential and service based. This book addresses this mismatch of theory and practice for the benefit of those who are seeking to understand, teach, and practice service innovation.

This edition stresses some critical reflectons regarding security policies before and during Sport Events in our contemporary era of generalized insecurity. Sport competitions at the national, European and global levels have evolved in terms of economic investment, social importance and media coverage. However, this evolution has brought with it major political concerns. At the same time, the dominant question regarding the organization of competitions in our post-modern, neoliberal risk societies is the creation of a safe and secure milieu; the need of construction of an environment of life where sport events and the multiple activities and interests related to them can be kept safe from any risk and potentially harmful occurrence. In the name of security, anticipatory dispositifs and risk management practices, rationalities and technologies of government do not exclusively attempt to prevent disastrous incidents or to maintain order in situ. Involving a set of heteronymous public and private organizations and bureaucraties, state "experts" and not state "security managers", proactive security strategies seek to imagine the future, to pre-empt, to act in advance, to anticipate possible catastrophic incidents by managing populations and spaces in order to set, to assure, with any cost, the ideal conditions. The aim of this volume is to highlight the complex set of legal provisions, surveillance and policing practices, discourses, bureaucratic procedures and spatial and architectural forms underpin the security governance of sport events and their effects in the contemporary era of widespread uncertainty. This book was published as a special issue of Sport in Society.

Despite noticeable growth in Islamic banking and finance literature in recent years, very few published books in this area deal with supervisory and regulatory issues in Islamic banking - theoretically or empirically - and none with the critical issue of risks involved in liquidity management of Islamic banks. This unique book is the first of its kind in dealing with challenges these financial institutions face in the absence of interest rate mechanism and debt-based financial instruments. The book examines critically issues involve in managing the risk of liquidity management for these types of institutions, including those stemming from Basel requirements. It then offers an alternative regulatory framework more appropriately suited for such banks without compromising safety and security. The book's unique features and innovative dimensions diagnostically differentiate between Islamic banks and conventional banks as related to liquidity management risks. It proposes a risk-sharing regulatory framework that, once implemented, would mitigate risks posed by balance-sheet mismatches. The book aims to assist regulators, supervisors, Islamic finance practitioners, academicians and other relevant stakeholders.

Health, Tourism and Hospitality: Spas, Wellness and Medical Travel, 2nd Edition takes an in-depth and comprehensive look at the growing health, wellness and medical tourism sectors in a global context. The book analyses the history and development of the industries, the way in which they are managed and organised, the expanding range of new and innovative products and trends, and the marketing of destinations, products and services. The only book to offer a complete overview and introduction to health, tourism and hospitality this 2nd Edition has been updated to include: * Expanded coverage to the hospitality sector with a particular focus on spa management. * New content on medical tourism throughout the book, to reflect the worldwide growth in medical travel with more and more countries entering this competitive market. * Updated content to reflect recent issues and trends including: ageing population, governments encouraging preventative health, consumer use of contemporary and alternative therapies, self-help market, impacts of economic recession, spa management and customer loyalty. * New case studies taken from a range of different countries and contexts, and focusing on established or new destinations, products and services such as: conventional medicine, complementary and alternative therapies, lifestyle-based wellness, beauty and cosmetics, healthy nutrition, longevity and anti (or active)-ageing, amongst others. Written in a user friendly style, this is essential reading for students studying health, tourism and hospitality.

This textbook offers a fully integrated approach to the theory and practice of service management, exploring the operational dynamics, management issues and business models deployed by service firms. It builds on recent developments in service science as an interdisciplinary research area with emphasis on integration, adaptability, optimization, sustainability and rapid technological adoption. The book explores seven fundamental processes that are key to successfully managing service businesses, helping students gain insights into: how to manage service businesses, with coverage of both small firms and large transnationals service business models, operations and productivity managing service employees how service firms engage in product and process innovation marketing, customers and service experiences internationalization of service businesses the ongoing servitization of manufacturing This unique textbook is an ideal resource for upper undergraduate and postgraduate students studying service businesses and practitioners.

Event Audiences and Expectations for the first time examines why people participate in festivals and events, the types of events which stimulate participation, and the fanatical antics of fans who become involved in these events. By doing so the book offers significant insight into how event managers can entice and manage participant expectations as well as manage audience involvement. The book is based on primary research using participant observation, as well as in-depth interviews with event participants, event managers and government officials involved in over 50 international events to gain new perspectives into audience behaviour and participatory events. Using numerous international case studies and examples, the book offers a comprehensive outline of the reasons why people participate in festivals and events, the social world that reinforces their behaviours, and strategies that can be used to ensure future successful participatory events. This thought-provoking and original volume will be valuable reading for students, researchers, events managers and tourism and community planners at all levels of government.

Part of managing a facility or event of any kind is providing a safe experience for the patrons. Managers at all levels must educate themselves and prepare their organizations to confront potential threats ranging from terrorism and mass shootings to natural disasters and cybercrime. Security and Risk Assessment for Facility and Event Managers With HKPropel Access provides security frameworks that apply to all types of facilities and events, and it will help current and future facility and event managers plan for and respond to threats. The purpose of this text is to provide foundational security management knowledge to help managers safeguard facilities and events, whether they are mega sport events or local community gatherings. Presenting an overview of security principles and government policies, the text introduces an all-hazard approach to considering the types and severity of threats that could occur as well as the potential consequences, likelihood, and frequency of occurrence. Readers will be walked through a risk assessment framework that will help them plan for threats, develop countermeasures and response strategies, and implement training programs to prepare staff in case of an unfortunate occurrence. Security and Risk Assessment for Facility and Event Managers addresses traditional threats as well as evolving modern-day threats such as cybercrime, use of drones, and CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives) incidents. It also offers readers insightful information on the intricacies of managing security in a variety of spaces, including school and university multiuse facilities, stadiums and arenas, recreation and fitness facilities, hotels and casinos, religious institutions, and special events. Practical elements are incorporated into the text to help both students and professionals grasp real-world applications. Facility Spotlight sidebars feature examples of sport facilities that illustrate specific concepts. Case studies, application questions, and activities encourage readers to think critically about the content. Related online resources, available via HKPropel, include nearly 50 sample policies, plans, and checklists covering issues such as alcohol and fan conduct policies, risk management and evacuation plans, bomb threat checklists, and active shooter protocols. The forms are downloadable and may be customized to aid in planning for each facility and event. With proper planning and preparation, facility and event managers can prioritize the safety of their participants and spectators and mitigate potential threats. Security and Risk Assessment for Facility and Event Managers will be a critical component in establishing and implementing security protocols that help protect from terrorism, natural disasters, and other potential encounters. Higher education instructors! For maximum flexibility in meeting the needs of facility or event management courses, instructors may adopt individual chapters or sections of this book through the Human Kinetics custom ebook program. Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all new print books.