Reconstruction and African Americans from 1865-1900

Reconstruction and African Americans from 1865-1900 From 1865 to 1900, Reconstruction was meant to help change the lives of African Americas. However, because of prejudice, Reconstruction didn’t go on as far as it could have. Reconstruction tried to deliver its promises to African Americans while battling a discriminatory white America. This is seen socially, through civil rights, and politically, through Jim Crow Laws and voting. Concerning social promises, Reconstruction made astounding changes for African Americans; this is evident in newspapers and the Civil Rights Act of 1875.White Americans were becoming more sympathetic to the needs of African Americans, or at least white reporters were. Newspapers began to print stories and pictures made to draw sympathy to the black man and anger towards the KKK, such as in Harper’s Weekly’s â€Å"One Less Vote† (Doc A, F). The Civil Rights Act of 1875 allowed each citizen equality, no more segregation in hotels, restaurants, public theaters, etc. , but it wasn’t followed by everyone. Business owners were not willing to de-segregate, and the ones who were willing lost white business.White men and women remained biased, making it impossible for African Americans to have equality. White bias didn’t stop the American government from taking political action to protect African Americans. The 14th and 15th Amendments attempted to stop discrimination; the 14th Amendment gave protection of privileges for blacks and the 15th Amendment gave them the right to vote. Because of reforms, African Americans were legally allowed to vote. This brought celebration in African American communities, now they could have political influence. However, mainly in the South, blacks were threatened and even killed for going to vote.Opposing government reforms, such as the Amendments, was the Deep South. The Jim Crow Laws were passed; by segregation, prohibiting people to even talk about equality, and inter -racial marriage, equality was outlawed. Socially there was more acceptance. Politically there was more freedom. Reconstruction did alleviate many of the African Americans’ burdens. Overall, Reconstruction during 1865 to 1900 could have gone much farther. If it were not for the hostility expressed towards the equality of the races, Reconstruction could have quickly given the blacks their freedoms.

Developmental psychology Essay

I have identified a number of themes from both interviews which relate to Jo and Tony’s childhood and life experiences and how these have influenced their development and how their children’s lives have differed from their own. Â  Educational influence Educational issues appear to have influenced both Tony and Jo Tony refers to himself as being uneducated: And then I only went to school for a year, after I was eleven. Tony ex plains this was due to the years education he did receive: I had a very interesting year the year’s education I had was very interesting situation in at a boarding school in Sussex. Where I was I learned a great deal actually. Lines 34-36 He says that other influences had contributed to his education: strange influences, and yes I suppose I am self-educated I’ve read an awful lot obviously Lines 40 – 41 Jo describes her education as being different I went to school in Leeds ’til I was eight and then I was evacuated. Lines 44 – 45 I then went to boarding school for the next ten years Lines 46 -47 * Parental influence There are several references to Jo and Tony’s views on the important role of parenting, for them this had been through their parent’s work and religious beliefs: Tony: Victorian Work Ethic in Line 54 Tony and Jo agree that religion was a very big influence from their parents Tony Lines 63 – 67: Jo’s mother was brought up as a Methodist and my father was as well. And I think Methodist principles were fairly firmly entrenched. And Yes I think that has, that makes us to a certain extent the sort of people we are. In lines 81 – 82 Tony talks about which career paths were available to them and one’s parent’s experiences and aspirations certainly entered into it as well In the second interview both Tony and Jo make reference to separation from their fathers because of the war, this appears to be a shared experience for both of them. Jo then compares this with their own children’s experience of separation, their children feared that Tony and Jo would separate like another family that they knew. Jo says that when the children are young it is important to make sacrifices or you adapt Line 122 Interests could be pursued later. She emphasizes this further if you want to nurture and encourage your children, then some one or other had got to stay, perhaps hold back a little to give as much as you can to your children Lines 145 – 148. Although Jo acknowledges that women have equal rights today in contrast with the past, she believes that in order to provide a nurturing role women should still put their children first. She also talks about the importance of stability for children children like stability. And it’s the stable base that you make around them that matters more Lines 154 -156 * Social/cultural/historical influence Historical influence has played a part in Jo and Tony’s development, the war had a huge impact on them, their fathers went away and there was uncertainty as to whether they would return. The educational opportunities available differed between them, Jo went to school and boarding school but Tony only had one year of education and apart from this was self taught.

Israel & the Palestinian Territories Conflict Essay

I. Topic Background The Israel/Palestine conflict ultimately boils down to religious tension, and is part of the larger Arab/Israeli conflict. In 1948, the U.N. partitioned the region of Palestine into two states, one Jewish, and one Arab, to address the ongoing Jewish-Arab tension. Jewish leaders accepted the plan, the Palestinian government did not, and the result was a short-lived civil war which ended with Israel declaring independence on May 14, 1948. For decades after the civil-war, Arab nations refused to recognize Israel’s legitimacy as a nation, and in 1964 formed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel captured the Gaza strip and Jerusalem from Egypt, and West Bank from Jordan. In response, several Arab nations banded together and launched the Yom Kippur War against Israel. No definitive gains were made by either side, however it did lead to the Camp David Accords of 1978, which led to the Egypt-Israeli Treaty. Tensions sparked into violence yet again in 1987 with the First Intifada, in which Palestinians living in Israeli-occupied territory revolted. The First Intifada bore the creation of Hamas, founded by Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, an armed resistance establishment that is prevalent in the current Gaza situation. In the Oslo Peace Process of 1993, Israel and the PLO tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a peace agreement. Its failure was credited to the lack of effort on both sides to uphold the conditions established by the process, such as the promised decrease Israeli settlement activity in West Bank and Gaza, and the acceptance of Israel as a legitimate nation. In 2000, the Second Intifada broke out in wake of the failed peace attempt. In 2003, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon announced a disengagement plan, which constituted the removal of Israeli civilian and military presence in Gaza, to refute the claim that Gaza was an occupied territory. However, the 2006 elections of the Palestinian Legislative Council gave rise to the increased political power of Hamas, which complicated any existing attempts at peace. In  December 2008, Israeli military forces launched Operation Cast Lead in response to repeated mortar attacks from Hamas on Israeli civilian areas. Since then, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, including hundreds of Palestinian civilians. On January 18th, 2009, a ceasefire took effect, which has put a end to the violence, at least temporarily. II. Past Actions In 1947, the young U.N. partitioned the conflicted region of the British mandate of Palestine into two states, Israel and Palestine. Though the Security Council has â€Å"primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,† it has not been able to address and resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Council has taken no significant action since 1967, when it passed Resolution 242 calling on Israel to relinquish the territories acquired during its war with Syria and Egypt. The UN has condemned Israel for killing civilians in the Gaza Strip. Many resolutions made by the UN to resolve the conflict have been vetoed by the US, including the demand for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in 2006. The US has repeatedly used its veto power in favor of Israel, and, using its influence, has steered the issue away from the UN agenda. In January 2009, the US again blocked the UN’s demand for an immediate ceasefire. III. Country Policy Since the start of Israel’s aggression in Gaza, our Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has shuttled between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Syria in a proactive attempt to achieve a ceasefire. We have verbally assailed Israel for the killing of Palestinian innocents in Gaza and in general. If any noticeable progress is to be made, Israeli military presence must be withdrawn from the Gaza Strip. Palestinian homes are often bulldozed by Israeli forces in attempts to â€Å"eliminate possible terrorist cover,† even though a majority of the houses contain Palestinian civilians. Practices such as these must be put to an end. Polls taken in Israel and Palestine confirm that Gaza and West Bank are regarded as Palestinian territory, and should remain so. Hamas must end its aggression towards Israel, as rocket attacks are what instigated the Gaza strip conflict of 2008-2009. More importantly, the United States must cooperate with the UN to create a peace resolution, as it has been the blockade of peace attempts dating back many  years due to its pro-Israel bias. The West Bank, an Israeli settlement, is also an obstacle. Now, Erdogan is using contacts with Hamas, and its backers Iran and Syria, and contacts with Israel and the West, to assume a leading role in trying to broker a cease-fire. In regards to the refugees present in Gaza, NGO’s such as Doctors Without Borders and Red Cross could be implemented to ensure no further degradation of human rights takes place. We again stress the need for an effective cease-fire to which both Israel and the territory of Palestine respect, there is little prospect Israel can solve the Gaza crisis solely by military means.

Psychological Testing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psychological Testing - Term Paper Example In a recent commentary regarding President Obama’s speech in The New York Times, author Trip Gabriel briefly discussed the President’s remarks regarding the â€Å"high stakes† tests and the incited reaction from a couple of bloggers. The President remarks on how much focus is given to these tests at the expense of the curriculum. According to the article, President Obama said, â€Å"Too often, what we’ve been doing is using these tests to punish students or to, in some cases, punish schools.† A blogger for Education Week remarked that the President is going against his own government’s policies on standardized tests that involve having students go through several tests in a school year. However, the Department of Education maintains its stand on the expansion of testing. They claim that these are actually means to ease the pressure on teachers, because instead of year-end tests that normally put the blame on schools if the results are bad, st udents will be tested for their own progress more than once a year (Gabriel, â€Å"Bloggers Challenge President†). The issue here is not merely the number of tests a student has to go through, but the test itself. However, increasing the number of tests in a year increases the issues in these tests as well. Even author Alfie Kohn in his book â€Å"The Case against Standardized Testing: Raising the Scores, Ruining the Schools† explains his opposition to standardized testing. The issues STANDARDIZED TESTS 3 surrounding the tests are abound, yet articles that give adequate information on the tests are lacking. Most of the publicly available articles offer generic information on the tests, but do not really describe the content. Sometimes, the content of the test might surprise the students and their parents (Harlen, 2002, p.141). For example, in another article from The New York Times last March 16 by Jacques Steinberg entitled â€Å"For SAT Test-Takers, Is ‘The Si tuation’ the Right Answer?,† the peculiarity of a test question is discussed. The essay prompt asked the students to provide opinions regarding reality television. The executive director of the SAT test declared that the question is about pop culture and it was just a fair question to ask. People may have differing opinions on this matter. However, it sort of emphasizes the point that the scope of the exam is not widely discussed publicly, since topics such as this causes surprise from parents of test-takers (Steinberg, â€Å"For SAT Test-Takers†). Still, the presence or absence of the information is not the main topic of this paper. The issue on how necessary these tests are is the area that needs more attention. First, even though newspapers frequently quote the scores of the tests, and several experts believe that this is the best measurement for an individual’s progress, it is not the absolute standard for success (Ryan and Weinstein, 2009, p.224). Stu dents have endured more and more tests over time, yet discussion on new educational processes are not happening. The tests only force the institutions to push their students to earn higher grades, but they do not result in providing solutions to the real problems that causes low marks (Harlen, 2002, p.141). Second, Indian University Professor of Education Roger Farr states that â€Å"multiple-choice questions do not allow students to apply what they can do.†

Human production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human production - Essay Example Detection of the child abnormalities such as the heart defect is often enhanced by the use of the prenatal anatomy ultrasounds. Taking a sample of amniotic fluid also aids significantly in the detection of abnormalities such as sickle cell disease. However, most of the birth defects are identified certainly at birth. Various factors are associated with conceiving problems. Some of the main reasons for the problem include ovulation problems, endometriosis as well as quality and quantity of a partner’s sperm. Solution to endometriosis is surgery that results in the removal of the endometrial tissue that grows outside the uterus. A solution to the ovulation problem which is as a result of variation in hormonal production is the intake of fertility drugs as well as IVF (Baggott 76). The quality and quantity of the sperm is often affected by the STDs, excessive use of hot baths, smoking, and drinking. This problem can be solved by treatment of the STDs as well as change of behavior and practices associated with the weakening of the sperm. Use of condoms, cervical cap, and contraceptive sponge are some of the birth control methods. Male condom prevents the passage of sperms to the woman vagina. It is the only method that protects a person from contracting. However, its usage is associated with the causation of irritation as well as allergic reaction. Cervical cap is 84% effective in barring the pregnancy. It is non-hormonal barrier method, effective and can be reversed without any delay. Cervical caps are inexpensive and can be used during breastfeeding. However, this method does not protect a person from contracting STIs. In addition to some women finding difficulties in inserting cervical caps, they cannot be used during menstruation. They can also come out during the sexual intercourse. Use of contraceptive sponge is also associated with the protection of a woman from getting

The Influence of Age on the Perception of Decriminalizing Marijuana Research Paper

The Influence of Age on the Perception of Decriminalizing Marijuana - Research Paper Example Cannabis refers to products which may be obtained from the hemp plant, which is scientifically known as cannabis. Marijuana is obtained from cannabis(Jenkins, 2006). Pacula, et al. (2005) defined the term decriminalization almost literally as the â€Å"removal in the criminal status of cannabis possession offenses† (P. 348). However, Pacula, et al. (2005) observed that decriminalization remained undefined in the field of international policy. It is also worth mentioning at this point that a number of countries and sub-jurisdictions who were publicized to have decriminalized marijuana actually just reduced the penalties for offenses pertaining to possession of marijuana or cannabis for amounts specified by law (Pacula, 2005). The following studies were reviewed either for their direct or indirect bearing on the topic of this study: McCoun et al. (2009) suggested that the effect of the law on decriminalization of marijuana varies among age groups. In adult populations, the law h as a significant effect on marijuana use. Inversely, youth populations appear to be unfazed by regulations and sanctions (as cited in McCoun, et al. 2009). McCoun, et al. (2009) also argued that the impact of legal sanctions differs significantly depending on the age group being studied. Results of their analysis of Australian cannabis consumption show that the youth have a lower tendency to be swayed by legal sanctions. In contrast, adult subjects are largely influenced by government policies.   The authors expressed concern about immediately concluding that the youth are less sensitive to marijuana-related arrests because young people are more impulsive and prone to risky behavior. The McCoun, et al. (2009) study has the most bearing on the current study in the sense that the study tackled decriminalization of marijuana and that the effect of age was studies as a predictor variable. However, the McCoun (2009) work is different from the present study since the effect of age on pr ohibition was studied, instead of the effect of age on perceptions about decriminalizing marijuana as proposed in this study.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reyda and Farley (2006) supports the popular notion about young people and marijuana use. The authors cited evidence revealed in their study that vulnerability of adolescents to be influenced to use marijuana is lessened as they grow older. In addition, it is shown that adolescents are prone to miscalculating risks and developing biases in terms of decision making and judgment than when they grow older. Reyda and Farley’s work has indirect bearing on the study, but nonetheless, their findings bolster this researcher’s position that college students as young people would be supportive of decriminalizing marijuana since marijuana use is tagged to younger people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meanwhile, Fetherston and Lenton (2005) investigated public perception on the legalization of cannabis by conducting randomized ph one surveys on 809 residents of Western Australia. The respondents were asked regarding their views on cannabis legalization, attitudes towards a proposed legislative model, and their opinion of its perceived effects. Initial participant responses show that majority of respondents share a negative view regarding cannabis. However, most participants consider criminal sanctions against cannabis use as inappropriate and ineffective.

Effects of Quality Management on Domestic and Global Companies Essay

Effects of Quality Management on Domestic and Global Companies - Essay Example In the case of a domestic airline, southwest airline has performed well and survived adverse effects on airline business like terrorism and inflation in the fuel prices. Similarly, the German based Lufthansa has operated internationally and maintained a good market share hence posing good financial performance (Lufthansa Consulting, 2011). The two firms recognized the need of improving the quality of their products while keeping their costs low to become more competitive. The two companies are in the airline industry and pursue strategies to improve the quality of their services. In the airline industry, the domestic and global organizations are interrelated and affected by similar environmental factors. To survive in the US domestic industry, southwest airline has engaged in restructuring and focusing on the customer service. The company believes that the satisfaction of customers is instrumental in gaining positive performance. At the same time, Lufthansa has restructured and enter ed into strong alliances that would allow the company be robust in the airline business (Lufthansa Consulting, 2011). ... For Lufthansa, their wide range of services focuses on quality and safety of their customers. This has been achieved by adhering to the set regulations and standards. Likewise, southwest airline mission is clearly hinged on the maintaining quality by adhering to the regulations set by the US authorities. The two organizations have entrenched in all the procedures and decisions of the firms. The first stage in the process is a well-defined mission and vision statement that demands employees to remain answerable to the company. This has also been integrated in the company strategic objectives of demanding commitment to law and procedure adherence. The second process for both the companies is the aligning the company acquisition and strategic alliances to achieve organizational order and efficiencies. The two firms evaluate strategic alliances and undertake evaluations to determine feasibility and profitability of the actions keeping in consideration the safety and demands of their cust omers. The businesses consider the health of their workers and customers essential for the smooth operation of the businesses. The obligation to make their stakeholders safe is not just, because it is a legal requirement but because the businesses consider it as a social responsibility (Southwest Airlines Co., 2011). Finally, the two companies have a similar procedure I their staff training and development. They believe that for success to be realized in the business the companies must have a staff capable of executing perfectly and in a timely manner, the chosen courses of actions. Both southwest airline and Lufthansa in its international operation trains its employees to improve the quality of

Shouldice Hospital case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shouldice Hospital case - Essay Example However, inclusion of other services may be helpful to the practice financially as well increase its market relevance. Prior to expansion, the institution requires funds that would cater for the expansion effectively. In addition, using the funds it generates from business may be disadvantageous and limit the effectiveness of the transition One major concern of considering extension in this case is the control and management of the new institution. Expansion would require a change in the management system. If not effectively managed, the change may hinder the quality of operation and services rendered to clients. The expansion to weekend has caused a rift in the institution since the issue has not been formally discussed. However, the expansion to weekends should be done only if the institution increases its human resources. The current staff has expressed concerns since they have been required to embrace an organizational culture they are not used to. In addition, the concerns revolve the decision by the facility to embrace change. A global expansion should be a viable option. The institution has been in existent for a long time thus having demand in foreign countries. The organization should consider utilizing this market (Heskett& Hallowell

Letter of Request Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letter of Request - Assignment Example I am a second year student at the Eastern Kentucky University majoring in Occupational. I would like to humbly present my interest in conducting a physical security assessment on the VA medical center in Birmingham. This survey is a requisite in the APS 210 (Physical Security Assessment Project) class. The VA Medical center is my ideal choice as it offers me with the diversity required to apply all aspects, both theoretical and practical, of physical security assessment. The facility is unique in the sense that it caters to the elderly and vulnerable in the community. As such, security is an essential facet of operations. The intended survey will entail going through all areas of the buildings within your institution, checking for security devices such as locks, surveillance, and access control. In addition to this, an interview with the institution’s security manager will be essential in providing a concise complete picture of the state of security within the institution’s premises. This process should take up to 2 hours at the most. All information obtained from the survey will be treated with utmost discretion as all it is considered confidential to the parties involved. Upon agreement, all information generated from this research activity will be strictly confidential, limited to only the parties taking part in the exercise highlighted. The Eastern Kentucky University will be represented by the assigned instructor and supervisor. The other parties who will be preview to the information generated from the research will be the facility’s Senior Security Manager.

Cryptology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cryptology - Essay Example Furthermore, the user of interconnected computers and breakthrough is file and system sharing, make personal information and data even more vulnerable to these threats. At this point cryptology fits in perfectly to address the above issues accordingly. At the base of all internet communication and data security lays cryptology that serves as the foundation to security and data authenticity. Cryptology ensures data and information confidentiality by ensuring in the event that the data in intercepted, the eavesdropper will not understand the content. In addition, Data authenticity is ensured and the message recipient is assured the message is from the correct sender. Finally cryptology ascertains data integrity by providing specific proof that the data or information received is not subject to an alteration by third party. The figure below demonstrates a basic outline of cryptography process (Koblitz 2004). Background Cryptology can be defined as the study of cryptosystems, is simply p ut understanding how to uniquely hide a document or relevant information in plain sight. Normally this involves using a secret encoding that only the intended recipient understands. In a nut shell, cryptography is trying to understand how to pass private information in a public arena which in this case in the internet. This study is further subdivided into two distinct yet similar fields. Cryptography involves the design, creation and implementation of cryptosystems (Bauer 2006). These are the codes and complex formulas used to hide the information before or during data transfer. In addition, cryptosystems also includes measures and mechanisms of incorporating digital signatures in documents. Digital systems basically act as proof of ownership of digital content otherwise susceptible to alterations. On the other hand, cryptology also deals with cryptanalyses which studies the decoding of cryptosystems. Research data analysis and outline Two basic methods were considered for the purp oses of this research. Quantitative research, where collected data is expressed in mathematical figures then evaluated for appropriate results, and qualitative which does not involve figures but rather experiences of participants and the actual data obtained from various sources. In this instance, qualitative analysis best suited thit type of research and was extensively applied. The primary data sources included case studies and direct observation of crypto systems at work. In addition, secondary sources such as books, library articles and the internet provided a reliable reference point. Literature review According to Bauer (2006) cryptography is a field of study where systems and data security meets the power of mathematical functions and equations. Based on his research, cryptology and by extension cryptography offers to the world of security engineering tools that underlie and form the basic and modern security protocols. Buchmann (2004) adds on this analogy through his researc h that offers an insight to cryptography and the techniques involved in cryptanalysis. According to him cryptography is a key to distributed systems security and modern day data integrity. Buchman argues that powerful as it may be, cryptology has often been misconstrued by experts because of the various malpractice associated with it. Cryptography has often been used in the wrong arena to protect the wrong information, and pass illegal messages throughout time. Another

International Organizations in Question of Global Climate Research Paper - 1

International Organizations in Question of Global Climate - Research Paper Example It devastated parts of the Caribbean, Eastern Canada, Northeast of the United States and Mid- Atlantic. It has been termed as the second most costly hurricane of Atlantic after Hurricane Katrina. Losses that have arisen due to Hurricane Sandy have been estimated to be about 50 billion US dollars. In the seven countries that fell in the path of the storm, it was found out that at least 209 people were killed. As a result of such occurrences, the regional and global, international organizations, which are involved in both the political and economic aspects of life, should be able to arrange a global response that is effective (Weiss, Forsythe, Coate, & Pease, 2009, p. 19). So far, very little has been done as these effects of global climate change are so rampant and occur frequently compared to previous centuries. These international organizations face a number of weaknesses that hinder them from effectively dealing with problems such as global climatic change, civil wars, poverty, and disease. As most organizations, the international organization has two major kinds of stakeholders. These include the stakeholders who act as the core of the organization, with members who control it formally. The second type of the stakeholders are those persons who are external to the organization and do not have any form of authority concerning the decisions made, though they are affected directly by any actions or decisions of the organization. International organizations have a lot of responsibilities in the countries which are elements of their membership. Unfortunately, there is little room for citizens in each of these countries to make their contribution in concerning decision making. It is had also been found out that of all nations that are in membership with international organizations, darned few nations participate in the making of decisions.  

Political Stupidity Essay Example for Free

Political Stupidity Essay In E . J. Dionne’s essay, â€Å"Political Stupidity, U. S. Style† he wants to address the political stupidity that the government is making. To start his argument, he raises an emotional question, â€Å"Can a nation remain a superpower if its internal politics are incorrigibly stupid? † The author is saying are we letting politics, irrational ideas on fiscal policy and an antiquated political structure undermine our power. He divides political stupidity into three parts: stupid tax policies, irrational ideas on fiscal policy and antiquated political structure. In his essay, â€Å"Political Stupidity, U.S Style,† Dionne employs ethos, connotation and an emotional appeal. In paragraph sixteen, Dionne uses ethos. He writes, â€Å"I’m a chronic optimist about America. † E. J. Dionne is confident about the future to get better but we need well intentioned republicans who care about the nation interest to realize something has gone fundamentally wrong with their party and work to help bring it back. To get rid of political stupidity, he wants to form a senate, a new conservatism that is worthy of our name, liberals willing to speak out on the threat our daft politics poses to our influence in the world, and moderates. However the readers might have complete trust of the government of the United States and so they might not like someone questioning their credibility. In paragraph number seventeen, Dionne uses connotation saying â€Å"We need moderates who do more than stick their fingers in the wind to calculate the halfway point between two political poles. † Dionne is hoping to make people aware of the political stupidity and the need to bring change in the system of politics. Sticking their fingers in the wind, means a person putting his finger in the wind is unlikely to come up with original solutions, and decisions are made without backing evidence. It says that the politicians are making blind decisions without even thinking about its consequences. It also makes them look like fools running the country. However, if some people think that the politicians were fools, the United States would not have been a super power. In paragraph seven, Dionne uses a strict emotional appeal as a mean to persuade his audience. He writes, â€Å"The simple truth is that the wealthy in the United States- the people who have made almost all the income gains in recent years- are under taxed compared with everyone else. † Consider two reports from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. One, issued last month, highlighted findings from the Congressional Budget Office showing that, â€Å"The gaps in after-tax income between the richest 1 percent of Americans and the middle and poorest fifths of the country more than tripled between 1979 and 2007. † The other, from February, used Internal Revenue Service data to show that the effective federal income tax rate for the 400 taxpayers with the very highest incomes declined by nearly half in just over a decade, even as their pre-tax incomes have grown five times larger. He writes this, hoping that by using the reports from the Congressional Budget Office, he would be able to prove his point that the United States is politically stupid. It seems as if he is trying to bring awareness among the people of the United States about the decisions made by politicians. Although he has demonstrated his evidence very convincingly and it seems that he would get his readers attention and they would listen to his concerns but some of his readers think that he is being blunt and through his essay he is making direct acquisitions on the politicians of the United States. The United States is falling behind and the public seems not to notice. In paragraph number fourteen, Dionne talks about the structure of our government. He talks about how the ratio between the largest and smallest state was 13 to 1. Now it’s 68 to 1. He writes,† because of the abuse of the filibuster, 41 senators representing less than 11 percent of the national population can, in principle, block action supported by 59 senators representing more than 89 percent of our population. And you wonder why it’s hard to get anything done in Washington? ’’ Dionne gives convincing evidence to support his claim which is the politics of the United States is stupid. He uses ethos and shows his concerns by saying he is a chronic optimist about America. He also uses reports to prove his point and persuade the audience. However he seems blunt and tells it like it is without any fear.

Thematic Independent Study Of Recruitment Proposal Form Management Essay

Thematic Independent Study Of Recruitment Proposal Form Management Essay The title of essay one is Impact of ICT on recruitment and selection. The aim of this report is to identify traditional methods of recruitment and how they have been revolutionized by the emergence of the Internet. In the past few years, the Internet has dramatically changed the face of HR recruitment and the ways organizations think about the recruiting function. Presently, Information Communication Technologies (ICT), which provide enabling technologies to assist Human Resources (Hers) professionals in the delivery of services, have also simultaneously increased the expectations that employees, managers, customers, and regulators have for the HR functions. The feedback I received from essay one is that Internet recruitment is viewed as an important additional tool and traditional methods are continued to be used in recruiting process. The pros of e-recruitment were to identify and reach large of qualified candidates advertise with dispersed location, provide cost effective method, save the recruiting process time and increase image of organizations. The cons of e-recruitment were the discrimination issue forward to Internet non-user, difficult to recruit executive-level talents on the Internet, the digital divide gap between computer literate and illiterate and the risk of overload of resumes. Analysis of Viva process: The viva process went very well and that was after I submitted my both essays to my supervisor. When it came to the Viva (oral defense), I really wanted to do it well. I spent quite more than enough time preparing the viva in the way that I have seen others make similar preparations. After having been informed that I will be required to defend my second essay, I decided that a good presentation comes from good planning and having at hand all the information that anyone might request, so I spent a long time in the preparation and I went feeling confident. As soon as I arrived at the conference where the presentation was taking place, I became nervous when I realized they were all waiting for me to speak and my nerves made me tremble. I did not know how to stop it. later on, I noticed that panelists seemed not to understand what I was saying despite all the preparations I had made. I suddenly calmed myself down, and in no minutes time I found myself flowing and everybody in the room un derstood I had gained momentum. I did it so well and this happened when I decided talking more slowly without trembling. It was interesting because everyone saw a change in my attitude after a very short time, and from there, I personally started seeing things differently. I regained sufficient confidence and was able to discuss matters in greater depth, thus, I felt more positive until the end of the Viva. Title of essay and aim: The title of essay two is Impact of ICT on recruitment and selection, and the main question is whether E-recruitment is an efficient tool for recruitment, and analyzing how beneficial e-recruitment is to organizations implementing it. The aim of this paper was to: Identify what e-recruitment methods are being used, and what are experiences of organizations trying to implement e-recruitment. Establish how organizations are evaluating the success of their e-recruitment initiatives, and establish the level of success being experienced This paper will help to establish a baseline on the use of e-recruitment by organizations, thereby enabling the on-going monitoring of progress and developments in this area. How essay 2 builds on essay 1 Essay two builds on essay one by analyzing the benefits of e-recruitment to organizations implementing it. However, e-recruitment is an efficient method of recruitment due to a number of reasons, most notably for cost reduction, increases the efficiency of the process, reduce time to hire and provide access to a larger and more diverse candidate pool. The most notable benefits reported by organizations having introduced e-recruitment are the cost savings, which have mainly been due to reduced advertising cost, a reduction in the resources required to process applications and a reduction in recruitment agency costs. Other benefits include more efficient management of communication with candidates and the ability to easily report on key performance metrics as a result of internet based tracking systems. It also shows that online recruitment is an improvement but cannot totally replace the traditional recruitment. Thus, increased use of e-recruitment methods and systems is helping to facilitate this trend by removing much of the routine administration involved in recruiting allowing HR to more easily monitor and track recruitment related activities. What I did well or could have done better: What I did well was planning and researching. I came up with really good research based on what I had planned. The communication and listening skills I acquired during the course made me to respond to questions very well and with full confidence. I gathered all the materials and data that I wanted, compiled it before coming up with the final report. Though during report writing, I was not sure whether I was going the right direction as far as the flow was concerned. I kept doing what I thought was right from my own perspective. What I learned: I have learned that planning and preparing for a Viva does not guarantee someone from trembling, but makes you have the information you need at hand. I also noticed how important it is to go back over things I have written about before presenting, for this could make me familiar with what I had written down. There were things I did not know at the time of questions and answer session, and I recognized there were some areas in which I went wrong. This made me realize that the panelists did not understand what I was saying. I have learned that I was not confident enough to present what I had prepared for. I need to think from the beginning about the process of giving a good Viva, as well as being sure about my reliance on what I have prepared/planned in order to have the best Viva. Conclusion: In order to prepare a good Viva or any presentation, good planning is required as well as doing enough research (have enough information at hand). On top of planning, being confident is another important aspect that can lead a person to present a good Viva. If I was confident enough, I am sure I would not have trembled and my oral defense would have been perfectly done from the time I entered the room. I, therefore, would like to encourage students to make sure they have full confidence in mind before attempting any presentation, which for my case was an oral defense (Viva). Mind maps Essays 1 2 Impact of ICT on Recruitment and Selection TIS Essay 1 Introduction Definitions of terms Human Resources information Systems Recruitment methods Traditional Recruitment methods E-recruitment Advantages of E-recruitment Disadvantages of E-recruitment Selection tools for Recruitment Assessment Centers Internet Testing Psychometric Tests Aptitude and Ability Tests Technologies used in Recruitment and Selection Internet Boards Resume Database and Applicant Tracking Technology Online Testing and Assessments Combined Technologies assisting the recruiting and selection process Conclusion TIS Essay 2 Introduction E-recruitment Technology The rise of E-recruitment Personalizing the process The application process Applicant Tracking System Screening Testing Role of Recruiting Agencies Benefits of online recruitment over traditional recruitment Problems/Risks/Limitations of online recruitment Management of information and validation of online recruitment systems Recommendations Conclusion Database Time Spent Search Terms Results (# of records) Evaluation of material (how/what will it contribute to your essay or support your argument?) Grout J and Perrin S Recruiting Excellence: An Insiders Guide to Sourcing Top Talent (McGraw Hill, 2002) ISBN 0077099680 10 Recruitment and Selection Arundhati Ghosh, Junior Faculty Member, E- Recruitment: The Recent Trend of Recruitment Practices, Icfai National College, Garia, Kolkata 10 Impact of ICT on Recruitment and Selection http://www.ehow.com/about_5463606_technologies-used-recruitment-selection.html 10 Technologies used in recruitment and Selection, Get to know technologies used in Recruitment and Selection, and their impact to HR functions (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Recruitment and Selection Get definitions for Selection and Recruitment http://www.recruitmentcareers.co.uk/Selection-tools-for-recruitment-jobs.htm 20 Selection tools for recruitment Identify selection tools and what they do. Journal10 Personnel Today (Reed Business Information) are a useful journal which often has up-to-date and relevant articles on selection and recruitment practice. 20 Lai, V.S. and Mahapatra, R.K. (1997): Exploring the Research in Information Technology Implementation, Information and Management, Vol.32 pp.187-201. 20 Information technology implementation CIPD (2005) Online Recruitment, [online] (cited 7 December 2005) Available fromhttp://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/recruitmen/onlnrcruit/onlrec.htm?IsSrchRes=1 20 Online recruitment Advantages and disadvantages of E-recruitment http://www.hr-guide.com/data/G318.htm 10 Assessment centres What assessment centers are and what they do Database Time Spent Search Terms Results (# of records) Evaluation of material (how/what will it contribute to your essay or support your argument?) www.onrec.com 12 The growth of E-recruitment Statistics showing how e-recruitment has grown www.hrmguide.co.uk/recruitment/introduction_to_online_recruitment.htm 13 Introduction to online recruitment www.jobsgopublic.com 18 Survey of Disability Discrimination in Employment www.personneltoday.com Flexibility is vital for the future of web recruitment http://www2.monster.ie/casestudy/ibm 15 IBM case study http://www.taleo.com/research/pdf/TaleoResearch_Global500_03_Report.pdf, 20 Website recruiting Recruiting survey Lievens F., Harris M. M. (2003) Research on Internet Recruiting and Testing: International review of Industrial and organizational Psychology, Vol. 18, John Wiley and Sons. 10 Internet recruiting and Testing Bartram D. (2001). Testing through the internet: Mapping the issues for managing the future. A practitioner workshop. Practitioner forum at the Division of Occupational Psychology Conference, Winchester, UK. 20 Testing through the Internet Leavy N., Canny M., Heywood S., Parker B., (2005). Catching talent with the Web; The Impact of an Online Application Process on Candidate Pools paper presented at the Psychological society of Ireland Conference, Derry, Northern Ireland 20 The impact on online application process Kerrin M., Kettley P. (2003). E-recruitment: is it delivering? The Institute for Employment Studies, Report number 402. 20 Is E-recruitment delivering? Wolfe H. Hartley V. (2005). The changing role of Recruitment intermediaries, the Institute for Employment Studies, Report 420. 12 Changing role of recruitment intermediaries Nigel Fielding, Raymond M. Lee, Grant Blank.(2008) The SAGE handbook of online research methods P274, SAGE Publications Ltd 10 Online research methods

Project Planning And Challenges Facing Planners Construction Essay

Project Planning And Challenges Facing Planners Construction Essay This chapter will review the literature which has been used for this dissertation. A number of important aspects will be covered, including an overview of Construction Planning as well as determining what challenges are faced on a daily basis by construction planners. This chapter will also review research relating to Planning techniques used and software packages available within the Construction industry. 2.2 Construction Project Planning Project Management can be seen as the application of tools and techniques utilised to guide the use of resources towards achieving an intricate task within the constraints of time, cost and quality. From conception to completion, a mixture of these tools techniques is necessary to fit the task environment and project life cycle. (Oisen 1970). The British Standard for project management (BS6079 1996) defined project management as, The planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all those involved in it to achieve the project objectives on time and to the specified cost, quality and performance. The UK association of Project Management (APM) have produced a UK body of knowledge UK (BoK) which also provides a definition for project management as The planning, organisation, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all involved to achieve the project objectives safely and within agreed time, cost and performance criteria. The project manager is the single point of responsibility for achieving this. Project Management as we know today has evolved in order to plan, coordinate and control the complex and diverse activities of modern industrial, commercial and management change projects. (Lock 2007) To allow for effective planning and control of projects, a requirement for systematic and logical methods should be applied along with proven techniques, thus ensuring a successful project outcome for all concerned parties, particularly the client. Without planning it is difficult to envisage the successful conclusion of any project or the effective control of time, money or resources. Planning is also essential in order to deal with construction risks and devise safe working methods. (Cooke 2008) Project Planning is defined as the establishment of a set of directions in sufficient detail to tell the project team exactly what must be done, when it must be done and what resources to use in order to produce the deliverables of the project successfully. (Zwikael 2008). Construction planning is an essential and challenging activity in the management and implementation of construction projects. It occupies the choice of technology, the description of work tasks, the estimation of the necessary resources and durations for individual tasks, and the identification of any interactions among the different work tasks. Hendrickson (1998) believes a good construction plan is the basis for developing the budget and the schedule for work. It is therefore common to adopt a conspicuous importance on either cost control or on schedule control as illustrated in Figure 2.1. Fig 2.1 (Hendrickson. 1998) Walker (2007) considers that by having a project schedule to work to and sticking to it, you will well be on your way to delivering successful projects. This would be dependant on effective communication and efficiency at all stages of the project and with an aim to reducing risk, time and cost. 2.3 The Construction Planner Construction project planning is receiving growing attention as the limitations of formal deterministic planning are becoming more widely recognised. (Winch, Kelsey 2004). There is growing concern over the failure of construction planning to achieve its goals in spite of the considerable resources allocated to it. Deficient planning techniques are commonly blamed for this state. (Laufer, Tucker, 1987) There has been considerable debate over the last decade or so on the effectiveness of construction project planning. However, there is remarkably little research into what construction project planners actually do. Laufer and Tucker provide a critique of construction planning. They protest that:- the planning and evaluation of planning processes are non-existent there is over-emphasis on critical path methods planners lack construction experience planners have poor information gathering methods planning is control-oriented instead of action-oriented Plans are been poorly presented with overly-complex information. In a subsequent paper (1994) Laufer and his colleagues look at the definition and allocation of planning work. They found that there was no clear system at work and planning was done in a multiplicity of ways. They call for the process to be properly co-ordinated by a single individual who will own the planning process and improve communication. Winch and Kelsey (2005) believe the specialist planner has the time to do the work but incomplete practical knowledge. The line manager has the practical knowledge but does not have the quality time to carry out the task. The specialist planner has better strategic decision-making skills than the short-term decision-making focus of the line manager. They then go on to say Line managers see the delegation of key decision-making to another as a threat to their position. These problems are confirmed in Laufer (1992) wider project management study and can result in: The planner preparing a plan which has incomplete information and in-adequate decision making authority. The line manager treating such plans as merely an irrelevant forecast prepared by another. Allen Smallwood (2008) believe Construction planners and the role they perform are little understood both within the construction industry and the wider environment where construction has a daily impact. Planning occupies a central position in the functions of the manager. His responsibilities may vary with organisational philosophy and contingency but planning invariably remains an essential ingredient of his duties. (Steiner, 1979). Much Research and Development effort has been made during the last three decades but progress with techniques has not removed the dissatisfaction with the application and results of construction planning (Choudhury 1981, Mason 1984, Morton 1983). Effective construction planning demands that it is carried out by competent and experienced personnel. While the estimator must remain in charge or pricing the work, most contracts, today, are too complex for the estimator to handle the technical content of pre-tender appraisal. It is here that the construction planner has a major function. 2.4 Planning Techniques Most planning techniques aim to express the work to be done, to a time-scale; some also include resources, and perhaps cost and value. In simple terms, they intend to help control time and cost. The other major factor in project control, quality, is controlled by its own family of control techniques; and quality is related to time and cost through the skill and judgement of the project management team. Neale (1989) believes the major components of planning techniques are: Activities: literally, being busy, expending energy, consuming resources, taking time; in construction planning, this means a job to be done; for example preparing a drawing, an order to be places, a hole to be dug, bricks to be laid in a wall, a flow of water to be diverted. Activity durations: the time required for the completion of each activity Project time-scale: the time structure of the project; it is usual to give each week in the project a number (this makes calculation easier), and these then have to be related to calendar dates, holidays, etc. Event: an occurrence at a specific point in time; for example, the granting of planning consent, of the start or end of a traffic diversion. Work method: the plan must be expressed in some logical way, indicating the sequence of operations, and which activities and events are interrelated; this may be implicit (as with bar charts) or exlicit (in network analysis, where work method is usually called logic.) Resources: often called the four Ms (men, machines, materials and money) but can include overheads (for example, site accommodation), and even such essentials as managerial skill. Costs: what the work has or will cost, often derived directly from the unit costs of the individual resources. Value: what has or can be earned by payment for work done derived from the bill of quantities, the estimate or an internal budget. The calculation of value-to-date can be used as an overall measure of project progress. The following four techniques are often used in construction planning; Bar charts, Network analysis, Line-of-balance Linear programmes. 2.4.1 The bar chart/ Gantt Chart Drafting of a bar chart is popular because it produces results which are easy to understand and not too searching of the planner. Its use is limited to planning straightforward work with simple relationships between the activities. This graphical technique still forms the foundation for most resource scheduling. Its major drawback is that even minor deviations from it require extensive redrafting as a result making it more difficult to having to hand a contemporaneous bar chart that is a reliable indicator of future events. The main features of the bar chart are as follows: The activities are listed on the vertical axis Time is shown on the horizontal axis. This may be an appropriate time unit, such as months or days. Each bar is divided horizontally into two, with the top half representing when the activity is planned to take place, and the bottom shared in, as proportions of the activity are completed. A vertical movable marker line indicates the current time, thus enabling the observer to note if any activities are behind programme, and to what extent. Refer to Figure 2.2 for additional information. Figure 2.2 Typical bar chart The format of the bar chart presumes that the end user (client) can involve the same judgment that was in the mind of the planner when he was compiling it. In highly repetitive or simple work it can be implied that the users will better understand the thought process of the planner. However as project complexity increases the users ability to monitor the project in relation to the programme is reduced unless it is understood: What work is important to progress? Of the activities currently behind programme what, if any, effect do they have on overall progress? On the contrary, if most of the actual work is ahead of programme, does this mean that the current prediction is that the project will be complete in advance of the targeted completion date? The answer is definitely not an automatic yes. To provide an informed response, an understanding of the relationships between programme activities is crucial. Neale (1989) consider these deceivingly simple questions contradict issues which are at the heart of many construction disputes, namely considerations for extension of time. 2.4.2 Network Analysis Unlike a bar chart, activities are not shown on an axis of time. What the network portrays is the logical relationship between activities. Network analysis is a powerful, logical and analytical technique. It is most effective when used for complicated projects, especially those with external constraints and complex interrelationships. The technique is based on drawing the logical relationships between construction operations, and from an analysis of the relative durations, establishing which operations have the most crucial effect on the project duration. It can be drawn in a number of ways, the most well-known in the UK being the arrow diagram. Figure 2.3 Network diagram The technique is sometimes known as the critical path method (CPM), and critical path analysis (CPA). A version which incorporates a statistical method for calculating the probability that a project will be completed on a specific date is called the programme evaluation and review technique. (PERT) The identification of a critical path focuses the attention of the individuals managing the project and highlights to clients and their advisors the tasks that require to be particularly well managed with regard to time. The duration of critical path represents the shortest duration in which the project can be completed. Delays to activities on the critical path transmit directly through to extend the project completion date. This provides advanced warning of the pending delay to completion and enables the contractor (or employer) to invoke recovery action at a useful point in time rather than waiting until it is manifestly obvious that the completion date is threatened. If the employer or his Architect/Engineer (A/E) instructs additional work which affects the activities on the critical path then the contractor has grounds for a claim for an extension of time. The term critical path is widely used in the construction industry; what is not fully appreciated is how easily the critical path can change. Figure 2.4 Network diagram showing critical path Network analysis has a good and inclusive logical basis, lends itself easily to computer processing, and can be used as an effective control tool. These exceptional characteristics are also known to be its principal weakness as it is easier for the planner to be drawn into a level of planning and analysis that is much to detailed and advanced for most construction projects. 2.4.3 Line of Balance Line of balance is a specialised technique used for repetitive work. It derived from the manufacturing industry and has been found to be effective in planning work truly repetitive. Examples of success applications include planning the construction of identical floors in high rise construction, and large housing developments. Line of balance has been found to be difficult to use on projects which have a high demand for trades or operations to construct each identical unit. The problems arise not from the technique itself, but from the difficult of showing all the information on one chart, particularly when using the technique to monitor progress. When used to plan, it can be an excellent means of relating resources, activity durations and the general pace of work on site. Neale (1989). Illingworth (1993) considers the line of balance approach has largely fallen out of use in todays industry due to the fact it was designed primarily for housing and did not readily provide clear visual appreciation of the situation at a glance. Figure 2.5 -Typical line of balance diagram 2.4.4 Linear Programme (or time-chainage chart) Linear programming is a specialised technique for linear work. This is a basic tool of UK road contractors. Other successful applications include the construction of a large canal in a developing country, and it is especially useful in tunnelling. Illingworth (1993). Similar to line of balance, this is a simple two- dimensional graphical technique and can show clearly only a limited amount of information and limited degree of complexity. Figure 2.6 Linear Programme (Neale 1989) 2.5 Which technique? The experienced planner in construction needs to be aware of the techniques available, together with the value of each, both in the planning analysis role and how then can be applied to give effective control and communication to management on site. Illingworth (1993). Like any other professional, the planner has to select the right tool for the job. To make the correct decision, it is therefore a requirement to examine what is wanted in a particular situation programme. Illingworth (1993) believes the main points of this choice are as follows: Does the method aid initial analysis of the situation and especially in establishing the best sequence of events? Are deficiencies in progress shown up as the work proceeds? Can visiting management obtain and immediate view of the contract situation on arrival on site? With the preponderance of subcontractors on site today, does the programme method give assistance in cash flow control? According to Illingworth, from these questions it is unlikely to be the answer to all desires. Therefore it is said to be better to consider the situation in two stages tender planning on the one hand and the operational planning after the contract has been won, on the other. 2.6 Planning Practice In order to explore further the reality of construction project planning semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and December 2000 with 18 experienced planners from five leading UK construction firms. Most of the planners interviewed were currently involved in planning at the tender stage including assembly and presentation of the tender documentation. About half of those were also involved at the tender/ pre-construction stage. Only a few were further involved during the site works. (Refer to figure 2.7). Generally, although a number of the interviewed planners had on-site experience the typical pattern is that a planner works either at the pre-tender, pre-execution stages or on site but not simultaneously. The exceptions tend to be where planners work for some time on a single large project. In such cases it may make sense (from the employers point of view) for their work to carry on to the execution stage. Figure 2.7 Planning Practice, G.M Winch and J.Kelsey 2.7 Programming Considerations at the Tender Stage Upon receipt of tender documentation, the contractor will appoint human resources tasked with compiling a tender submission based upon the tender enquiry. One of the main individual in this team is the person accountable for producing the tender programme, the construction planner. Whether or not the contractual terms require a programme to be produced or not should be irrelevant at this stage. The tender programme is an important document produced by the contractor which is used for measuring many risk and cost related issues. In particular, the assessment of cost of the contractors time related preliminary items as drawn off the content of the tender programme. For example, the anticipated on site durations for different members of staff, periods of scaffold hire and duration for site accommodation are items that cannot be priced by the estimator without reference to the tender programme. When compiling the tender programme, the construction planner must incorporate the information supplied with the enquiry noting any specified constraints contained in either the contract bills, specification or drawings. Conflict between documents often exists and a view had to be taken on how to proceed. Clarification may be sought from the employer or his agents, assumptions made and stated along with the submission or the conflict may be ignored and the information that best suits the contractor is assumed without qualification or statement. It is accepted in the industry that many bids are won or lost on the programme duration alone. This happens frequently where a bill of quantities is being priced and the experienced contractors tend towards similar prime cost for similar items. On completion of reviewing tender documents, drawings, specification and bills, which may be typically done over a period of one or two weeks, the construction planner will establish the work scope which will be addressed in the creation of a tender programme. The main objective is to be aware of the specified period for construction. Additional to the completed programme should be a schedule of resources which corresponds with the programme and a series of method statements signifying construction techniques and equipment to be employed in carrying out the work. 2.8 Programming on Site When the contract is won, the site planning is equally important. It is usually at this point that the site manager will have his first chance to examine the methods on which the job was priced. What is important to recognise, at this point, is that planning must be seen as an addition to management. Thus the site manager must have the right to question the planning methods on which the contract was priced. To do so, site managers require the technical expertise to assess what has been put forward. In so doing, the manager concerned must, for his part, accept that if he wants to change the method from that in the priced tender, he must demonstrate that his alternative is obviously cheaper, or at least as cheap, as that priced in the tender submission. When final agreement has been reached, the planning function can be established on site and develop the final method to be adopted. This, in turn, will lead to the contract master programme and such subsidiary programmes as may be necessary. On completion of all methods being confirmed the construction planner continues to have a significant role on site. First, in developing control and short-term programmes for all organisations contributing to the contract under the main or managing contractor. Second, the construction planners cherished knowledge of how the work was originally planned makes him uniquely placed to examine the potential consequences of alterations to what has to be built. In this area he is a valuable source of information to the site quantity surveyor when assessing where possible contractural claims may arise. Today, with the ever increasing use of trade sub-contractors as well as specialist service contractors, the experienced construction planner has the option of either seeing the role as satisfying its own right, or as an essential ingredient of experience for becoming a successful site manager. Illingworth (1993). 2.9 Purpose of a Programme The values applicable to the mechanics of construction planning are similar whether you are a main contractor submitting a quotation to an employer, a sub-contractor quoting to the main contractor, or even a construction manager providing programme assist to an employer. Common principles apply when compiling a construction programme, that of methodical analysis. The contractors construction programme is an important common reference. It shows how the planner they have interpreted the contract documents and other information from which the statement of intent for construction is issued. As the key programme for the construction work, its content is of the utmost significance to all parties charged with handing over to the employer a building fit for purpose within the contract time stated. A well prepared programme is vital to every construction project. Many activities have to be cautiously defined and given a time scale, and it necessary not only to assemble and list the information but also to display it visually in terms of the contracts objectives and the calendar. The working sequences and the relationships between individual activities must be clearly conveyed in this visual presentation. The Chartered Institute of Building (2001). They consider the construction programme to be a statement of intended actions, which when properly used provides management with its plan of campaign. It should communicate with ease, providing the common reference for the timing of all activities related to the project. 2.10 Construction Planning Software An expert planner faced with the task of producing and analysing a network for a project containing only few activities will undoubtedly produce the fastest results by drawing a freehand arrow diagram and analysing it mentally. Lock (2007). He believes it is likely to take longer when using a computer because of the formalities needed to set up the new project files in the system and enter the data. David Arditi and Ann Rackas compiled a short report in May of 1986 with an aim in ascertaining the need for computer software to assist is construction planning and scheduling. This report concluded, the individual needs of a given construction company are the primary reasons for choosing a particular software package. For example, one of the participating general contractors basic requirements was to have a 40-character activity description field: a particularly individual need. They continued to suggest if a program is to survive the inevitable shakeout that occurs after the initial development and interest have peaked; it must offer the features and capacities that are required by the user. In addition, every effort should be made to make computers less mysterious and confusing as they will be dealing with the construction market. Today there are many planning software packages available to the construction industry. Asta Powerproject, Microsoft Project, Primavera, PERT Master to name a few. Each package is commonly suited to the individual needs of the planner. Some programs present a blank Gantt chart on the screen as soon as they are booted up, and it is apparent to the user that task data can be typed in immediately. Most programs allow the user/ planner to establish project durations, critical path network, allocate resources, assign costs to tasks and monitor progress throughout the project. As a result, most construction planning professionals use such packages daily. 2.11 Construction Planning Challenges Lock (2007) considers anyone planning a project of significant size will soon find out that there are a number of factors, both inside and outside the project organisation that can have an effect on the planners intentions. These are as follows: 2.11.1 External Factors Figure 2.8 External Factors (Lock, 2007) All projects are subject to risk, many of which can have an enormous impact on plans. Lock (2007) deems the following are just four from the long catalogue of happenings that can be categorised as Acts of God: An earthquake devastates a project organisations headquarters. A hurricane and flood put a project site under a metre of water and delay the start or ruin the work in progress. An influenza epidemic puts half the project workforce out of action. (Swine flu outbreak 2008 recorded thousands of people off work for over 5 days.) The project manager (a keen golfer) is struck by lightning. The national government can play an important part on the smooth running of a project. E.g. the project could be government-funded and is cancelled or abandoned through a political decision. Lock (2007) also considers less immediate concerns which are the wider and longer-term economic consequences of government policy leading to downscaling of projects, delays and cancellations in all sectors of industry. Decisions made outside the project team can also have an affect on many characteristics of planning. E.g. a decision is made at directorate level to carry out a project in a different company within the group from that initially anticipated or a strategic decision is made to cut short all new staff recruitment resulting in a lower number of available resources formerly expected to be available for projects. 2.11.2 Working Factors Figure 2.9 Working Factors Lock (2007) These are items which are likely to affect the project team on a daily basis. Examples include availability of resources, materials etc. People are believed to be a construction organisations greatest resource. Construction operations depend on the knowledge and skills of people planning and executing the work. Muir (2005.) Research has been carried out to reveal that the construction industry is typically viewed as being one of the least attractive industries in which to work. Safety plays an important part in the running of a project. Construction by nature is unsurprisingly dangerous with a high degree of hazard and risk. The Health Safety Executive believe each year: Over 1 million injuries and 2.3 million cases of ill-health are experienced by workers; Around 40 million working days are to lost; and Over 25000 individuals are forced to give up work because of injury or ill health. These cost British employers on average  £3.3 to  £6.5 billion each year. Most organisations are oblivious of these figures and are often astonished to find out what the actual costs are. Recent HSE Examples (2009) An injury to a worker using an unguarded drill cost a small engineering company  £45,000. And that was not all. The managing director was prosecuted from which two employees had to be made redundant to keep the company afloat. At the other end of the scale the Piper Alpha explosion killed 167 people and incurred estimated costs of over  £2 billion. Accidents in construction can account for 3 6 % of total project costs. 2.11.3 Contribution of effective Planning Figure 2.10 Contributors of effective Planning (Lock, 2007). Effective Planning and scheduling influences the results of a project as is promotes well-organised working. Personnel who are not trying continually to overcome crises caused by bad planning can dedicate more time to achieving high quality standards. A well-planned project stands more chance of being completed on time and on budget. 3.0 Methodology Based on the findings in Chapter Two, a questionnaire was compiled aimed towards Construction Planners, Project Managers and other Construction Professionals. The questionnaire was developed in order to reach a significant conclusion on what is happening in the industry today, confirming what challenges are faced on a day to day basis and what can be done for improvement. The author contacted various professionals in the industry whom were contacted via Chartered Institute of Building website in order to get a mixed response. A letter was sent to each individual asking if they could spare time to answer 20 questions which were related to the research. The letter can be found in appendix. In addition, an online link to the questionnaire was sent to over 40 professionals in the industry, from which over 23 people took the time to fill it in. All results can be found in Chapter 4. 3.1 Introduction The aim of this study is to analyse current planning techniques used within the construction industry and determine what influence the construction programme has in terms of project success. In order to achieve this aim, sufficient research has to be carried out. Research design is an action plan for getting from here to there, where here may be defined as the initial set of questions to be answered, and there is some set of conclusion (answers) about these questions. (Naoum 2007.) Between here and there may be a found number of major steps, including the collection of analysis of relevant data. (Yin 1994.) Developing a successful strategy was an important step towards the collection of key research information. 3.2 Research Strategy Research is the systematic and rigorous process of enquiry which aims to describe phenomena and to develop and test explanatory concepts and theories. Ultimately it aims to contribute to a scientific body of knowledge. (Bowling 2009.) There are two types of research strategies, namely, quantitative research and qualitative research. Deciding on which type of researc

The Nightmare Essay -- Fantasy, creative writing, fiction writing

Exhausted and beat, Kai grasps his face. The prominent slap that the girl he saved has left a mark. The battle that left one town saved and a hero in pain. His shoulder gashed deeply, a painful memory of the dragon’s last attack before being dismantled and left headless. Kai stands in distraught his right-hand holding his left shoulder and his left hand grasping his face. He watches as the girl he saved stampedes off with steam coming from her ears as her ass imprinted with a bloodied hand, the hand print that Kai had accidentally left. Kai stands within the beloved town just staring at his hand wondering if something was actually wrong. The silence is broken as his companions join him. Even before he can say anything Amber, the girl secretly in love with Kai, slaps him across the face ferociously as fire burns with in her eyes. Without giving him time to explain, Amber scolds Kai and begins to yell â€Å"I don’t believe you oh my gosh. What is wrong with you? Do you h ave to grope every hot girl you see?† Kai looks at her as if a hint of jealousy has arose, but knowing if ever bought up he’d be tormented like no other and can only reply â€Å"It wasn’t me this time I swear. This hand is out of control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Just then, Kai passes out clinching his shoulder as he crashes to the ground. The next morning Kai wakes up in a bed with his shoulder bandaged and in a sling. He hears Melody and Amber talking in the next room and as he goes and sees how they are doing, his left hand breaks from the sling and gropes Melody upon her ass. This hand which was named by the group as the â€Å"lecherous hand† seems to have a mind of its own. With his hand squeezing her firm ass, Sai walks in. â€Å"What the hell is going on here?† Kai does not know how to reply. H... ... in bed. He looks at his left hand and then feels his shoulder bandaged and in pain. He removes the bandage and his deep wound has not healed. He lies back down trying to catch his breath when as four people enter the room. They sit next to him asking what had happened and all he can say is â€Å"nothing it was a dream†¦just a bad dream.† As his friends stick by his side watching over him he notices the pouring outside. The rain smashes at the windows like hail and he whispers to himself â€Å"even the heavens weep.† But outside a notorious figure works the night, peering through the window he steps aside and takes his leave. With a malevolent grin on his lips his raspy voice utters â€Å"Kai†¦you are almost ready.† The wet and dark night shakes and rumbles as a devilish laugh echoes through the night making even the Devil himself quiver. This is only the beginning of the end. The Nightmare Essay -- Fantasy, creative writing, fiction writing Exhausted and beat, Kai grasps his face. The prominent slap that the girl he saved has left a mark. The battle that left one town saved and a hero in pain. His shoulder gashed deeply, a painful memory of the dragon’s last attack before being dismantled and left headless. Kai stands in distraught his right-hand holding his left shoulder and his left hand grasping his face. He watches as the girl he saved stampedes off with steam coming from her ears as her ass imprinted with a bloodied hand, the hand print that Kai had accidentally left. Kai stands within the beloved town just staring at his hand wondering if something was actually wrong. The silence is broken as his companions join him. Even before he can say anything Amber, the girl secretly in love with Kai, slaps him across the face ferociously as fire burns with in her eyes. Without giving him time to explain, Amber scolds Kai and begins to yell â€Å"I don’t believe you oh my gosh. What is wrong with you? Do you h ave to grope every hot girl you see?† Kai looks at her as if a hint of jealousy has arose, but knowing if ever bought up he’d be tormented like no other and can only reply â€Å"It wasn’t me this time I swear. This hand is out of control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Just then, Kai passes out clinching his shoulder as he crashes to the ground. The next morning Kai wakes up in a bed with his shoulder bandaged and in a sling. He hears Melody and Amber talking in the next room and as he goes and sees how they are doing, his left hand breaks from the sling and gropes Melody upon her ass. This hand which was named by the group as the â€Å"lecherous hand† seems to have a mind of its own. With his hand squeezing her firm ass, Sai walks in. â€Å"What the hell is going on here?† Kai does not know how to reply. H... ... in bed. He looks at his left hand and then feels his shoulder bandaged and in pain. He removes the bandage and his deep wound has not healed. He lies back down trying to catch his breath when as four people enter the room. They sit next to him asking what had happened and all he can say is â€Å"nothing it was a dream†¦just a bad dream.† As his friends stick by his side watching over him he notices the pouring outside. The rain smashes at the windows like hail and he whispers to himself â€Å"even the heavens weep.† But outside a notorious figure works the night, peering through the window he steps aside and takes his leave. With a malevolent grin on his lips his raspy voice utters â€Å"Kai†¦you are almost ready.† The wet and dark night shakes and rumbles as a devilish laugh echoes through the night making even the Devil himself quiver. This is only the beginning of the end.

My Typical American Family :: Traditions Cultures Cultural Essays

My Typical American Family What is a typical American? What is generally viewed as a typical American is that your family has lived here for years and years and you don't personally know who immigrated here. Along with this, your family has molded into this typical view with no "foreign" traditions and things. A lot of people in my class can talk about their relatives that speak another language or have immigrated here. I don't have anything like that so I'll tell you about mine. According to Blauner: Members of an ethnic group hold a set of common memories that make them feel that their customs, culture, and outlook are distinctive. My family doesn't pass down stories or anything. No real passed on customs, no immigrant stories. Takaki thinks everyone should be educated in all culture that makes America so diverse. I don't really have a culture. My family more or less assimilated to the traditional mainstream American. AS far as I know, I am Irish, German, and Native American. Where or when each came together, I don't know. Randall Bass says: Individuals derive their sense of identitiy from their culture, and cultures are systems of beliefs that determine how people live their lives. Well I have my own story. I'll start by talking about my mother's side of my family. As far as I know both my grandparents grew up and lived in Detroit. They raised my mom and Uncle there too. My grandma stayed at home while my grandpa fixed airplanes. It's kind of cool because he was in WWII also to fix the fighter planes. They were fairly well off and had a boat on the river. They're background is Irish and German. Although they never personally told me there was German,I'm taking an educated guess because the last name (Volkening) looks really German. My dad's side is German and Native American. I've been told I have relatives in Germany with the same last name although I've never met them or know their names. My grandma also stayed at home and my grandma worked in a factory. They too lived in Detroit and raised my dad and my two Uncles in a two-bedroom house. My dad slept in the laundry room next to the water heater because there wasn't enough room in the other two rooms. My parents both met in Detroit and lived there for about twenty years. Both my parents worked through college to help pay for each other's tuition.

Chemistry open book paper Essay

During radioactive decay, atoms of one element are changed into atoms of another element through the emission of alpha or beta particles from their unstable nuclei. With alpha decay the nucleus emits an alpha particle, which is essentially a helium nucleus; a group of two protons and two neutrons. It is a form of nuclear fission where the parent atom splits into two daughter products. The atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle and transforms (or ‘decays’) into an atom with a mass number 4 less and atomic number 2 less. For example: An alpha particle is the same as a helium-4 nucleus. Unlike beta decay, alpha decay is governed by the strong nuclear force. In beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus of an atom is converted into a proton and an electron. The electron is released as a beta particle. Below is the beta decay of Thorium to produce Protactinium. . In beta minus decay, the weak interaction converts a neutron into a proton while emitting an electron and an anti-neutrino. During beta-plus decay, a proton in an atom’s nucleus turns into a neutron, emitting a positron and a neutrino. Alpha rays can be blocked by a sheet of paper, shielding against beta rays needs a sheet of metal like aluminium. Nuclear fission differs from other forms of radioactive decay in that it can be harnessed and controlled via a chain reaction: free neutrons released by each fission event can trigger yet more events. Radioactive decay is spontaneous. Most nuclear fuels undergo spontaneous fission only very slowly. Nucleosynthesis in stars Hydrogen and helium are the most abundant elements in the universe. Elements heavier than lithium are all synthesized in stars. This first process of primordial nucleosynthesis may also be called nucleogenesis. In the Sun hydrogen is converted to helium in nuclear fusion reactions: 41H 4He + subatomic particles During the late stages of stellar evolution, massive stars burn helium to carbon, oxygen, silicon, sulphur, and iron. The production of small amounts of hydrogen and helium nuclei makes it possible for the star to synthesise most of the elements in the first three periods of the Periodic table. Two routes for the generation of lithium are: Route 1: 4He + 3H   7Li Route 2: 4He + 3He   7Be 7Be + electron 7Li The second route is interesting; this is because it is a form of electron capture. This is where the collision between an atom and an electron causes the proton to convert to a neutron and a neutrino is released. It is sometimes called inverse beta decay, the proton number and the structure of the nucleus is changed. Fission and Fusion Nuclear fission is the splitting of the nucleus of an atom into lighter nuclei often producing free neutrons and other smaller nuclei. The emission of these neutrons can cause further fission in other nuclei, thus producing a chain reaction. Fission of heavy elements is an exothermic reaction which can release large amounts of energy both as electromagnetic radiation and as kinetic energy of the fragments. Below is an example of nuclear fission, showing Uranium-235 splitting to create strontium-90 and xenon-143: Inside the reactor of an atomic power plant, Uranium atoms are split apart in a controlled chain reaction. This chain reaction gives off heat energy. This heat energy is used to boil water in the core of the reactor. So, instead of burning a fuel, nuclear power plants use the chain reaction of atoms splitting to change the energy of atoms into heat energy. This water from around the nuclear core is sent to another section of the power plant. Here, in the heat exchanger, it heats another set of pipes filled with water to make steam. The steam in this second set of pipes turns a turbine to generate electricity. Uranium-238 is used as a natural way to control the reaction due to the fact that it does not undergo fission. Two other mechanisms used for controlling the reaction are the graphite moderator and the control rods, which are made of boron coated steel. The neutrons that are produced when a nucleus splits are very fast moving; the graphite slows them down enough so that they cause fission reactions when they collide with Uranium-235 nuclei. The control rods which are made of Boron which absorb neutrons; they can be moved in and out of the reactor to control the rate of fission reactions. A typical absorption reaction is: Below is a cross section of the inside of a typical nuclear power plant: Notable advantages of fission include the fact that relatively little fuel is needed and the fuel is relatively inexpensive and available in trace amounts around the world. Also, it is not believed to contribute to global warming or other pollution effects associated with fossil fuel combustion. However, its major concerns include the possibility for a nuclear meltdown; an example could be the Chernobyl Disaster. Also, waste products can be used to manufacture weapons; waste from plutonium power stations remains dangerous for thousands of years. There is also high initial cost because the plant requires containment safeguards; even then, the power plants are still vulnerable from sabotage and attacks. Nuclear fusion is the process by which multiple atomic particles join together to form a heavier nucleus. It is accompanied by the release or absorption of energy. The fusion of two nuclei lighter than iron or nickel generally releases energy. Below is an example of a fusion reaction: Excess energy is released from the fusion reaction because of the lower binding energy of the helium nuclei compared to those in deuterium and tritium. The combined mass of the products is less than the mass of the reactants; the ‘lost’ mass is converted to energy, according to Einstein’s equation: E=mc2 For the below reaction to occur the particles need to form a high-density, super hot, ionized gas – plasma. 2H + 3H i 4He + 1n Tritium is produced by using lithium in the reactor, where neutrons from the deuterium-tritium reaction in the plasma will react with the lithium to produce more tritium: 6Li + 1n i 4He + 3H A way to control the plasma is to keep it away from the walls, which minimizes heat loss. To do this a tokamak is used. This device contains hot plasma in a doughnut shape within a vacuum vessel. Powerful magnetic fields created by large coils that run around the vessel keep the plasma away from the walls. Powerful electric currents heat the plasma as well as by microwaves that are directed into it and beams of fast neutron particles. Notable advantages to using nuclear fusion include the fact that there is significantly less chance of a fatal accident occurring than that of a fission reactor, because the fuel contained in the reaction chamber is only enough to sustain the reaction for about a minute. Also, Deuterium and tritium are virtually inexhaustible. Unlike fission reactors, whose waste remains dangerous for thousands of years, most of the radioactive material in a fusion reactor would remain dangerous for about 50-100 years. At present the disadvantage is merely the fact that scientists have not yet been able to contain a fusion reaction long enough for there to be a net energy gain. This is, in turn, causing many countries to phase out fusion research because of the failure to reach a breakthrough. Challenges to the future of fusion power stations The main challenge that scientists face is the growth of hydrocarbon films. Where plasma touches the walls, carbon tiles are eroded by deuterium and tritium ions, producing hydrocarbons. Further reactions result in the formation of reactive radicals, which combine with each other to form hydrocarbon films. These films cause problems because they trap the tritium and deuterium fuel ions in the walls of the device so that they are not circulating in the reacting plasma to produce any energy. Also if the film gets thicker, it begins to flake off, resulting in dust particles which can be absorbed into the plasma, affecting its purity and performance. Other issues include the potentially prohibitive costs of building, and the difficulties of repairing and maintaining the reaction vessel. This massive â€Å"blanket† of lithium and rare metals will degrade and become radioactive over time, requiring regular dismantling and replacement. No. Words – 357+368+294+145 = 1164 (excluding equations, titles, annotations and text in diagrams) – sorry! Sources http://www. answers. com/topic/nucleosynthesis? cat=technology – Nucleosynthesis http://helios. gsfc. nasa. gov/nucleo. html – Nucleosynthesis http://physics. bu. edu/py106/notes/RadioactiveDecay.html – Alpha and beta equations http://map. gsfc. nasa. gov/universe/bb_tests_ele. html – Nucleosynthesis http://chemed. chem. purdue. edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch23/modes. php. Alpha and Beta decay http://media. nasaexplores. com/lessons/01-060/images/Uran235. jpg – Fission of uranium-235 http://hyperphysics. phy-astr. gsu. edu/Hbase/nucene/fusion. html – Nuclear fusion http://www. iter-india. res. in/images/jet_tokamak. jpg. Tokamak image, Fig 5 http://www. newscientist. com/channel/fundamentals/dn8827-no-future-for-fusion-power-says-top-scientist. html – Problems for fusion power http://eazyvg. linuxoss.com/2007/08/21/fusion-is-the-future-choice-for-nuclear-power-generation/ – Fission and fusion diagrams, advantages and disadvantages of fission and fusion. Fig 1 and 3 http://www. physlink. com/Education/AskExperts/ae534. cfm – Bond energy per nucleon, Fig 5 Article 1 – Box 1 – pg3 Article 1 – Second paragraph under â€Å"Nuclear fission† – pg4-5 Article 1 – Box 2 – Used for finding out control mechanisms – pg6 Article 2 – Advantages of fusion power, ways it produces energy – pg8 Article 2 – Box 2 – Lithium generation and equations – pg9 Article 2 – Box 2 – Fusion reactions – pg10 Article 2 – Tokamak, problems facing scientists – pg10.

Risks and opportunities of Wal-Mart

Sam Walton – a real ‘king’ of XXth-century retail – was able to turn a small store in the center of a provincial town to the world’s largest retailer – Wal-Mart. This man had stepped on a pedal of his business and never let it go; otherwise, he could be crushed by those behind him. The Wal-Mart’s success is grounded on the notion to save customers’ money, so they can live better.The economists’ unfavorable outlook at Wal-Mart Co in the beginning of FY 2007 seems to fade out by the latest data and reports, for this global retailer is focused on constant improving of sales and returns: an 8.1 percent increase in the first quarter to $2.86 billion or 70 cents per share up from $2.65 billion, or 63 cents per share, in the year ago period.Wal-Mart expects the on-going increase in net profit up to $0.99 – $1.03 per share in the fourth quarter and $3.13 – $3.17 in total. Sales of the company rose 8.8 percent to $90. 9 billion (according to the data from Floor Daily and Reuters).Risks of the last year, when the company tried to sell more goods to middle- and high-income shoppers had been reemphasized by executive leadership; therefore, this year brought more opportunities in low-price segment.At present, Wal-Mart Co made some steps forward in its American stores and attracted more consumers, who were pressed by growing prices on foodstuff and energy carriers, and by mortgage crisis. For the past few weeks, the retailer has lowered prices on the most popular toys and 15 thousand of other goods on the threshold of the holiday shopping.The falling of dollar and rising oil prices posed a real threat to weaken international earnings; however, the surprising share of Wal-Mart Stores Inc in the third quarter of FY 2007 has grown due to outlets overseas, tough expenses’ control and preliminary customer expectation model in American stores. While the American picture seems rather clear, forWal-Mar t originated from this country, the international situation was frightening. Europe and Asia are turning America down from the leading position in the world affairs, because of its ‘diplomatic’ operations in Iraq, the growing total debt and unstable economy.Therefore, the outlets in Germany were forced out by domestic stores, outlets in South Korea were closed because of high competition and low market share; â€Å"new social alternative† in India is fighting against Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart. Nevertheless, along with grasping market share in North and Latin America, Wal-Mart had fit the cultural diversity in Asian segment. For example, in China consumers are allowed to choose live fish and seafood by themselves.As the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart Co can afford the new technologies, take the role of sponsor in the latest researches and developments, protect the environment and implement the energy- and money-saving equipment in its stores.When Sam Walto n had faced regional discount competition and opened his first discount store, he laid the basis for further successful management strategy: the wide range of goods, the lowest possible prices, the latest technologies, convenient stores and parking, and, as the result, consumers’ satisfaction. Today, the executive leadership of the corporation is aiming its efforts at successful managing of all departments: sales, marketing, human resources, research and development and administration.Step by step, Wal-Mart has filled all market niches, including discount stores, warehouses, grocery and toys stores, optical and pharmaceutical supermarkets, portrait studios. The outlets overseas were depending on the progress and technologies. The spread of democracy in post-communist countries had unveiled the potential of their consumers; so, today, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is heading to take the largest market share possible in this area.Technological progress with its changes in industry had f orced Wal-Mart Co to implement such   â€Å"A preliminary research for the valuation of Wal-Mart Co† developments as internet access, latest technologies and electronics, online stores in its marketing strategy, in order to keep the leading positions in a highly competitive market.The core trends in business spending lie in progress of environment protection. The sustainable goals of zero waste and reduce of energy at Wal-Mart stores call for fundamental changes. The company has already â€Å"constructed experimental stores to test different ways to conserve water or electricity while also cutting waste† (Maestri, N. Reuters, para.3).The company will also examine the health care issues, the key question that is raised in media; make attempts to fit the highly diversified Asian market to include minorities and women; reduce carbon footprint and track waste. Another business spending is found in sustainable development in China, from which Wal-Mart, either directly or indirectly source goods.Wal-Mart strategy, competencies, and managementMike Duke, the Vice Chairman of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., in his â€Å"Driving Business Value through Sustainability† presentation has singled out five value drivers of business: brand and reputation, cost reduction, access to talent, associate engagement, innovation (p.8).These drives cover all spheres and level possible, such as worldwide market share and recognition, customers’ and employees’ satisfaction. All reports prove that the principle of each consumer’s satisfaction is the right and unchanging course in varying industry. Sam Walton, an expert, manager and retailer, is also a good teacher, for he could raise a successful team of leaders, who share the same priorities and want to reach the same goals.Recently, Wal-Mart Co had reemphasized the financial management systems and chose the solution SAP ERP Financials to keep up its growth and effective reaction at business changes. Th is teamwork had lead to top, among such competitors as Target, Costco, Kroger, Safeway, Best Buy, etc. Ellis Mnyandu, a Reuter’s reporter, has noted that â€Å"Wal-Mart’s stock gained 6.1 percent to $45.97 after the world’s biggest retailer posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its outlook† (para.17). Facts say louder than words – Wal-Mart Co is worth to be called â€Å"the largest seller in the U.S.† and largest global retailer.References:Bianco, A. (2007). Wal-Mart’s Midlife Crisis. BusinessWeek. April 30. Online. November 28, 2007. Available: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_18/b4032001.htmDuke, M., Hartzfeld, J. (2007). Driving Business Value Through Sustainability. October, 10.Online. The Wal-Mart Live Better Sustainability Summit. November, 28, 2007.Available: http://ceosustainabilitysummit.com/CEODocs/984797/InterfaceRAISEWal- MartSummitBreakout101007.pdfMaestri, N. (2007). Wal-Mart Outlines Environmental Efforts Progress. Reuters UK.November, 15. Online. November, 28, 2007. Available:http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews /idUKN1530614420071115?sp=trueMnyandu, E. (2007). Market soars on tech, banks, Wal-Mart and oil. Reuters. Online. November, 28, 2007. Available: http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSL3057195020071113?sp=trueWal-Mart 1Q Earnings Up 8.1%. (2007). Floor Focus. May 15. Online. November, 28, 2007. Available: http://www.floorfocus.com/articlesearchitem.aspx?article=10372Wal-Mart Selects SAP. (2007). SAP Global. October, 18. Online. November, 28, 2007.Available: http://www.sap.com/solutions/business- suite/erp/newsevents/press.epx?pressid=8440