The goals and objectives of each agency each vary since they are each a different type of leisure delivery service. The objective of Medieval Times is profit. Since Medieval Times is a commercial form of a leisure delivery service, their goal is to make a profit while still providing quality leisure and entertainment so that people will keep returning for more.
The YMCA is a non-profit but fee charging leisure delivery organization. It is primarily run by volunteers but has many professionals which causes the need for a fee based program. The YMCA is interested in meeting important social goals of the community in which it serves.
Country clubs are considered to be private membership organization. It serves as a place of socializing and networking. The country club's goal is to best serve it's members and to make them feel relaxed and pampered. It differs from other organizations by the privitization.
Medieval Times is funded by the people who partake in the leisure endeavour. Again, since Medieval Times is a for-profit form of commercial of leisure, the company gets all of its funds from the people who pay for the leisure service. This allows for the company to be more creative with their spending since it is money that they earned themselves and was not money that was endowed to them.
The YMCA is a non-profit organization that is fee charging. Therefore their money comes from the people who pay the YMCA fees. Also, the YMCA raises money through fundraisers. Since it is non-profit, all of the money earned is not taxed and so all profit made is given right back to the YMCA to help various maintenance projects that might need to be worked on. All in all, the money made goes straight back to the organization so that it can better serve the people.
The country club is a private membership organization, so all of the money that is made is through the members who pay a membership fee. All of the money earned by the country club is used to pay its employees and also keep the accommodations of the club in top shape. Also, the money made from fees, is used to market and sell the club to other individuals interested in joining a club.
Medieval Times serves leisure to middle to high class people. They satisfy needs for those who are looking for special events or unique experiences. The YMCA serves the public at large with less expensive costs, and this attracts low income to middle class people. Also, they provide leisure to children, youth, families, and individuals who want to strengthen their spiritual, mental, physical well-being. Unlike the Medieval Times and YMCA, the country club serves leisure exclusively to high class people, usually with power and influence. They restrict use of their facilities or programs to their members and the members' families and guests. Due to expensive fees, only a small number of people enjoy this kind of leisure. They are sometimes used for business and political matters.
A key element of commercial leisure as shown in Medieval times is that it is a very entertaining and creative form of leisure. Medieval Times is a fun experience and they do a nice job in retaining their customers. A key element of the YMCA that sets it apart from the others is the fact that it is so accessible to a wide range of people. It allows leisure for all incomes, and especially for low income families. The YMCA makes leisure something that all can enjoy. Finally, a key element of country clubs that sets them apart from the others is its exclusiveness. Since country clubs are expensive to join they are very ritzy places to experience leisure. They also provide the feeling of an upscale environment for its members.
YMCA plays a major role in providing leisure to low income to middle class families. It is a very strong leisure service provider. I allows its members to use a facility that is very well kept for a price that is manageable for most budgets. YMCA, in most communities, provides the youth with a place where they can get together with their friends. Perhaps, a case could also be made that YMCAs also contribute to lower crime rates in certain communities. I consider these aspects of YMCA as a strength cause they help to increase the quality of life of the residents of the community. YMCA helps promote a healthy energetic life style which is essential for most Americans given the current trends such as childhood obesity.
While YMCA is a great institution, i would like to say that is definitely has some short comings or weaknesses. First, there is the very big issue of availability. Not all communities have a YMCA. Secondly, the membership fees keep some people from joining. Although they are low, the membership fees can still be a lot for some of lower class families.
The country club is another strong leisure service provider. It provides its members with a natural and calm environment where they can come to relax and just enjoy the whether. They provide various outdoor services such as golf courses and tennis courts. In addition, the country clubs also provide its members with a place where they can come to mingle and build a a better social network. I believe that these aspects of country clubs are a strength because they help promote a sense of community within its members. The biggest weakness of country clubs, in our opinion, is their exclusiveness. I believe that country clubs would be a much more successful venture if they weren't so exclusive to the upper class. Country clubs should be a little more accessible to the middle class. This would, in my opinion, make these country clubs a much more enjoyable experience as they would then attract a wide diversity of people.
Medieval times is also a very strong leisure service provider. They are an excellent source of entertainment for kids as well as adults. The whole experience is just amazing. The whole scenario of knight with their gallant horses jousting for the honor of their kingdom is very exciting for a child of any age.The only disadvantage that comes to mind when thinking of medieval times is its accessibility. Medieval times are only located in major cities so that people in small cities have to commute to experience it. The cost of the commute when added to the total cost can then be a factor that might keep some families from visiting. Also the price of entry in itself can be kind of expensive with adult tickets costing close to $ 40 and children ticket being $ 35 dollars. This makes it very hard for middle and lower class families to visit medieval times as the total cost of the tickets can be hard to mans\age for those running on a budget.
As previously stated, the goal for Medieval Times is to earn profit. In past years, they have not fulfilled this goal. This is evidently shown by a 1997 court case between the IRS and Medieval Times that ended up with Medieval Times filing for bankruptcy. Medieval Times owed the IRS about $10 dollars in taxes. Instead of paying for those taxes, the company declared bankruptcy so that the IRS didn't "seize any assets," according Alan Friedman, the Medieval Times bankruptcy lawyer. However, in recent years the company has showed no signs of downfall.
The goal for the YMCA is to meet the social needs of its community. In general, communities like to get healthy and active at the same time. Those with a YMCA in their community expect to get these things out of it. Luckily for them, the YMCA fulfills these expectations in many ways. One opportunity that the YMCA provides for its community is Activate America. This program is intended to help our nation's growing health crisis by having our country's best experts give health advice and by creating activities such as Pioneering Healthier Communities and September's America on the Move Week to get community members active.
The Country Club's goal is to give members a place to socialize and network in a very relaxed but also healthy fashion. These goals are fulfilled because the Country Club provides various opportunities for members to do so. Some of these healthy opportunities range from the utilization of the club's tennis courts to the ability to exercise in the swimming pool. Members can also socialize with each other in a friendly game of golf or they can enjoy a nice dinner at the country club's restaurant. All in all, the country club is a great place for a community to become a part of to relieve stress and meet new people.
In conclusion, the Medieval Times,the YMCA and country clubs all show how three different types of leisure service delivery organizations all provide leisure to a range of people form various socioeconomic status. They all fulfill the the one general main objective of providing leisure opportunities to all.
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