At the Resort Southeast Asian Tourist Workers and Regimes of Global Citizenship - Book Report/Review Example

Article Critique 1. Introduction The paper, “At the resort: Southeast Asian tourist workers and regimes of Global citizenship” written by Mark Davis is an exhibition of the presence of pre modern aspects of the world like imperialism, colonization, slavery and economic theories like surplus labor, inequality, vicious cycle of poverty and so on in this modern world. The device through which the author has depicted the theme of his research is Malaysian tourism industry. At the very nascent stage of the paper, the author states that globalization which emerges as a notion of the free flow of goods have narrowed the economic distance between the nations and has infused different cultures of the world (Monnier, 2009). With the concentration of wealth and the rising middle class the global tourism industry has flourished in an optimum level and they are in favor of exploring the authentic culture of the places (Mouforth and Munt, 2003, p.12). This demand of authenticity and originality of the place in the tourism industry (Bougot, 2011) has been an important issue on which the trans-national companies as well as the government of the respective countries has embarked upon and the invited a huge amount of foreign reserves in their respective countries as well. But in this process the attributes of colonialism have crept in and with its spillover effects have imparted negative impacts on the societies of these countries jeopardizing the life of the native people as well as that of a large number of international immigrants who come into this industry in order to sustain their living (Hanna, 2012, p.16). The author has experienced that in the five star hotel where he visited that almost majority of the employees of the resort where international immigrants from less developed countries like Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and so on. The question which the author raises is that how can the outsiders exhibit the authenticity of the host place. Later he has shown us that the government sees the outsiders as threat and imposes stringent rules on them. But majority of the workers in the tourism industry are international immigrants. Now, the standard for international business in the application of English language and the natives are not well equipped with and so they are subjected to economic inequality and the poverty. Almost everybody is busy in their works with their mobile phones except the younger and the older ones whom the author resembles with surplus labor. Racial discrimination is also a major aspect which the author has put forward. And ultimately he satirically states that, “What could be more ridiculous than to write in and about a resort?” (Davis, 2011, p.172) and justifies the title of the paper. This paper will be reviewing the article with a critical point of view and evaluate its justification with its future applicability. 2. Problem Section 2.1 Authenticity acting as a key driver in the tourism industry Lavish entertainment has become one of predominant attributes of the people in this globalised world with grand concentration of wealth (An Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications, 2012, p.5). Travelling to and fro and exploring beautiful cultures has become habits of human conscience at the expense of massive amounts of money. The tourism industry all over the world and especially in the South East Asia (central focus in the article) has grown manifold in this respect (Ehrlich, 2011). People travelling from place to place vehemently seek the authenticity of the place with respect to local cultures, regional heritage, and attachment to the medieval roots of the places (Naser, 2003). The five star hotels which forms a major part in the generation of business targets highly on the international tourists (Amnatcharoenrit, 2012). They optimize their resources in providing the tourists with the unique sense of culture, distinctive feature of the region along with lavish utilization of time. With this backdrop, the author himself exhibits the extravaganza of one the particular five star resorts which he visited in Malaysia. The author indicates that the resorts with small adjacent gardens adjacent to the car loops and some other steps which lead up to the reception area can be regarded as a small traditional village and the reception area is structured as a village meeting the house writ large and rendered in marble which are studded with the woven cane furniture which are open to the weather at the sides (Davis, 2001, pp.165-166). He also states that the resort incorporated a unique feeling of nostalgia which was one of fundamental styles of hotel management of the resort. The author initiated the article with the notion of authenticity which is indeed an important parameter which the tourist of today embarks upon. The background has been well stitched as it acts as a superficial layer for continuing further research which would be directing towards the evil aspects of globalization corresponding to the tourism industry in the south eastern Asia. 2.2 Relevance of the authors’ view backed by other literature 2.2.1 Rapid expansion of the hotel industry in the South East Asia Authenticity is a critical point which the author has used as a precursor for the explaining the complexity which globalization has injected within the lives of the people of different ethnicity and religion with respect to the tourism industry in the South East Asia (Shepherd, 2008, p. 183). In many third world countries economic development acts as an important driver in the enhancement of international tourism which acts as a of foreign exchange inflow (Tourism, Investing in energy and resource efficiency, 2011, p.414). Within the last few decades, there has been a spectrum of expansion in the hotel development industry propelled with jet velocity in the tourism industry of South East Asia (Jiahao & Ling, 2012, p.3). 2.2.2 Globalization acting as a narrowing down mechanism "Time-space convergence," (Tan, 1995, p. 26) which has been defined by Giddens in which time space convergence within the realms of capitalist modernity which directs towards the shrinking of distance between the locales under the influence particularly due to that of highly advanced transportation and communication technology. Giddens also argues that globalization is the “commodification of space” (Tan, 1995, p. 26). The time space intersection has rigorously led the tourism industry to become a highly generalized phenomenon. In this respect, Wolfgang Schivelbush comments that, "From now on, the places visited by the traveler become ever more similar to the commodities that are part of the same circulatory system. For twentieth century tourism, the world has become one big department store of landscapes and cities” (Tan, 1995, p. 26) . 2.2.3 Hardcore business and capitalism emerging out from authenticity In the South East Asia tourist locations like that of Bali in Indonesia, Phuket in Thailand, places like Langkawi in Malaysia, Bintan island are highly notable for their development in attracting large number of regional as well as international tourists. As an example the developer of the United States of America will be spending around US $ 2.2 billion in the Bintan Beach International resort in the Riau Archi pelage and also a planned development of the around thirteen golf courses on around 23000 hectares and the Langkawi Development Authority of Malaysia has plans in spending around US $ 500 million on infrastructure. The architects of these tourism development works in the South East Asia crave these out in such a way such that they endorse the cultural essence of the place and provide a sensual refinement. For the purpose of attracting the explosive amount of tourists the entrepreneurs as well as the operators utilize the terms like that of authentic and manufactured for satisfying the mass consumption. The resorts are being built in such a way such that they optimally satisfy the needs. The expansive anthropological interests of the growing middle class in the search of ethnic tourism leads to the greater number of people in the host countries for the purpose of pursuing the proof of their authentic contact with the exotic cultures. The countries also provide various material symbols both for the touristic consumption as well as that of the self fulfillment in the development of secondary ethnicity. Dean Mac Cannell has stated that this phenomenon as a front stage for the outsiders and that of back stage where the things really take place. He also stated that touristic consciousness is increasingly engineered by that of the desire for the latter. This is because large number of visitors actively seeks for authenticity in the back stage regions (Tan, 1995, pp. 26-27). There is an operation of hardcore business going on in this process and the working classes are being highly exploited with the regional workers and the international workers exposed to an adverse situation. This can be replicated with indirect capitalism and the workers are getting subordinated under the dominant business classes related with tourism industry. Globalization acts a tool which helps as well as hurt the workers. The mechanism of globalization results in the increase in the foreign investments as well as exports which results in the increase in the demand of labor. It can be also viewed from an angle which results in the increase in the imports as well as loss of protection which forces the firms in the reduction of the costs with the decline in the working conditions (The effects of globalization on working conditions in developing countries, 2008, p.3). The author has introduced a true picture of the life of the workers be it native or be it international workers engaged in the South Eastern tourism industry. He emphasized that a large section of the native workers are adversely affected because of their lack of exposure in English language and many other constraints and the immigrant workers are suffocated within a domain of subordination by the host government and they are moved into a realm of identity crisis. The dominant business classes are making out their business and transferring the bulk of the revenue to their own countries. The author by exhibiting the authenticity within the tourism industry of south eastern Asia in a backdrop of a Malaysian resort reflects the paradox of global citizenship and also frames the distinctive characters of capitalism, racism, discrimination in a world of globalization which bases on the principles of equality, no discrimination and zero tolerance of racism. It can be asserted that the author is successful in communicating the problem and purpose of the study. The hypothesis framed by the author is quite clear as his purpose is to put forward the actual picture of globalization within the tourism domain of the developing countries and he seeks to the find potential solutions for the same. 2.3 Operational definitions In any research project it is highly essential for invoking key variables for making synthesis in the research. Operational definitions take place an important part in the research as because the operational definitions should be highly consistent with the constructs. The critiques of the poorly constructed operational definitions can be used as an important instrument for future improvements. The constructs are often inferred from the operational definitions (Michael, 2012, p.1). The author in the article has made the usage of various keywords like that of globalization, trans- nationalism, citizenship, sovereignty throughout for the purpose of reflecting the theme of his paper which is quite appropriate and bears relevance as well. 3. Ethical considerations The ethical considerations are highly important in any type of research. In research the researcher should have to keep in mind the points regarding the maintenance of the dignity and welfare of all the participants (Ethical considerations in research, 2002, p.46). The obligations also require protection of participants from harm, unnecessary risks, mental or physical discomfort which may evolve in the research process. Research which poses potential harm and danger to the participants will not be allowed at all unless the benefits of the research surpasses the risks as well as there is prior exposition of consent. The researcher is always used to be ethically correct all the time for treating the participants with ethical dimension ((Ethical considerations in research, 2002, p.46). The ethical considerations also rigorously require the human rights to be protected to the fullest as in there should be full confidentiality and freedom from coercion. It should be also noted in mind that the participants should not feel pressurized at any point of time and their influences may vary in some other way. The author has used a self assessment dimension to the paper where he explores the resort and neighborhood area of the country by himself. No conventional methods like interview, questionnaire method or structured sampling has been done in order to explore the theme of the paper. Thus there are no such direct participants in the research. But all the individuals and their interactions with the author have been crucial and there are no such comments or considerations where ethical perspectives have not been taken into consideration. 4. Future The paper has promoted adverse effects of globalization related to the tourism industry of the South East Asia especially Malaysia. The paper provides an immense contribution to future development. The paper targets basically at the improvement of the working conditions of the people in developing countries attached with the tourism industry. The author also directs towards the development of the policies of the government which will be protecting both the native workers as well as the international immigrants. The author watches the BBC world service where he sees that the Malaysian government took the decision to freeze the country’s intake of the Indian immigrant workers. The same day the author also states that a government announcement states that all the workers in the airport should be locals so that the visitors can get a proper Malaysian welcome (Davis, 2011, p. 168). From this it can be said that the government policies are highly obscure in its maintenance of the labor laws and the decisions are based on a rigorous scale rather than with proper anticipation. The government policies which will be introduced will be both universal and specific which would be fetching higher rates of relative success. The paper also reflects the levels of the government incapability or the corruption with the higher officials (Betz, 2009, p.79). The transparency in government policy in south east Asia is not clear and it directs towards the dynamic development of the government policies of these developing nations. The paper also focuses on the minimization of the racial discrimination within the developing countries which can be regarded as an evil effect of globalization. The paper also states that the government must be vigilant enough in addressing the uneven economic development within the region. Author also states towards the reduction of the cross border migration where the government has an important role to play. The paper seeks to develop an important dimension in the future of tourism which will be lead to less discrimination among the workers and will lead to the harmonious relation between people of different religion and the governmental intervention in the improving the adverse effects of globalization and establish its meaning in true sense of term. 5. Research process The association of all the researchers to the principles of the good research is highly crucial for the success of the research topic in question (Johnson, 2011, p.71). Good research practices generally attach to some of the set of principles which provide a framework which should be planned, performed, monitored, recorded and archived. The term research is a broad trajectory which includes more specific good practices method and that additional general information. The fundamentals of a good research are generally transparency and that of accountability. A good research practice is highly dependent on the integrity of the researchers rather than the literal observation of a fixed set of rules. Integrity refers to that of the prominence of honesty and openness to all the aspects of the research work with that of the consideration of the ethical values in the process of the work. The processes of the research can be made through the phases like that of a chronological order starting from initialization, planning and conduction of experimental work, evaluation and finally dissemination of results (Principles of good research practice in biomedical imaging, 2008, p.13). The research paper in question can be said to be a good research paper. It has elements of planning, extensive research and inference in line with the research hypothesis undertaken. The author at the core of the paper has considered globalization as disguise which bears every elements of colonization and capitalism which comes through the tourism industry of South East Asia. At the backdrop the author describes the Malaysian resort to be a creator of the nostalgic milieu which can be thought to be as the reinvention of colonialism. The atmosphere and amenities of the resort was tailored in the light of western upper class leisure as well as consumption. The author states that the colonialism has been reinvented and the author in this regards state that, “Others – Singaporean millionaires, Taiwanese newlyweds, Malaysian futures traders, Japanese tech consultants – can enjoy the pleasures of an imagined 19th-century Britishness” (Davis, 2011, p.167). The author points out the emergence of the nascent cosmopolitanism in the brochure of the resort and also reflects the difference between the elite classes and working classes. In this respect the author states that, “It presents a picture of a nascent cosmopolitanism that is enlarged on by the global cosmopolitanism of the resort guests, even if now, too, the fundamental division is between the servant and the served” (Davis, 2011, p.168). The author in flaunting out the evil effects of globalization has visualized that the local people of Malaysia are being exploited. The locals are not well equipped with communication in English and they are secluded from the commercial tourism industry and majority of the immigrants from the less developed nations like that of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bengal, Nepal come here and finds their living. As a result, the authenticity provision which the tourism industry claims in giving is becoming highly superficial and the originality is hampered. This is also realized by the government and the government also makes stringent moves in checking the immigrants but the illegal movement of the immigrants is not emphasized. The problems of unemployment have been highly increasing and the workers are carving their small space in late capitalism (Davis, 2001, p.169). The author in establishing his point of view states that globalization induces a situation of the graduated sovereignty and the multinational companies dominate largely in fetching away the revenues and sending them back to their countries and exploiting the cheap labor. The author also highlights the poor condition of the international immigrants. Restrained by strict governmental rules they become devoid of access to basic resources and mal treatment by the host states which is indeed perilous. And lastly worthy to mention the author found the presence of notorious racialism within the workforce. He found that people who were black skinned did not wear helmets and they were engaged in all sorts of menial jobs (Davis, 2001, p.171). They also live in the areas which was more or less synonymous to that of the slums. The author with his outright endeavor has reflected the harsh truth of globalization through the tourism industry of the south East Asia and points towards the fact that in this free modern society the elements of the pre modern societies like colonization, racial discrimination and subordination are still existent in robust form. He also underpins the presence of economic theory like that of surplus labor, perfect competition inequality in his paper. 6. Improvement The paper could be improved if the author would have taken some other resorts into consideration which would have provided more in depth analysis of the papers. The older tourist demographic would have been have proven to exposit a much more critical review. The positive future of the global tourism would have been included within the research which would be more interesting. Competition and its increase will also the suggest the need for the development of world class product and more distinct experience based offering which may have been included by the author in the research paper for its overall improvement. The cause for the discrimination among the working class and the inequalities may have been analyzed on a more rigorous basis which would have added the improvement in the paper as a whole (Global Tourism Opportunities Research Study, 2009, p.8). References An Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications, (2012), Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://www.johnstockmyer.com/enmu/452ch1.pdf Amnatcharoenrit, B, (2012), Hilton mulls Waldorf on Koh Samui, Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Hilton-mulls-Waldorf-on-Koh-Samui-30177243.html Bougot, C, (2011), Authenticity and commodification in changing tourism trends, Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://www.tourism-master.nl/2011/11/25/authenticity-and-commodification-in-changing-tourism-trends/ Betz, D, (2009), HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: CAUSES AND POLICY IMPLICATION, Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA501444 Davis, M, (2011), At the resort: Southeast Asian tourist workers and regimes of Global citizenship, Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 12(1), pp.165-172 Ethical considerations in research, (2002), Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/28/04713691/0471369128-3.pdf Ehrlich, R. S. (2011), Special report: Philippines tourism, a tough sell?, Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/escape/philippines/whats-problem-philippine-tourism-918924 Global Tourism Opportunities Research Study, (2009), Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/publications/Global_Tourism_Opportunities.pdf Hanna, P, (2012), Conceptualizing sustainable tourism – ethics, inequalities and colonialism, Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sociology/prospective/postgraduate/enquire/enquire-pdfs/enq2-paulhanna.pdf Jiahao,Z & Ling, D,(2012), ASIA PACIFIC – SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOTEL CHAINS, Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://www.hvs.com/Content/3219.pdf Johnson, A,M, (2011), CHARTING A COURSE FOR A SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH CAREER, Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://www.elsevier.com/framework_reviewers/PDFs/Charting_a_Course_for_a_Successful_Research_Career_2nd_Edition_by_Professor_Alan_Johnson_(Poster_included)_240811.pdf Michael, R, (2012), Strategies for Educational Inquiry, Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://www.indiana.edu/~educy520/sec5982/week_3/measurement_rsm.pdf Monnier, C, (2009), What is Globalization, Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: https://globalsociology.pbworks.com/w/page/14711303/What%20is%20Globalization Mouforth, M and Munt, I, (2003), Tourism and sustainability, New Tourism in the Third World, Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://ism.epage.ir/images/tourism/product/tourism_and_sustainability.pdf Naser, N, (2003), Planning for Urban Heritage Places: Reconciling Conservation, Tourism, and Sustainable Development, Journal of Planning Literature, 17 (4), Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://gre.academia.edu/NohaNasser/Papers/588498/Planning_for_urban_heritage_places_reconciling_conservation_tourism_and_sustainable_development Principles of good research practice in biomedical imaging, (2008), Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://www.eibir.org/html/img/pool/1_FP6_EIBIR_Good_Research_Practice_FINAL.pdf Shepherd, R, (2008), Commodification, culture and tourism , Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://www.sagepub.com/mcdonaldizationstudy5/articles/Leisure%20and%20Tourism_Articles%20PDFs/Shepherd.pdf .Tan, H.B, (1995), (RE)PRESENTING THE VERNACULAR/(RE) lNVENTING AUTHENTICITY: RESORT ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, Vol VI, No.II, pp. 25-36, Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://iaste.berkeley.edu/pdfs/06.2c-Spr95Tan-sml.pdf The effects of globalization on working conditions in developing countries, (2008), Retrieved on October 4,2012 from: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLM/214578-1103128720951/21692675/EPPNoteNo9_Eng.pdf Tourism, Investing in energy and resource efficiency, (2011), Retrieved on October 4, 2012 from: http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/Portals/88/documents/ger/GER_11_Tourism.pdf Read More