Does competition affect social preferences in the context of a Essay

Does competition affect social preferences in the context of a bargaining game Discuss - Essay Example Economics approach on these social preferences assumes that people are rationale and prioritize their personal interests before those of the other people. On the other hand, bargaining games are defined as a situation whereby at least two or more players are required to get into a consensus concerning how to share a given amount of goods, money, opportunities, or any other resource that might be of common interest (Wilkinson and Klaes,   2008, p22). In bargaining games, both parties try their level best to get the most favorable deal by getting into a fair agreement with the other party. Bargaining in labor unions, directors’ negotiation for wage increase as well as dispute between two communities or parties over distribution of a certain resources, territories among other elements are good examples of bargaining games (Wilkinson and Klaes,   2008, p23). To explain how competition affects social preferences, the writer will first focus on the Ultimate Game model. Ultimatum Game (UG) refers to a popular test that is used to analyze specific bargaining behaviors. It is a test of self-interested model that involves two players interacting to decide how to share a given amount of money. The game is commonly applied in economic experiments and the condition behind the game is that the two players must not be familiar with each other and that the game must be played only once between these two particular players. In this case, one of the players becomes the proposer while the other one becomes the responder. Both the required to share a given amount of money with the proposer being the main determinant of the mode of division to be used. The responder is given an option of either accepting the proposer’s offer or declining it, in case the offer is accepted, both get the amount shared according to how the proposer had made the offer, if the respondent declines it, both parties walk away with nothing

Black People and Roberta Essay Example for Free

Black People and Roberta Essay In Toni Morrison’s â€Å"Recitatif,† the story is about two girls, Twyla and Roberta. They grow up in an orphanage because their mothers could not care for them. Morrison makes it clear the girls come from different ethnic backgrounds but never states which one is black or white. At one point in the story Twyla comments, â€Å"We looked like salt and pepper. † I grew frustrated with the story and had to read it several times. I could never determine who was black and white and the lesson I learned should have been it doesn’t really matter. The story begins with Twyla’s mother dropping her off at the orphanage. She meets Roberta and they become best friends. The bond they share occurs because they were not considered real orphans. They were abandoned kids unlike the other children whose parents had died. One of the last times the girls see each other was the day of a visitation. On that night, Twyla’s mother was wearing â€Å"those tight green slacks that made her butt stick out. † Many people have labeled blacks as having larger butts. She could have been black, she could have been a heavy white woman with a large butt, or a Hispanic woman like me. But I automatically stereotyped and went with Twyla has to be black. During the visitation Roberta’s mother â€Å"had brought chicken legs. † Twyla notices Roberta does not eat the chicken legs. I always thought black people liked chicken more than white people which means Roberta was white since she did not eat the chicken. Or maybe she just wasn’t hungry. Shortly after that visitation Roberta’s mother came to take her home, leaving the girls devastated. They see each other several times throughout the years. At their first meeting, Roberta was rude and distant because she was high. Roberta tells Twyla she is on the way to see Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix was an infamous black guitarist. I thought at this point Roberta has to be black. However Hendrix’s band was interracial with a diverse audience. Roberta could have been white due to the diverse audience. I am a huge Hendrix fan and I am not black so why would I think Roberta is. Twelve years later they meet again at a grocery store. Roberta married a rich man and was extremely friendly to Twyla. Twyla cannot hold back her emotions and asks Roberta about the last time they saw each other. Roberta shrugs it off, â€Å"Oh, Twyla, you know how it was in those days: black—white. You know how everything was. † I can relate to this. In 1980, the Cuban Mariel Boat Lifts came over bring thousands of Cubans. I am Cuban but I was born here. Kids I had known since kindergarten treated me as if I just come over on the boats. It had a lasting effect on me and matured me beyond my years. The third time they meet is at the school where their children attend. Roberta and other mothers were picketing because they did not want their kids to be segregated. This led to a fight severing any last chance of a friendship for them as it would not be resolved until Twyla and Roberta meet for a final time. As the story ends I do not get a sense of closure. The question of which girl is white or black remains unanswered. It opened my eyes and made me question how prejudice I really am. I try to not stereotype as a result of what I went through as a child but I found myself doing just that. I can understand why Morrison wrote the way she. I am not sure what her goal was overall but to me it seemed as if she were teaching me about prejudices. â€Å"Recitatif† challenged me to not judge either girl by their race but accept them for who they are. In the end, what difference did it really make about the girls’ races? The story is about how their friendship develops and then deteriorates. Nothing more; nothing less.

The Aerospike :: physics aerospike rocket engine

When a rocket's fuel ignites, the molecules in the fuel release a tremendous amount of energy in the forms of heat, light, and sound. They expand rapidly as they move from the "throat" of the nozzle into the "bell." The compressed air inside the balloon wants to expand outward. Therefore it presses against the walls of the balloon in every direction except the place where there is no wall - the "nozzle" of the balloon. Because there is no force vector in this location, adding the vectors yields a net force to the right. A bell nozzle, where a fuel (liquid Hydrogen) mixes with an oxidizer (liquid Oxygen) at a rate "m." As they ignite they are forced into the throat, where they are compressed substantially. As they move out into the bell, they steadily expand, pushing against the nozzle and creating a net upward thrust, similar to the compressed air pushing on the walls of the balloon. Luckily, a rocket can be controlled more than a released balloon. Nozzles do not have to be bell shaped - as long as gas is expanding and pushing against a surface, creating thrust, any shape can be used! One alternative to the bell engine is the spike configuration. In particular, the Aerospike engine will be described and analyzed. The "Spike," or annular, engine is one of three basic engine designs: cones, bells, and annulars.The Cone is the simplest engine design. A cone with a narrow angle provides the greatest thrust, but a longer engine means increased weight. A short, wide-angle cone tends to be unstable under pressure (in the atmosphere). For example, the Apollo Saturn 5 featured long, relatively thin nozzles for optimum thrust at sea level. The Command Module, which operated only in space, utilized a comparatively wider engine for more expansion in space. The Bell nozzle is a compromise, opening up more rapidly near the throat and then opening more slowly near the end. However, bell nozzles are optimized for specific altitudes, therefore they will only provide their maximum thrust at a given altitude - at all other points they will provide less-than-optimum thrust. The annular, or "altitude compensating" engine is a more recently developed design. Commonly referred to as Spike engines, annulars operate with exhaust flow outside what is typically thought of as the nozzle. The exhaust flows around a central spike, rather than being contained by walls. They are called "annular" because the throat is donut-shaped, with the spike protruding from the middle.

Do Video Games Enhance Selective Attention in Children?

Research: Observing children using gaming consoles can be quite entertaining due to their deeply embedded interest and love for video games. Young boys in particular seem to partake in the interactive environment that gaming allows them to join. Whether it’s Nintendo, Xbox, or Playstation, males of all ages always seem so captivated by the virtual world portrayed on their television set. When one focuses on a specific aspect of a scene while ignoring other aspects, such as focusing on the video game you are playing in the same room as many people are speaking, a concept of selective attention is introduced (Wikipedia, 2006).A normal attention span seems to develop in three stages in children. First, the child’s attention is said to be overly exclusive. This is a term used by psychologists to describe attention that is focused on a single object for long periods while tuning out all other stimuli (Child Development Institute, 2006). Second, a child’s attention dev elops to where it is overly inclusive. This refers to a â€Å"wide span of attention that is constantly and rapidly changing from one object to another such as a toddler who is running from one toy to the next never able to stay with any one toy for any period of time† (CDI, 2006).A child who is stuck at this stage might be diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder. Third, the child develops selective attention where he or she is able to shift the focus whenever he or she pleases from being inclusive to being very exclusive. This is considered a mature pattern of focus and concentration which is needed in a classroom setting. Some reasons a child may have poor attention, concentration, and impulse control are due to anxiety, depression, slow psychological development, learning disabilities, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, low motivation, and especially boredom due to lack of challenge (CDI, 2006).Boredom due to a lack of challenge definitely cannot be a characteristic of video games to the male population who spend hours a day playing; especially not the nine year old Austin who I have babysat for or Brian, another boy I know who is ten years old. Video games were first introduced in the 1970s. â€Å"By the end of that decade they had become a preferred childhood leisure activity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Cesarone, 1994). Advocates of video games imply that they may be a friendly way of introducing children to computers, and may increase children's hand-eye coordination and attention to detail.

Assessment Worksheet Essay

1. What section of the SOX compliance law requires proper controls and hence, security controls, to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of financial information and recordkeeping within an IT infrastructure? Explain the information contained in this section. SOX Section 404 mandates that all publicly-traded companies must establish internal controls and procedures for financial reporting and must document test and maintain those controls and procedures to ensure their effectiveness. The purpose of SOX is to reduce the possibilities of corporate fraud by increasing the stringency of procedures and requirements for financial reporting. 2. Who is Richard Scrushy and why is he relevant to SOX? Richard Scrushy first CEO charged with violating the SOX Act. He was owner and founder of HealthSouth Corp 3. Who, under SOX, is legally accountable for certifying and approving the integrity of the company and its financial reporting to the SEC and other financial organizations? Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the CEO and CFO of publicly traded companies to certify the appropriateness of their financial statements and disclosures and to certify that they fairly present. 4. What is the difference between a form 10-K and a form 10-Q, and who must submit these to the Securities Exchange Commissions (SEC) for publicly traded company financial reporting? 10-K is a company’s annual report that is filed yearly & make public. 10-Q is the company’s quarterly report. Upper management of major companies is to submit these to the Securities Exchange Commissions. 5. What qualifies as a â€Å"large accelerated filer,† and how long after the end of the quarter do they have to fi le their quarterly financial report? A company that meets conditions of a million dollar amount has been subject to periodic reporting requirements pursuant to Exchange Act Sections for certain amount of time, has previously filed at least one annual report pursuant, and is not eligible to file â€Å"Small Business† forms. They have75 days after the end of their quarter they have to file their quarterly financial report. 6. Where would someone go in order to find the quarterly and annual reports for a publicly traded company? A person would go to a company’s webpage to find quarterly and annual reports for publicly traded company. Each company  should have an investor relations section. 7. Go into the Edgar Database and find the most recent 10K or 10Q for Microsoft, Nike, and Cisco. Who signed off on the 10K for each of those companies? Microsoft: Assistant Director, Nike: Assistant Director, and Cisco: Assistant Director. 8. What are some of the criminal penalties for falsifying documents, or covers up information related to financial matters and SOX? Some of the criminal penalties for falsifying documents or cover ups information related to financial matters and SOX are imprisonment. Imprisonment varies on situation. 9. What is the Japanese version of SOX, and what agency oversees its implementation? JSOX is the Japanese version of SOX. This is overseen by ULVAC Technologies. 10. Of what was Dennis Kozlowski convicted, and how is it related to SOX? Dennis Kozlowski was convicted for crimes related to authorized bonuses, purchase of art, and other high cost money involvement. It’s related to SOX because fraud for public companies. 11. What is the link between SOX compliance law and information systems security? Section 302 and 404 even though they do not mention IT 12. What sections within SOX compliance law pertain to needing proper internal controls? Section 302 and 404 are needed for proper internal controls to be in compliant with SOX. 13. Explain how these sections within SOX compliance law require proper security controls as it relates to having internal controls. The need for strong internal controls is not limited to public companies, however. Effective internal controls provide all management teams with repeatable and reliable information tools that allow them to identify, manage, and mitigate risk on an ongoing basis 14. Why are Vice Presidents and other executive managers who are privy to financial performance data considered insiders to a publicly traded company as defined by the Security Exchange Commission (SEC)? They would be considered insiders because of the information they have from internal resources. 15. True or False. SOX compliance law now holds CEO’s and CFO’s of publicly traded companies accountable for their actions as officers in a publicly traded company.

Slavery in Early America essays

Slavery in Early America essays Slavery in America stems well back to when the New World was first discovered and was led by the country to start the African Slave Trade-Portugal. The African Slave Trade was first exploited for plantations in what is now called the Caribbean, and eventually reached the southern coasts of America. The African natives were of all ages and sexes. Women usually worked in the homes, cooking and cleaning, whereas men were sent out into the plantations to farm. Young girls would usually help in the house also and young boys would help on the farm by bailing hay and loading wagons with crops. Since trying to capture the native Indians, the Europeans set out to capture African slaves. The Europeans in what was called The Triangular Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade shipped the African natives from Africa. This was an organized route where Europeans would travel to Africa bringing manufactured goods, capture Africans and take them to the Caribbean, and then take the crops and goods and bring them back to Europe. The African people, in order to communicate invented a language that was a mixture of all the African languages combined. This language now varies from island to island. They also kept their culture, which accounts for calypso music and the instruments used in these songs. In the 1600's when John Rolfe founded tobacco, tobacco became the main source of income for most of the colonists. The economic prosperity of the colonies was primarily dependent on the amount of tobacco produced. The growing of tobacco needed a large amount of land, with a large stable workforce. The increased demand for a large, stable workforce combined with the availability of African slaves, led to the use of slavery in the colonies. The slaves would only require being educated a little, instead of educating the indentured servants over after so many years have passed by. The African slaves also had other characteristics that enticed colonists to use them as a...

Free Essays on A Separate Peace- Title

Most stories’ titles give readers some perception of what the story will be about. In general the setting is its own separate peace. There are also curtain examples of when characters in the novel try to create their own separate peace. The winter carnival is an example that shows the students at the school creating their own separate peace. Finny enters his own fantasy where there is no war occurring. He tries to put this state of mind into the other students’ minds. Finny starts a winter carnival during which the boys at the school feel an amount of freedom in this time of war. At the carnival the boys drink cider and dance on the tables. They all feel that nothing matters anymore but their own fantasy world. Even the boys that were uptight about the war loosened up and enjoyed the fantasy that Finny created. Finny successfully creates his own separate peace by creating a fantasy world. After a period of guilty tension, Gene and Finny decide to create their own peace. After Gene shakes Finny out of the tree, he feels the guilt start to build. He is reluctant to be honest with Finny about his accident, and because of that his guilt jumps to another level. The doctor interrupts Gene as he tries to tell Finny at the hospital that he is responsible him falling out of the tree. This problem between them builds until Gene tells Finny the truth. After that, Finny forgives him, and they resume their friendship. In this novel, A Separate Peace is shown through different examples. Almost all the characters in this novel have created their own peace so they can ignore the war, and other things that might be going on. A separate peace for some is what resolves a problem that can have an effect on someone’s life. These are examples of how the title gives you a preview into the book.... Free Essays on A Separate Peace- Title Free Essays on A Separate Peace- Title Most stories’ titles give readers some perception of what the story will be about. In general the setting is its own separate peace. There are also curtain examples of when characters in the novel try to create their own separate peace. The winter carnival is an example that shows the students at the school creating their own separate peace. Finny enters his own fantasy where there is no war occurring. He tries to put this state of mind into the other students’ minds. Finny starts a winter carnival during which the boys at the school feel an amount of freedom in this time of war. At the carnival the boys drink cider and dance on the tables. They all feel that nothing matters anymore but their own fantasy world. Even the boys that were uptight about the war loosened up and enjoyed the fantasy that Finny created. Finny successfully creates his own separate peace by creating a fantasy world. After a period of guilty tension, Gene and Finny decide to create their own peace. After Gene shakes Finny out of the tree, he feels the guilt start to build. He is reluctant to be honest with Finny about his accident, and because of that his guilt jumps to another level. The doctor interrupts Gene as he tries to tell Finny at the hospital that he is responsible him falling out of the tree. This problem between them builds until Gene tells Finny the truth. After that, Finny forgives him, and they resume their friendship. In this novel, A Separate Peace is shown through different examples. Almost all the characters in this novel have created their own peace so they can ignore the war, and other things that might be going on. A separate peace for some is what resolves a problem that can have an effect on someone’s life. These are examples of how the title gives you a preview into the book....

Why self-publishing kickstarted my childrens lit career

Why self-publishing kickstarted my childrens lit career Why Self-Publishing Kickstarted My Children's Lit Career Native Finn,  Tuire Siiriainen  is an illustrator and the founder of Blueberry Pie, a self-publishing company. With the help of a Kickstarter campaign, she published her first book through her company in August 2016 - a personalized children’s adventure called "Message in a Bottle." Read on to hear how the campaign was fully funded in just two weeks.I was born in Finland, and have always seen stories around me. A lot of my inspiration came from my surroundings - forests, lakes, countryside cottages, and animals - but especially from children’s books. Rather than Roald Dahl and Dr. Seuss, my favorite authors growing up were Astrid Lindgren (author of the Pippi Longstocking series), or Mauri Kunnas. Books about strong, Nordic children doing stubborn and seemingly foolish things have inspired me up to present day.During university in Belgium, I studied marketing - which is a form of storytelling itself. While in school, I rediscovered the magic of drawing and returned to the picture books of my childhood. When I reached the end of my studies at the age of 23, I knew that I wanted to create my own picture book.From a book idea to self-publishingI was never fascinated by the idea of traditional publishing. To me, it seemed slow and stiff, and even though I’m the first one to acknowledge the value of a printed book, the ways of publishing them felt out-of-date.Then I discovered the world of personalized children’s book and heard about print-on-demand (POD). It hit me instantly - this is how I want to create my book! I saw the unexplored possibilities of POD technology that would allow highly creative and inventive story concepts to come to life. "I saw the potential of POD  for  bringing creative and inventive story concepts to life." @MIABBook The StoryIn the summer of 2015, my partner Wojtek and I came up with the idea for our first children’s book, Message In A Bottle, during one of our forest walks: A lone bottle with a message inside is found on a beach by an animal. On the bottle label, there is a name and an address. The animal decides to deliver the bottle to its rightful owner, and with the help of many other animals around the world, the message in the bottle finally reaches its intended destination - and the mysterious message is revealed.The message in the bottle is created by the giver of the book, whether it’s a family member or friend. And the name and address on the bottle belong to the real child - the reader of the book. This is where the personalization aspect of the book come into play.Gathering a teamWe hesitated regarding whether or not I should illustrate the book because I had no professional experience - but, we knew I could draw. In the end, my drawing passion, paired with the need for constant marketing artwork, led us to picking our illustrator: me.Our digital agency had been working on the â€Å"Message In A Bottle† website since May 2016. They had the big challenge of creating an online platform where it would be easy to personalize and order the book. This meant submitting the child’s name, address, country and a personal message for the bottle, personalizing the world map page to show the route Kiki took to deliver the bottle, previewing the personalized book and creating a print-ready file to be sent to the print house.In July, all of the illustrations for â€Å"Message In A Bottle† were completed. And after countless website tests and print proofs, our website went live end of August.Since the launch, we have delivered over 100 personalized books to children all over Europe: the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Germany to name few. It’s the reaction of children that has completely touched our hearts. Hearing how much they lo ve their own personal book and how Kiki has become a beloved character in the whole family has been the most amazing reward.One year ago I had no idea where to start in terms of publishing a children’s book. Now I can’t wait to begin my second one!Fore more resources on writing and publishing a children's book, don't forget to check out these posts:How to Publish a Children's BookHow to Write a Children's BookHow to Find the REAL Target Market for Your Children’s BookVisit the Message In A Bottle website to personalize and purchase your own copy!If you've run your own campaign, what have been your positive or negative experiences? Did you have any learnings or takeaways from the experience?  Leave your thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Tuire in the comments below.

Management Information System, Recommendations Assignment

Management Information System, Recommendations - Assignment Example It will then seek to identify the areas that need to be changed, the reasons why they need to be changed, who needs to participate, the resources required and the expected results. It will show the necessary recommendation for organization change and decision making. The study of the processes and changes in the organization will enable the decision makers to identify the possible risks expected and how to mitigate them. Of course, each change process has a certain amount of exposure to risks and losses, but the management of Newark Ophthalmic Centre has to assess and measure the amount of exposure the company can withstand, based on the recommendations (Ward & Peppard, 2000). In the study of processes, the study will describe the meaning of processes and the purpose of processes. It will explore the organization culture of Newark Ophthalmic Centre and its main characteristics. It will study the different types of cultures that exist in the case study. The study will continue to investigate the model of project management in Newark Ophthalmic Centre including the life cycle of project management that Newark Ophthalmic Centre uses. It will conduct a research process using both primary and secondary data to measure various parameters before arrivin g at recommendations and eventual conclusion. The study does a summary of the tasks that are involved in the operation of Newark Ophthalmic Centre. The company background exhibits the nature of the organization structure and the tasks that every entity performs. It checks the levels of the organization where decisions are made. It also considers the tasks that are performed by the system. There is a subdivision of major tasks into subtasks that the organization has to take into consideration. In Newark Ophthalmic Centre, there are major tasks such as System Acquisition and system search. System acquisition is, for example, split into subtasks such as system requirement study, preliminary study, feasibility search, conceptual design, logical design, functional design and development, testing and documentation tasks.  

Using Facebook at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Using Facebook at Work - Essay Example People tend to spend hours and hours of their time stocking other profiles, uploading photos, commenting on photos, updating their statuses and catching up with their numerous friends. Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tagged, etc. although prove beneficial in building up your social network and strengthening relations its use has many adverse effects as well particularly when you are using Facebook while you are at your workplace. Using Facebook at work place has a very few advantages and benefits in comparison to the great many drawbacks and threats it poses to its users as well as the security of the office or the company. Though the use of Facebook is permitted in some companies but many companies have banned the use of Facebook during work hours or limited the access for its users. Advancements in technologies and introduction of smartphones and other multi-purpose devices have made the access to such networking very easy and have brought about problems fo r the offices and companies who do not allow its use. These sites may be of great use if used domestically or at home because it helps you to keep you linked to all your family members, friends, colleagues, workmates and to build new acquaintances but it certainly is not of much use while used during office hours (Sutherland 2011). Executives and managers of many different offices and companies do not allow the use of Facebook to their employees during the office hours. The offices have mentioned in their policy that it is strictly prohibited to use Facebook while at work and can have serious implications if found using in the office. The major reason why the officials are against of using Facebook is that they are major attention diverters. When you get yourself logged into Facebook and start navigating through the page it seems as if the world has stopped behind you and you do not realize how much you have spent just scrolling through pages, visiting

Case Study Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Study Analysis - Assignment Example of the greatest ironies surrounding the release of the drug into the public domain was that some of the major personnel in FDA such as Merk were aware of the possible threats that were associated with the use of the drug were quite adamant to make it known (Richwine, 2004, November 18). They knew the drug increased risks of heart attack that made it pose as a great threat to public use. However, Charles Grassley one of the primary leaders in FDA initiated research to investigate the risks associated with the use of Rofecobix drug (Topol, 2004). In the course of this research, Dr. David Graham an FDA reviewer discovered the risks associated with the use of the drug, and made a publication without obtaining any clearance from the FDA committee (PhamaLot, 2011, August 28). The primary leadership of FDA has a number of shortcomings most of which contributed to the clearing the drug for public use. The chairperson of the FDA committee Charles Grassley equally raised concern that the relationship that existed between the drug companies and FDA was cozy and, therefore, could not provide room for the establishment of proper control over the drugs cleared (Topol, 2004). Some committee members have also been faulted for knowingly allowing the clearance of the drug and not warning people of the impending risks associated with the use of rofecobix. In addition, when David Graham published his findings, he was faulted by the acting commissioner of FDA, Lester Crawford, stating that Graham did not follow the correct procedures in making publication of his findings report (Richwine, 2004, November 18). Grassley, on the other hand, is on the opinion that Lester Crawford wanted to intimidate, Graham the reviewer and, therefore, his statements were purely meant to i ntimidate the witness before hearing (PhamaLot, 2011, August 28). The above crisis represents a management dilemma, which results into confusion and inconsistency in the nature of research provided. The primary leaders

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Information System - Essay Example Their efforts are based upon the contributions in the field of industry and sciences before 1920s. It is broadly characterized as scientific management principles and application in industrial domain. The development of computers in a phase wise manner from the days of Steve Jobs and IBM to present day open source operating systems and spread of internet in the form of World Wide Web is a technological achievement made possible in the last part of previous decade. Thesis statement: Each of these developments (Scientific Management and Internet) has had economic, social, technological, cultural and developmental impact. This paper looks into the multifaceted contribution by each of these in their own capacity and own spectrum. Scientific Management: While the Industrial revolution had given the field of development and manufacturing a new dimension, additional development and performance improvement was yet to be achieved and there were considerable margins for development in that zon e. The improvement of the working procedures and personnel performance was an area that was yet to be harmonized with the industrial developments made in previous century. Bridging the gap between the man power, their abilities, machine and processes made up for a new domain of study and research. The principles of Scientific Management undertook this as an exploration of new methods and mechanisms for further enhancing the potential of growth and capacity amongst the workers and within the industries. This summarizes the purpose and motto of Scientific Management. Frederick Winslow Taylor: Many other proponents of improvement and development along with machine manufacturing companies aimed at bringing the two fields together. The First to achieve a breakthrough was Frederick Winslow Taylor who came up with a novel idea that would make up for the benchmark and standardized pattern of manufacturing industry principles essential for success. He along with his team of experts from the field of their respective specialization are clearly accorded as the honors of having achieved the breakthrough and come up with something concrete against something that was long considered and fancied for in terms of progress and better utilization of technology (SAPRU, 2013, 110). Target industries and domains: Under the principle and concepts of Scientific Management, manufacturing industries fell directly under the target of improvements and the potential that was present for capitalization. Making use of the energies resources, capital, machinery, employees all this was sought and a general realization existed that advocated the integration of management on scientific basis and industrial processes for creation of a synergetic effect within. The team performed intensive investigations aimed at identifying the areas of potential improvement and areas of negligence that had yet to be explored and were lacking for development on account of lack of attention and work performed in the given domain. As a result of the extensive research and review Frederick Winslow Taylor came up with â€Å"The Principles of Scientific Management† that had the best recipe of increasing productivity, integrating different domains and increasing the working patterns of employees as well. The novelty of piece of work was the fact that for the first time the social impact was touched upon in the entire scheme of research and for the first tim

Working with groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Working with groups - Essay Example They can sometimes be positive and sometimes negative depending on how they are translated by others in the group. In relation to myself with others, I learned that my strong value system seems to make me a candidate for leadership in the group. People seem to appreciate my outspoken attitudes. The positive way that followers in the group responded to my thoughts and ideas made me the person who would empower others that made the group function better. The most difficult activity in the group was getting meaningful feedback. Because most in the group found common values and attitudes, people did not want to challenge the discussion for fear of conflict. This seemed to limit productivity that Stubbs talks about in the textbook. Stubbs also mentions that situations are always in a state of flux in a group and this was hard to reduce to make discussion more productive and valuable. What I learned that would be most valuable to a future career is linked to the last discussion about fear of conflict and good social connection in the group. I learned that when people get along very well in a group, they will sometimes hold onto the truth and not provide thoughts or ideas that might cause harm to these connections. This is why a group seems to need a leader to keep conversation focused and empower others to be honest. The group seems to need a leader to keep things productive when others are concerned about making everyone happy. For example, English is my second language and it made translating difficult at times. Rather than say they did not understand, they wanted to keep peace in the group. A real professional commits to excellence which was in the leadership video. Excellence is honesty in a group that wants to be productive even if it means creating productive conflict. The leadership video also said that people need to embrace humor and optimism with a quote by the disabled Helen

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Information System - Essay Example Their efforts are based upon the contributions in the field of industry and sciences before 1920s. It is broadly characterized as scientific management principles and application in industrial domain. The development of computers in a phase wise manner from the days of Steve Jobs and IBM to present day open source operating systems and spread of internet in the form of World Wide Web is a technological achievement made possible in the last part of previous decade. Thesis statement: Each of these developments (Scientific Management and Internet) has had economic, social, technological, cultural and developmental impact. This paper looks into the multifaceted contribution by each of these in their own capacity and own spectrum. Scientific Management: While the Industrial revolution had given the field of development and manufacturing a new dimension, additional development and performance improvement was yet to be achieved and there were considerable margins for development in that zon e. The improvement of the working procedures and personnel performance was an area that was yet to be harmonized with the industrial developments made in previous century. Bridging the gap between the man power, their abilities, machine and processes made up for a new domain of study and research. The principles of Scientific Management undertook this as an exploration of new methods and mechanisms for further enhancing the potential of growth and capacity amongst the workers and within the industries. This summarizes the purpose and motto of Scientific Management. Frederick Winslow Taylor: Many other proponents of improvement and development along with machine manufacturing companies aimed at bringing the two fields together. The First to achieve a breakthrough was Frederick Winslow Taylor who came up with a novel idea that would make up for the benchmark and standardized pattern of manufacturing industry principles essential for success. He along with his team of experts from the field of their respective specialization are clearly accorded as the honors of having achieved the breakthrough and come up with something concrete against something that was long considered and fancied for in terms of progress and better utilization of technology (SAPRU, 2013, 110). Target industries and domains: Under the principle and concepts of Scientific Management, manufacturing industries fell directly under the target of improvements and the potential that was present for capitalization. Making use of the energies resources, capital, machinery, employees all this was sought and a general realization existed that advocated the integration of management on scientific basis and industrial processes for creation of a synergetic effect within. The team performed intensive investigations aimed at identifying the areas of potential improvement and areas of negligence that had yet to be explored and were lacking for development on account of lack of attention and work performed in the given domain. As a result of the extensive research and review Frederick Winslow Taylor came up with â€Å"The Principles of Scientific Management† that had the best recipe of increasing productivity, integrating different domains and increasing the working patterns of employees as well. The novelty of piece of work was the fact that for the first time the social impact was touched upon in the entire scheme of research and for the first tim

Destination Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Destination Marketing - Essay Example This tourist destination is balanced with primary, secondary and tertiary economic activities as well as a skilled workforce that immensely contributes to the growth of this city. The city itself is comprised of world-class infrastructure, abundant natural resources and ready access to global markets which makes it easily accessible to other markets. According to the Western Cape Business (2009), "the Western Cape forms a highly competitive investment destination and exporting platform and has shown growth rates consistently higher than the national average, contributes close to 15% of the country's GDP and is home to nearly 10% of its population." Business and tourism in the Western Cape are booming as a result of many factors which will be fully discussed in the second part of this analysis. According to the information obtained from the Western Cape Business Guide (2009), "the growth rates in the region have consistently outperformed those of the country as a whole and the region attracts 16% of South Africa's total foreign direct investment." The region also has vast natural resources that are attractive to both international as well as local tourists who take pride in savouring some of the finest resorts that offer the best environment to the holiday makers. Despite the realities presented by the economic slowdown, 2008 remained a buoyant year for the South African tourism industry (Vivian Warby 2009). Statistics obtained from an article entitled 'Tourist arrivals remain buoyant,' by the mentioned writer indicate that the tourism minister is somewhat satisfied with the rate of tourist arrivals in the country. The Minister said the latest available figures for foreign arrivals, for the first 10 months of 2008, showed a strong increase in arrivals of 5.4% from January to October (Vivian Warby 2009). Whilst the arrivals from North America were reported to be stable in the above article, the arrivals from Australasia were up by 6.3% and arrivals from Middle East were up by 5.9% (Vivian Warby 2009). However, there has been a slight decline in the tourist arrivals from Europe and Southern America and this can be attributed to some other factors such as the global economic decline which has not spared the other entire industries world wide. There are also some factors that affect the development of tourism in this destination though they may not yield a very heavy impact on the industry. Social factors are often seen as a threat to the development of the industry in this region where crime is rampant and the unsuspecting tourists are often targeted. Crime such as murder, drug abuse as well as robbery is very common in South Africa and this is a major impediment that often distracts the efforts to fully market the region to the international community. Indeed, the region has many attractions which can make a great change if fully utilised.2. "A SWOT analysis is a useful instrument for helping managers to identify internal strengths and weaknesses of a business and external opportunities and threats facing it," (Strydom J. p 31). Basically, SWOT stands for strengths (S), weaknesses (W) while on the other hand the external environmental factors are regarded as either opportunities (O) or threats (T). This analysis is very important to marketing managers as

Concept of Long Term Care Essay Example for Free

Concept of Long Term Care Essay In this essay it explains how week one reading changes my concept of long term care. The essay will provide two examples of current events related to long-term care and how it has changed. The paper will focus on examples of current events related to long-term care, and how might these examples increase awareness. This paper will explain what are three long-term care populations evident in my local community and if I was aware of these evident. Long term care is a health and social service there to provides services such as assistance with everyday task, such as dressing, bathing and using the bathroom. After this week reading and discussion as a class on long-term care, I would say my concept has changed. I became more aware of the services provided in long-term care settings, also the individual who requires long-term care. People would think of long-term care only for elders, but the type of people need of long- term care can be from individual with chronic conditions, severe mental illness, and also developmental disabilities, automobile or sporting accident anymore can need long term care in life. Reading the week reading also explain Children, is always the type of people in need of long- term care to surprise me. Children born with developmental disabilities such as, Down syndrome affecting the brain, spinal cord, nervous system function causing them to need long- term care. Some of the current events related to long term care that happened, in the past three years increasing levels of violations staff physicians were not maintain on a 24 hour basis. Another current event related to long term care a staff at Crystal Care Center in Mansfield abuse a patient. The patient refuse to have oxygen fed to him through a nasal cannula, the nurse decide to tuck the sheet over the head of the patient. Patient abuse occurred in August 2010 but is rare in the state of Ohio but happens more often in long term care. These example increase awareness of long-term care having families monitor how a family member or friend treat, to see if medical care is provided with an appropriate level. In my community there are three long term care populations age 65 and older, individuals with disabilities and children. Seniors 65 and older is the biggest population in Arizona needing long term care services.

Examining Whole Life Costing Construction Essay

Examining Whole Life Costing Construction Essay Whole life costing (WLC) can contribute significantly to control the financial and non-financial risks objectives of many construction, and construction organisations. This is especially relevant in terms of customer service, internal business processes, and financial performance. WLC is changing the approach to design, procurement, construction and facilities management and delivering major benefits. Many public and private sector clients now procure on cost of ownership, not capital cost. (Your development, 2008) There is a growing awareness that unplanned and unexpected maintenance and refurbishment costs may amount to half of all money spent on existing buildings, according to the Building Research Establishment. Estimates of the value of the unplanned portion in UK construction output range from  £8bn to a staggering  £20bn a year. This is why whole-life costing (WLC) is beginning to play a crucial role in project management (Bourke, 2005). This time, however, lifecycle cost ing/Whole life cycle costing is here to stay, for two reasons PFI and global warming. PFI has made it the basis of the commercial agreement between the client and the provider and global warming has made everybody think about the future impact of decisions to build. (Martin, 2008) Some of the ideas behind the justification for whole life-cycle costing (WLCC) are synonymous with key issues in todays construction industry. (Boussabaine, A., Kirkham, R.2004) Meeting clients expectations Clients now require buildings that are efficient during and after construction. WLCC techniques can demonstrate real cost savings in design solutions. Sustainability Achieving sustainable design solutions relies on the consideration of long term operational costs and performance of building components. Monitoring performance of constructed assets For example, are PFI/PPP (Private Finance Initiative / Public Private Partnerships) projects really cost effective? Only by considering the whole life costs can this be assessed. Using WLLC also supports benchmarking and key performance indicators. Monitoring cost effectiveness of constructed assets WLCC provides the means by which to constantly review this and base future capital investment on this information. Lean construction By considering long term cost and physical performance, waste is minimised both during construction and through the life of the building. The UK government has challenged the way its organisations deliver services, and has placed on them a duty to continuously improve in order to provide the services that people require economically, efficiently and effectively. This concept of best value has dominated public sector capital investment policy in the UK since the 1990s. (Boussabaine, A., Kirkham, R.2004) As a result of the fundamental revisions in public procurement policy that have subsequently taken place, interest in and demand for the use of WLCC techniques have risen to unprecedented levels. These policy changes are clearly demonstrated in recent government publications such as Construction Procurement Guidance, No 7 Whole Life Costs (Office of Government Commerce), which states that all procurement must be made solely on the basis of value for money in terms of the optimum combination of whole life costs and quality to meet the users requirements. This view is fully endorsed by National Audit Office (NAO) policy an d reinforced in their joint guide Getting value for money from procurement. How auditors can help. Consequently the award of public construction contracts based on simply the lowest capital cost bid is no longer recognised as good practice; best value must be taken into account and thereby WLCC should be fully appraised as part of the decision making process. (Boussabaine, A., Kirkham, R.2004) 2.2 HISTORY OF WHOLE LIFE COSTING Figure 2.1 History of whole life costing, Source (Boussabaine, A., Kirkham, R.2004) According to Ashworth (2008) during the 1960s it was often referred to as costs-in-use, although strictly speaking this term excluded anything to do with initial construction costs. In the 1970s, life cycle costing became the commonly accepted terminology but by the end of the century this had been replaced with whole life costing and this is the description under which it is now most commonly referred. 2.3 DEFINITION OF WHOLE LIFE COSTING The New construction research and innovation Strategy Panel (nCRISP) defines WLC as the systematic consideration of all relevant costs and revenues associated with the acquisition and ownership of an asset. (Constructing Excellence in the building environment, 2009) At its most basic, WLC includes the systematic consideration of all costs and revenues associated with the acquisition, use and maintenance and disposal of an asset. Ashworth (2004), Seely (1997), Ashworth and Hogg (2007), Cartlidge (2008) and Ferry and Flanagan (1991); according to BS ISO 15686, WLC can be defined as: a tool to assist in assessing the cost performance of construction work, aimed at facilitating choices where there are alternative means of achieving the clients objectives and where those alternatives differ, not only in their initial costs but also in their subsequent operational costs. Whole life appraisal (costing) is not the universal panacea for the construction sector, but properly understood and used it is a useful and powerful tool. (Flanagan, R., Jewell, C., 2005) Figure 2.2 The hidden costs, Source (Ellingham, I., and Fawcett, W.,2006) While initial costs are clear and visible at an early stage, longer-term costs are not see Figure 2.2. Nevertheless, these longer-term costs can far outweigh initial capital costs, and should have a much stronger influence on decisions with respect to facilities and individual elements Figure 2.3 Whole life cost, Source (Calford seaden, 2009) The sequence of the seven phases of a buildings life is described appropriately in British Standard 3811. Whole life phases Description Associated costs Specification The formulation of the clients Initial costsassociated with land purchase, professional fees and construction. Requirements at inception and briefing. Feasibility and viability of different proposals Design Translating ideas into working drawings Cost planning including whole life costing of alternative design solutions from outline proposals scheme and detail Deign Associated contract procurement documentation Installation The construction process Interim payments and financial statements Commissioning Handover of the project to the client Final accounts Maintenance The project in use Recurring costs associated with repairs, running and replacement items Modification Alterations and modifications necessary to keep the project to a good standard Costs associated with major refurbishment items Replacement Evaluation of the project for major changes or the site for redevelopment Redevelopment costs Table 2.1 Whole life phases (Ashworth.A, 2008) 2.4 WHY RISK ASSESSMENT IN WHOLE LIFE COSTING Combined with WLCC, risk assessment should from a major element in the strategic decision making process during project procurement and also in value analysis. Project cost, design and operational decision parameters are often established very early in the life of a given building project. Often, these parameters are chosen based on owners and project teams personal experiences. While these approaches are common, they do not provide a robust framework for dealing with the risks and decisions that are taken in the evaluation process. Nor do they allow for a systematic evaluation of all the parameters that are considered important in the examination of the WLCC aspect of a project. Capital costs and future costs must be quantified, analysed and presented as part of the strategic decision making process in todays business environment. Cost analysis and value analysis techniques are used to quantify and assess the economic implications of investment in building facilities in general. Whi le these techniques do provide a basis for making project cost decisions, they most often do not account for many of the parameters which may affect the actual project value or cost (Plenty et al.1999). Risk assessment should be an integral part of the WLCC process. A framework that uses formal decision making processes and risk assessment of each aspect of the decision to be taken in performing WLCC life cycle analysis can help owners, design teams and cost planners in marking strategic decisions based on analysis results that truly the inherent risks and costs related to the project. 2.5 DATA REQUIREMENTS IN WHOLE LIFE CYCLE COSTING AND RISK ASSESSMENT Flanagan and Norman (1983) highlighted three fundamental requirements in successfully implementing a life cycle costing methodology. A system by which the technologies can be used: a set of rule and procedures. Data for the proposed project under consideration: estimates of initial and running costs of elemental life cycles, discount rates, inflation indices, periods of occupancy, energy consumption, cleaning and the like. The data required to carry out WLCC analysis can be derived from a range of possible source Direct estimation from know costs and components Historical data from typical applications Models based on expected performance, average, etc. Best guesses of the future trends in technology, marking application Professional skill and judgement. All these factors have some bearing on the quality of data that is collected and how it is used in modelling and decision making processes. Whilst WLCC is now becoming widely used as a valuable tool in the design process, probably two key factors have undersized its potential impact A suspicion that life cycle cost estimates are in some sense inaccurate or based merely on guesswork The absence of sufficient and appropriate cost and performance data. 2.5.1 Data sources It has been highlighted how important the data and its composition are to WLCC, but where can this data be obtained? Ferry and Brandon (1991) highlighted six main outputs: Technical press Builders price books Information services such as the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) Government research literature such as from the National Economic Development Office (NEDO) University research Technical information services. Flanagan and Norman (1983) defined these into four subgroups: Manufacturers data Suppliers and contractors Modelling techniques Historical data Manufacturers data These specialists as a rule will have detailed breakdowns of the life cycle of the product, its material components and its performance characteristics. This data can also be obtained from other authorities that are responsible for testing the integrity and material for construction. The British Board of Agreement is a UK government testing body which carries out independent testing of materials used in the industry. Materials that meet a set specification and performance are issued with agreement certificates, which give details on service lives and other critical information. The Building Research Establishment also carries out testing on materials and can be a useful source of information. 2.5.3 Forecasts from models In the absence of any historical or suppliers data / feedback, models can be used as a way to analyse the WLCC implications of particular design decisions or choices of materials. The concept behind modelling is to facilitate and introduce a higher degree of accuracy in the estimates made by cost analysts when drawing up life cycle cost profiles. Historical data Historical data can be obtained from a variety of sources such as the BMCIS, clients and building occupies and in some cases the design team themselves. The value of historical data is relevant in that the values of initial capital cost and subsequent running cost can be categorised for certain groups of element in the building and this comparison can then be used to identify the elements which will benefit from a life cycle cost approach. 2.6 COMPONENTS OF A WHOLE LIFE COST ANALYSIS Figure 2.4 Components of a whole life cost analysis, Source (Boussabaine, A., Kirkham, R.2004) 2.6.1 Service life The prediction of component service life is a very important aspect in WLCC assessment. One such methodology currently in use is the factor method. The ISO/CD 15686-1 factor method for the estimation of the service life of components or assembly under specific conditions treats the service life as a deterministic value. In reality the service life has a big scatter and should be treated as a stochastic quantity. 2.6.2 Capital costs Returns on invested capital costs are essential in marking decisions on investment scenarios. Minimum capital commitment would be required if the client wanted to bear most of the cost until the building was handed over. In the event of limited capital budget is the prime consideration of the client, quality, in the form of a reduced specification, is like to be restricted. (Ashworth and Hogg, 2002, p.192).Further the cost of the project is a combination of land ,construction ,fees and finance and the employer will need to balance these against the various procurement systems available (Ashworth,1997,p.107). The capital cost objectives that need to be assessed include. Land acquisition cost. The location, and land viability may have a direct effect on the whole life cost and life expectancy of a facility. Predesign costs. The amounts of time and quality of information generated at this stage have great consequences on the quality and operation of a facility. The investors have a good opportunity to optimise the whole life cost of a facility through the selection of component and functional flexibility. Ideally, the issues relating to obsolescence should be investigated, accounted for as costs at this stage. Design costs. The quality of design in terms of error, detailing and buildability will have a direct effect on the cost of production and operation. A high quality building might also require higher costs in use in order to maintain its high aesthetic quality in use (Ashworth and Hogg, 2000) Development and production costs. The quality of workmanship is directly related to the level of maintenance. It is important to ensure that quality control is in place to ensure sound construction practices are used. Fees Risk costs Financial costs, tax, interest, etc. 2.6.3 Operational costs Operational costs are less certain as the time span increases due to uncertainties in energy costs, maintenance, fees, staff and regulatory changes. It is important to view operational cost estimates in their holistic state; several qualitative factors will have an important effect on the total operational costs. The operational cost objectives that need to be assessed include; Factors which contribute significantly to the total operational costs Optimum balance between capital and operational costs Operational risk management systems Optimum asset cleaning procedures Optimum waste management procedures Optimum utilities management procedures Optimum staffing level Minimum disruption due to denial use of the asset. 2.6.4 Maintenance costs The costs and priority of required maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement can be obtained from historical data but base cost estimates have to be supplemented with expert opinions in order to perform whole life cycle analysis and risk assessment. The maintenance cost objectives that need to be assessed include. Performance indicators for the assessment of maintenance costs Remaining service life of facility components Frequency and replacement costs In house or subcontracted maintenance Selection of exterior and interior materials and surfaces Selection of light fixtures with minimum routine repair and replacement requirements. Type of preventive maintenance programme. 2.6.5 Financing costs and revenues The objective here is to deal with WLCC input parameters of discount, inflation rates, taxes, expenses, etc. Critical analysis of investments must include both initial and ongoing costs and returns over the period of the investment. This will allow stakeholders to compare different options and decide which offers the best return for the investment. Usually discount rate is used for computing the value of future revenues. This includes a large degree of risk return. For example, if the discount rate is set too high or too low then future costs may appear insignificant; this could result in high operational costs and capital costs, which will discourage investment. Also, if inflation is different from the selected rates this may lead to inappropriate investment choices. The financing cost objectives that need to be assessed include assumptions about: Inflation rates, interest and taxes Level of returns and risks Optimum discount rate Economic activity. This has a direct on the economic obsolescence of facilities. Level of risk financing Cash inflow versus outflows Different rates, time periods and cash flows. The characteristics of new or existing facilities are very important aspect of WLCC computation. For the example a relationship may exist between building function and mechanical service costs, a particularly important feature of modern facilities. Little research has been published with regard to the impact of building characteristics on WLCC. 2.6.6 Asset characteristics The characteristics of new or existing facilities are very important aspect of WLCC computation. For the example a relationship may exist between building function and mechanical service costs, a particularly important feature of modern facilities. Little research has been published with regard to the impact of building characteristics on WLCC. Experience shows that an indirect link exists through many aspects, including energy, thus increasing WLCC and possible downtime costs in maintenance. The characteristics that should be assessed and included in the computation of WLCC include. Layout and location Functionality Construction technology Gross floor area Number of storeys and storeys height Glazing area Occupancy (m2/person) Shape of the facility Aesthetics Energy saving measures Quality of components Type and quality of public health system Type and quality of superstructure building fabric Type and quality of internal fabric Type and quality of electrical and mechanical services Extent of site works 2.6.6 Economic performance measures The procurement of building facilities involves a variety of decision making who decide on alternatives that generate capital and ongoing costs during a projects life. These capital costs generative value for different stakeholders and potential for returns to the project owner which should be durable over the life cycle of the asset. Therefore ,economic performance measurement in WLCC is very important for decision making to evaluate and allocate identifiable value from capital cost and continuing costs to relevant stakeholders in the life cycle of a facility. The objective that should be assessed under this heading should include. What type of performance indicators should be used to aid in the selection of alternatives The boundaries of these indicators, i.e. minimum and maximum values that the stakeholders are prepared to work to The best measures of performance in terms of WLCC outputs Mechanisms for WLCC benchmarking Measures for mitigating economic risks. 2.7 USE OF WHOLE LIFE COSTING Ferry and Flanagan (1991) argue that application of WLC, in any environment, exists on two levels. The lower level of life cycle costing is represented as a Management Tool to aid the decision making process. The higher level of life cycle costing is termed the Management System whose continuous operation dictates that responsibility for asset management should be retained. In general terms, they argue that during the management of a typical project, all stages, except project initiation, have a potential use for WLC. Whole life costing as a decision-making tool The primary use of WLC is to be used in the effective choice between a number of competing project alternatives. Although this can be done at any stage of the project, the potential of its effective use is Maximum during early design stages. In addition, the ability to influence cost decreases continually as the project progresses, from 100% at project sanction to typically 20% or less by the time construction starts. Furthermore, once the building is delivered, there is a very slim chance to change the total cost of ownership because the decision to own or to purchase a building normally commits users to most of the total cost of ownership. According to Kirk Al-Hajj ( 2004), 80-90% percent of the cost of running, maintaining and repairing a building is determined at the design stage. Figure 2.5 the relationship between whole life cost savings and time of implementation (Source- Al-Hajj,A.,Pollock,R.,Kishk,M.,Aouad,G.,Sun,M.andBakis,N,2004) Whole life costing as a management tool WLC can also be used as a management tool to identify the actual costs incurred in operating assets. The primary objective is to relate running costs and performance data. Thus, it could be useful for clients who want to estimate the actual running costs of the building and also for budgeting purposes. In addition, it can be a valuable feedback device to assist in the design (Al-Hajj,A.,Pollock,R.,Kishk,M.,Aouad,G.,Sun,M.andBakis,N,2004) BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF WHOLE LIFE COSTING TECHNIQUES 2.8.1 Industry barriers The capital cost of construction is almost always separated from the running cost. It is normal practice to accept the cheapest initial cost and then hand over the building to others to maintain. In addition, there is no clear definition of the buyer, seller, and their responsibilities towards the operating and maintenance costs (Bull 1993). Furthermore, there is a lack of motivation in cost optimisation because the design and cost estimating fees are usually a percentage of the total project cost. However, the expansion of new project delivery systems such as private finance initiative (PFI) and build operate and transfer (BOT) seems to overcome these obstacles 2.8.2 Client barriers Bull (1993) pointed out that there is also a lack of understanding on the part of the client. This may increase the possibility of subjective decision making. In addition, there are usually multiple aspects of needs desired by clients. Most of these aspects cannot be assessed in a strict WLC framework. This is mainly because either they are in conflict with the main WLC objective or because they are mostly non-financial. Some of these factors are even intangible such as aesthetics. In many cases, these intangibles are also in conflict with results of WLC (Picken 1989; Wilkinson 1996). Analysis difficulties The major obstacle facing the analyst is the difficulty of obtaining the proper level of information upon which to base a WLC analysis. This is because of the lack of appropriate, relevant and reliable historical information and data (Bull 1993). In addition, costs of data collection are enormous (Ferry and Flanagan 1991). Furthermore, the time needed for data collection and the analysis process may leave inadequate time for the essential dialogue with the decision-maker and the re-run of alternative options. This is one of the reasons why computerised models are valuable. Another difficulty is the need to be able to forecast, a long way ahead in time, many factors such as life cycles, future operating and maintenance costs, and discount and inflation rates (Ferry and Flanagan 1991). Besides, the uncertainty surrounding the variables in any WLC exercise should be properly assessed (Al-Hajj,A.,Pollock,R.,Kishk,M.,Aouad,G.,Sun,M.andBakis,N,2004) PRODUCING COSTS WHAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED? Before any evaluation of the projects whole life cycle costs can be made, the following factors need careful identification. Overall time scale of the building or element i.e. the life cycle; Statement of all costs and revenues attributable by disposal time; The design lives of the various components and equipment so that any calculation can include for replacements and repairs at appropriate times; Obsolescence where changes in technology, land values, working styles make the economic life of the building shorter than the planned design use; Tax implications allowances for certain items of plant and equipment can be offset against tax, thereby reducing their costs to the building owner; The time value of money (discounting) which incorporates allowances for interest and can consider inflation (iii) are relatively easy to calculate; (iv) (vi) are much more unpredictable as they tend to be guesses. From these elements come the typical WLC/LCC approach; STEP 1 establish the objective of the calculation STEP 2 choice of costing method STEP 3 formulate assumptions from list above STEP 4 identify the costs and the life cycle STEP 5 compare alternative solutions and rank STEP 6 sensitivity analysis (technique whereby costs revisited to identify items likely to change and the impact of those changes) STEP 7 report costs to client WHOLE LIFE COST / SUSTAINABILITY Contractors, particularly those involved with public private partnerships are recognising the importance of sustainability issues and the early consideration of whole life cost. The process of getting the minimum whole life cost and environmental impact is so complex, being a three dimensional problem as indicated below. Figure 2.6 Whole life cost considerations, Source (Cartidge, 2006) Each design option will have associated impacts and costs, and trade-offs have to be made between apparently unrelated entities Environmental value. This focuses on environmental aspects of development such as pollution, waste and CO2 emissions. These issues involve the initial manufacture of construction materials, the construction of the project, its use and eventual replacement. In this context value is maximised when environmental pressures are minimised to the level of the carrying capacity of ecological systems while using natural resources effectively and safeguarding natural capital and its productivity.

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mocking Bird Essays

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She is the youngest of four children, which is why she says she has a knack for writing. She devoted her life to writing and even gave up other jobs that she loved like working for the airline company and going to college. Her first attempt at writing â€Å"To Kill a Mocking Bird† was declined by every publisher, because she only wrote a series of short stories. Upon revising the book, she made it into one of the best selling novels around. She was even congratulated by those publishers that said she would never be able to write books well enough. That was all the motivation that she needed. Harper Lee’s purpose for writing this book was to show her audience moral values, the difference of right versus wrong. She does this very effectively by making Scout, the main girl in the story, and Jem, her brother, seemingly innocent, because they have not seen evil this early in their lives. The evil comes later when Mr. Ewell attempts to kill both Jem and Scout. Once the two children see and experience this evil, it changes their lives forever. They begin to see how the world can be different from their views. The morals for Scout and Jem to live by come from their father, Atticus Finch. He has experienced evils in his life, like the death of his wife, but he never lost faith in the good of people. He taught Scout and Jem right from wrong when they were young, because their mother was no longer around to teach them. Atticus understands that people have good and bad inside of them, but he feels that the good side can always overcome the bad side. This is true when he backed Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping Mr. Ewell’s daughter. Even though no one else helped Atticus out, he never gave up on Tom Robinson no matter how hard things got. Another important theme that this book stresses is how prejudice and ignorance is viewed by the innocent. For Scout, the thought of Boo Radley, the seemingly ignorant person who lived down the road, was changed throughout the story drastically. To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mocking Bird Essays To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She is the youngest of four children, which is why she says she has a knack for writing. She devoted her life to writing and even gave up other jobs that she loved like working for the airline company and going to college. Her first attempt at writing â€Å"To Kill a Mocking Bird† was declined by every publisher, because she only wrote a series of short stories. Upon revising the book, she made it into one of the best selling novels around. She was even congratulated by those publishers that said she would never be able to write books well enough. That was all the motivation that she needed. Harper Lee’s purpose for writing this book was to show her audience moral values, the difference of right versus wrong. She does this very effectively by making Scout, the main girl in the story, and Jem, her brother, seemingly innocent, because they have not seen evil this early in their lives. The evil comes later when Mr. Ewell attempts to kill both Jem and Scout. Once the two children see and experience this evil, it changes their lives forever. They begin to see how the world can be different from their views. The morals for Scout and Jem to live by come from their father, Atticus Finch. He has experienced evils in his life, like the death of his wife, but he never lost faith in the good of people. He taught Scout and Jem right from wrong when they were young, because their mother was no longer around to teach them. Atticus understands that people have good and bad inside of them, but he feels that the good side can always overcome the bad side. This is true when he backed Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping Mr. Ewell’s daughter. Even though no one else helped Atticus out, he never gave up on Tom Robinson no matter how hard things got. Another important theme that this book stresses is how prejudice and ignorance is viewed by the innocent. For Scout, the thought of Boo Radley, the seemingly ignorant person who lived down the road, was changed throughout the story drastically.

Cronic Hunger

People often misunderstand and misuse the word, hunger. Hunger isn’t the sound our stomach makes due to not eating for a few hours. Hunger is a disease that arises when people don’t get enough food to provide the nutrients to experience a healthy active life. Hunger is a reality and growing issue. It is not an issue that has recently began; it has been on going for years.A person at risk of going hungry has surged since the start of the recession. Most people are ignorant to the fact that hunger is present and exists only in Third world countries, and not in First world countries. This is the reason why I have donated some of my time to attempt to create a change. I decided to work with a food pantry in one of the richest Counties in California, Orange County.The Saddleback Church and its members have created this organization to end chronic hunger in their area. The organization has been such a success that not every member is a volunteer, but most are employees, that have turned their passion in helping others into a full time job. As a volunteer I was what is called, a shopper. As a shopper I would help one family at a time in their shopping needs, depending on the size of the family is the amount of food they were given. In Sociology Chronic hunger is associated with poverty and economic inequality. There are three main theoretical perspectives in sociology, structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. These theoretical perspectives all give ideas and reasons to the nature, causes, and consequences of poverty and economic inequality.The structural- functionalist perspective believes poverty occurs from institutional breakdown. Economic institutions that fail to provide the necessities to not live in poverty. It does not all rely on the scarce amount of jobs, but as well on the education of both parents and school to educate children on the participation of the workforce. Overall the structural- functionalist perspect ive agrees that economic inequality is more beneficial to society than degrading. Due to the motivation it brings some individuals to succeed, and acquire higher achievements, in both education and the workforce that will later have a high reward.The functionalist perspective also believes poverty is needed for society to function. It creates low paying jobs that are needed, farm workers, gardeners, childcare workers, and restaurant workers. If there was not  poverty in society who would do these needed low paying jobs? Then there is the conflict perspective, it believes and states that because there is conflict in society there will be poverty in society as well. If there is wealthy people there has to be poor people, it balances society out.Wealthy people are self-centered and believe they deserve to be at the high position in society that they are. They view every lower class and poverty as a needed part of society, based on inequality. Over all the conflict perspective views p overty and conflict as a need and necessity to try to fix the problem of inequality. Lastly there is, symbolic interactionist perspective, which focuses on how meanings, labels, and definitions affect and are affected by social life. Society gives meanings and labels to everything. These meanings and labels affect the labeled and often cause them consequences. Individuals labeled, poor, are stigmatized as lazy, irresponsible, ignorant, and worthless.Soon they begin to believe and lack motivation to surpass this living. Due to these symbols existing and causing consequences to people there will always be poverty in our society. Whether it is, structural-functionalist perspective, conflict perspective or symbolic interactionist the reason for how, and why poverty exists, they are all linked to chronic hunger. Chronic hunger regardless is an issue in our society, and needs to be decreased. I absolutely loved the experience I had volunteering at the Saddleback food pantry. The best part about it was seeing every family’s appreciation for not only the food they had been given, but also your individual donated time.Just like them I also valued them for having taught me to appreciate what I have more. Due to this experience I now try to remember to say grace before every meal I have. Unfortunately there were some incidents that I experienced that were shocking and saddening. A few families that I helped shop did not understand that there were other families that were also relying on this food to get through another day. They would repeatedly ask me if they could have more than the amount they were suppose to have of a certain item. I would explain to them the reasons why not, and often they would get upset with me.One family actually began to take more than they were suppose to, after I had explained to them why they couldn’t. Besides having experienced these few incidents I am absolutely glad I volunteered at The Saddleback food pantry. The grateful, a ppreciative families surpass the few unfortunate  incidents I experienced. I would without a doubt, and hesitations redo the whole process.

Poverty and Crime Essay

Relationship between poverty and crime. Name Course University Tutor Date Introduction There is no single definition of poverty. One definition holds that poverty is the society’s standard of living in a particular time and people are said to be poor when they cannot even afford their basic necessities or if their income is insufficient. Crime is the violation of the rule of law as it is stipulated in the constitution. Its increase calls for measures and sanctions that ensure that social order prevails. There is a correlation between poverty and crime though many who claim that there are some states where poverty is very high have refuted this argument. They argue that the crime in these areas is very is low. This research paper, will discuss intensively about poverty and crime. It will analyze the relationship between poverty and the crime rates, its root causes and means of its eradication. Who are the poor? Poverty is defined differently by various agencies in America. Generally it could be said to be the deprivation of the basic needs such as food, cloth and shelter. Depending on the standards of living opportunities, employment and respect that fellow citizens enjoy their lives but this does not meet that the set living standard is below poverty line. Poverty can be categorized in to three classes namely absolute poverty, social exclusion and relative poverty. These classes have different resources that would promote harmony between the body and the soul. Relative category denotes lack of resources needed for one to participate fully in issues that affect their life. The third class of poverty is what is referred to as an area that lacks Begin Match to source 5 in source list: (8-18-03) http://www. ic. gov. au/conferences/cypc/proceedings. pdfa combination ofEnd Match various necessities Begin Match to source 5 in source list: (8-18-03) http://www. aic. gov. au/conferences/cypc/proceedings. pdfsuch as unemployment, poorEnd Match infrastructure, Begin Match to source 5 in source list: (8-18-03) http://www. aic. gov. au/conferences/cypc/proceedings. pdflowEnd Match income and substandard skills. According to the United Nation’s world summit of social development, poverty is a condition in which one is deprived of the basic needs such as food, clean water sanitation, heath and education. According the 2006 statistics on poverty, the poverty rate in the united state declined from 12. 6%, as it was the case in 2005. When this was translated in to figures it meant that 36. 5 citizens lived in penny, as it was the cases in 2005. Currently about 12% of the population in the United States lives below the poverty threshold. Poverty in America sometimes is not something stable as it fluctuates with time for some people earns more than the set poverty line but in other times, they earn below it. As per the 2001 statistics, minors were the most affected of all groups in the industrialized nations America being the worst because 14. % of the minors lived below the poverty line. This also largely affected the Americans. (Haveman RH. 1987) According to the United States Research Center, the poverty rate has increased over the recent past from what it has been for over twenty-six years. In the past, it was 11. 3 percent but in 2004 it stood at 12. 7 percent though this gradually declined in the year 2006 to 12. 3 percent. In the period between 2000-2006, the poverty level among the minors significantly increased from 16. 2 percent to 17. 8 percent but in following two years it decline to 17. 4 percent. Poverty in America varies across race, family, sex and age but America has registered a decline in poverty rate when compared with the 1990’s figures. This could be attributed to the economic depression. The current rate is still bigger than that of the 1970s. As per the United States Census Bureau, it calculates the rate of poverty by assessing the much one earns and his purchasing power. As it is noted above that poverty varies in America, poverty rate is highest among the juniors who are under 18 years. According to a survey that was done in 1998, the poverty rate amongst children was 18. 9% and this was a decrease from the 1997 figure. The rate of poverty to those who are under six years was 20. 6% in 1998. The rate for those within the bracket of 18-64 was 10. 9%. In 2005 the poverty rate for over those 65 years was 9. 4 percent than that of 2005 which was 10. 1 percent while that of the minors stood at 17. 4% Depending on peoples’ nationality, those who were born in America had a poverty level of 11. 9% or an equivalent of 30. 8 million people in the year 2007 and this was the same as it was in 2006. To the foreigners, the poverty level in 2006 slightly went down to 15. 2% when compared with the 2005 figure and in 207 the figure still went down. Moore D. 2007) Causes of poverty. Poverty has many causes and some of them are overpopulation, unequal distribution of resources high living standards, lack of proper education and skills, lack of employment, economic and distribution of people in a location, natural disasters. Overpopulation can be linked with poverty. In areas that have a lot of people, there is strain in resources as people tend to deplete them because competition there in but this is not a major cause of poverty in US. The real causes of poverty in USA are low wages and lack of reliable and well paying employment. In America over two thirds of all poor households with some children rely on only one or two people who are in jobs. However, many of them are in low paying jobs that cannot help them to meet their needs. Many people do not get jobs because of a number of factors. Some of them do not have the required skills while others are handicaps, personal hazards and general inability to perform. In America people who were sometime in the past employed but due to some reasons such as misconducts were dismissed are poor. They could also have been dismissed due to insubordination, unionism or because of participating in strikes. When people do not get good jobs or are not at all employed, they cannot provide their families with their necessities and hence the high rate of poverty. In America most of the unemployed turn to drug abuse. (Dwarkin R. 2005) Another thing that cause poverty in America is that there is a very high living condition. With little money, it is not possible to get adequate food, shelter and clothing many who claim to be employed are in low paying jobs that pay minimum wages and this is the problem that non employed face. Because USA is a developed nation, the prices of items are very high so anyone earning a dollar a day finds it hard to survive. For example a Mexican can get one dollar in hour and then buy some food for the family. The same case applies in America where food is very expensive; one may earn five dollars in a day only to spend all of this money on food. Generally life standard in America is very high and for this reason many are considered to live below poverty line. This causes most Americans to have physical and mental disabilities and may lead to pathological disorders. This has been a problem to many because once you get addicted to drugs as your life becomes dependent on them. In such a situation, then you prioritize drugs instead of other things that are more important. These drugs cause a mind to fail to function properly and for this reason they cannot secure themselves jobs in America. Mental inability, social problem and disability are some of the challenges that Americans face. Disabled people cannot be able to compete effectively in the search for jobs as physically normal people do. Because they have low incomes, their families give them special attention and this puts strain to their meager resources. These people are also isolated by others something that increases the level of social stigma. Another thing is exclusion in the social processes and this has been another cause of poverty in America. It happens when people do not get a chance of leading a normal life. It occurs to the disabled, the imprisoned and to the people who have language difficulties. The homeless and the ex- prisoners as well as those that are suffering from aids are also affected. These factors have greatly led to the increase in poverty cases. It should be understood that these people though they are not actively participating in social processes, they still require food, shelter and clothing. (Cohen S. 985) Poverty and crime Crime is doing contrary to what is required by the constitution. Many people indulge themselves in criminal activities if they do not meet their basic needs. Most people become criminals because of poverty but it should not be forgotten that others deem it a career. According to the conflict theories, economic strife has been related or associated with crimes. Many people who d o not have any other source of their livelihood, result to crimes such as burglary, assault and robbery. Most of these individuals are socially propelled to behave this way due to their poverty level and social alienation. Increase in per capital income tends to reduce crime rate something that attests to the fact that poverty leads to crime. Crime rate depends on social and cultural factors for example; if many children are born by single mothers then the level of the crime goes up. Most children who are fatherless are more likely to become criminals because they lack proper attention at home as their mother cannot meet their basic needs. They go to the streets to seek solace. Crime rates. There are three things that could be attributed to the rise in crime rates in America. These are for example the rise of outbreaks. This was one major cause of crimes in the 1986 and in 1960s and 70s there were some family policies that were make which resulted to upsurge in juvenile delinquency. The third cause of crime is the saturation of the criminal systems. (Cassdill H. 1962) This has compromised the fight against crime as prisoners are being sentenced for a shorter period than they should and are prematurely released. When this happens, they leave prisons uncorrected. According to a research that was done by the Kirwan Institute increase in poverty was linked to high-level crime rate. This is because when the poverty level goes beyond a certain point it invites crime. In the United States, the high rate of illegitimate births is linked to crime prevalence and this is as a result of many single parented households. When these children do not get the proper care that they deserve, they turn to crimes. According to Milton Eisenhower’s foundation, seventy per cent of all African Americans in America have single mothers. While only eighteen per cent of all the whites have single mother. The increase in single motherhood increases the prospects of people indulging themselves in crimes. Most poor people engage themselves in crimes such as prostitution, selling drugs and even murder while others engage in juvenile crimes. What should be done to control this level of crime rate is to make some reforms in the judicial system to ensure they are more effective. Criminal should be jailed for a term that is equivalent to the crime they committed. The tougher and reasonable judges should be put on the bench to ensure that justice would take its course. Those violent offenders should not be on the loose especially when they are supposed to be serving their term in prison. This is the only way the high rate of crime could be scaled down. The way forward. There are various ways of eradicating poverty in America and one of them is ensuring that property rights that are respected to the letter. Property rights should be seen as the same as human rights. All American citizens have a right to own property wherever they want. If this is properly addressed the gap between the rich and poor would be reduced. The main cause of crime in USA is because the poor living in close proximity with the rich. Also those lacking reliable income are forced to look for alternative means of meeting their basic needs. The presence of both rich and the poor people puts the government in a very tricky place, as it is impossible to collect taxes for it is not easy to determine who should pay and who should not. (Smeeding TM et al, 1990) The United States government can reduce the poverty level by providing the poor with some small amount so that they could start some businesses as it was done in the Western States under a program known as a Welfare State in the 20th Century. Those that should be taken care of are at least the poor and the disabled as they are the most disadvantaged in the society. People are social beings and for this reason they cannot sit back and watch their friends continue suffering so the government should come up with Charity Programs that would allow people to channel assistance of any kind to the poor as the rich might be willing to help them. These organizations should either be voluntary or non-profit making groups. The United States government should embark on subsidized households and medical issues. The government should also analyze the importance of subsidized medical care than the free governmentally supported health care. The poor should be provided with employment by the government as not all poor people lack the relevant job skills. Lack of employment in America is one reason that increases poverty prevalence so if they are given jobs they would be able to meet their basic necessities and this would help in reducing the gap between the rich and the poor. The poor should also be helped in accessing free health care. Most poor people do not even afford to go to hospitals once they get sick and stay at home. This also puts strain on their meager income making them to become even poorer. The government should also offer free family planning programs as many who turn to be criminals are from those households that do not provide them with proper attention. Children from single parented households and especially those that are headed by the mother are more likely to result into becoming criminals. These families should be provided with some family allowances by the government so as they would take care of children properly to avoid them being attracted to become juvenile criminals. The poor who mostly live in ghettos should be provided with better housing facilities for example the government should upgrade these ghettos so that they would enjoy life just like the rich do. This would help in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor Currently the talk on poverty is still on going and has become a campaign tool among the presidential candidates. They are promising Americans what they will do once they become the next US president come the 2008 Election. Obama who is one of these candidates promised the Americans that he would establish Twenty Promise Households and especially in the areas that are affected by high levels of poverty and crime. They would operate just like the Harlem Children’s Home operates. He said he will spend about six US dollars on this program and this will benefit the Harlem, the Town Hall Education and the Town Hall Education. (Kristof N. D. 2008) Both Edward and Obama are challenging Hillary Clinton who up to now has not come up with any poverty reduction proposal. Obama’s speech was mainly on urban and rural areas and most particularly on city initiatives while Edward focused on this poverty issue might have a lot of impact on who will be chosen as the president of the United States of America. Edward said that he would relocate the poor families so that they would be in a place where they would easily access jobs and other facilities. From the research findings, it is safe to conclude that poverty greatly contributes to the rise in crime level that is both are interrelated. This is evident in that poor people inhabit regions that register high crime rate. (Kristof N. D. 2008) When poor people lack their basic needs, they resort to crimes such as drug selling and trafficking, juvenile delinquency and assaults. There are various measures that if they are undertaken, the crime level would definitely go down and some of these are to strengthen the correction and judicial system and to empower the poor people so that the gap between the rich and poor would be closed. This is something that is of prime concern to the 2008 presidential candidates such as Obama who promised to boost the cities initiative especially those that work to help the poor. Indeed, there is a relationship between poverty and crime prevalence in United States of America. Most of the crimes occur in areas that are occupied by the poor people. When people are wallowing in poverty they are prone to indulge themselves in criminal acts. In order to reduce the rate of crime, the government should try to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. The poor should be economically be strengthened and their living standards be uplifted. Houses in the ghettos should be upgraded to improve the quality of life for the poor. To reduce the level of crimes, the judicial system should be adjusted so as to make it more effective. The laws should be enforced to ensure they are followed to the letter.