Against Same Sex Marriage Essay

The legalization of the marriage between same sex couples will permanently change the rite of marriage in our society. The legalization of homosexual marriage will quickly destroy the traditional family. Marriage is the institution that forms and upholds for society, the cultural and social values and symbol related to procreation. That is, it establishes the values that govern the transmission of human life to the next generation and the nurturing of that life in the basic societal unit, the family. Through marriage our society works out the relationship of two people who will together create and nurture a new generation. To change the definition of marriage to include same sex marriage couples would destroy its capacity to function in many ways. It could no longer represent procreative relationships of opposite sex marriages.Reproduction is the fundamental occurrence on which the future of life depends. It is the primary reason why marriage is so important to society. In same sex marriages procreation would be eliminated entirely. First, when the state sanctions homosexual relationships and gives them its blessing, the younger generation becomes confused about sexual identity and quickly loses its understanding of lifelong commitments, emotional bonding, sexual purity, the role of children in a family, and from spiritual prospective, the sanctity of marriage. Marriage is reduced to a partnership that provides attractive benefits and sexual convenience. Cohabitation and short term relationships are the inevitable result. Second, the introduction of legalized gay marriages will lead to polygamy and other alternatives to the one man, on woman unions. Why will gay marriage set the table for polygamy? Because there is no place to stop once the line has been crossed. Historically, the definition of marriage has rested on a foundation of tradition, legal precedent, theology, and the overwhelming support of the people. After the introduction of marriage between homosexuals it will be supported by nothing more substantiated than the opinion of a single judge or by a black-robed panel of justices (Marriage under Fire). After their decision, the family will consist of little more than someone’s interpretation of rights. Given that unstable legal judgment, it is certain some self-possessed judge, somewhere, will soon rule that three men or three women can marry. How about group marriage or marriage between cousins, or marriage between parent and child? How about marriage between a man and his animal? Anything allegedly linked to civil rights will be doable. The legal underpinnings for marriage will have been destroyed. These other couples restricted from marrying are not equivalent to homosexual couples, but are necessary to illustrate that marriage is heavily regulated, and for good reason. When a state recognizes a marriage, it bestows upon the couple certain benefits which are costly to both the state and other individuals. Collecting a deceased spouse’s social security, claiming an extra tax exemption for a spouse, and having the right to be covered under a spouse’s health insurance policy are just a few examples of its costly benefits associated with marriage. In a sense, a married couple receives a subsidy. A marriage between two unrelated heterosexuals is likely to result in a family with children. For this reason, states have, in varying degrees, restricted from marriage, couples unlikely to produce children. One may argue that lesbians are capable of procreating via artificial insemination, so the state does have an interest in recognizing lesbian marriages, but a lesbian’s sexual relationship, committed or not, has no bearing on her ability to reproduce (Single Parent: What Helps, What Hurts). However, there is ample evidence that children need both female and male parent for proper development. It is essential for a child to be nurtured by parents of both sexes if a child is to learn to function in a society made up of both sexes (Life without Father). With the legalization of homosexual marriage, every public school in the nation will be required to teach that this lifestyle is the moral equivalent of traditional marriage between a woman and a man. Textbooks, even in conservative states, will have to depict man/man and woman/woman relationships and stories written for children as young as elementary or even kindergarten, will have to give equal space to homosexuals. Every public school will also be forced to teach that same sex marriage and homosexuality are perfectly normal. They will teach little boys  and little girls that husband and wife and father and moother are merely optional for a family and therfore, meaningless (No Gay Marriage). Same sex families deny children either a mother or father. In certain cases, the same sex family is not driven by the needs of children, but rather by the radical wishes of a small group of adults. Thousands of published social science, psychological and medical studies show that children living in fatherless families, on average, suffer dramatically in every measure of well-being. These children suffer from higher levels of loneliness, physical or mental illness, behavior problems, educa tional failure or criminal troubles. The third reason marriage between homosexuals will destroy traditional marriage is that this is the ultimate goal of activists, and they will not stop until they achieve it. Homosexual activists, with their inner power and exhilaration, feel the political climate is right to tell us what they have wanted all along. Gay marriages are likely to do for gay rights what the rallying cry of â€Å"abortion on demand† did for the Equal Rights Amendment and the women’s movement. It diverts the real debate on every level. It reduces the cause of gay rights to a single issue. But the real deal is most gays and lesbians do not want to marry each other. They do not want to entangle themselves in all sorts of legal constraints (Single Parent What Helps, What Hurts). In a perfect democratic world, gay marriage would be an option for those who want it. However, this world is not a perfect democracy, and the fight for gay marriage is the wrong fight at the wrong time (Focus on Family). In conclusion, the reason for excluding same sex couples from marriage matters: If the reason for denying homosexual marriage is that we have no respect for same sex couples and their relationships and want to give the message that homosexuality is wrong, then that is discrimination and that is wrong. On the other hand, if the reason is to keep the very nature, essence and substance of marriage intact, and the essence is to protect the procreative relationship, then excluding same sex couples from marriage is ethically acceptable. This such refusal is not discrimination. Ethics requires us to take the least invasive, least restrictive alternative, reasonably available and likely to be effective in achieving a justified  goal. Maintaining a traditional marriage and legally recognizing same sex partnerships fulfills that ethical requirement (Why Marriage Matters). Gay and lesbian people have a right to form meaningful relationships. They do not have a right to redefine marriage for all of us. What will happen to society if marriage becomes anything or everything or nothing? The short answer is that the state will lose its compelling interest in marital relationships altogether. After marriage has been redefined, divorces will be obtained instantly, will not involve a court, and will take on the status of a driver’s license or hunting permit. With the family out of the way, all rights and privileges of marriage will accrue to gay and lesbian partners without the legal entanglements and commitments associated with it. These are a few reasons why I am against homosexual marriage. Legalizing it will change everything, especially the institution of the family. Every society needs natural marriage- as many men as possible each finding a woman, caring for and committing himself exclusively to her- working together to create and raise the next generation.

Commandment Relation to Christ-like Love Essay

The commandment I choose which displays three types of Christ-like love is the 8th commandment, â€Å"Thou shall not steal†. The first type of Christ-like love that the commandment â€Å"Thou shall not steal† displays is desiring what is the best for others. Stealing is something that is very wrong. For example, if someone is angry at someone, they might express their anger by stealing their belongings. This is not right. Someone can just approach the person they are angry at, and tell them how they feel about the situation. This is much better for others instead of stealing. The second type of Christ-like love that the commandment â€Å"Thou shall not steal† displays is that it is an emotion and decision. Stealing is a decision that is made when people go through various types of emotions. Some emotions include anger, frustration, mad, stressed, etc. When someone feels like this, they might feel like stealing someone’s belongings . By making the decision not to steal, it will make someone feel a different type of emotion. They will feel proud because they know that they are doing the right decision instead of doing something bad. Nevertheless, this is why the commandment â€Å"Thou shall not steal † is an emotion and decision. The third type of Christ-like love that the commandment â€Å"Thou shall not steal† displays is walking away from harm. Depending on what is stolen, it can be considered a crime. Nevertheless, anytime of stealing is wrong, no matter how valuable the item is. For example, if someone stole a top from The Gap store, it is considered a crime. In addition to this wrong crime, if someone steals a pencil from a teacher’s desk it is just as wrong. Even though the pencil isn’t as valuable as a top, any type of stealing causes harm. When walking away from this, it saves harm for both the stealer and the victim. Both people will not be involved in any type of stealing situation when showing the Christ-like love of walking away from harm.

Cross-Cultural Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cross-Cultural Interview - Essay Example Besides, Locke introduced an innovative model which consists of 10 elements to have deeper understanding on multiculturalism. Thesis statement: Can one prove the predictability of Don C Locke’s model through a structured interview with a member of minority population in the United States. The structured interview with a member from minority population pointed out by Locke in the text proves the credibility of the theory. Besides, the interviewee selected for the interview was a member of African American community. Don C. Locke opines that: â€Å"The African American population has undergone significant changes† (Locke, 1998) the African American minorities consists of a well knit community with growth and development. The questionnaire (see appendix-1) prepared for the interview consists of the model pointed out by Locke. The findings derived from the interview exposes the past of African Americans and their present condition in American society. In addition, the findings are to be evaluated with a futuristic outlook. The main findings of the interview are pointed out below. The first question asked was related to Acculturation and the multicultural characteristics of African Americans. The answer proves that the African Americans are capable to assimilate themselves into the American society. As the American society is an amalgam of multiracial, multicultural and multilingual factors, there is high chance for a minority race to accept the same as the part of their culture. The second question was related to the poverty and economic concerns. The interviewee made clear that he and his family face problems related to housing, employment and educational opportunities. The African American community faces certain economic and social problems especially on employment and higher education. The third question was related to the history of oppression which chained the African American community for centuries in the

Great American Books (Walt Whitman) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Great American Books (Walt Whitman) - Essay Example The poem serves a critical aspect of American society while dealing with the symbolic paradigm and aspect of the theme of restlessness and love of America for freedom and open spaces. The major intricacy with this particular poem by Whitman is essentially concerned with the multi-layered symbolism operating within the text and its allegorical implication which is found hard to establish the co-relation with the central idea of the poem. This makes the poem presented in double and oscillating theme often hard for the comprehension of the average readers thereby deviating from the original view point of the poem. The beautiful poem consists of 224 lines which were divided into two neat divisions. The first eight section of the poem speaks about the enthusiastic and exuberant depiction of the lessons concerned with the healthful benefits of the open air. The second section is a description of the persona’s invitation guided by his passionate urge to his companion to join the journey with the open air. The critical problem or the main thesis query concerned in the poem revolves round the second section of the poem which speaks about the joining of the community or trajectory with the open road or space. The ambiguity is starker here and the apparent description of the impassioned invitation of the persona hints more towards the celebration of individual exuberance and spirit than the national mobility, flexibility and spirit of democracy. The co-relation and systematic interpretation of the individual and nation and establishment of the Meta thesis pertaining to individual is nation and vice versa, falls quite weak here in terms of practical operation. The query that might occur in the mind of Whitman’s readers will be essentially cantering round the play of allegory and explicitness in his poetry. The problem of criticism is wide but the thesis statement concerning the essay and one

HR Practice in A.J. Robinsons and Sons Ltd Essay

HR Practice in A.J. Robinsons and Sons Ltd - Essay Example There is also need for reorientation of the employees through training and it has also been recommended that there should be effective communication in order to create understanding among the workmates. It has been recommended that there is need to clearly outline the structure of the organization for it to be effective as well as improve its performance which is internally based at the expense of the customers. Â  In the given case scenario, the key issues affecting performance levels at A.J. Robinsons and Sons Ltd particularly in the Sales Office (Jackie) scenario, the Bought Ledger (Karen) department and The Transport (Melvin) department can be attributed to overriding of the functions of the First Line Managers (FLM) by John Jones who is the Customer Services and Administrative Manager. In order to gain a clear understanding of the concept of FLM, it is imperative to begin by outlining some of the basic functions of First Line management. Basically, first line managers are directly responsible for the production of goods and services. The employees who directly report to them do the organization’s basic production work (Jackson et al 2001). For instance, a sales manager like Jackie should be responsible for supervising the people who sell different chemical things in the organization. It can be noted that this level of management is the link between the operations of each departm ent and the rest of the organization. Â  

Revolutions in 20th Century Latin America Essay

Revolutions in 20th Century Latin America - Essay Example Latin America was one of those lands which underwent frequent revolutions. Twentieth century as well as the Caribbean lands are no exceptions. This paper is intended to identify the various reasons for the revolutions in the Latin America. Due to the space constraints two revolutions are taken into account; the Cuban revolution in 1959 and 'tenants revolution' in Brazil in 1930. Any revolution is not a one night process. A whole domain of social, cultural, geographical, internal and external political and/or economical factors plays their role to evolve a revolution. Thus, before analyzing the causes of revolution, it is empirical to have a glance into the social, cultural, geographical, political and/or economical setup of the land in particular and the region in general. When we will analyze them all and try to map them on the chronology of the revolution, this way the causes would be highlighted themselves. United States of America had helped Cuba achieve independence in 1898 from the Spanish domination, thus it was quite obvious that US had an influence over the Cuban Affairs, local as well international, since the day one. The control of the United States of America on the Cuban Economy is evident from the facts that United States had control over almost half of the land of Cuba, three fifth of the railway system, almost ninety percent of electricity production and the telephone system. Furthermore, Cuba was the main supplier of various raw materials to the United States. So we can infer that though Independent, the control of USA was yet not lesser than that of British Imperials in their colonies. Furthermore, the domination did not result in the increase in the efficiency of the overall performance of the country, so there was a general opinion in the people of Cuba, that the United State is exploiting the Cuban people for their (US) interest through the dummy leaders like Batista. (Thomas) Cuban Economy before Revolution: At first look, it appears that Cuban economy was prosperous at that time. Cuba's mortality rate of 7 per thousand was the lowest in Latin America. Its infant mortality rate was by far the lowest. Cuba's mortality rate of 7 per thousand was the lowest in Latin America. Its infant mortality rate was by far the lowest. Cuba had one automobile for every 39 inhabitants, compared with Argentina's one for every 60 and Mexico's one for every 91 people. The wage rate for industrial workers in Cuba was the highest in Latin America (as of 1957) and 9th highest in the world. However, the other side of picture so dark that this appearing brightness of Cuban Economy fade away, when someone browse through these factors. The economy was too dependent on Sugar. Wealth was unevenly distributed. Unemployment was 8% in five months of sugar harvest, but for the rest of the year, it used to be around 30%. As stated above, the economic prosperity had no trickle down effect; the only beneficiaries of the si tuation were the US companies in Cuba and their Cuban associates who were working for their interests. Thus there were high social tensions among the common man of Cuba. (Seers) Political Setup in Cuba: There was no reliable democratic

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 11

Business Plan - Essay Example An effective business plan will be able to describe the proposed venture in terms of the opportunities or threats of the products or services it offers, marketing forces, competition, business operation and its resources and financial projections (Leach & Melicher, 2008, p. 74). This paper is a brief business plan for Wonder-BAR and it presents the ‘what, where and why’ explanation of this business venture. Australia is one of the largest wine producer in the world since its wine exports have grown in an incredible place in recent years and the country has become market leader in the UK and the second largest in the US (Austrade, 2008). Australia’s larger population and experiences accelerated growth are always positive signs for most industries in the country. The wine and bar industries in Australia have greater growth potential due to mass production with emphasis on quantity with quality (Gruda, Vries & Marsman, 2011, p. 6). As Wonder-BAR will be concentrating on superior quality wines, the company will have greater opportunities and the company will be able to better seize this opportunity if it can meet specific as well as general customer-requirements for leisure, entertainment and natural charms. Wonder-BAR is proposing to introduce a new product in the brand name ‘Choc-Vine’, that will be prepared as a Chocolate Wine for meeting the needs of customers for s mall-wine treats. This will certainly attract large numbers of customers since these small-treat Chocolate Wines can be used as an alternative to sweets for people on the go and on the walk. The Wonder-BAR will be operating as a Limited liability partnership, because this form of business has various advantages such as limited liability, minimum management responsibility and direct pass through of profit and loss for taxation (CCH Australia Limited, 2008, p. 133-

Issues of Trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Issues of Trust - Essay Example By developing effective pedagogical strategic plan of fully engagement of culturally diversified parents towards the learning process, which avoids any events that can be interpreted as discrimination of the low-income CLD families. I will foster collaborative decision-making, which is made hard by less active parents in the school by involving parents, family and the community will ensure that all students’ needs are met without racial, culture, and level of income discrimination. The focus of the engagement is to enhance collaboration and testing the response from different cultures in my school, which will help in coming up with universal goals towards representing students from diverse backgrounds. Promoting more effective and efficient federal policies guarantees equal opportunities for all CLD families irrespective of their race, gender, culture, or socio-economic status; hence, this is a practice that I will engage in to provide a culturally responsible teaching environment. The policies will be published after gathering extensive information from all families including low-income CLD families, which will enhance the accomplishment of a collaborative governance of the teaching process free from criticism. The policies have to address all differences that arise from CLD families, stipulating considerations of the special attention required by the low-income families, which ensures that all students receive quality service. This is to ensure that what I offer in the curriculum would be my move to ensure that I foster a strong nous of a culturally responsive learning environment for culturally and linguistically diversified students. This is a practice that I believe plays an important role in enhancing collaborative ties in a school despite the cultural differences. I will put measures to promote consistent communication ensures that students develop self-empowerment regardless of their cultural

The latest technology in Health Information Tracking Research Paper

The latest technology in Health Information Tracking - Research Paper Example The insufficiency of computerized information related to heath care, health information systems are implemented. These systems do not support data analysis in which equity related stratifies is usually not possible. The transformation of the healthcare industry utilizing Information Technology is continuously updating. The healthcare sector’s investment in Information Technology is not up to the mark for at least a decade, as history shows that the health care industry has adopted the Information Technology late. As the increasing costs of healthcare intimidate the competitive advantage of developed countries, ways to use information technology to organize costs are being recognized. Major government projects focus on the improvement of information technology adoption and shrink costs while protecting patient privacy. Requirement for researchers to facilitate practitioners recognize how information technology can advance hospitals’ productivity is evident. As people are becoming more and more aged, population is becoming a challenge in social and economic sector worldwide. In the United States, people with age over 65 are expected to hit 70 million by 2030. This figure is doubled as compared to 35 million in 2000. Health care in the context of Information technology has become an obsession globally. These increments are been observer globally. The old aged people having diseases, requiring constant monitoring and medication and need to visit the hospitals and clinics on a regular basis. If the disease is identified at the initial stage by health monitoring techniques, the quality of life will be improved and many lives can be saved. At the same time, investigating the disease can reduce the cost and resources which are utilized for the treatment of a patient. The cost related to health care is also an emerging problem (Durresi et al.

The staff at Greengables Essay Example for Free

The staff at Greengables Essay This would make a client feel emotionally upset and unwanted, the client might feel they are not important and could withdraw themselves from activities within Greengables because they do not want to be humiliated.  The sixth care value is promoting effective communication and relationships, Greengables try to make sure that clients are comfortable with their environment of the nursing home and ask their opinion, they have to understand the clients needs, fears and wishes. The clients always have time to communicate between one another, they do not have to but they have the choice. They also ensure the clients have relationships and time to bond with staff. Greengables overcome this care value by employing confident staff who are willing to talk to clients and make strong, trusting relationship, the clients have time all day everyday to make relationships it is just their choice to do so. If a care worker was to ignore the clients needs, fears or wishes or if the client struggled to talk the same language as the care worker and was ignored because the care worker didnt bother attempting to communicate with the client this care value wouldnt be followed. This could result in a client feeling they dont have to be sensitive to others or respect others opinions and feelings; they might lower in self-esteem. The seventh care value is providing individualised care, Greengables respect the clients thoughts, they treat all the residents as individuals and make sure each clients individual needs are cared for. For example, if a client needed a wheelchair because they could not walk, Greengables would provide this one client with a wheelchair unless someone else needed one and not give all the clients a wheelchair. It is vitally important that the clients have control over their lives just with the extra help on things they struggle with. In a kitchen it would be a lot easier for the catering staff to make one thing but this is not following the seventh care value; the kitchen should make certain foods for people with religious beliefs and certain foods for those who are allergic or need to be on a certain diet. This could result in the client feeling un-catered for and that they do not matter. If the care value base was not used at all, the clients that used the services at Greengables could tell their families, who could remove the client from the nursing home and into another meaning Greengables wouldnt receive as much money as they need or want and it wouldnt reach the standards that the government want and could be shut down until improved. The care value base is important because it prevents abuse and keeps the service to suitable standards. At Black Firs Playgroup the care value base is approached in a slightly different way. The clients at Black Firs Playgroup are children therefore they have to learn about building relationships with people and might not have the knowledge to tell someone about abuse. Staff at Black Firs Playgroup would be looking for physical damage, a change in mood or a change in noticeable emotional feeling of the child. The children could be abused by parents or other people at home or could be bullied by other children, which isnt as likely because they are a bit young. The children are less likely to be verbally abused than the older residents at Greengables because some children will not understand hurtful words for example. Both the clients from a nursing home and a nursery are at a vulnerable age because younger people take more explaining and understanding and older people are frail. At Greengables the staff would be looking for physical abuse, a change in mood and contribution to things or psychological abuse. This abuse could be from other clients, their family who visit or the care workers. The staff at Greengables have more chance of getting told or confided in by a client because they already know how to make relationships but might struggle to speak etc after a stroke for example.

Service Quality Dimensions That Affect Customer Satisfaction Commerce Essay

Service Quality Dimensions That Affect Customer Satisfaction Commerce Essay The objective of this chapter is to formulate the research question and develop the conceptual framework for the study. A detailed overview of how the research was conducted, the operationalisation of the variables, hypothesis formulation and the research methodology used which covers data collection methods used, sample selection and method used for data analysis are discussed. 3.2 Research Question Based on the review of literature and the research problem, the following question has been formulated in order to determine the relationship that exists between the various dimensions of customer expectation and the service quality by the insurance companies for motor insurance policy holders. It is important to understand this relationship as it would enable the companies in the insurance sector to improve their service quality and to match and to exceed customer expectations and create a knowledge base in order to stay ahead in the market. The following research questions were derived from the research problem and the review of the literature. What are the Service Quality Dimensions that affect customer satisfaction in the Motor Insurance industry in Sri Lanka? What is the extent to which customers are satisfied with the services received from the Motor Insurance Industry? What are the gaps between customer Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction of Motor Insurance policy holders? 3.3 Conceptual Framework Service Quality Dimensions Dependant Variable Independent Variables [Source: Developed by the Researcher] 3.3.1 Rationalization of the conceptual framework Conceptual framework was replicated based on Zeithaml, Parasuraman Berry (1991), to test this study in the Motor Insurance Industry in Sri Lanka. On the detailed literature review, the research identified five factors that impact value delivery to customer of Motor Insurance services. These five service quality dimensions of SERVQUAL Model by Parasuraman and Berry et el (1985), have been derived as independent variables. These variables fall under Service providers Perspective in the conceptual framework. The dependent variable was identified as Customer satisfaction. The gaps in quality of service will be identified by using these five dimensions. This is the gap between the Customers expectation and experience of the Motor Insurance service delivery, which will subsequently have an impact on customer satisfaction. Rust Oliver (1994) and the Nordic Model (Gronoos, 1992) too emphasizes the importance of meaning of the gap between expectations and the experience in service industry. Hence all these have been included in the conceptual framework. 3.3.2 Definitions for Variables Tangibles Modern Equipment and Technology, Visually appealing physical facilities neat appearing employees and agents, visually appealing materials associated with services. Appearance of physical facilities, equipment personnel and communication material (Parasurman et.al,1998 and 1990). Reliability Keeping promises when promises to do something by a certain time , offering products and services of utmost quality, issuing contracts with clear, transparent and non ambiguous terms, settling customers claims with no unnecessary delays, ,showing sincere interest when solving customers problems, offering services right the first time without unnecessarily discomforting customers, providing services within the specified contract time limits, issuing error free bills, statements, receipts, contracts, claims and other documents. Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately (Parasurman et.al,1998 and 1990). Responsiveness telling customers exactly when the services will be performed, doing their best to give prompt service to customers, always willing to help customers, never being too busy to respond to customers requests . Willing to help customer and provide prompt service (Parasurman et.al,1998 and 1990). Assurance Customers feeling safe in their transactions, behavior instilling confidence in customers, being consistently courteous with customers, having employees and agents with the necessary knowledge to give professional services to customers. Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence (Competence, courtesy, creditability and security of the service), (Parasurman et.al,1998 and 1990). Empathy Giving customers individual services, operating hours convenient to all customers, giving customers personal attention, having the customers best interest at heart, understanding the specific needs of customers. Caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers (Access to organizations representatives, communication and understanding the customer), (Parasurman et.al,1998 and 1990). As presented in the above conceptual model, the independent variable of dimensions of service quality will be studied. Price is also a relevant variable. However, the focus of this study is on service quality attributes and therefore is not within the scope of this study. Theoretical research has presented several different service quality definitions. However, Parasuraman et al. (1985) definition of service quality, which has been used in many industry studies before, was adopted. Service quality is defined as the degree of discrepancy between customers normative expectations for the service and their perceptions of the service performance. The SERVQUAL model developed by Parasuraman et al.(1998), is therefore used for this study. Hypotheses Formulation Hypothesis is a testable speculative statement delineating the relations between all the elements of a theory (Page Meyer, 2000). The development of hypothesis was categorized into two sections based on insurance companies customers. Accordingly five hypotheses were developed. The source for all hypothesis development was based on the conceptual framework. Furthermore, the hypotheses based on insurance companies were primarily related to the importance of each expectation. The hypotheses developed for customers were based on the service quality of obtaining Motor insurance policies. When developing hypothesis, Literature review under section 2.18, according to the study carried out in Greece and Kenya by Rand, (2006), it was proved that there is a relationship between service quality dimensions and expected and experienced service quality by the customers in the insurance industry. 3.5 Hypothesis Rationalization Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Reliability dimension in motor insurance According to Parasuraman et al (1985) Reliability dimension measures the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. As per the research carried out by Rand (2006) , it says that the Reliability has a huge impact on the service quality in service industry. Especially in a industry like Motor insurance it has a huge effect. Consumers satisfaction choice of service provider and service quality evaluation are influenced by the expectations of the consumer, (Trinh et al.2000). As mentioned above in the research carried out in Kenyan Insurance industry by Rand (2006), it is noted that most of the researchers (Rand, 2006; Trinh, 2000) have identified that Reliable service always has a positive impact on the service quality provided by the company. Therefore it is worthy to investigate the relationship among Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Reliability dimension in motor insurance. It could be hypothesized that, H 1 0 There is no relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Reliability dimension in motor insurance H 1 There is a relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Reliability dimension in motor insurance Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Responsiveness dimension in motor insurance The Dimension Responsiveness explains about willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Responsiveness factor significantly has a positive effect on Customer satisfaction. Quality service provision, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty has recently been emerging as important parameters for both researchers and practitioners in turkey. This has been proved through a research carried by Yale University in Turkey (2009) on Service Quality in healthcare. This research was also based on the service quality. To provide superior service quality responsiveness is a very important factor since service providers should always willing to help customers. Especially in an industry such as insurance it is a very decisive factor since the customer is expecting a prompt action for their problems. So responsiveness factor effectively contributes to reduce the gaps between the Expected Experienced Service quality by the motor insurance policy holders. Therefore it is worthy to identify the relationship between the Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Responsiveness dimension in motor insurance. So it could be hypothesized that, H 2 0 There is no relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Responsiveness dimension in motor insurance H 2 There is a relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Responsiveness dimension in motor insurance Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Assurance dimension in motor insurance Assurance dimension is all about, the knowledge, competence, and courtesy of service employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence. Ducker (1991) defines service quality as What the customer gets out and is willing to pay for rather than what the supplier (of the service) puts in? Hence, service quality is often conceptualized as the comparison of service expectations with actual performance perception (Bloemer, Ruyter et al. 1999; Kara, Lonial et al. 2007). Service science literature often relies on SERVUQAL as an instrument to measure quality of service provided. SERVQUAL scale was developed based on a marketing perspective with the support of the Marketing Science Institute (Parasuraman, Zeithaml et al. 1986). It is very important to keep the assurance on the agreement made the company to their customers. Specially in the insurance industry, it is crucial factor to offer the assurance of the services provided. Therefore it is worthy to identify the relationship betwee n the Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Assurance dimension in motor insurance. So it could be hypothesized that, H 3 0 There is no relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Assurance dimension in motor insurance H 3 There is a relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Assurance dimension in motor insurance Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Empathy dimension in motor insurance Empathy dimension is about caring individualized attention provided to customers. According to the expectancy disconfirmation model, customers satisfaction is a function between his/her service performance perception and expectation (Pizam and Ellis, 1999), and illustrated as Satisfaction=f (Perception-Expectation). It is very important to offer individual attention to the customers specially in the service industry. Trustworthiness is one of the critical factors in any industry for the customers. Empathy factor defines that. Keeping the customer complaints and criticisms is very important in the motor insurance industry as the competition is very high. If the organization looses one policyholder that may affect the organization immensely. Therefore it is worthy to identify the relationship between the Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Empathy dimension in motor insurance. So it could be hypothesized that, H 4 0 There is no relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Empathy dimension in motor insurance H 4 There is a relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Empathy dimension in motor insurance Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Tangibility dimension in motor insurance Tangibility is all about appearance of physical facilities, equipment, ambience, personnel and communication materials. The rewards to firms that establish a loyal customer base have been well documented (Armstrong and Symonds, 1991: Heskett et al. 1994: Reichheld amd Sesser, 1990). In general, increased loyalty leads to lower cost of servicing the firms customers, reduced marketing expenditure, increased business from the existing customer base and greater profits. The internal appearance and the facilities is also affecting the service quality. It in turn helps the company to retain their customer and reduce the unnecessary costs such as saving costs. Therefore it is worthy to identify the relationship between the Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Tangibility dimension in motor insurance. So it could be hypothesized that, H 5 0 There is no relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Tangibility dimension in motor insurance H 5 There is a relationship between Expected Experienced Service Quality in relation to Tangibility dimension in motor insurance 3.6 Operationalization Based on the SERVQUAL scale and using five service quality dimensions. Concepts Variable Indicator Measure Reliability Price/Premium Reasonable Premium rates In order to evaluate customer expectation and experience , a 5 point scale was used. To measure customer perception the rating scale , for 1 Not important and 5 Very Important . And to measure customer experience the rating scale, for 1 Not Experienced at all , to 5 Experienced at a high level Product Range Range of products offered, to suit individual requirements Physical Access Availability and convenience of facilities and branch network Electronic access Availability of Telephone and online facilities Service delivery Level of service as expected/promised Responsiveness Waiting time Average time taken to process a claim after an accident In order to obtain data on average time spent with the Insurance providing company to get an service rating scale from 1 to 5 was used . for 1 Not Experienced at all , to 5 Experienced at a high level . In order to evaluate customer expectation and experience , a 5 point likert scale was used. Level of responsiveness of the Insurance staff Time taken to respond to an issue Assurance Stability The guarantee of safety when making a claim In order to evaluate customer expectation and experience, a 5 point likert scale was used. Safety of the investment Making the actual cost Convenience to the holder Confidentiality Maintenance of confidentiality Product Knowledge The knowledge of the product/features by the staff members Empathy Benefits Special benefits and features for the customer In order to evaluate customer expectation and experience, a 5 point likert scale was used. Attention Personal attention to customers and recognizing regular customers Caring Helping customers in a pleasant and caring manner Approachability Easy to approach staff members Tangibles Environment Pleasant ambiance inside the company In order to evaluate customer expectation and experience, a 5 point likert scale was used. Facilities Facilities provided to the policy holders Parking Availability of adequate parking at the Insurance company Number of repair centers in Sri Lanka Directional signs and information Availability of adequate instructions and directions of counters and procedures and easy directions when filling forma and other documents Appearance of Staff members Staff members are dresses appropriately Layout Convenient layout of the company interior Customer Satisfaction Level Satisfaction Level of satisfaction of the insurance company in relation to each service quality dimension A 5 point likert scale was used to measure the likelihood of these indicators ranging from Very Likely to Highly Unlikely. In Order to measure the time length of the relationship the respondent has with the Insurance provider , 5 time slots were presented where by the respondent could select his/her most relevant time slot. Study was carried out to ascertain the validity and Reliability of the Questionnaire. This was done as the instrument to use collected data was not tested previously. 3.7 Research Methodology The Research methodology is the way research is conducted. Research methodology refers to the theory of how research should be undertaken (Saunders, et al 2005). The first step of the study is to assess the service quality gaps in relation to the customer expectations and experience among five leading Insurance Companies which deals with Motor insurance in Sri Lanka and with each of the five SERVQUAL dimensions. This study helps to determine the average service quality gap score (between customers expectations and experience) for each service quality dimensions and how it affects the overall customer satisfaction. The second step each Insurance companys gap scores for each service quality dimensions. This is to examine the differences within each insurance company when providing services to the customers and to compare the differences of the overall satisfaction of customers in each insurance company. Stage three measured the level of satisfaction of the customers and the fourth stage examines the relationship between the expected and experienced service quality gaps by the customers for each dimensions. The final Stage integrates the data obtained from the five insurance companies and conclusions were prepared in accordance to the findings. Based on research problem, preliminary data was the main source of data used in this research. Consistent with the deductive research method, data collection through questionnaires has been a long proven method to collect valid and reliable data (Page Meyer, 2000). The deductive method refers to the use of a theory to generate prepositions or hypothesis that can be tested. Thus, the research method has been chosen for this study is based on deductive method. 3.7.1 Method of Data Collection In this study the primary data was collected through a self completion questionnaire from customers of the selected five Insurance companies. The study followed the Quantitative method to gather and analyze the data. The secondary data was collected from secondary source such Government publications (IBSL Annual Report 2010 Central Bank Annual Report 2010), Company Annual reports and from other publications. 3.7.2 Selection of Sample For the purpose of gathering data on customer expectation and customer experience, a total number of 250 questionnaires were distributed, from which a total of 224 valid Reponses were received and selected for data analysis. Individuals within a sample are chosen by chance rather than by the researcher or by being self-selected (Page and Meyer, 2000). A simple random sampling technique was used for this study, so that each unit of the population will have a known and equal chance of being selected. The sample was spread across Motor insurance policy holders of Five different Motor insurance providing companies in Sri Lanka. A brief description of selected five companies are given below, Aviva NDB Insurance PLCPLC Aviva NDB Insurance PLCtook wing as a leading player within Sri Lankas insurance landscape in the late 1980s. Over the years, the Companys good governance practices, ethics and innovation have helped it to soar to new heights. The dynamism and creativity of the Aviva NDB Family has been the engine of its evolution into a superior entity in the insurance and financial services sector. The Company has recorded a Consolidated Revenue of Rs. 7, 265 million with an impressive growth rate of 23.7% over the previous year. The Revenue reported for the current year includes Rs. 171.2 million being the gross-up of tax withheld at source on Government Securities. Excluding this, the growth for 2010 stands at 20.8%. Union Assurance PLC Union Assurance is a composite insurer transacting both Life and General business including personal insurance, in operation since 1987. A Public Quoted Company, UA entered the insurance arena at the time the private sector was permitted to set up in insurance, following the enactment of the Control of Insurance (Amendment) Act No. 42 of 1986. Committed to pursuing the highest standards of service and security, UA is backed by the corporate might of blue chip companies John Keells and Carson Cumberbatch. UAs reinsurers are world leaders, chosen for their dependability and total security. In short, they are the best in the business. The companys paid up capital as at 31 December 2009 is Rs 250 million and net asset base, Rs 1.6 billion, also indicates the companys  Ã‚   financial stability and strength, and places it firmly at the apex off private insurance service providers in Sri Lanka. Asian Alliance Insurance PLC Within a very short time period, Asian Alliance Insurance PLC has achieved what every company yearns for; it has touched the hearts of its customers with outstanding levels of professionalism and service. Asian Alliance commenced operations in December 1999 with 50 employees. Today the company has grown from strength to strength to become one of Sri Lankas leading players in the insurance industry. The company caters to an ever-growing client base that consists of corporate and individual clients. The secret behind the Asian Alliance Insurance success story lies in its ability to offer tailor-made insurance solutions to its customers. Sri Lanka Insurance Cooperation Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation which was established in 1962 as a State Owned Corporation was converted to a Limited Liability Company for a brief period of 6 years and was re-instilled in the state sector on the 4th June 2011, further strengthening the Corporation as the strongest and the largest Insurer in the Country. Sri Lanka Insurance is now backed by government protection and service excellence on par with the best in the private sector. At present Sri Lanka Insurance has over 120 Branches Island with an unparalleled assets base under management of over Rs.64.8 billion with a Life fund of over Rs.39 billion and over one million policies in force. The Motor Insurance Department has branched off into unrelated areas such as Theft only, Fire Only, Fire and Theft, 3rd Party Fire and Theft and Act only; once again, offering covers aimed at satisfying their clientele to a maximum. Ceylinco Insurance PLC From a solid and innovative start in 1939, Ceylinco Insurance Company Limited has faced numerous changes and challenges and has successfully weathered them all. Registered as Ceylinco Insurance Company Limited in 1987 and commenced business on the 14th of January 1988, in the spheres of Life and General Insurance, we have grown from strength to strength. Today, they have become the leading insurance company in Sri Lanka, with the largest network of branches and agents in the insurance industry. Their goals include becoming the leading provider of protection and financial security in Sri Lanka and in select international markets. 3.7.3 Structure of the Questionnaire Part one of the questionnaire focuses on demographic features of the respondents. Part two focuses on the dimensions. Questions from 1.14 entail in Reliability dimension and thereafter, based on Operationalisation, 10 questions focus on Responsiveness dimension 16 questions represents the Assurance dimension and 9 questions on Empathy dimension. Final dimension which is Tangibility has 10 questions. Each dimension has 2 columns to rate expected and experienced using a likert scale of 1.5, not important at all being No.1 and Very important being No.05. For the study, questionnaire was designed in accordance with the research objectives. The Questionnaire is based on the five SERVQUAL dimensions presented by Parasuraman et al (1985) and the Gap 5 which is also known as the Customer gap (the gap between customer expectation and experience) of the SERVQUAL mo del presented by Parasuraman et al (1985) , modified and tailored to specific service quality requirements of the Motor Insurance industry. Table 2: Structure of the Questionnaire Questionnaire Variables Measurement Items Section 1 Personal details Section 2 Measure Service quality perceptions of five insurance companies in general from individuals Section 3 Measure Service Quality dimensions separately to find out Expected Experienced service quality by each customer. 3.1 Reliability 3.2 Responsiveness 3.3- Assurance 3.4 Empathy 3.5 -Tangibility 3.7.4 Method of Data Analysis The Data was collected through a Questionnaire. The study was carried out using Descriptive statistics as well as Inferential Statistics. Under Inferential statistics an ANOVA analysis and paired sample two test were carried out. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics  are used to describe the main features of a collection of  data  quantitatively. Inferential Statistics Inferential statistics are used to draw inferences about a  population  from a  sample. T-Test This test is used to compare the means of two samples (or treatments), even if they have different numbers of replicates. ANOVA test The Analysis Of Variance, popularly known as the ANOVA test, can be used in cases where there are more than two groups. The following methods have been used to analyze the data obtained from the study. Gap technique The gap technique will be used to analyze and identify the service quality gaps between expectation and experience of customers. Comparative Analysis A comparative analysis will be conducted in relation to the gap technique between the five Insurance companies using graphs and tables. Relationship Analysis Under Inferential Statistic analysis paired sample two test will be conducted to analyze the relationship between Expected service Quality and Experienced Service Quality by the customers. 3.7.5 Pilot Study Pilot study was carried out to ascertain the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. The instrument used to gather data in a research should be valid and reliable (Page Meyer, 2000). 3.8 Summary The purpose of this chapter was to explain and formulate the research questions and to provide a conceptual framework. The research question was formulated and thereafter the conceptual framework was designed using Service Quality as the independent variable and Customer Satisfaction being the dependent variable. Thereafter, the operationalization for the study was designed in accordance with the features/qualities of motor insurance industry. Given this, the methodology for the researcher was presented which included methods of data collection, selection of the sample, the questionnaire design and the methods of data analysis. Finally the limitations of the study were mentioned.