Business Performance of Specsavers Research Paper

Business Performance of Specsavers - Research Paper Example On the marketing front, Specsavers pioneered a slew of industry standards. For example, it was the first company to start a debt scheme for contact lenses along with free home delivery. This initiative changed the way a customer financed her eye care purchases. Specsavers’ advertising campaigns were perfectly designed to strongly communicate the special features offered by Specsavers. The â€Å"Should've has gone to Specsavers† campaign reinforced the superior services offered by Specsavers. One of the most important USPs of Specsavers was its great value-for-money positioning. Due to economies of scale, it could negotiate better prices with its vendors, and then passed on savings to its customers. Specsavers offered 2 for 1 glass at  £75, an offer that has been very successful. Specsavers also targeted market niches by offering special pricing for its products/services. For example, Senior citizens (over 60 years) were offered a massive 30% discount on glasses. However, the most revolutionary innovation was on the products/services domain. Prior to the arrival of Specsavers, this industry was served by small chains or independent opticians. While these chains offered low-cost services, there was an enormous room for improvement in their services. Those providing high-quality services were costlier & often charged a high premium. Specsavers’ new partnership model brought together for the first time, the best practices of retailing & service delivery concepts along with the best available opticians, but at a much competitive price. While Specsavers offered their partners a range of business support services like accounting, marketing etc, the frontline opticians were free to do what they did the best. The opticians, hence, could concentrate on delivering their best services to the consumers. On the product front, they  pioneered innovations like offering varifocal glasses. Specsavers offered the option of returning ‘varifocal’ glasses (some people take time to adjust to these) within a period of 30 days from purchase.

Organization of relationships Essay Example for Free

Organization of relationships Essay Functionalism Functionalism is perhaps the oldest, and still dominant theoretical perspective in sociology. This paradigm is based upon two related emphases: application of the scientific method to the objective social world, and use of analogy between the individual organism and society. The perspective was developed by Emile Durkheim, and expanded by Talcott Parsons in the 1950s. The perspective assumes: 1) that the application of the scientific method extends to the social world, 2) values provide general guidelines for behavior in terms of roles and norms, 3) institutions are generally composed of interrelated roles and norms, and 4) the society is a functioning organism composed of functioning institutions. Functionalists perceive the social world as objectively real – observable with methods such as surveys and interviews. Rules and regulations assist in the organization of relationships between members of the social body. These institutions of society such as the family, religion, the political system, even the economy are interwoven. They function congruent to social needs and aspirations. They are directed to the attainment of social objectives. Functionalism has the following assumptions: 1) the interrelatedness of institutions, roles, and norms is congruent with social needs; 2) social need is not necessarily physiological in orientation (it can be in the form of status acquisition); 3) gradual change is the main motor of social change (abrupt change is seen as something unnecessary and leading to social dislocation of actors); 4) objectivity is the primary qualification of social research (functionalism, later structural functionalism is highly correlated with the empiricist approach to social research); 5) the social world is generally governed by social actors. Functionalism addresses the following issues: 1) the evolution of roles and norms in a particular social setting, 2) the development of interrelated institutions, 3) the efficacy of long-term change, 4) the cohesive functioning entity, and 5) the importance of role-making and empiricist research. From the five sociological paradigms discussed, conflict theory seemed to be the least useful because: 1) It fails to answer the evolution of roles and norms in the society (it views morality as something created by power politics); 2) While it explains the efficacy of short term (abrupt) change, it fails to fully substantiate the saliency of long-term (gradual) social change; 3) It saw conflict as the only effective means of altering social arrangements, roles, and norms of the society here, conflict is seen as a positive force of social change (the word ‘positive’ here is morally neutral).

Essay --

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC) The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children is designed by Alan Kaufman and Nadeen Kaufman in 1983 for assessing mental processing and cognitive development in children. It was revised in 2004 as the KABC -II. First edition is used for children between the ages of 2,5 and 12,5 whereas the revised edition is used for children and adolescents between 3 and 18 years of age. There are two theoratical models in KABC-II. They are the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) psychometric model of broad and narrow abilities and Luria’s neuropsychological theory of processing. KABC-II consists of 18 subtests of two types: core and supplemantary. These subtests are grouped into 4 or 5 scales according to age and model. Luria’s model has Sequential Processing Scale, Simultaneous Processing Scale, Learning Ability and Planning Ability. CHC model has same scales but it renames them. They are Short Term Memory (Gsm), Visual Processing (Gv), Long Term Storage and Retrieval (Glr) and Fluid Reasoning (Gf) respectively. Also it has one more scale which name is Know...

Hazel’s business case Essay

In what ways are Hazel’s customers most likely to judge the quality of her lawn care service? Answer: They will give some feedback regarding the cleaning after done cutting their grass, the duration of how long the lawn care service will be done, length of the grass should not be too long or too short, and the health condition of grass. Hazel is the operations manager of her business. Among her responsibilities are forecasting, inventory management, scheduling, quality assurance, and maintenance. What kinds of things would likely require forecasts? Answer: weather, seasons, and maintenance. What inventory items does Hazel probably have? Name one inventory decision she has to make periodically. Answer: parts of mowing machines, gas, and fertilizer. She has to make inventory decision periodically is the quantity of fertilizer. What scheduling must she do? What things might occur to disrupt schedules and cause Hazel to reschedule? Answer: workers’ timetable, mow machine, and maintenance. Mow machine breakdown, workers get sick, bad weather and any emergencies happen will cause Hazel to reschedule. How important is quality assurance to Hazel’s business? Explain. Answer: It is very important because since Hazel just started her new business which mean she does not has enough number of customers. If she wants to maintain her business, it is important to keep her reputation and quality of the service in order to get repeat customers. What kinds of maintenance must be performed? Answer: oil change, sharpness of the blade, and regular check the mow machine’s engine. What are some of the trade-offs that Hazel probably considered relative to: Working for a company instead of for herself? Answer: She will waste time to find a job. Since she is an employee, she will not worry lots of stuffs and she does not need to take care of so much stuffs compare to own a business. Expanding the business? Answer: She can earn more profit but for doing this, she needs a big capital to support her. Launching a web site? Answer: It costs a lot to have a web site, on the other hand, she can able to get new customers from other neighborhoods. The town is considering an ordinance that would prohibit putting grass clippings at the curb for pickup because local landfills cannot handle the volume. What options might Hazel consider if the ordinance is passed? Name two advantages and two drawbacks of each option. Answer: Advantages 1. It can increase Hazel’s business because the customers would not wait the grasses grow too long to call the mow service. 2. Hazel also can start a new pick up service to help the customers to collect all the grass clippings and throw it away. Drawbacks 1. The working volume is increased which means Hazel needs to hire more employees to assist her. 2. Hazel has to reschedule all her working hours and it might be increased her working hours compare to previous. Hazel decided to offer the students who worked for her a bonus of $25 for ideas on how to improve the business, and they provided several good ideas. One idea that she initially rejected now appears to hold great promise. The student who proposed the idea has left, and is currently working for a competitor. Should Hazel send that student a check for the idea? What are the possible trade-offs? Answer: Yes, Hazel has to pay the student because the student had provided good ideas which help improve her business. Since the student has left and currently working for Hazel’s competitor, she has to make a contract that the information should not be share to anyone accept Hazel’s company. All managers have to cope with variation. What are the major sources of variation that Hazel has to contend with? Answer: Bad weather, workers do not show up during work time, and extra jobs. How might these sources of variation impact Hazel’s ability to match supply and demand? Answer: Hazel will has to do extra jobs and the working hours are not stable. What are some ways she can cope with variation? Answer: Hazel can hire more part-time workers to assist her in case some of the workers take leave. She also can study more about weather forecast, so she can do some preparation when it is bad weather occurs. Hazel is thinking of making some of her operations sustainable. What are some ideas she might consider? Answer: Hazel can do the lawn service by herself, so she can save some costing to hire workers. And she can provide friendly service, and welcome the customers give feedbacks on every service she has done. Hazel Revisited What competitive advantage does hazel have over a professional lawn care service? Answer: Hazel gains trustiness from her neighborhood because Hazel’s company is nearer and they know her for a long time, so this makes her has an advantage from a professional lawn care service. Hazel would like to increase her profits, but she doesn’t believe that it would be wise to raise her prices considering the current state of local economy. Instead, she has given some thought to increasing productivity. Explain how increased productivity could be an alternative to increased prices. Answer: Hazel can cut down the number of the workers to do the lawn care service and decrease her workers’ wages. What are some ways that Hazel could increase productivity? Answer: reward her workers, establish reasonable goals for improvement, and develop their operation for efficiency. Hazel is thinking about the purchase of new equipment. One would be power sidewalk edgers. She believes adgers will lead to an increase in productivity. Another would be a chain saw, which would be used for tree pruning. What trade-offs should she consider in her analysis? Answer: If Hazel purchases the new equipment, she can offer a new service to customers, which can increase her business profit. On the other hand, if she does not purchase, she does not need to spend extra maintenance fees for the new equipment. Hazel has been fairly successful in her neighborhood, and now wants to expand to other neighborhoods, including some that are five miles away. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of doing this? Answer: Advantages : She can earn more profits, more new customers, and more people will know her company exists. Disadvantages: The company will be more hard to handle, needs a big capital to support, and higher risk to lose her business. Hazel does not have a mission statement or a set of objectives. Take one of the following positions and defend it: Hazel doesn’t need a formal mission statement and objectives. Many small businesses don’t have them. She definitely needs a mission statement and a set of objectives. They would be extremely beneficial. There may be some benefit to Hazel’s business, and she should consider developing one. Answer: In my opinion, I will choose B. Mission statement is important to every company as it gives their employees a guide line and show what is the company direction to them.

Confucianism vs Daoism Dbq

Due to Its backgrounds and the reason as to why Confucianism was produced, the religion Idea stresses more on the politics and ethics, Instead of religion and the theoretical world since focusing on such things would simply be a waste of time and energy that could be spent on more productive jobs. Likewise, Confucianism also promotes a seem-murderous way to gain offices. â€Å"Superior individuals†, known as Jinni, can have a say in how to run the state. Additionally, Confucianism also insists on the studying of the ancient Chou Dynasty exist that not only were used for tools in government, it also became widespread as a teaching device.Taoism, on the other hand, was created for a completely different reason. Rather than being created for a completely different mindset, Taoism was created to solely reject the attempts to change events that were deemed to come to pass, such as rebellion or internal strife. It was almost the exact opposite of Confucianism, which could be said to be actively trying to change the events. Not surprisingly, the â€Å"Dad† part of the Taoist to â€Å"The Way' which preaches for harmony ND peace. In fact, the Taoist were so intent of keeping harmony and peace that the even said that attempting to control the world around them would lead to chaos.Therefore, this also meant that the Taoist strictly forbidden schools and also ones ambition to improve. Ironically, despite Taoism and Confucianism were as different as water is to oil, for some way, the intellectuals from the Chinese warring states era were able to mix both into their lives. While other religions, such as Christian, Muslim, and Judaism, cannot mix at all, lest one be declared a heretic, Confucianism came a public doctrine, while Taoism became part of an Intellectuals past time pursuits.Both Taoism and Confucianism were extremely development In Ideology and cause of development, however, both were still Incorporated In the dally lives of Intellectuals of the war ring states era of Chinese history. Confucianism vs. Taoism Db By Jinxing at the same time, Confucianism and Taoism were developed for different reasons Fuzz. Confucianism was developed as a way for government to rule the largely small, city state like kingdoms during the Warring states era.Due to its backgrounds and the reason as to why Confucianism was produced, the religion idea stresses more on the politics and ethics, instead of religion and the theoretical world since focusing on productive Jobs. Likewise, Confucianism also promotes a semi-meritorious way to gain became a public doctrine, while Taoism became part of an intellectuals past time pursuits. Both Taoism and Confucianism were extremely development in ideology and cause of development, however, both were still incorporated in the daily lives of intellectuals of the warring states era of Chinese history.

Management Strategic Example

Management Strategic Example Management Strategic – Coursework Example Investigate the possible vision and mission ments of the company. A possible mission ment of the company is â€Å"to maximise shareholder valueby manufacturing and distributing automobiles that cater to a variety of consumer needs and wants globally with the option of providing financing to both distributors and consumers.† A possible vision statement is â€Å"to be a consistently profitable automaker that assures customers of best-in-class but affordable vehicles.†Analyse if the mission and vision are good and aligned to its goals and objectives. The mission statement is good because it focuses on what Ford aims to achieve through its day-to-day activities, that is to give maximal returns to its owners by performing its core business of making and selling vehicles to different consumer segments globally. The vision statement is also good because it shows the company’s aspirations for the future: to give its customers the best vehicles as per the standards at tha t moment in time and to remain profitable while doing so. If you are the CEO of the company, develop your own version of a better vision and mission, by incorporating the theories you learn in class. Vision: To consistently be a profitable company that guarantees world class products and services. Mission: To manufacture, distribute and sell a broad-category of energy-efficient vehicles, with the option of providing financing to our customers, while ensuring that we consistently deliver maximal value to our stakeholders. Discuss the current strategies of the company highlighted in the article.Ford is pursuing three-pronged strategy: entry into the alternative-fuel vehicle (AFV) market, market penetration in the small and medium-sized car segment and divestment. Increased participation in the AFV market is vital because it allows Ford to: fulfil the increasing consumer and federal government demand for green energy and environmental sustainability, and to develop new competencies tha t could be leveraged to produce more fuel efficient vehicles. With consumers at its key markets going through an economic squeeze the small and medium-sized car segment has become one of the biggest segment of the auto market (Badal, 2011). For this reason it is only prudent that Ford leverages its brand strength to gain market share in this growing market segment. Finally, Ford is in financial trouble and divesting from businesses where it sees little potential for future growth will not only help improve its books but also enable it restructure its business.ReferencesBadal, A. (2011). Ford Motor Company - 2009. Strategic Management: Concept and Cases (13th ed., pp. 95–102). Harlow: Pearson Education.

Memorable Funny Quotes From Tommy Boy

Memorable Funny Quotes From Tommy Boy Tommy Boy has some knee-slapping funny scenes. One of the funniest scenes in the movie is when Tommy struggles to change his clothes in an airplane restroom. Here are some memorable quotes from Tommy Boy that are guaranteed to make you laugh. The humor may seem unoriginal to some, but Tommy Boy does make the viewer laugh with abandon. Savor the comedy in these memorable quotes from . Tommy I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bulls ass, but Id rather take a butchers word for it.[hugging a stranger] I passed. I wish wed known each other... this is a little awkward.God, youre gonna remember this for the rest of your life. Cant believe youve never been cow tipping before.[talking like a toddler] Him too fwaid to get out, hes just a wittle guy.Apparently they give a lot fewer D-pluses than D-minuses. Its not a grade they like to give out.Oh, man, thats cold! Im a maniac, maniac on the floor. And Im dancing like Ive never danced before...R.T., I lost my virginity to your daughter, for crying out loud. Richard Hayden Ugh, I can actually hear you getting fatter.This is like a bad Twilight Zone. I think Im growing a tumour. MichelleListen up, you little spazoids. I know where you live and Ive seen where you sleep. I swear to everything holy that your mothers will cry when they see what Ive done to you.PaulThese shoes are Italian. Theyre worth more than your life.Ray ZalinskyTed, send over a bottle of bubbly in a bucket of ice and a card. Have the card read, Tough luck, get drunk on me. Use the bucket to ice down your marbles, Yours, Z.Ted ReillyOh, real good. Real good. I had a kidney removed last April, but I still have the other one.Kid in BankOh, yeah right. It was some other real fat guy with a tiny head.

Attribution or Reporting Clause in Writing

Attribution or Reporting Clause in Writing Attribution also called a  reporting clause in academia, is the identification of the speaker or source of written material. It is commonly  expressed in words like she said, he shouted or he asks or the name of the source and the appropriate verb. Sometimes this attribution identifies the tone as well as who made the statement. Both direct and indirect quotes require attribution. Good Writing Definition In The Facts on File Guide to Good Writing from 2006, Martin H. Manser discusses attribution. The positioning of attribution discussed here for an indirect quote is not written in stone; many good writing authorities, particularly in journalism, prefer that attribution comes at the end of the quote, regardless of whether it is direct or indirect. This is one opinion. The  reporting clause  consists of a subject and a verb of speaking or writing, as well as any other related information Roger said; answered Tom; they shouted angrily. In  indirect  speech,  the reporting clause always precedes the reported clause, but indirect  speech, it may be placed before, after, or in the middle of the reported clause. When it is inserted after or in the middle of the reported clause, it is set off by commas, and the verb is often placed before the subject said his mother; replied Bill. When the reporting clause is placed at the beginning of the sentence, it is usual to follow it with a comma or colon, which appears before the opening quotation marks. When a text has two or more people involved in a conversation, it is common for the reporting clause to be omitted once it has established whose turn it is to speak: What do you mean by that? demanded Higgins.What do you think I mean? responded Davies.Im not sure.Let me know when you are. Note also that the convention of beginning a new paragraph with each new speaker aids in distinguishing the individuals in a conversation. Omitting  the Word That David Blakesley and Jeffrey Hoogeveen discuss the use of the word that in quotations in The Thomson Handbook (2008). You may have noticed that that is sometimes absent from  reporting clauses. The decision to omit that is based on several factors. Informal contexts and academic writing, that  is generally included. That  can be omitted when (1) the subject of  the  that complement is a pronoun, (2) the reporting clause and  the that clause  Ã‚  have the same subject, and/or (3) the writing context is informal. Heres an example from Cormac McCarthys The Crossing (1994):She said that  she thought the land was under a curse and asked him for his opinion, but  he said  he knew little of the country. About the Word Said Heres what eminent grammarian Roy Peter Clark said the word said in Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer (2006): Leave said  alone. Dont be tempted by the muse of variation to permit characters to opine, elaborate, cajole or chortle. Examples of Attribution From The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald  (1925) [Gatsby] broke off and began to walk up and down a desolate path of fruit rinds and discarded favors and crushed flowers.I wouldnt ask too much of her, I ventured. You cant repeat the past.Cant repeat the past? he cried incredulously. Why of course you can!He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand.Im going to fix everything just the way it was before, he said, nodding determinedly. Shell see.   From Wise Blood, Flannery OConnor (1952) I reckon you think you been redeemed, he said. Mrs. Hitchcock snatched at her collar.I reckon you think you been redeemed, he repeated.She blushed. After a second she said yes, life was an inspiration and then she said she was hungry and asked if he didnt want to go into the diner.

In Praise of Blame by George Sher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

In Praise of Blame by George Sher - Essay Example He has a few theories about it and sets about to debating over them one of them being blame’s relation to character. Sher starts off arguing against the Humean idea about how blaming someone depends on the person’s character. Someone who has a bad character is the one who can be blamed about things and not otherwise. He has different point of views regarding this and debates over them. The Humean claim is that we can only blame people if their bad side emerges because of the negative qualities – or a particular negative quality - they may have. Basically, if someone is generally a very bad person, he may be mean or selfish or rude, etc. then only he may automatically have terrible qualities and we can judge him depending on those. We may actually end up holding them responsible for whatever issue has taken place. On the other hand, if the person is actually very nice and due to certain circumstances he has not been acting well mannered and has been showing the al most nonexistent bad qualities, then we should not blame them for whatever mistakes they may make. Since they are just that – a mistake – which surely would never be made again. It is, of course, human nature to make blunders. Nobody is perfect though there are some people who are striving to be so even if they are not fully reaching the top line. People are well mannered and have good morals but they cannot always keep up with their expectations of themselves. They will slip up some day or the other. It may be because of some problems they are facing. A person may be very sweet tempered but due to some personal inconveniences he is going through, he may not be acting like his usual self. He may lose his patience quickly and start shouting without much reason. It is a general assumption that the person is nice and should not be blamed about his few mistakes. This may happen quite rarely so it is only fair to forgive these people. After all, no harm was done on purpose and a life time of being a good human being should not be ignored just because of a raised voice or something equally unimportant in the long run. So he should not be blamed to whatever may occur due to an impulsive reaction. Someone who is short tempered or just not well mannered may generally have a whole list of undesirable qualities in him. It is his way of life so one may easily charge him with fault if he - yet again - does something disagreeable. One may blame him easily as he is in the habit of doing such things daily; that one knows is not rare mistake. That he knows what he did is not right and yet he continues to do it, that he does not try to redeem himself. Now this point is understandable, of course, but Sher does not seem to be agreeing with the idea. One may basically understand him to believe that blaming people with generally good characters is okay. Just because they make an error in judgement or something, it does not mean that the problem never arose because of them. It was their fault and they should be blamed for it despite the fact that they do not make a habit of it. It was a mistake, no matter how huge or small, and what is done is done. There are side effects of everything – be it good or bad – so it is only practical that the person be blamed for it. Just because they did not do it purposely or were ignorant to its results does not mean that it was not their fault. Similarly, he also says that just because a person has chock full of negative attributes in him, it does not mean that if he makes a mistake, we should put all the blame on him immediately. He believes that even though the person may have his own set of issues which may lead to him having a

Nurse Retention Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nurse Retention - Research Paper Example The current and projected shortage Indicators shows that the U.S. nursing shortage is projected to grow to 260,000 registered nurses by 2025 (Buerhaus, 2009), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2009) reported the in spite of the job cuts in all the major industries, the health sector institutions added 21,000 new jobs in the month of June 2009 and more jobs are likely to be added in the near future. A research conducted by the Council on Physician and Nurse Supply in 2008 showed that the US health care needs 30,000 additional nurses to be graduated annually to meet the nation's healthcare needs (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). The Health Resources and Services Administration (2006) projects that the US nursing shortage would grow to more than one million nurses by the year 2020. It has been observed that due to the shortages, the recruitment and retention of nurses in the health institutions is a big challenge (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2006). Change management This section reviews Kurt Lewin’s classical approach to change management, specifically the application of force field analysis in the implementation of a nurse retention program at any local healthcare facility. Kurt Lewin’s classical theory is based on a systems approach to change management. According to him a state of equilibrium in a system is achieved when the forces acting for change equals the forces acting against change.

Maths and Statistics Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maths and Statistics Assignment 2 - Essay Example The point of intersection, where the axes meet is called the origin normally labelled as O. A particular point on a two dimensional coordinate system is defined by the x unit first, followed by y unit in the form (x, y). There are four quadrants as shown in below figure. In Quadrant I the values are (x,y), and II:(-x,y), III:(-x,-y) and IV:(x,-y). The  polar coordinate system  is a  two-dimensional  coordinate system  in which a distance from a fixed point and an angle from a fixed direction determine each point on a plane. It is useful where the relationship between two points is expressed in terms of angle and distance. The fixed point is called the  pole, and the  ray  from the pole with the fixed direction is the  polar axis. The distance from the pole is called the  radial coordinate  or  radius, and the angle (measured in anti-clockwise) is the  angular coordinate,  polar angle, or  azimuth. Below diagram (left) shows the polar coordinate system: A particular point on the polar coordinate system is defined by the distance r first, followed by the angle ÃŽ ¸ (in degrees or radians) in the form (r, ÃŽ ¸). An equivalent Cartesian  coordinate system  for the polar coordinate system  is shown to the right, where point (x, y) is represented by (. Latitude  (horizontal line also referred as parallel) is the angular distance, in degrees, minutes, and seconds of a point north or south of the Equator.  Each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles (111 km) apart. Degrees latitude are numbered from 0 ° to 90 ° north and south. Zero degree is the equator, the imaginary line that divides our planet into the northern and southern hemispheres. 90 ° north is the North Pole and 90 ° south is the South Pole. Longitude  (vertical line also referred as meridians) is the angular distance, in degrees, minutes, and seconds, of a point east or

War on Terror Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

War on Terror Bachelor - Essay Example The war on Iraq is a good example of this. Iraq had long fallen out with the US. Accordingly, the war on terror has been said to be responsible for the influence into the formulation of certain policies. For instance, how suspects are to be treated and even how personal privacy can be breached all in the name of security. As far as foreign policy is concerned, the United States seems to have used the war on terror to pursue some very aggressive policies. For this it has earned open criticism and condemnation from many different quarters. These policies are on the political, economic and military fronts. (2007) The war on Iraq is a true demonstration of this. It is openly clear that the war on terror was used in more ways than one to make sense of the war against Iraq. The people were openly against a war in Iraq but the President Bush and his administration went ahead with it anyway making use of forged documents and giving misleading information to gain the approval and support of t he American people. Careful analysis of the war on terror reveals instances of double speak where language was used to hide the true intentions of the government. The fact is that there were no links to terrorism that were openly visible and real in Iraq. Somehow even President Bush appeared to think so. This is probably why he resorted to using the forged documents. (Braun, 2008) So, there had to be some other reason that the Bush administration was keen on the war in Iraq. Conversely, while Afghanistan was the first to be targeted in the war on terror, being bombed by the United States in the search for Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda terrorist group, after some time the war shifted focus and Iraq became the target. So why the shift Iraq has a long history with the United States. When Iraq had attacked Iran, the US had been openly supportive. In addition to supplying Iraq with over 5 billion dollars worth of finances, it also supplied intelligence information and heavy apparatus in the form of trucks and even other machinery. The reason the US was openly involved and supported was so that it could make sure that Saddam Hussein won the war and Teheran, especially the Islamic radicals therein, was humiliated. It was in the 1980's when President George Bush, the senior, adopted the policy of accommodation as far as Iraq was concerned. In the policy the US would be able to gain access to the oil in the Persian Gulf as well as the security of certain friendly states in the region. However, the rapport was to fall after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. (Tirman, 2001) Thus, there are various reasons why the United States focused its attention on Iraq as opposed to Afghanistan as far as the war on terror was concerned. First of all, Iraq was no longer in the good books of the US, not since the time it invaded Kuwait. Before then, the US was able to look the other way even in instances when it was clear that Iraq was committing serious offences and crimes right under its nose. However, the most convincing reason would have to be that Iraq has massive oil reserves which the US wanted to take for itself and exercise control over. In the global arena and especially in politics, countries act by way of leverage and oil is an important tool. Think of all the power and influence that

International Intellectual Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Intellectual Property Law - Essay Example One is that emerging countries might not have the same technology as advanced countries, and need to copy advanced companies to innovate. This is an issue that is addressed below. However, the bulk of this article will deal with copyrights, especially with regards to British Law regarding the same. Intellectual property rights have become one of the buzzwords surrounding globalization. Globalization may be defined as â€Å"an extent of internationalisation at a level where boundaries are blurred or appear close, where networks and solidarities are communicating, [and] where interdependencies are increasing.†1 On a technological basis, modern globalization is dependent upon the structures for communication, transportation, computation and enforcement interlocking.2 Globalization has reached many sectors, including intellectual property, financial services, money capital, goods and financial instruments.3 There are obvious positive aspects of globalization, and negative ones as well, as globalization leads to clashes, prejudices, tension and cultural misunderstandings such as those seen on 9/11, and the Bali, Madrid and London bombings.4 Intellectual property is one of the core businesses in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), in which one of the WTOs founding element with regards to intellectual property is the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.5 The TRIPS Agreement, in a nutshell, establishes a global harmonisation of protection for Intellectual Property and enforcement, as well as created international standards regarding patent, copyright, trademark and design protections.6 The existing regimes of the United States, Europe and Japan with regards to intellectual property were largely the same, so their laws did not need as much harmonising. However, there were some areas that were a problem, as far as different countries having different rules, and they were â€Å"first to invent systems, scope of

War on Terror Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

War on Terror Bachelor - Essay Example The war on Iraq is a good example of this. Iraq had long fallen out with the US. Accordingly, the war on terror has been said to be responsible for the influence into the formulation of certain policies. For instance, how suspects are to be treated and even how personal privacy can be breached all in the name of security. As far as foreign policy is concerned, the United States seems to have used the war on terror to pursue some very aggressive policies. For this it has earned open criticism and condemnation from many different quarters. These policies are on the political, economic and military fronts. (2007) The war on Iraq is a true demonstration of this. It is openly clear that the war on terror was used in more ways than one to make sense of the war against Iraq. The people were openly against a war in Iraq but the President Bush and his administration went ahead with it anyway making use of forged documents and giving misleading information to gain the approval and support of t he American people. Careful analysis of the war on terror reveals instances of double speak where language was used to hide the true intentions of the government. The fact is that there were no links to terrorism that were openly visible and real in Iraq. Somehow even President Bush appeared to think so. This is probably why he resorted to using the forged documents. (Braun, 2008) So, there had to be some other reason that the Bush administration was keen on the war in Iraq. Conversely, while Afghanistan was the first to be targeted in the war on terror, being bombed by the United States in the search for Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda terrorist group, after some time the war shifted focus and Iraq became the target. So why the shift Iraq has a long history with the United States. When Iraq had attacked Iran, the US had been openly supportive. In addition to supplying Iraq with over 5 billion dollars worth of finances, it also supplied intelligence information and heavy apparatus in the form of trucks and even other machinery. The reason the US was openly involved and supported was so that it could make sure that Saddam Hussein won the war and Teheran, especially the Islamic radicals therein, was humiliated. It was in the 1980's when President George Bush, the senior, adopted the policy of accommodation as far as Iraq was concerned. In the policy the US would be able to gain access to the oil in the Persian Gulf as well as the security of certain friendly states in the region. However, the rapport was to fall after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. (Tirman, 2001) Thus, there are various reasons why the United States focused its attention on Iraq as opposed to Afghanistan as far as the war on terror was concerned. First of all, Iraq was no longer in the good books of the US, not since the time it invaded Kuwait. Before then, the US was able to look the other way even in instances when it was clear that Iraq was committing serious offences and crimes right under its nose. However, the most convincing reason would have to be that Iraq has massive oil reserves which the US wanted to take for itself and exercise control over. In the global arena and especially in politics, countries act by way of leverage and oil is an important tool. Think of all the power and influence that

Recycling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Recycling - Research Paper Example In recent times, recycling and taking care of our environment as a whole is critically a big thing. While reusing our wastes seems to be the best method, often times this proofs to be a difficult task. Just everyone has a clear understanding that our environment is in way endangered. Of serious concerns is the amount of waste we put in the air, ground and water all year round. Looking at the world many places have been and continue to be, polluted garbage, toxic wastes and radioactive wastes (Shaufique, Sidique, & Joshi, 2010, p. 247). Recycling does come in handy in our today world of wastes. Many still might not know the importance of recycling and its help to our environment today. Of interest though is that recycling appears to be a concept generally introduced recently, but in actual terms recycling has been around for thousands of years. Before the introduction of the industrial age, people around then couldn’t make goods in a quicker and most convenient way. As a result this forced them to practices some form of recycling. During this error large scale recycling was at its rear existence due to technological limitation experienced. With the introduction of mass production of the industrial age comes along with utmost need to practice large-scale recycling (Shaufique, Sidique, & Joshi, 2010). It’s human nature that once products are available and purchased cheaply, then it makes sense to them to simply throw old items and pick new ones in that order. Sincerely this culture of simply disposing goods any how creates a number of environmental problems. Myths of Recycling The whole idea of recycling is not that wholly accepted, there are a lot of myths surrounding buying and uses of recycled products. This includes: Recycled products being hard to find in the market- well it used to be true but not anymore, as there are a lot of recycled products in our immediate vicinity, assumptions that recycled papers aren’t as good as non-recycled pa pers- as of today there is no big difference between recycled and non-recycled paper and recycled outputs costing more money- it clearly used to be the case sometimes ago especially on some materials but this is not the case recently actually today most recycled products are often cheaper than those from non-recycled products (Shaufique, Sidique, & Joshi, 2010). Additionally, Inferiority in recycled products quality- this is actually not the case, on the contrary recycled products have high qualities and are more reliable. In today’s world human beings are in way making many environmental ethics decisions in some broader formality. This includes: Decisions as to whether to continue to clear our forests all in the reason of human consumption, decisions as to whether to continue propagating life and the entire species altogether and decision as to whether in present world we continue to make more gasoline powered vehicles. Others include decision regarding human abilities to sa feguard the environment for incoming future generations and most importantly how best should human being use and generally at the same time conserve the space environment for security and expansion of life (Martin, Williams, &

Performance Management Essay Example for Free

Performance Management Essay Overview Welcome to Module 1. If you have not already done so, read the Program Manual located in the Reference Material section of the CMA Canada Professional Programs website. It provides you with important introductory information about the program. In Module 1 of the program, candidates are exposed to many functional competencies from the CMA Competency Map that involve decision making regarding performance management, performance measurement, risk management and governance, and financial reporting. For assistance when doing their assignments in these areas, candidates are expected to draw on many of their intermediate and advanced management and financial accounting concepts they learned in their university courses and/or in the Accelerated Program. For instance, in this assignment, one of the concepts involves Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) analysis. In these types of analysis, candidates may be asked to look at how profits and costs change with a change in volume, or a change in such factors as variable costs, fixed costs, selling prices, and mix of products sold. By studying the relationships of costs, sales and net income, management is better able to cope with many planning decisions. Candidates who have difficulty doing this assignment or future assignments regarding CVP are encouraged to review Chapters 11 and 12 from the Horngren et al. required reading mentioned below. As candidates gain more work experience, they will be exposed to a number of organizational concerns in the topic areas outlined above. For instance, candidates may be asked to provide analysis on such items as: 1. Preparing reports on a product or geographic segment to determine where the organization generates cash and profits; 2. Evaluating strategic alternatives in one’s organization using cost-benefit and scenario/sensitivity analysis; 3. Determining the effectiveness of costing systems for their appropriateness for an organization; Â © 2012 The Society of Management Accountants of Canada. All rights reserved. Â ®/â„ ¢ Registered Trade-Marks/Trade-Marks are owned by The Society of Management Accountants of Canada. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the copyright holder. 4. Introducing the main concepts of strategy to facilitate an understanding of the big picture; 5. Constructing and analyzing a cash flow statement to determine cash needs; 6. Looking at different short-term investment strategies as a means to effectively utilize excess cash; 7. Examining the effectiveness of internal control systems within an organization; 8. Reporting results using GAAP or a disclosed basis of accounting; and 9. Analyzing a company’s various product lines. Management accountants are often called upon to provide the analysis required for pricing decisions, such as cost-volume-profit, product costing, expected value, break even, contribution margin, and sensitivity analyses. Proper and accurate analysis is critical if management is to make well-informed decisions. Using the Right Financial Analysis Tool Candidates will oftentimes find themselves constrained by space (word/page limits) and/or time when doing their assignments. A critical outcome of analyzing cases is learning to use financial analysis tools under the appropriate circumstances. Selecting the right tool has the effect of demonstrating both good judgement (in terms of the candidate’s ability to select an appropriate tool) and conciseness (in presenting the information in a professional manner without burdening the reader with non-important information). Below are some examples that help to demonstrate how selecting the right tool for the right circumstance is critical to complete assignments in a quick and efficient manner. While the examples demonstrate the use of one tool, note that other tools may be just as effective. Given two scenarios and asked to provide an analysis between them, candidates could analyze them by forecasting the full income statement for both. While this is a valid approach, it takes a significant amount of time and requires the use of valuable report space that could be better used with the selection of a different tool. It may be more appropriate under these circumstances to identify only those relevant revenues and costs and compare those. For a more in-depth discussion of the differences between the two approaches, see pages 422-423 in Chapter 11 of Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis (Required Readings listed below). Specifically, Exhibit 11-2 on page 423 demonstrates the visual difference between the two approaches. Oftentimes contribution margin calculations can be used to drastically reduce both the time it takes to analyze a problem and the space required to show the analysis. This type of analysis may apply to analyze individual products, divisions or customer groups. This tool can allow one to present the analysis information in a much more concise way. Discounting is another tool that can be used to analyze various scenarios. Again, one could prepare a financial forecast for both scenarios and discount those accordingly. However, a more efficient method would be to select only the relevant revenues and/or costs for preparation and discounting. This tool is particularly useful when looking at scenarios that create different multi-year impacts or that need to be evaluated over a period of time. Candidates are encouraged to review Chapters 11 and 12 in Horngren et al. (Required Readings listed below) for more examples on tool selection. Learning to identify the relevant information can drastically reduce both the time spent on the analysis and the space required to report it. In this assignment, candidates are specifically directed to do only certain steps of the Steps for Approaching Business and Corporate Strategy. This case-solving approach was first introduced to candidates at the Orientation Session. As mentioned at the Orientation, these steps provide candidates with a systematic approach for addressing a case involving business-level and corporate-level strategic issues. The first three modules (Development Phase) of the CMA Canada Professional Programs prepare candidates for the Case Examination and focus on the business-level strategic issues. Applying this approach effectively is one of the important competencies that candidates will learn in the Professional Programs. Reference Documents To assist candidates with case analysis, a series of reference documents have been created and can be found in the Reference Material section of the Professional Programs website. The most important documents include: 1. 2. 3. 4. Steps for Approaching Business and Corporate Strategy General Assessment Guide Business Report Guidelines Format Specifications There are other documents such as Situational Analysis Tools, Developing an Implementation Plan and Pro Forma Financial Statements. Candidates should find these documents very useful throughout the program. Learning Outcomes By the end of the assignment, candidates will be able to recommend strategies and tactics to a company that is in a downturn scenario. Due Date Please refer to the Schedule accessed from the left navigation menu.

Professionalism in the Construction Industry

Professionalism in the Construction Industry Construction management is a challenging and demanding profession. In order to successfully complete a project, from the perspective of a Client, they will need the assistance of many construction professionals to help them realise their objective particularly from the feasibility to completion of a project. These construction professionals generally include architects, interior designers, surveyors, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and structural engineers. These construction professionals have different specialities for example an architect will generally manage the design and construction of the project, whereas the structural engineer will ensure that the project is structurally stable, and the quantity surveyor will generally look after the financial aspects of a project. 2.0 The concept of Professionalism in the Construction Industry In order to understand the concept of Professionalism in Construction we first must examine the terms profession and professional. Carr (2000) suggests that wealth, prestige and self-regulation are characteristics of how you determine whether an occupation can be construed to be a Profession. In addition to this, Carr (2000) states that there are five further characteristic that allow you to determine whether an occupation can be said to be a profession and these include:- professions provide an important public service; they involve a theoretically as well a practically grounded expertise; that have a distinct ethical dimension which calls for expression in a code of practice; they require organisation and regulation for purposes of recruitment and discipline; and professional practitioners require a high degree of individual autonomy independence of judgement for effective practice A Professional is said to be a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. Most professionals are governed by Professional Institutes who set the strict rules regulating their conduct and ethical behaviour. Professionals are said to be experts and/or specialists in the field that they participate. Professionals are said to have specialist knowledge in their particular field of work. The qualities and/or traits and/or attributes of a professional have been stated to be; trustworthiness, competent, respectful, displays integrity, considerate, courteous, dependable, cooperative, committed. Sockett (1993) believes that professional needs to be self-governed and their actions should be based on sound professional practices in their particular field. Sockett (1993) confirms that being a professional means having moral vision, sense, and purpose. In addition Sockett (1993) states that the essence of understanding the term professional is that it describes the persons behaviour and performance, but does not describe the person and their status. Maister (1997) argues that Professional is not a label you give yourself, its a description you hope others will apply to you A professional will exhibited a high standard of professional ethics, while carrying out ones profession Professionalism is said to be the demonstration of all the traits and/or attributes of being a professional and will decide how successful you are in your job. These traits include positive attitudes, courteous behaviour, good vocabulary, smart appearance, self-belief. The judgement of whether a person has Professionalism is subjective, and it is not solely because they wear a nice suit, but its a combination of these traits that give people the image of a professional. These traits and/or attributes are briefly discussed below:- Attitude No just whether a person is upbeat, a professional will find ways to overcome obstacles and find solutions to the problem. Competence You need to know what youre talking about in your field of work and be able to recommend solutions. Communication Skills Be able to effectively communicate ideas, speak in clear terms and make complex subjects understandable to all concerned. Appearance Clean and appropriate clothing that fit properly will help portray the image of a professional (you dont necessarily need an expensive suite) Appropriateness Keep thing appropriate and avoid going off on unrelated tangents. Furthermore, professionals are expected to establish and maintain professional boundaries to enhance their professionalism within the construction industry. The need for Professional Boundaries are generally required to ensure that the Construction Professionals effectively communicate using appropriate language, keep information private and confidential, not to take advantages and exploit clients whilst engaged in their services, and not to fuel gossip in the office. 3.0 Who are the professional roles within the Construction Industry? In the modern day construction industry, many managers, technical people, skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled people are needed in order to successfully complete the project on time and within budget. In order to effectively manage the many work items and/or construction related activities a professional project team is needed to make sure the project is constructed using the required technology, to the required standards and using the most cost effective methods. Each construction project will need a team to translate the design into reality. The team for a building project will generally consist of architects, interior designers, surveyors, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, quantity surveyors, building engineers, civil engineer. These construction professionals deal with a variety of the key activities that are required to manage the project i.e. time, money, equipment, technology, people management. These professional will look at a project from incept ion to completion. They will be challenged throughout the process to come up with innovated ideas, solutions to overcome the many obstacles that they will be confronted during the course of the project and these may include:- Organisation of resources Sequencing of the various work items for the project Achieving budgets Completion of the various work items within the stipulated time Integrating organisations Balancing the conflict interest of the stakeholders and end users Appreciation of the various technology and methods available to undertake the project. It is the duty and obligation of each of the Construction professionals to exercise all reasonable skills, care and diligence and display their skills according to the Professional Standards that generally govern the disciple that they practice. By looking at the four main professional roles in the construction industry and these include the Architect, Civil Engineer, Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor and their respective roles and responsibilities, this will give an insight into how these professionals succeed in the construction industry. 3.1 Architect Roles An architect is a person that must be registered with a recognised Architect Registration Board in order to practice their profession. To practice architecture general means that a service in connection with the design and construction of a building has been offered. According to Bredemeyer Consulting (2006), a simplistic way of looking at the role of an Architect is that they create architectures, and their responsibilities included everything necessary to accomplish this. This includes creating the vision and the concept, then experimenting with the alternatives to make the vision and concept reality. In addition to this, the Architect in conjunction with a team of construction professionals need to prepare the technical drawings and specification in order to make the vision a reality. Similarly Architects during their construction role, advises the Client on awards of contract, monitors progress, responds to technical queries issued by the Contractor, issues supplementary drawing and specifications, reviews all technical and document transmittals issued by the Contractor, issues site instructions, provide contract administration, and certify the Contractors interim payment certificates. The role of the Architect will generally dependent on the nature of the appointment and the scope of their service agreement. However, the role of the Architect is not just limited to these technical activities, particularly when you become more senior within an organisation, other challenging aspects of the role of an Architect will then come into play for example business strategy, organisational politics, consulting and leadership. 3.2 Civil Engineer Role A Civil Engineer (in the context of this report the equivalent of an Architect albeit in the Civil Engineering industry) like an Architect, plans things, designs things, constructs things, improves things albeit in the field of infrastructure, bridges roads etc. There are a number of specialities that a Civil Engineer may specialise in, and these include geotechnical, structural, transportation, hydraulic and environmental, costal, material engineering. It is normal for a Civil Engineer to have graduated from a university with a degree, but it is not mandatory that a Civil Engineer needs to be licensed; this will depend entirely on where you live in the world. In the UK, a professional engineer may decide to join the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineers which is the equivalent of a licensed engineer in many other areas of the world. Again like the Architect, the Civil Engineer (also known as a Resident Engineer) in the construction phase of a project will monitor the works to ensure that the required workmen and quality standards are being achieved and monitor the progress of the works. The Civil Engineer also advises the Client on awards of contract, responds to technical queries issued by the Contractor, issues supplementary drawing and specifications, reviews all technical and document transmittals issued by the Contractor, issues site instructions, provide contract administration, and certifies the Contractors interim payment certificates The role of the Civil Engineer will generally dependent on the nature of the appointment and the scope of their service agreement. 3.3 Construction Project Manager Role A Construction Project Manager (CPM) whilst being in charge of the project as a whole has four key areas to manage and these include; Time, Cost, Quality and Scope. The CPM must possess a number of general management skills in order to achieve the projects objects as well as Interpersonal skills and these are briefly discussed below:- Time Management Prepares the time schedule and monitors progress against the baseline programme Quality Management Ensure that the requirements of the specifications are adhered too Cost Management prepares the cost budgets and implements cost control measures Resource Management Identifies and manages the resources required to undertake the project labour, plant, equipment, materials, subcontractors and specialised services. Procurement Purchasing / Hiring of all the required resources Risk Management Identification, classification, analysis and then formulating the appropriate risk response. Integration Management How to get all the various work items and stakeholders to work together in a systematic way to achieve the projects objectives Project Scope Management Identification and fulfilment of the project scope of works Leadership skills, Influential Skills, Negotiation Skills, Persuasive, Conflict Management, Project Managers wishing to obtain professional certification in Construction Project Management, may obtain them from the Project Management Institute. 3.4 Quantity Surveyors Role A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a professional working within the Construction Industry and is generally involved in the financial aspects of a project The RICS (2003) identified that a QS should provide a number of services during the course of a project. In the pre-contract stage, the QS should help and prepare the preliminary cost plan, evaluate the various design proposals in terms of cost, implement cost control measures in the detailed design stage to ensure that the budget is not exceeded, maintain and develop the cost plan. During the tender stage, the QS should advise on the tender documentation and assist with the Architect / Civil Engineer on awards of Projects. The QS during the construction phase also needs to prepare recommendations for interim payments, post-contract cost control and final account. In addition to this, the QS should provide and price bills of quantities, prepare cost analysis, advise on financial implications, provide measurement of areas, provide advice on contractual matters. There are many areas where a QS could specialise and these include construction, oil gas, power industry, building, civil engineering. The Main distinction will be whether the QS is from a Professional Practice (often called a PQS) or those that work for the various construction organisations (often called Main Contractors QS). To help maintain the standards of the professions, one of the many professional bodies such as the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors provides education, defines the standards, and sets strict codes of practice and ethics for all its members to follow 4.0 The concept and Practise of Professional Liability At some stage in the career of a Professional, things will go wrong and will result in some else unfairly being subjected to harm and/or additional cost (in the context of a construction project, the Employer). This could be caused by an error, an act of negligence, or an omission during the course of a professionals work. The result of which will be a breach of a legal obligation and this is commonly known as Professional Liability. In order to protect themselves from such a liability, professionals can obtain professional liability insurance. However in recent times, it has proved difficult to obtain this insurance which has led professional to look at the various other alternatives in the market that will help to protect them from Professional Liability. Indemnity Agreements By simply transferring the risk via indemnity agreements. Evidence of Professional Liability from Design Professionals A simple certificate of insurance that only gives the basic information i.e. the insured party, the insurer, policy number, policy term and limits. The full extent of the insurance coverage and/or limitation is not readily available. Professional Protective Insurance Provides first party indemnity for damages which are in excess of the professional liability insurance. This type of policy supplements the existing Professional Indemnity insurance where the Client desires further protection on a particular project. Project Professional Liability Insurance (P.L.I) Allows the Client to have the benefit of one project specific P.L.I policy where all the professional participating in a project are named on the one single site specific policy. The role of Professional Organisation in the Construction Industry Due to the ever changing world and construction industry, Professional Institutions are tasked with the role of raising professional standards, knowledge and training within the industry. To help achieve these goals, the institutions develop educational programmes to ensure that their members respond to the changing work environment and are equipped with all the knowledge and skills required to practice in their profession. In addition to this, Institutions strive to improve their service to both members and industry, encourage sustainable construction practices, publish both magazines and journals to help improve the knowledge of their members. There are numerous Institutions that target specific disciplines for example; and to name but a few:- the Institute of Civil Engineer target Civil Engineers, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor target Surveyors, the Chartered Institute of Builders target builders. To become a member of an Institution, you must generally satisfy their academic requirements before undertaking their Professional Development Plan which aims to ascertain over a period of time whether you have the required skills and competences to qualify as a full member. Once qualified as a full member, the Institutions believe that Continual Professional Development (CPD) is an essential part of being a member. According to Construction Industry Council (UK), CPD is the Systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties throughout the working like. In addition to the above, the Institution sets the ethical codes that govern how the Professional should conduct themselves whilst practicing their discipline. The role of Construction related business organisations One of the fundamental roles of the construction related business organisations is to provide its members with access to educational tools inclusive of industry news that they may not ordinarily be available in their profession. These organisations help construction business, professionals, students and others to:- maintain standards, guide them, strengthen economic performance, raise levels of knowledge and performance. These organisations can be government departments, societies, and regulatory authorities and they include some of the following organisations:- C.I.T.B Construction Skills Energy Saving Trusts English Heritage Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reforms (BERR) 7.0 Conclusion Due to the rapidly changing and evolving construction industry, professionals are needed to maintain high standards and produce quality work. Therefore to standardise, regulate, maintain the knowledge needed by professionals in industry, the role of Institutions and the construction related businesses will continue to be needed by their members for many years to come. Professionalism in the Construction Industry Professionalism in the Construction Industry Who are the professionals in construction industry? The Professionalism in Constructions is a combination of derived significant activities of professionals. This is mainly related with their job tasks, such as; an active demonstration of the traits of professionals, also the level of professionalism can be evaluated how successful you are in your job and also it can be decided how others view on you and how far you have developed in your career level as well. Some specific professionals in construction industry, for example; Architects, Civil Structural Engineers, Mechanical Electrical Engineers, Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors whom are well-trained and highly educated and experienced experts. They are contributing with their specific knowledge and experience for the successful completion of projects. And also they have vital responsibilities and duties within their entire roles; for instance, Preparation of drawings, Specifications, BOQ, Contract Conditions and Agreements. Furthermore deal with the Time, Money, Technology, Equipments, operatives and materials for managing of construction projects and organize the project resources. The professional organizations usually provide comprehensive betterment to the professionals, such as; initial professional development and being a member in an institution. It furnishes free education and training, participation in conference and seminars, network opportunities and get privilege to use on line recourses. Hence some professional organizations are especially vital to the construction industry, for example; Professionals are licentiated as RICS, CIOB, RIBA, AIQS, SLIQS, and IESL etc. as a result of this, professionals can develop their knowledge and make improvement the level of professionalism appropriately. Further, certain business related organizations provide collaboration of professionals to share with their knowledge and experience. Hence, Professionals are able to use organization resources to success of their projects, some of them are significantly important to constructions industry, such as; reference of FIDIC in international, reference of ICTAD in Sri Lanka and also reference of Business Enterprise Regulatory Reform (BERR) in the United Kingdom. INTRODUCTION This report comprehensively discuss about the study of Professionalism in Constructions industry. The Aim is getting of knowledge and awareness of Professionalism, about various construction related Professional Organizations and their role in the Construction Industry. Particularly discuss through the following major key points by investigating briefly: The concept of Professionalism Professionals roles within the Construction Industry. The concept and practice of Professional Liability The role of Professional Organizations in the Construction Industry. The role of Construction related business organizations. MAIN BODY DISCUSSIONS The Professionalism Define Concept of Professionalism Concept of the Professionalism basically explained herewith, on specialists point of view, most of authors have defined the concept of professionalism in considerable volume. According to the article of Journal of Chiropractic Humanities 2005  © NUHS (Stuart Kinsinger) Professionalism is defined as Professionalism is service through the use of specialized knowledge, skills, and experience; holding oneself to the highest standards of thought, word, and deed. Concerning to the above explained comment, it can be identified clearly what the concept of professionalism is, Further professionalism can be described as; It is an active demonstration of the traits of professionals, The level of professionalism can be evaluated how successful you are in your job. It can also be decided how others view on you and how far you develop your career level. Whatsoever, professionalism cannot be evaluated just in appearance; like neatness, good grooming, and shop-talk as well. It should be really evaluated through the technical skilled, inner strengths, attitudes and honest work done. Besides, concerning of the professionals in construction industry; will be deeply discussed in next steps, therefore it is further required to study the history of professionalism in constructions to get a proper knowledge about constructions professionals professionalism. History of Professionalism in Construction industry History of professionalism has been shown since in the beginning of civilization in this world, nevertheless refer to the construction industry, professionalism shows at the early stage of Second World War in 1942, when considering to issued records by US Naval Mobile Construction Battalion five, Command History, that battalion has earned a reputation for excellence and professionalism during the 54 years of its existence. Also they have built airstrips, hospitals, bridges, roads, and have provided humanitarian and disaster recovery assistance in almost every part of the world. Hence it appears clearly, there should be a particular characteristics and attributes in professionalism. Characteristics and Attributes of Professionalism There are number of special characteristics and attributes in professionalism to implement within the professional bodies. This characterizes give much influence to success of professionalism in their trades. It is as follows; Attitude this is very important characteristic of professionalism, there should be positive attitude, and hence it will help to increase business success, Appearance -Wearers clean cloth is very important for make the business in positive way continuously, hence this positive appearance will significantly help to the business success., Behavior to be expressed well-mannered, calm matters, should not be spite, Vocabulary- Should be use always right words, not suitable to use big words because level of professionalism is often judged by vocabulary, Mindset- Pattern of the way of thinking of professionals Also above specialized characterizes can be judged by particular facts identified to obtain real professionalism in constructions. How is Professionalism Judged? According to the book Up The Corporate Ladder Professionalism in The Workplace written by Elsabà © Manning (owner of the Success Factory), Professionalism is judged by the following facts: such as, Responsibility and accountability, business etiquette, Telephone and e-etiquette, Manners, Communication, Relationships, Competence, Respectfulness, Trustworthiness, Empathy and compassion, Emotional maturity, Image, etc; So then, above mentioned facts are used to judge the level of professionalism, hence further needs to understand exactly about professionals and their roles relevant to the construction industry. The professionals of Construction Industry Definition Mostly education, work culture, morals, work ethics, positive thinking, open mind make anybody into a professional, out of these six points, at least four should be present to become a good, valuable professional.  Further explanations; a professional is a person who is paid to take over a specialized set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The key measures for professionals as follows: They should have expert and specialized knowledge in their carrier, Excellent practical and literary skills, Basically high quality work to be exhibited, A high standard of professional ethics, behaviors and work activities, Work morale and motivation in reasonable level. Suitable treatment of relationships with social group. Who are the professionals in Construction Industry? In general, there are highly qualified and well trained professionals are contributing within their specific knowledge and experience to deliver the projects in construction industry in successful. There are few key professionals in the construction industry, identified as, Architects, Project Managers, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineer and Quantity Surveyors. Basically, they categorized within their involvement with job environment, some of them are working as client representatives, and some are assigned to design teams, also assigned to builders and maintenance firms. Roles of professionals in Construction industry Most of construction projects or firms employ reputed professionals to get proper management process in order to archive projects goals, contribution with the professionals specialized roles. Architects, Engineer Consultants, Builders and Quantity Surveyors, whom are the professionals in construction industry, hence further will discuss concerning the significant roles of them relevant to the construction projects as a professional teams, Particular points of key roles of them are given below; Usually they prepare designs including drawings, specifications, BOQ, Contact Agreements and Conditions of Contracts, As well as they are dealing with Time, Money, Technology, Equipments,, Operatives and Materials to manage the construction projects, They are employed directly by clients, They shall organize the project resources to execute project activities to manage them properly and complete the project on time, maintain the Quality, Cost Control, maintain of Environment and Safety measures. Further their roles are briefly described as follows; The Architect According to the Wikipedia, an architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight/supervision of the construction of buildings and further architect should be visiting site periodically for inspections to ensure that in general, the work being carried out on site is in compliance with architectural designs and specifications. Generally, Architect should have proper education qualifications and also should have good training back ground to deliver their knowledge for the project success in terms of sustainability and safety of end users. Also there are Landscapes Architects, Town Planners, Infrastructures and building Architects whom are categorized on discipline on service and they involve as a team or one person. Engineer Consultant According to the Bamisile (2004), during the construction phase Engineers (Civil, electrical, mechanical, geotechnical and structural) should visit the site often for inspections, and to be ensured that all activities going on compliance with their engineering drawings, specifications and schedules. Also they should be concerned with monitoring and ensuring methods and materials. Normally engineer consultants joint as a reputed individual firm with development projects. Also involve for selecting the project by way of tender or by nomination. A Fee also will be charged by Engineers as a parentage basis. The Builder The Builder is employed by the client, on the advice of the Architect or the  Architectural technologist. A builder must first assess the project-specific documents (referred to as tender documents). In the case of renovations, a site visit is required to get a better understanding of the project. The builder will then calculate a price, also called an estimate. The builder considers the cost of materials and equipment as well as the cost of labor to provide the owner with an approximate price for the project. The Quantity Surveyor (Cost Consultant) Quantity surveyor is the person/ firm who manage the cost relating to the construction projects, such as new constructions, maintenance work and renovations. Quantity surveyor monitors the cost of every aspects of a construction project as a cost expert, as well as seeks to minimize the costs of the project and to make more cost savings while ensuring the total cost of project does not exceed the estimated cost. Furthermore when study about Architects, Engineers Quantity Surveyors as Construction Professionals, also have to be identified their duties and Responsibilities properly. Duties and responsibilities of professionals in Construction industry In general Architects, Project managers, engineers and quantity surveyors are the most important persons whom are involved as professionals in construction industry. Therefore, they have to be very respectable and well care of their duties and responsibilities according to their work sectors. Their duties and responsibilities could be described in brief as mentioned below; Architect Contribution for initial discussions and consultations which relevant to design and plans with a person or a business organization in satisfactory level. Should be understood clearly about clients intended objectives and explaining them. Getting clear idea of Clients budget which is expected to invest for projects and consulting with suggestions for any alternatives may be required. Preparing initial proposals subsequent to discussions with client. Studying environmental impact and the effect having with proposed structure. Follow-up feasibility studies and how it affected for constructions in specific locations. Attending site selections and produce a cost analysis as a part of the initial proposals. Explain all aspects of initial proposals to client very briefly. To be worked altogether with client to get a final product as plans and important designs. All design and plans with respect to the rule and regulation of government and relevant organizations and institutions respectively. Civil Engineers The civil engineers are engaging with many activities at the beginning of the project and up to the end of the project. Hence, some of their key roles are as follows; Analyzing various factors and areas concerning construction. Analyzing, searching and investigate the site location and ensure its feasibility for construction purpose. Preparing key essential plans to determine what need to be changed prior to implement tasks. Develop detailed design drawings according to the clients requirements. Review and issuing approval for project designs and reports. Identifying potential risks and disputes of the project. Taking necessary actions for risk management. Follow up rules, regulations and guidelines in relevant to the project. Verify the safety activities during the project implementation. Study different equations, strategies, and applications to make certain appropriate procedures and applications. Supervision of all works and monitors staff duties and operations at site. Keeping well communication with stakeholders of project; Project Architects, consultant, sub contractors and client. Preparing schedule for purchase of materials and equipments. Ensure that the project is completed by the committed time within the planned budget. Preparation of defect list or snags list and involve with handing over process. The Quantity Surveyor Pre Contract stage Elemental Cost Estimate Measurements Bill Of Quantity Preparation Tender Document Preparation Analyzing Estimating and Tendering Tender Evaluation Tender Clarification Meetings Negotiation Meetings Post Contract stage Kick of Meeting Progress on Site Variation Order Calculations Variation Order negotiation Payment Certifications Financial Statements Final Accounts The Construction Project Manager Prepare master program to the overall project and agree with the employer. Appointing consultants and contractors by tendering. Financial advice to the employer and cost control. Coordinating all parties and gets the work done. Risk, quality, time, scope cost management. Communication negotiations. Complete and handover the project to the agreed master program. In this report discussed about few professionals, moreover there are other professionals are involved with construction industry, some of them are very important and their activities are required to complete the project satisfactorily. They are Land surveyors, geological surveyors, Draftsmen, Human Resources managers, Clerk of works, Business and legal advisors. Furthermore, need to be discussed in brief about Professional Organizations having relationship with the Professionals. The Constructions professionals organizations What is Professional organization? Professional organizations usually give comprehensive betterment to the professionals such as, initial professional development and also being a member in an institution as free education and training, attending to conference and seminars, network opportunities and get privilege to use on line recourses, Hence some professional organizations are especially vital to the construction industry, for example; Professionals are licentiated as RICS, CIOB, RIBA, AIQS, SLIQS, and IESL etc. as a result of this, professionals can develop their knowledge and make improvement the level of professionalism appropriately. The role of professional organizations in the construction industry In general, here with discussed about common roles briefly, Maintain the standards of the professions in the construction industry Maintain superlative knowledge (Training, Seminars, CPD, PDP) Develop professional education to respond to changing environment to meet current and future operation needs. Improve services to members and up-grading services in industry. Encouraging of sustainable constructions Publishing books, magazines and other publications to develop the knowledge of members. Maintain and improve the quality of the built environment. The Benefits of Joining with Professional institutions The Construction professional institutions provide most important benefits for the professionals body to improve their professionalism actively. The few benefits of professional institutes are given below; Possible to expand the professional network Consistent updates on current industry trends and developments. A chance to increase awareness of work place. Can be discovered other companies activities. A chance to use monthly, quarterly, and annual newsletters. magazines Have particular strategies for attending the meeting An opportunity to joint with CPD, professional development plan Volunteer to join a committee within the association. Follow up with your new contacts. Annual membership fee of most reputed professional institutes are very high, however some companies provide institutes membership fee and training expenditures according to the requirement of the employers at that time. Further studying the benefits and specific roles of professional institutes, conclusively following table will shows function different of few institutes. (Refer to Table 01) Organizations Roles, Functions Professionals liability in Constructions Generally professionals liabilities are the legal obligation with professionals errors, negligence or omissions during the course of practice of work. Hence there are few identified key professionals liabilities in construction industry, those are as follows; Design errors, for instance; methods, means of construction drawings Construction inspection, Quality control and quality assurance Contractual liability from a sub contract design entity Health and safety of site Coordination and scheduling Normally at the design and management phases of project, effect of professionals liabilities are high than other phases, Above identified liabilities in construction professionals, further required to protect them using Construction insurance and policies. Those are as follows; Workmans Compensation policy (will cover liability of an employer for employment, injured, payment of Compensation etc.)) Contractors risk insurance (cover damage of property, liability of third party claims for injure or death, material and machinery damage) Professional liability insurance (All design firms, professional services, contractor and constructions manger) The role of Constructions related business organizations The business related organizations provide collaboration of professionals to share with their knowledge and experience. Hence, Professionals are able to use organization resources to success of their projects, some of them are significantly important to constructions industry, such as; reference of FIDIC in international, reference of ICTAD in Sri Lanka and also reference of Business Enterprise Regulatory Reform (BERR) in the United Kingdom Following are the key roles of business related organizations; Maintain standards in the industry Provide recourse as and when needed Strengthen the economic performance Increase peoples understanding Create conditions for business success Raise levels of productivity Help produce professionals in the industry and maintain standards Help with research work/ training and CPD Helps maintain connection with world wide By these major key roles can identify which contain their relationship with construction industry clearly. Therefore those functions significantly influence the success of projects in construction industry actively. CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS This study make following conclusion finally, certainly, particular employers aptitudes can be performed within special characteristics and attributes accompanied with professionalism such as, Ethics Qualification, Skill, Experience, Communication Skills, Initiative. These are vital facts for improve of the professionalism in construction industry.

Essay on the Loneliness of J. Alfred Prufrock -- Love Song J. Alfred P

The Loneliness of J. Alfred Prufrock In "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", written by T. S. Elliot in 1917, J. Alfred Prufrock makes the reader privy to his innermost thoughts on an evening out. Prufrock wants to lead the reader to an overwhelming question, raising expectations, but he is a bitterly disappointing man; he never asks the question. He lacks self-esteem, women are intimidating to him, and he is too much of a coward to ever be successful with women. The title is "The Love Song,", not "A Love Song." So whenever Prufrock is around women, he behaves the same way. He always has and always will. Because of his inability to change he will die a lonely man. Courting a woman includes trying to project a positive image of yourself. J. Alfred Prufrock's low self-esteem projects only negative images. First of all, he does not value his life, even though he refers to it as "the universe" (46), for it can be "measured out ...with coffee spoons" (51). Prufrock himself admits his love life is not leading anywhere. In the middle of trying to come up with the right words, to sweep a lady off her feet, he compares himself to a crab: "I should have been a pair of ragged claws / Scuttling across the floors of silent seas" (73-74). He moves sideways instead of forward. Prufrock's image of himself is his justification for not asking the overwhelming question. Who in her right mind would say yes to a man who is "ridiculous-- / Almost, at times, the Fool" (118-119). He is a man who thinks little of himself. Those sides of Prufrock's character are shown only to the reader. The ladies have to judge him on his appearance and his behavior during the evening out. He is an older man, his hair is growing thin, and he is skinny. Eve... ... peace of fruit. J. Alfred Prufrock lacks the courage to undertake anything with an uncertain outcome, such as relationships. At the end, J. Alfred Prufrock lets the reader in on a daydream of his: We have lingered in the chambers of the sea By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown Till human voices wake us, and we drown. (129-131) His daydream is about mermaids, a sexual figment of imagination, and even in his daydream he is not successful; human voices wake him before anything happens. And J. Alfred Prufrock agrees: I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each I do not think that they will sing to me. (124-125) Works Cited Elliot, T.S. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Compact 3rd ed. Eds. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1997. 781-785.

Our Moral Responsibility to Provide Monetary Aid to Pakistani Villagers Essay

In this essay, I will argue that the theory of Utilitarianism presents resilient, compelling arguments that exemplifies why we have a moral obligation to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers affected by recent floods. Though the argument put forth by Ethical Egoists in favor of donating money to the Pakistanis is convincing, it lacks the quantitative validation that Utilitarianism provides. The Perspective of an Ethical Egoist Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that says each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively (EMP 69). A person’s only moral duty is to do what is best for him or herself, and he or she helps others only if the act [of helping] benefits the individual in some way (EMP 63). On the surface, it appears that it is not in a person’s best self-interests to donate money to help villagers in Pakistan. The giver experiences monetary loss and the diminution of personal financial wealth, and expends time, energy, and effort in the donation-transaction process. He or she receives neither public acknowledgement nor donor recognition. There are, however, intangible benefits that the giver may reap as a result of his or her deed, such as the satisfaction that he or she receives from giving monetary aid to the Pakistanis or the happiness that he or she experiences for acting in accordance with his or her values. It is in the giver’s self-interest and, therefore, his or her moral duty to give monetary aid to those plagued by the Pakistan floods. The facts that an Ethical Egoist would consider to be important are the consequences to him or herself because Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that revolves around the self. Consequentialism contends that the right thing to do is determined by the consequences brought about from it (Class Notes, 10/05/2010). In this case, the morally relevant facts that the Ethical Egoist is primarily concerned with are the intangible benefits and advantages that he or she would receive from giving. The Ethical Egoist would also consider the actual and implicit costs of giving aid, as they are consequences brought about from helping the Pakistani villagers. The argument put forth by Ethical Egoism is good because it is compatible with commonsense morality. To reiterate, Ethical Egoism says that â€Å"all duties are ultimately derived from the one fundamental principle of self-interest† (EMP 73). According to Hobbes, this theory leads to the Golden Rule, which states that â€Å"we should ‘do unto others’ because if we do, others will be more likely to ‘do unto us’† (EMP 74). In this case, if we do not give to others, other people will not give to us. Thus, it is to our advantage to give to others. The Utilitarian Argument Classical, or Act, Utilitarianism maintains that the morally right act is the one that yields maximum happiness for all sentient beings impartially. Utilitarianism requires us to consider the general welfare of society and the interests of other people. Giving money to help the villagers in Pakistan generates positive consequences and diminishes the negative effects of the floods. Specifically, donations for disaster relief results in the availability of medicines to treat sicknesses, the provision and distribution of cooked meals, hygiene kits, and clothing, and the reconstruction and restoration of homes and schools. In short, giving money relieves great suffering of the flood-affected Pakistanis, enhances the balance of happiness over misery, and endorses the maximum and greater good of society. Therefore, the morally right thing to do is to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers. Similar to Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory, though this theory is concerned with the greater good of society. Therefore, the morally relevant facts for a Utilitarian are the consequences to all people impartially. In this case, they include the circulation of food, clothing, medicines, and the restoration of villages. Providing monetary aid ultimately produces the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness for society. The Utilitarian argument for donating money is good because it provides calculable validation. In other words, the utility of the receivers is quantifiable and tangible (number of meals, hygiene kits, water tanks provided, number of homes rebuilt, etc. ). This tangibility clearly illustrates that the utility of the receiver exceeds the marginal cost to the giver and produces the greatest amount of happiness over unhappiness. Why the Utilitarian Argument is Stronger There is an epistemic problem that weakens the argument given by the Ethical Egoist. We do not know precisely what the consequences will be. We expect that the intangible benefits include self-satisfaction, enjoyment of giving, and happiness from providing financial aid, and we estimate that the costs consist of the actual donation payment and all related opportunity costs; however, we do not know exactly what the consequences will be and the extent of the results. It is, thus, difficult to gauge whether donating to charity is actually in the giver’s best self-interest exclusively because the associated costs may be very great (the giver may end up poorer or the donation-transaction process may be stressful; both situations would not be to his or her advantage). The immeasurability and intangibility of the benefits also weakens the argument. Ayn Rand, an Ethical Egoist, responds to this objection and asserts that it is completely moral and permissible to offer aid to others even when one does not anticipate any tangible return; â€Å"personal reasons for offering aid—reasons consistent with one’s values and one’s pursuit of one’s own life—are sufficient to justify the act† (Gordon Shannon, 10/16/2010). Rand says that personal reasons, such as values and pursuit of a flourishing life, are adequate to justify the act. We run, however, into a problem: just because we have a moral justification to give aid, does it mean we are morally required to give aid? Rand provides a moral justification, but not a moral mandate; this makes the argument put forth by Ethical Egoism weak. While Ethical Egoism provides a convincing argument and response to the objection, the Utilitarian argument is stronger because it buffers against the epistemic problem and provides quantitative, calculable validation. The problem of epistemology does not apply to or weaken the Utilitarian argument because we know what the consequences will be, based on present initiatives. Plan UK has provided cooked meals to over 250,000 people, shelter for 230,000, water tanks, hygiene kits, and medicines for thousands of families (Plan UK). We know how the money will benefit the Pakistani villagers and we can quantify the amount of happiness and good that entails the act of giving aid to others. To summarize: Ethical Egoism says that we ought to pursue our own self-interests exclusively. The morally right act is the one that benefits the self. There is, however, an epistemic problem. We do not know what the consequences will be or the extent of these outcomes. Donating to charity may not benefit the self. Utilitarianism, however, avoids the problem of epistemology and immeasurability. Therefore, Utilitarianism is the stronger argument. Conclusion In this paper, I have presented the theories of Ethical Egoism and Utilitarianism, delved into the morally relevant facts, and reflected on why each argument is good. I illustrated why Utilitarianism is stronger by appealing to a weakness of Ethical Egoism. Thus, the Utilitarian perspective that we have a moral duty to donate money to help Pakistani villagers is a better argument.