Ethical Issues Involved, And Identify Stakeholders

1) Steps one through three in the decision making process include the following: Determine the facts, identify the ethical issues involved, and identify stakeholders. Beginning with the facts of the case Ms. Adams is the sole proprietor of her small successful structural engineering firm with a MBA. She has 15 employees working for her firm in renovation of major historic commercial buildings. One of her largest clients Charles A. Smith owns the Inverness Bank an old, well-recognized seven-story granite faced building. Smith is in the final stages of negotiations to sell the Inverness Bank to a group of foreign investors represented by Sam Goldworthy a local attorney. Mr. Goldworthy requested a structural survey of specific building elements, including outdated window casements, among others to wrap up the deal. Mr. Smith agrees to have the structural survey completed and hires Ms. Adams’ firm to compete the survey. The contract stated a clause saying â€Å"all information discovered by the engineer shall become the property of the client (Smith) and shall not be released to others without the clients’ express written consent.† Adams assigns Brock Williams, one her most experienced engineers to complete the survey. Brock dismantles three units at random for a more precise determination. He dismantles one unit to see how the windows are attached, and discovers a steel strap for anchoring the windows. Brock discovers that the three-inch exterior granite veneer is attached toShow MoreRelatedAssignment B1 1 Essay examples860 Words   |  4 Pages(12%) This assignment gives you an opportunity to analyze a key IT-related organizational ethical privacy issue subject to relevant laws, regulations, and policies. Both of the following sites provide sources and an excellent backdrop for issues relating to privacy protection and the law. See EPIC Report  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ at:  Ã‚  http://epic.org/reports/  Ã‚  See List on left:  Ã‚  HOT POLICY ISSUES and/or:   https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy   [see list at right on this page] This includes sub-topics discussing informationRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility and Single Strongest Argument1106 Words   |  5 PagesIdentify and explain the major factors in the social environment that create an atmosphere in which business criticism takes place and prospers. dasdasdassadasdasdadadasdadsdadasdasdassssssssssssssssssssss- ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss- ssssssssssssssssssssssscourse? Or is it still a vital reality? 4. Give an example of each of the four levels of power discussed in this chapter. Also, give an example of each of the spheres of business power. 5. 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Unfortunately for Gary, his lack of project management and business process knowledge will result in numerous technical, contractual, ethical and legal issues throughout the term of the project. Technical and Contractual Issues When STI issued its request for proposal for the Orion Shield project, STI did so under the assumption that subcontractors would be responding to the request based upon their current tested technical solutions

The Obesity Epidemic Is A Problem Underlying The World s...

The obesity epidemic is a problem underlying the world’s population and has only gotten worse over the decades. The processed food industry has almost conditioned the human mind to believe that the information they provide is genuine. Using various different techniques, the processed food industry has worked its way into the everyday life of most. It is very important that society takes into careful consideration the dangers of processed food, and are made aware of how the industry in a sense, fools them. Walking into a major supermarket, some may expect to fill their trolleys with nutritious food for the week ahead, but nowadays what is presented is a plethora of products. Disregarding perhaps the periphery of the supermarket where the organic fruits and vegetables are, presented are shelves upon shelves of pre-packaged products that no longer resemble food at all. There are aluminum cans of soft drink, fruit juice boxes that have undergone aseptic processing, foil chip packe ts filled with oxygen, and in the meat aisle we have identical cuts of bacon in vacuum-sealed plastic. Everything has been processed, packaged and with the help of marketing, made to look enticing and palatable. Sadly, a tomato is no longer a tomato – the marriage of economics, science and technology carries it from seed to plate in the most economically efficient manner. Many ‘food products’ today are mass-produced by large multinational corporations who prioritize efficiency, profits andShow MoreRelatedWhy Is Child Obesity an Important Health Problem in America?2405 Words   |  10 PagesIs Child Obesity an Important Health Problem in America? Webster University Unknown Student Techniques of substance Abuse Counseling Dr. Barbara Omer July 28, 2002 Abstract Obesity is a chronic state of being overweight. 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Obesity is a wicked problem we face today where systems thinking is necessary as it is a sustainability issue that flows into the three pillar model. It affects the social, economic, and environmental pillars, as well as physiological and psychological factors on an

Understanding the role of organisations free essay sample

Understanding the role of the organisation Identify the organisation and give a brief description of it. Tesco is a British multinational supermarket operating in over 12 different countries worldwide including republic of Ireland, turkey, Poland, Japan, china, and the US. and employing over 530,000 people. It was founded by Jack Cohen in 1919 in east end London and since then on has grown considerably becoming the third largest retailer in the world. Describe the products/services of that organisation Originally known for being a groceries store Tesco’s has expanded into other area’s including electrical, home ware, and even clothing. There are also many different services such as Tesco Bank, which provides insurance, loans, credit cards and mortgages. Other services such as mobile, and broadband. Five different stores home plus, express, metro, extra, superstore. Identify the customers and define the needs. Tesco’s aim to provide all customers with value for money products and to get lifetime loyalty to keep customers coming back to Tesco’s time after time. Three areas that we know matter to many of our customers are: price and value; multichannel and convenience; and trust. (tescoplc. com). Tesco’s regularly ask their customers for their opinions via surveys, and a shopper’s thoughts panel to establish their needs. They want food that is value for money and at their convenience. Tesco consumers cater for on average 51 % of the adult population from all socio-economic and age groups particularly performing well with families and 18-44 age groups. (designintelligence. co. uk). Offering Tesco own value products, frequent offers and savings on buying two instead of one etc. They also have Tesco’s finest for the more up market customers, and organic produce for the healthy customers. Describe the purpose, goals, targets and financial structure of the organisation. Tesco has changed their purpose in reflection to the huge change in our society to see large business and organisations help in tackling some of the world’s challenges. A simple purpose of what they stand for†¦ is ‘We make what matters better, together’. One of their goals is to reduce CO2 emissions in their existing stores. At the end of 2012/13, they achieved a reduction of 32. 5% and their 2020 goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in emissions per square foot. Every organisation has a goal to what kind of organisation they want to be and what they aim to achieve. Tesco’s vision is â€Å"to be the most highly valued business by the customers we serve, the communities in which we operate, our loyal and committed customers, and of course our shareholders’. The structure of Tesco is a hierarchy one. There are many layers to the organisation with each member reporting to a more senior person directly responsible for that department who then report directly to their manager and so on all the way to the top. Each function/department within Tesco has its own finance team who do cost analysis, performance monitoring and setting targets. These teams include financial reporting, treasury management, audit, and taxation team. Each of these teams is reportable to a finance director. Tesco is comprised of the chairman Sir Richard Broadbent and executive and non-executive directors. The chief financial officer Laurie Mcllwee who was appointed to the board in January 2009 and has the responsibility of identifying financial risks, which areas of the company is most efficient, budgeting and forecasting the company’s future success. Over the next couple of years they will be focusing on 3 main objectives to continue the growth of Tesco by allocating their capital of around 4% of their sales. They will divide this budget between 1. Continuing to invest in a strong UK business 2. Establishing multichannel leadership in all of our markets 3. Pursuing disciplined international growth (http://www. tescoplc. com/index. asp? pageid=546) Use the PESTLE approach to identify a minimum of 4 factors including legal and regulatory frameworks and explain their impact on that organisation. Technological factors The introduction to new technological devices or systems now used in stores and warehouses are beneficial to both the customers and Tesco improving customer service and to improving work efficiencies. For example self-service checkouts introduced recently to Tesco’s make it more convenient for customer’s to pay for their goods. This reduces costs to the business by reducing the number of staff needed. And also reduces waiting time of customers in queues. Other devices such as RF scanners, electronic shelf labelling and more other wireless devices. Environmental factors Includes working together and taking responsibility for the contribution to environmental issues such as global warming, use of resources etc. This involves ensuring policies are set in place to recycle and encourage others to recycle as well and think about wastage and packaging in production. Social/Culture factors Over the past several years the British population has seen a shift in their lifestyle and eating habits and are now increasingly surrounded by the need for healthy eating. Because of this sudden change in consumer demand, Tesco’s has adapted its product range to stock organic produce in order to fulfil customer needs. Political Factors During this difficult time of high levels of unemployment throughout the UK and the rest of the world governments are encouraging business like Tesco’s to help create job opportunities for the local people aiming to reduce unemployment figures including lower paid, and flexible working for different type of people such as the disabled, students and other citizens. Describe the structure and at least 4 functions of the organisation. Organisational structure’s can vary from business to business, depending on the type and size. Each organisation is divided into functions such as Finance, Personnel, Operations, and Marketing etc. These functions are made of individuals who play a key part in making the organisation a success. Tesco’s is a very large organisation with a Hierarchical structure. There are many different layers from the top director of the company right down to the sales team with the stores. With each person directly reported to a line manger with that function/department. Geography where it will have regional and area managers being held accountable of individual stores within that area with the key aim to maximise profit will also break down Tesco’s and other retailers. Each store will then also be divided down by department such as Clothing, Frozen foods, bakery, electrical etc all managed by a team leader. The function of the Security Loss prevention team is to ensure the safe and secure environment for both customers and colleagues. This consists of each store having a loss prevention manager and sometimes a security manager as addition to oversee any potential security issues and find solutions to solve these problems and protect the customer’s asset/profit. The Marketing function involves a number of roles including analysing other competitors, reviewing the store’s layout and range. Driving promotions and prices with high profile advertising from TV adverts, promotional banners within stores etc to customers receiving emailing and vouchers. Its aim is to entice more customers into the stores by promoting the products that they sell. The Personnel function is to make everyone understands the processes and policies and have all the leadership’s skills necessary to achieve the organisations goals. They do everything from training and developing staff, communicating benefits to colleagues, to performance and reward management. The I. T department is a very important part of the organisation as everything involves technology and we heavily rely on it to carry out daily duties. For example the I. T department are responsible for making sure the systems are user friendly for both customers and staff i. e. self-service checkouts. They also include systems to check stock control and availability to even systems used within other functions such as the finance, HR, and marketing. Explain how the different functions work together to optimise performance. Each organisation’s success to achieve their goals means that each of the different functions needs to work together and share their expertise. Everything that happens at Tesco’s has a direct effect on each department as they are all very closely linked. For example if Tesco’s decided to sell a different product then it would involve many different areas. Purchasing and supply would be involved to find appropriate suppliers and to consider distributional factors. They would also need to communicate with the finance team to ensure that budgets are stuck too and that it would produce a good return. Knowing what products would sell through consumer research and how they will advertise the new products would all come from the marketing team. Explain the culture of the organisation and at least two ways in which it affects its operation. Culture within an organisation is a mixture of its values, mission, and vision for the business and people’s behaviours, which is communicated out to new team members as exceptions of how they work, or the ways the organisation is run on order to achieve its objectives. Different organisations will have very different cultures in how they treat their staff, their customers and how others perceive this by experience and shared opinions. According to smallbuisness. chron. com Organizational cultures can have varying impacts on employee performance and motivation levels. Oftentimes, employees work harder to achieve organizational goals if they consider themselves to be part of the corporate culture. People make up a large portion of every organisation, which is why they have a very important role for the success of it. In order for an organisation to be successful in achieving its aims, objectives and productivity people must feel valued. A survey by the American psychological association found that ‘A fifth of working Americans do not feel valued by employers and half of this group intend to look for a new job in the next year. ’ Employee’s who don’t enjoy their work are either looking for a new job and are less likely to be productive and in turn do not help towards the success of the organisation. At Tesco’s their culture is†¦. ‘We never take anyone for granted’ Tesco know that customers can shop at any store so their aim is to ensure that they do everything they can to keep customers coming back to them. This means making sure that employee’s give the best customer service they can to offer a great shopping experience. To get the best results out of employee’s its been researched that employee’s must feel happy and valued at work and are then more likely to work better towards company’s objectives. And we know that if we look after our people and treat our colleagues with trust and respect they will look after our customers. (Tesco-careers. com). Tesco’s also encourage their employee’s to develop in their career at Tesco’s ‘A real opportunity to get on’. They are encouraged to work in different areas of the business and broaden their knowledge of the organisation by supporting them with training and development. It is important to develop employee’s to often them motivation and show there are of value to the company. It also helps if as many people know how other functions/department work for succession planning in case of sudden vacancies due to employee’s resigning, or due to sickness. Others can therefore step up into another role as a contingency plan so the business does not suffer whilst recruiting and developing others from outside the business. Identify at least three ways in which HRM/LD activities support the organisation in meeting its goals and business objectives. HR department support organisations with establishing policies, producing and developing procedures for managing staff and information to help achieve the organisational aims/mission in order for the organisation to succeed. HR professionals ensure that all staff are aware of the expectations of the company and for their job profile. This can be communicated through various methods such as team talks, and job descriptions. This helps the staff to know what the organisation expects of them and gives line managers criteria of what to measure their performance against and to highlight any potential development opportunities. Activities such as in depth leaning about the organisations help HR in structuring learning and development programmes. Understanding the objectives of the organisation and how individuals will meet these objectives through training, means better and more relevant training programmes to give staff / management the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out all duties and reach their goals. This gives staff motivation knowing that they have opportunities to progress and also gives managers a guide to keep track of staff development and makes the company run more effectively if all staff are trained to the same standard in line with the company objectives. For example training staff on providing great customer services and selling skills will help increase profit for the company. Activities such as recruiting and selecting the right people with the right skills are key to achieving company objectives and creating a successful business. This involves creating an advertisement to encourage the right candidates for the role, selecting the most skilled and experienced people to help achieve the company’s aims. It is HR responsibilities to produce recruitment procedures such as interviews, and assessments in order to review their capabilities. Identify at least three ways in which HRM and LD professionals support line managers and their staff. Line managers regularly call upon HRM to help them with decision making in what action to take with employees. For example if a line manager had issues with a team members performance. HR would ensure that a fair decision is made for the employee taking an unbiased view, taking into account all facts and correct procedures, and employment laws. HR ensure that line managers and staff have had the correct training to help them to carry out their duties confidently, ensuring that all information is current and up-to-date, even suggesting refresher training if needed. For example health and safety procedures are communicated to all staff through inductions into the workforce but employments laws and policies may change therefore HR will keep management informed that current information and work handbook used must be kept up to date, and staff may need for additional training. HR can help support mangers by suggesting specialised training for managers such as workshops for â€Å"people management skills† HR can help support mangers in providing them with required skills to aid the mangers resolve issues with their own teams. Managers and staff may have had training but have forgotten information or managers may need to check that the information that they are giving staff is accurate and so may wish to call upon to knowledge of HR themselves. HR has many different duties and may not have the resources to answer everyone queries so ensures that information such as policies and procedures are available and easily accessible for staff and employees to read. This releases some of the responsibility of line managers themselves.

Porters 5 Forces analysis

Threat of new competition eHarmony operates in a unique environment and that is why there has been a threat of new competition. As much as Match remained the company’s biggest competitor, other new companies were entering the market with new products specifically designed for different segments of the market. Competitors were always in full attack mode which made the company to review its options.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Porter’s 5 Forces analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This point can be reinforced by the fact that eHarmony had to invest in marketing to support its membership base. New entrants were mostly seen in the personals segment like Yahoo Facebook, MySpace and others. Competitor types have also been changing as time goes by which explains why the company will continue facing the threat of new competition. Threat of substitute products or services The match making indus try has always been changing based on new customer needs and preferences. This means that the threat of new products has always been there. eHarmony had to put up a fight with new products and services like paid do it yourself sites, free do it yourself sites, niche sites and online social networks. Consumers’ preference and tastes are always changing and that is why these sites were coming up with new products to challenge eHarmony’s market. As far as the threat of substitute products is concerned, most of these sites were concentrating on the market segment that was not covered by eHarmony like same sex relationships and specific age sets. Bargaining power of customers (buyers) With the increasing popularity of the internet, most customers have been able to access information thereby being knowledgeable on different aspects. This explains why eHarmony found itself in many lawsuits from different customers who felt that they were being secluded yet the company was foc using on a different market segment with its unique products. In fact, customers were able to choose sites that they found to be comfortable to them based on their preference which shows that they have a bigger bargaining power. Niche sites were in competition with eHarmony because they saw a gap that had not been exploited based on the demands that were being made by different customers. eHarmony had to invest a lot of money in research and development to meet the changing needs of customers for long term sustainability.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bargaining power of suppliers eHarmony had to invest substantial amounts of money in the market to continue being relevant. This means that the bargaining power of suppliers had also increased as time went by. The most notable suppliers who had increased their bargaining power were marketers because of a wide market. In fact, the bargaining power of suppliers had increased tremendously because of different and available options. The company could not operate alone and that is why it had to rely on a large number of suppliers for proper provision of services to diverse and distinct customers. Just like in the case of customers, there was free access to information that enabled suppliers to be knowledgeable on different market aspects thereby increasing their bargaining power. Intensity of competitive rivalry The intensity of competitive rivalry on the market share of eHarmony could not be underestimated and that is why the company had to support the growth of its membership base by investing heavily in marketing. Competitive rivalry had increased because of different competitor types that had emerged with new products targeting specific niche markets. For instance, online social networks were providing an important substitution that was a threat to the company’s products. On the other hand, d irect competitors like Match and Yahoo were intensifying their activities in the market with an aim of reducing eHarmony’s market share. This case study on Porter’s 5 Forces analysis was written and submitted by user Muhammad S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

My Wife and Kids Essay Example

My Wife and Kids Paper I am reviewing an American TV programme by the name of My Wife and Kids. It is about a family living everyday life in which a father gets thrown into the deep end when his wife goes back to work, leaving him to play house-husband with the three kids.  It is an exciting, bubbly TV programme which fits under the comedy genre. The directors main purpose is to provide entertainment for the viewers. My Wife and Kids is filmed in Stamford, Connecticut. The main setting is the family house, the living room, kitchen, garage or one of the four bedrooms. The programme is directed and produced by the Wayans family. This is a big family made up of brothers and sisters associated with TV production. The cast includes Damon Wayans who plays the man of the house, Michael Kyle, the working wife, Janet Jay Kyle, played by Tisha Campbell-Martin. Along with three children, with the oldest being Michael Kyle Jr. played by George O Gore II, Jennifer freeman, who plays the typical teenage girl, Claire Kyle, and lastly, cute young Kady Kyle, played by Parker McKenna Posey. Other characters also include Juniors girlfriend Vanessa Scott played by Brooklyn Sudano. Claires religious but weird boyfriend Tony, played by Andrew McFarlene and lastly young genius Franklin Aloysius Mumford, played by Noah Gray Cabey who has the biggest crush on Kady Kyle. We will write a custom essay sample on My Wife and Kids specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on My Wife and Kids specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on My Wife and Kids specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer My Wife and Kids intended audience is anyone and everyone. From the age of a young child to an adult. Due to the fact that the programme is based on family life, everyone is able to relate to the storylines.  Many family and friends enjoy the show and find it amusing and witty. Along with TV critics who say My Wife and Kids is a popular US TV show and Funny! The new Cosby show but BETTER! This television programme conveys its main point through the characters actions and their conversations. Everything they do is comical and never dull or dreary. Every episode, the audience react with laughter. I feel that My Wife and Kids fulfils its purpose very well. Its purpose is to entertain and it does just that.  Reason being, the viewers find it highly enjoyable to watch.  For me, I really enjoy watching this programme. I find it really hysterical. The characters do and say sarcastic, idiotic things which make them really, really hilarious. I am also able to relate to most characters and able to understand them. I really agree with the main purpose because it provides me with a lot of entertainment. There is never an episode which I dislike; I actually seem to enjoy every episode that is programmed. I dont seem to have a favourite character, I love watching all of them as they are all amusing in different ways.  Im quite fond of Claire and Junior Kyle. Claire is portrayed to be very witty and dopey; shes always dropping which is quite comical. As for Junior, he is always being humiliated due to his huge head. He is portrayed to be dumb and comments are always being made towards him, making him fell worthless.  This programme can not really be improved, theres nothing to actually improve. However, more characters and more storylines could be introduced.

Prologue Essays

Prologue Essays Prologue Essay Prologue Essay Thesis Rorers sin for seeking revenge is worse than Hester and Urethras adultery sin because Roger took it upon himself to seek Justice in an inhumane way that lead to the death of Arthur, Pearl without a father, and Hester alone to raise Pearl without the love of her life. Although Hester and Arthur committed adultery sin, which is punishable by death, Rorers sin to seek revenge is even worse because he decided someone elses faith for them, when the Puritans believed only God can control that. The towns people were convinced Dry. Chlorinating moved into Arthur Damselflys mom to be his caretaker; only Hester knew his real reasoning behind being Urethras doctor. While Dry. Chlorinating was collecting herbs for his medicine Hester decided to confront him: muff hound him every waking moment, give him false medical advice, to increase his discomfort, and cause him to die a living death each day. Hester has figured out Rorers purpose to deteriorate Urethras health is the ultimate revenge he hopes to accomplish for Hester cheating on him. Roger has given Arthur the wrong medication Just so he can watch the reverend die slowly and painfully. In the end of the story with his last breath Arthur comes clean about his sins to the town and wishes God can forgive Roger because he has deeply sinned. In contrast to Rorers sin, Arthur was set free for telling the truth and died in peace. During this time the Puritans abided by laws from the bible; only God controls faith. Because Roger became evil he decided Urethras faith by lying and giving false medical advice. For that he has sinned more deeply than Hester and Arthur because they told the truth about their secrets while Roger has defied God.

Accounting information system Implementation Plan Essay

Accounting information system Implementation Plan - Essay Example The new system would serve the purpose of information systems auditing. Information system auditing is carried out to identify the reliability of data processed into the financial system. Reliability of such a system is necessary because the information systems are responsible for generating the financial statements. The following issues play a key role in the implementation plan and thus, affect the overall system. The focus of the implementation strategy is on those procedures that affect the overall working of the system. The implementation of the new system would bring major changes in the organization. Therefore, we need change management policy and procedures to handle that. The main idea behind forming and implementing a change management policy is to provide a guideline for the management of change in an effective manner so that the human resource, i.e. the employees and the customers are not taken by surprise. Moreover, when we make changes, we need to plan ahead, monitor and take continuous feedback to reduce retention for the new system in the organization and to increase value addition by the system. Before we move onto the procedure of managing change, we must define what is change management? Change Management is the process of managing changes that happen with the implementation of some new system or with changing scenario (Change Management – Best Practice, 2009). We need to realize the issues that would arise as the Quickbooks Enterprise 9 is deployed in the organization: Retention – Changes are not usually welcomes, therefore, it is perfectly normal that Hydraulics Manufacturing Co. would have to face retention from its staff. This retention is mainly due to the apprehension that the experienced staff members might lose their job due to the new system. System Failure – Another risk associated with the deployment of the system is that it might not serve the purpose it is intended to serve. It might fail and not function properly

Provide an in-depth analysis of the Gong Lum v. Rice case Study

Provide an in-depth analysis of the Gong Lum v. Rice - Case Study Example Bayor asserts that Lum was denied a chance at Rosedale Consolidated High School because of her Chinese descent (45). This was in favor of the White students, who were allowed in this high school. The defendants in the case were responsible for her racial exclusion from the learning institution. The defendant included the Mississippi state superintendent, the board of trustees of the school, and Rice. The petitioners of the case indicate that there was no school that catered for the students of Chinese descent. The constitution of Mississippi stipulates that a common school fund should be available in every county to cater for the student needs. The fund ought to constitute of the taxation obtained from the public contributions and the apportionments from the treasury department. This fund is meant to support schools for four months. The plea of the case is based on the breach of this requirement of the constitution. This is because Rosedale Consolidated High School was an appropriate school for Martha Lum. More to that, her father was a taxpayer who also helped to support the running of the school as stipulated in the legislative document. This implied that denying her the right to attend and learn in Rosedale high school was tantamount to racial discrimination, which was not allowed by Mississippi’s constitution. In essence, the fact that Martha was educable is substantial for her to be allowed to progress in her education and career. According to Dickson, it is Martha’s constitutional right to access education given that she was not a member of the colored race (67). The colored race, especially Mongolians, was verboten in the Mississippi County. The court ruled that a writ of mandamus be invoked according to the petition filed to stop the hindering of Martha attending the school. The appeal of the defendants against the ruling of the supreme court of Mississippi culminated in a stern directive by the

Love and Family Essay Example for Free

Love and Family Essay The short story â€Å"Eveline,† by James Joyce is a story of a young girl who must make a decision between an unhappy life that she is familiar and comfortable with and a life of possible happiness, love, and the unknown. If she leaves with the sailor she has become fond of, she would have the chance to run off to unknown fun, unlimited dreams, and the possibility of love, or the possibility of a life of solitude. If she chose to stay with her father who was abusive and unwilling to change his ways, she would most certainly have a life of predictability and unhappiness. This made life with Frank sound more appealing. Also, Eveline had made a promise to her dying mother to take care of the home and her younger siblings for as long as she could. She would have to go back on her promise. Could she break a promise to her dying mother? The neighborhood she lived in was predictable and comfortable. She knew everything about it. As hard as the decision was, Eveline made the right decision to stay with her family because she is afraid to fail. Although Frank was a sailor that promised fun, dreams, and the ability to be happy, he could never make Eveline completely happy without love. When they would meet in secret she would always have fun with him. He made her happy. They would go to shows and he would sing to her. He made her feel special, which was something Eveline yearned for. Frank was mysterious. He told her stories of the many things he would do on his travels. He told of how he traveled through the Straights of Magellan and of when he had fallen on his feet in Buenos Ayres. His stories were always elaborate and often seemingly unbelievable at times. He told her he would take her to Buenos Ayres; this is where they would live happily ever after. He had a house waiting for her, he told her. She would be his wife. He never actually told her though, what would become of them or how they would survive. She knew Frank could give her life, but only perhaps love too. Eveline was not in love with Frank. At the end of this short story when she tells him good bye her eyes showed him no sign of farewell, or recognition, or love. When she decided to stay, Eveline knew what the rest of her life had in store with her family. Eveline was comfortable with her family and knew what to expect for the rest of her life. She had food and shelter. Her father was abusive and demanding but, he was always there for her and her family. One time when she was sick he read her a story and made her toast by the fire. This shows that even if his actions don’t always prove it, he cares about her and loves her. She would have to give up her family to stay with Frank because her father did not like him. Once her father had quarreled with Frank, after that she had been forbidden to see him any longer. She loved her family. It would be too difficult to give up on her family to be with a man she did not love. If she failed she would not have her family. Eveline never wanted to disappoint anyone in anything she did. If she left she would even disappoint her dead mother. Eveline had made a promise to her dying mother, on her death bed, the night she died, to keep the house together for as long as she could. This was hard for Eveline, but she knew it must be done. Eveline was the only person who could take on the task of caring for her siblings after her mother had passed away. Her father was often in a bad way, and would become violent with everyone that he came in contact with. Eveline would give all her money to the family for what they needed and wished she could give more. If Eveline stayed she would have to continue to work hard to keep her family together, but it was familiar and did not threaten failure and loneliness. She knew what was expected of her and knew she could do it. She would go to work, come home, and take care of her family that was her routine. Eveline was comfortable. She would work hard to keep her family together. She would not fail and she would forever be able to stay in the house she was familiar with and loved. Eveline was so accustomed to the neighborhood she lived, it had become comfortable. This was where she had grown up. She used to play in the streets and she knew everybody. She even knew the sounds of the people walking down the street, like the familiar footsteps clacking on the pavement of the man in the last house on his way home. She knew the familiar smells of the area. She was fond of the smell of her house. Eveline often mentioned the familiar odor of dusty creatone. Everything in the house was familiar and she had wondered at times if she would ever see them again. She had never dreamed of being divided from them. She was unsure if she could leave and not come back. She would never be able to see these things again. This was something Eveline could never face. Eveline was a weak woman brought down by a man all her life. Eveline made the right decision by staying because she had no idea what was ahead and was too afraid of failure. The risk of failure was too real. There were no promises of success. Eveline realized she only had one family and if you turn on them you have nobody left. If she were to fail with Frank she would have to fail alone, she than would have nobody to be there to help pick up the pieces. She would never again have the familiar sounds in the street, the house she grew up in, or her family. She would have to break a promise she made to her dying mother. Eveline did not believe it was worth the chance of failure. Eveline made the right decision to stay with her family.

Quantity Surveying Estimating Methods Impact

Quantity Surveying Estimating Methods Impact In view of the fact that the profession was being introduced in the country, Quantity Surveyors are construction professionals which being patronized under the Institution of Surveyors, Malaysia and its Board of Quantity Surveyor Malaysia. Advices are given by Quantity Surveyors on aspects of financial and contractual administration (ISM, 2004). ISM (2004) define, the Quantity Surveyor as the experts of capable in cost and management of construction projects and also need to price the Bills of Quantities, negotiating and agreeing schedule of rates. According to Andrew Doyle and Will Hughes (1997), the Quantity Surveying profession is constantly scrutinised, with regular demands for higher accuracy estimating. Besides, Mohammad Barzandeh (2009) defines estimating as the process of calculated guessing by looking into the future costs of a construction project before start work. It happens before construction has started. The Quantity Surveyor is responsible for these estimates which serve to make sure that construction project will have a successful financial outcome. Phuwadol Samphaongoen (2009) states construction cost estimating as a cumbersome process. An accurate estimate takes a long time for the Estimator to complete it. Contractors Estimator has to prepare cost estimates quite often for new projects. According to Skitmore, et al (1990), the aim of construction price estimating is to provide an estimate of the market price for the construction contracts. In the other hand, Holm et al (2005) defines cost estimating as the process of analysing a specific scope of work which predicting the cost of performing the work. Cost estimating also involves collecting, analysing and summarising all available data related to a construction project. Hira N. Ahuja Walter J. Campbell (1998) define a simple definition of an estimate which is a prediction of probable cost. According to Mohammad Barzandeh (2009), estimating is one of the most important functions for a successful construction project. These Estimates also influence the decisions made for budgeting and assist in Clients decisions for selection of the Contractor. 1.2 Problem Statement Cost overrun is a very common phenomenon as most of the construction projects in Malaysia facing this problem. Cost overrun occurs when the final cost or expenditure of the construction project beyond the original estimation cost. Cost overrun occurs in both developing and developed countries. (A.S. Ali S.N. Kamaruzzaman, 2010) Besides, Kai Zhu (2005) emphasises, cost estimation and planning is a very important and fundamental aspect in the construction process, it facilitates effective and efficient control of the construction projects. Despite their importance, often in practice because of time constraints, its requirements are not usually fulfilled which in the long run affect a projects quality, duration and budget. According to Kai Zhu (2005), one of the factors that cause cost overrun in Malaysia construction industry which is the inaccuracy of cost estimation prepared by Quantity Surveyors, the possible consequence of cost overrun is abandon of construction project due to underestimate. On the other hand, overestimated cost could result loss of opportunities by the Client and loss of contract award by the Contractor, both the Client and the Contractor could incur significant losses due to underestimated cost. In addition, Stephen D. Schuette et al (1994) emphasises that inaccurate construction project estimates might have a detrimental effect on all parties involved. Many additional factors which might affect the future events of construction project such as labour productivity, material availability, financial markets, weather, constructability issues, equipment availability, contract types, ethics, quality issues, control system, management ability and others. 1.3 Objectives Objectives: To identify the factors that affecting the accuracy of estimation by Quantity Surveyor during pre-tender and tender stage. To identify the impact of inaccuracy in estimation to the Client and/or the Contractor. To make recommendation for minimise the inaccuracy of estimation during pre-tender and tender stage. 1.4 Rationale of study Keith Potts (2011) states, the estimating process is very important, as it enables construction companies to determine their direct costs and provides a bottom line cost below which it would not be economical for them to carry out the construction work. Leng (2005) also states, cost estimation is one of the most important activities of the entire project duration. An over-estimate could lead to tender not being accepted by the Client and losing potential work. An under-estimate could lead to Contractor losing money. According to Hira N. Ahuja Walter J. Campbell (1998), cost estimate play the major role in the decision-making process which leads from concept to completion of a construction project. Cost estimating has become very important under economic conditions with high inflations and fiscal constraints. As mentioned by Keith Potts (2011), the basic challenges faced by the Contractors Estimator is to estimate the costs of constructing a project schedule for the specific construction activities and after that build the construction project within the estimated cost and schedule. Contractor to build a construction project profitably, the cost estimating and cost control skills are very essential for the Contractor. Kai Zhu (2005) recommends that the factors which affect the accuracy of estimation should be identifying in order to increase the accuracy of estimation. Besides, accurate cost estimation minimise the risk of cost overrun, provides confidence on construction project outcomes to the management and contributes to the strategic management of the organization. According to Zaitoun Shadeed Al-Khaldi (1990), there are many factors that affect the accuracy of construction cost estimating and it should be taken into account in the early stage of an estimate. Some of the factors can increase costs and the possibility of contractual disputes between the various parties involved. 1.5 Research Methodologies As stated by Richard Fellows Anite Liu (2008), there are two major approaches being employed for data collection, which are primary data and secondary data. Primary sources allow the researcher to obtain as close as possible to what actually happened during a historical event or time period. A secondary source is a work which interprets or analyses an historical event or phenomenon. It is generally at least one step removed from the event and is normally based on primary sources. According to Richard Fellows Anite Liu (2008), primary sources can be categorise into qualitative, quantitative or a mixed method research. In qualitative approaches seek to obtain insight and to understand peoples perception. Quantitative approaches tend to relate to positivism and seek to obtain factual data, to study relationship between facts and how such facts and relationships accord with theories and the searching from any research executed previously. Interview will be conducted in order to derive primary data. Besides, Quantitative approach such as questionnaires will be employed and conduct through postal delivery and e-mail. According to Denscombe (2007), secondary data provide the researcher theoretical background and knowledge. Secondary data will be collected by literature review method, which include reading journal, articles, published electronic, thesis or dissertation done by other students, news and books. For this project dissertation, majority of the secondary data is collected through books, articles and journals. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Factors affecting the accuracy of estimating According to Hira N. Ahuja Walter J. Campbell (1998), accuracy in estimating relies on freedom of avoidable mistakes. Estimates errors may also be attributed to technical errors in calculations or simply to careless blunders. Some ordinary blunders are misplacing a decimal point, failing to include the total of every estimate sheet in the final summary, errors in transferring figures from one sheet to another, simple multiplication or addition mistakes and misreading a number because of unclear handwriting. Any one of these types of errors can lead a significant effect on the accuracy of an estimate. 2.1.1 Construction items 2.1.1.1 Complexity of project Michael kitchens (1996) emphasises that the construction industry has become increasingly complex through the years as a result of improvement and advance in technology, natural evolution and litigation. H. van Meerveld, et al (2009) states that the level of complexity of a construction project is a function of three features which include organisational complexity, resource complexity and/or technical complexity. Cost estimation might influence by organisational complexity, resource complexity and/or technical complexity. As mentioned by Michael kitchens (1996), organisational complexity is the number of people, departments and organisations that are involved. Organisational complexity might lead to a loss of information due to communication becomes more difficult when more people are involved. The information that is lost can sometimes be necessary for acquiring an estimate. Organisational complexity can also indicate that Estimators work simultaneously on the same project. In this case, Estimators have to put more effort into coordinating this simultaneous work. According to H. van Meerveld et al. (2009), resource complexity is the volume of resources involved constantly assessed through the budget of the construction project. Resource complexity means that the overall amount of work needed to estimate increases which also increase the chance of making mistakes or errors. H. van Meerveld et al. (2009) note that technical complexity is the level of innovation involved in the product or the construction project process or novelty of interfaces between different parts of that process or product. Technical complexity means that Estimators will have to make manual adjustment to acquire a more accurate estimate on the particular construction project. In projects that are more complex are subject to a higher chance for the change of design. The Estimator has to re-estimate the complete project or parts of it depending on the sort of design changes. H. van Meerveld et al. (2009) state that in general there are two issues influence the estimating activities on more complex projects, which include a higher demand for coordination and structure to prepare an estimating for the construction project. Besides, if complexity increases estimating will need more effort to acquire an estimate and the probability of making mistakes increases. However, according to A. Ashworth et al., the complexity of modern construction industry and the variety of processes used have limited the availability of reliable feedback of information. In practice, the Estimator will have to use his own standard outputs and couple these with an expectation of future performance. 2.1.1.2 Labour productivity As stated by Donald F. McDonald et al (2004), on construction projects there are numerous circumstances and events that may cause productivity to decline which the Estimator might not anticipated when estimating the construction cost. Estimating labours and equipments costs requires more knowledge of construction techniques and experienced judgment as compare with estimating material cost. As estimating labours and equipment cost has the greatest uncertainty is in predicting the productivity of the labours and equipment that used on the construction project. According to Aiyetan Ayodeji Olatunji (2010), construction productivity is influenced by many factors which including material, equipment, tools, construction methods, management skills in terms of adequacy and accurate application. Donald F. McDonald et al (2004) mention that as a result of poor project management may be caused by the failure to properly schedule and coordinate the work and the Estimator might not expected that event of the poor project management. According to Donald F. McDonald et al (2004), work that is not scheduled properly which might lead to shortage of critical construction equipment or labours and incorrect mix of labour crews may result in decreased productivity of the labour because the labour may not able to work as efficiently as they could. Improperly planned and implemented project initiation procedures might also lead to lost labour productivity. Donald F. McDonald et al (2004) also states that if material, tools or construction equipment are not available to particular labour at the right location and timing, the productivity of the particular labour probably suffer as they may be unable to proceed in a consistent manner. Productivity of the labour might suffer if the wrong tools or improperly sized equipment is provided. In addition, poor site layout design can affect the productivity. In addition, Lee Holm et al. (2005) emphasise that estimating should be vary depend on site conditions, labour size, labour experience and equipment selected for the particular construction project. As lost productivity of labours are not tracked normally or cannot be discerned separately and contemporaneously. 2.1.1.3 Insufficient time David G. Carmichael (2002) emphasises that construction projects involving design time of months or years which request the Contractors to digest the tender documents and submit the tender within a relative short period. The planning, estimating, developing a work method, studies and others are prepared within a short period or an insufficient time is allowed. The Contractors is required an appropriate tender period to develop thorough the tender. David G. Carmichael (2002) states that as insufficient time is given to the Contractor for estimating and pricing the tender in rushing process, the Contactor might miss out any prior consideration. Binnington Copeland Associates (2012) also state that as the failure to allow the Estimator adequate time to carefully consider and pricing for risks which might result in excessively high tender prices where substantial contingency is allowed by the Estimator to cover unexpected situation, as the Estimator had not enough time to deal with it. Besides, according to David G. Carmichael (2002), this presents a challenge to the Estimator who has to prepare and complete several estimates and tenders in a relative short period of time. Tang Wai Kuen, Raymond (2005) emphasises that insufficient time for cost estimating is the prior factors which cause inaccurate cost estimating incur, as construction programmes are very tight and designs are frequently changed. The performance of cost management adversely affects the Estimator to estimates as insufficient time is provided. 2.1.1.4 Inadequate information According to Aiyetan Ayodeji Olatunji (2010), majority of the Contractors Estimator facing problem when tendering for a construction project which the information provided is insufficient. Under this circumstance, the Estimator must make his or her own estimation and assumption on it, if inaccurate estimation has been made, it may lead the Contactor overestimate or underestimate. Overestimate might cause the Contractor unable to award the construction project, underestimate might cause the Contractor unable to gain profit from the particular project or more worst still abandon of work due to insufficient financial to run the construction project. 2.1.1.5 Lack of availability of equipment There are two major circumstances which faced by the Estimator when estimating or pricing the tender. Firstly, the Estimator might require estimating the fluctuation of the price of equipment for relative long of period as the construction period normally last for few years. Secondly, during tendering stage the Estimator might require deciding whether own the equipment or hire the equipment from specialist company if the project require certain equipment which the Contractor does not own the equipment (Zaitoun Shadeed Al-Khaldi, 1990). According to Zaitoun Shadeed Al-Khaldi (1990), the Estimator has to evaluate and select one particular piece of equipment, it is essential to determine its hourly cost very accurately. Some factors have to be considered during this stage, which are number of hours used per day, month and year, severity of job conditions, the way the equipment has been maintained and the demand for equipment owned by the Contractor when it is sold. In addition, the price of the equipment might be increase due to inflation or many mega projects are run concurrently which might cause the unavailability of the equipment. 2.1.1.6 Incomplete drawing and detail design Lee Holm et al. (2005) emphasise that the accuracy of estimate also will depend upon the completeness of the contract documents provided and others. In addition, the factors of incomplete drawing and detail design as the factors which cause inaccuracy of estimation in construction project. During tendering, the Contractors Estimator is carrying out the estimating work due to drawing is unclear and none very detail shown in the drawing. The Estimator has to make his or her own assumption for estimating and pricing the tender. This factor will increase the chance of inaccuracy estimation for the particular construction project. 2.1.1.7 Computerised estimating software The actual use of the computer for estimating is varied within the construction industry. Some companies use the computer for all construction projects with a high degree of sophistication and some other companies do not use the computer at all. (Stephen D. Schuette Roger W. Liska, 1994) Phuwadol Samphaongoen (2009) defines detailed cost estimating as a cumbersome process that involves a lot of data and calculations, improvement in technology that could assist the estimating process of construction cost; it could reduce the Estimators work load. Computers are considered to be effective tools for assisting Estimators during the pre-tendering and tendering stage. Computers provide many benefits to the Estimator, which including reducing estimation errors, the time required and others. Stephen D. Schuette Roger W. Liska (1994) state that the early uses of computers by the construction companies were limited to accounting functions only. The improvement in micro-computering have increased knowledge of computer capabilities construction managers have begun to use computers in everyday construction operations to make quick and accurate decisions. Phuwadol Samphaongoen (2009) states estimating technologies which include spreadsheets, builds soft, microsoft excel, cost estimating software, digitizing tablets, on-screen digitizing systems and the yet to be matured 3-D CAD parametric estimating software and others. During the detailed cost estimating process various software packages are available to assist the Estimator. The capabilities of software packages vary greatly, as some of the software is include labour, equipment and material cost databases, after the database is set up which could facilitates the estimating process. According to Phuwadol Samphaongoen (2009), a spreadsheet is a computer application which simulates a paper worksheet. It arrange for the user with cells that are compiled into rows and columns. Each of the cells can contain either text, numerical values or formula, it can be defined in cells to obtain calculated value from the related cells. Complicated mathematical calculations can be automated with a change or alter of a single cell with the use of formula in the spreadsheet. Estimator uses the worksheets to accelerate the estimating process. A template can be set up by the Estimator with saved formula in the spreadsheet. Quantity take-off calculations can perform within a spreadsheet by the Estimator. Although a spreadsheet requires a lot of input from the Estimator, it could remove the cumbersome and error prone manual calculations during the quantity take-off and pricing. As stated by Mofti Bin Marjuki (2006), Global Estimating is an estimating program which has been tailored for commercial use in the construction industry. Bills of Quantities or detailed Estimates and Cost Plans can be produce through this program. Designed primarily for use by commercial building Contractors and professional Quantity Surveyors it includes features which allow it to be used in other industries where estimating is required. The grouping columns in this program are very powerful as it can be re-sorted or analysed the entered information. For example, the estimate can be summarised to produce totals by area, block, stage, cost centre, accounting group, or any user defined set of codes. Mofti Bin Marjuki (2006) mentioned Microsoft excel can be used for contains or store industry standard cost data in the CSI format for all cost categories covering general construction. Unit prices include material and labor including labor hours. This software provide easily modify and add cost data to suit local conditions and business. Besides that, Microsoft excel instantly creates user-modifiable, onscreen or printed estimate reports including price quotation. In addition, this software can save time, improve accuracy and achieve greater success. Phuwadol Samphaongoen (2009) notes that a digitizing tablet is a computer input device which uses a stylus and a tracking surface to capture the drawing on to the computer system. The drawing traced on the tracking surface transfers point coordinates to a computer; it can be used for many different purposes which including construction cost estimating. Digitizing tablets purpose in construction cost estimating is to digitize the paper-based blueprints provided by Estimator or the designer. For example, the Estimator can get the length, perimeter and area out of the drawing by the scale provided in the blueprints. These parameters are available when using the digitizing tablet through software package. After the paper blueprints have been digitized and the quantities for all work items have been determined, the Estimator might those quantities to estimate the prices of items, but quantity takeoff using the digitizing tablets may cause errors from unstable hand during tracing the drawing. Digitizing require a large number of blueprints which is very time-consuming process to the Estimator. (Phuwadol Samphaongoen, 2009) Phuwadol Samphaongoen (2009) mentioned that 3-D computer aided drawing (CAD) models allow estimators visualize what is going to be built in the 3-D environment. The ability to digitally extract and transfer data can speed up and facilities the cost estimating process. A building model allow the user seen in many different views which include details of elements, dimensions can be extracted and transferred to the estimating software. In the other hand, Stephen D. Schuette Roger W. Liska, (1994) state that the duties of the Estimator might change if the Estimators company implements the use of the computer in the estimating process. Before computerisation estimating process the Estimator spent the greatest amount of time determining the quantities of materials and performing math calculations. Computers accomplish these tasks rapidly and accurately permit the Estimator to give more attention and concentration to alternative construction methods, material supplier negotiations, predicting the productivity of labours, developing accurate cost information and bidding strategies. Everything that comes out of the computer, the Estimator should not accept it blindly or rely totally on the computerised system as the computer cannot make judgment. The result of the computerised estimate software should always review by Estimator to avoid errors and mistakes; as computerised estimate software is not immune to technical faults which are likely not to be detected easily and early as recommend by Stephen D. Schuette Roger W. Liska (1994). Besides, Stephen D. Schuette Roger W. Liska (1994) state that computerised estimate software could also be susceptible to technical limitations such as inability to work under certain conditions, inability to work well with other tools and limited to technical support. It might trigger severe consequences on estimating processes due to the Estimators lack of knowledge on those computerised estimate software. The manifestations of tool based error are which included: software construction, faults from programme performance frameworks, errors from a secondary source, end-users inappropriate use, inability to interact perfectly with other applications and others (Oluwole Allfred Olatunji, 2010). In addition, Oluwole Allfred Olatunji (2010) mentions that computerised estimate software could obsolesce of standards due to evolution of information technology in the estimating industry, especially description libraries and databases used for automatic estimating. Estimators or applications must be updated frequently when built into a programme as reference standards for reviewed, otherwise that the program possibility miss-apply the standards. 2.1.1.8 Experience or qualification of Quantity Surveyor Estimator According to Skitmore et al. (1990), expert Quantity Surveyors in the UK provided evidence of significant differences in estimating accuracy between the individual surveyors involved. Lee Holm et al. (2005) emphasise that the accuracy of estimate also will depend upon the completeness of the experience of the Estimator and others. As stated by Hira N. Ahuja Walter J. Campbell (1998), the Estimators knowledge can provide a measure of insight and accuracy that is unobtainable from any other information sources. According to Skitmore et al. (1990), construction contract price estimating practice is, with very few exceptions, heavily dependent on the skill of the Estimator. This skill is associated with the other factors affecting the quality of Estimator which are the nature of the target, information, technique and feedback and the personal attributes of the forecaster himself combining to provide the general term of expertise. Besides that, Mudd (1984, p.1-2) has described that Contactors Estimator should associated with certain qualities. These include: good basic numerate and literate education, reasonable time spent on site, interpret drawings, ability to communicate, facility to make accurate mathematical calculations, application of logic and common sense, patience, able to cope with a vast volume of paper, a working knowledge of all the major trades, close relationship with those peoples who are responsible for construction, a knack of picking up useful information, flexibility and others. 2.1.1.9 New/innovative techniques or materials The implemention of Industrialised Building System (IBS) is still not widespread in the industry despite the government has encouraged the implementation of IBS towards reducing percentage of foreign works and improving quality, productivity, safety and competitiveness through IBS construction method. IBS is a construction process that utilises techniques, products, components or building system which involved prefabricated components and on-site installation (CIDB 200). Salihudin Hassim, Mohd Saleh Jaafar and Saiful Azri Abu Hasan Sazalli (2009) emphasise that since the first project of IBS in year 1964 till today, IBS in Malaysia is not well accepted by the construction parties because of failure to adequately deal with risk in the IBS projects. The failure to keep in cost estimate in IBS project is still common in Malaysia and it is one of the reasons that limit the development of IBS in Malaysia construction industry. 2.1.1.10 Availability of historical price data Martin Brook (2008) states that estimating method used for cost planning and estimating which relies on historical cost data during early stages, whereas current price apply by analytical estimating approach to resource for a well-developed design. According to Hira N. Ahuja Walter J. Campbell (1998), most established companies make it a policy to keep records of actual costs incurred on their various construction projects. As mentioned by Hira N. Ahuja Walter J. Campbell (1998), the estimator can determine if his estimated costs were accurate or otherwise through comparing records of estimated costs. If the estimating is not accurate, whether the discrepancy was due to Estimator own lack of expertise or rather or incur some unforeseen cost-incurring conditions. In addition, these cost records serve another function, which is providing reliable cost data for preparing future estimates. Tang Wai Kuen, Raymond (2005) mentions that there are several historical databases available that provide current values for estimating costs of the several units of work for a project. The example of historical price data such as databases are collect from records of actual project costs or companys own past experience and on-going price quotations from suppliers and are published annually in the form of books, CDs and computer-based extranets. Stephen D. Schuette Roger W. Liska (1994) suggested that it is important that accurate database information be received to develop the estimating information data bank. In the other hand, according to Tang Wai Kuen, Raymond (2005), applying published data or software database pricing without first adjusting for the particular aspects of the project it might cause underestimate or overestimate. As every project in construction is unique as every project with a distinct set of local factors, for examples; size of project, level of competition, flexibility of specifications, work site, working hour restrictions and others. As stated by Tang Wai Kuen, Raymond (2005), review each line item by the professional Estimator is required when the estimating system attached to a price database, such review for the Estimator to make sure it is applicable. Inaccurate estimates can be caused by the Estimator applying these database prices blindly. Historical can be constitute a major cause of inaccurate cost estimate, if the Estimator store incorrect or inaccurate data as price database, in future the Estimator prepare cost estimation relies on inaccurate or incorrect database cause occurrence of inaccurate estimate. On the other hand, Hira N. Ahuja Walter J. Campbell (1998) emphasis, estimating publications have increase greatly, these guides are invaluable to Estimators who do not have access to actual job records. Published data are useful during all stages of estimate development. Although it is certainly not recommended that published data alone be used for an entire estimate, but it is undoubtedly useful in filling in the gaps in cost information where no other source is unavailable. 2.1.2 Financial factors Aiyetan Ayodeji Olatunji (2010) states that the performance of construction projects negatively affects by financial risk, financial risks might include high inflation and increased construction of the project. These factors affect particular projects where materials and goods are required for construction have to be imported from foreign country. The exchange rate changes on a daily basis are high so that the interest rate subject to change, it increases the percentage or chances of inaccuracy estimation occur. As mentioned by Laeeq Hassan (2010), financial risk associated with construction projects which include paucity of funds, delay in payment and others. All construction parties or compani

The Burden of Deceit in Public Life

The Burden of Deceit in Public Life: Sissela Bok Writing to Discover Nancy, a middle-aged politician, is more than eager to be elected as her town’s mayor in the next election. With the mind-set that she will, in reality, be limited as far as what she can do to help her town as a whole, Nancy decides to â€Å"sugar-coat† her public speech. In doing this, Nancy is confident that the citizens of her town will feel both reassured and hopeful that she will make many positive changes as mayor; even if she doesn’t have the power to do so.In contrast; Tyler, a sixteen-year-old boy, has just been confronted by his girlfriend about cheating on her with her best friend. Instinctively, he denies the situation as a whole, hoping his girlfriend will believe him. Although being dishonest, Tyler feels as though it is the best decision to save their relationship and prevent his girlfriend from getting hurt. While these are both hypothetical situations, they also happen in realit y, and on a daily basis. Nancy and Tyler differ from one another in age, gender, and case-but they are very much alike in the sense that they both chose to lie.The word lie is such a harmless, three-lettered-word, right? Wrong. Lying is something that is both overlooked morally and figuratively. Regardless of what extent one chooses to lie, they are still in the wrong. I feel as though there is no â€Å"grey area† in terms of telling a lie; there is truth, and then there is untruth. With this being said, I consider all of deception, self-deception, deceit, and mendacity to be forms of lying. Deception withholds dishonesty in itself; it undoubtedly correlates to any type of trickery and or fraud.Likewise, deceit involves being dishonest as well. Whether one does this through actions or words would just depend upon the situation. Mendacity includes both lies and also self-deception, making it a more severe form of lying. I do believe that there are different degrees of lying. T here are â€Å"white-lies,† which are used in minor situations, and often used carelessly by individuals. These particular lies correlate to what was said earlier when I stated that lies are overlooked both morally and figuratively.Why do individuals feel the need to tell a so-called â€Å"white-lie† in order to impress another person, cover-up a skeptical situation, or simply for their own enjoyment? This I cannot begin to fathom. In addition, a â€Å"white-lie† is accepted by many in our world today. Humans feel as though it is rational in certain situations and can obviously prevent matters from blowing out of proportion. This is fine, until of course the first â€Å"white-lie† adds up to five, and then ten, etc. Before that person can blink, he or she has converted into a compulsive liar.After a â€Å"white-lie† comes that of a normal lie. By this I mean one that is used intentionally, and with the purpose of covering up wrong. Those who lie ab out things such as committing adultery, stealing, or even taking the life of another, are all sinners in my eyes. To prevent from making this a religious response, I will just bluntly state that if a person is being immoral in any way, shape, or form, they are in the wrong. Lying correlates to this on many levels and is simply unjust.

Cross Cultural Values and Ethics Essay

The terms high context and low context were first used by Edward Hall and they are used to explain the underlying cultural differences between societies. In high context cultures, a lot of the information is either internalized in an individual or it is in the physical context. This means that in this form of culture nonverbal messages are more important than the verbal messages. In addition, the people in high context cultures share a form of closeness which is due to their shared experiences. Some of the societies with high context communication are Korea, China and Japan. On the other hand, in low context cultures messages that are verbal are usually highly specific in addition to being elaborate. Verbal messages also tend to be very detailed. Some of the societies with low context communication include Switzerland, United States and Germany. There are several differences between high context and low context communications. One of these is that in low context communication messages are best passed by words (verbal) than by nonverbal methods. On the other hand, in high context communication the messages are best passed by nonverbal means than by words. Another difference is that in low context communication the verbal message is direct. On the other hand, in high context communication the verbal message is indirect and communication is effected by talking around a point. Another difference is that high context communication is used in well established relationships especially where people have been relating for long. On the other hand low context communication is used among people who have short durations of contact. 2. Explain how World War II changed women’s labor force participation. World War II changed women’s participation in the workforce. To begin with, at that time most of the women stayed at home and held no paying jobs and this is because this was a preserve of men. However with the World War II men were deployed in the military and this created a shortage of workers especially at a time when workers were desperately needed particularly for production of war equipments. Women who could not previously be employed as culture placed men in the workforce and women at home were able to get jobs. This led to an increase in the number of women who were in the workforce. Another thing is that women who were already in the workforce and who had been holding traditionally female jobs such as clerical jobs were able to switch to high paying jobs which were previously considered a preserve of men. Clearly, the World War II was a blessing in disguise to women. They were able to overcome culture and discover the great potential in them by holding jobs that were traditionally reserved for men. No doubt that this proved to women that they have capability to achieve just like men and it changed the position of women in the workforce. 3. Explain Hofstede’s masculinity-femininity dimension and the behavioral expectations set for each gender. The Hofstede’s dimension of masculinity/femininity focuses on the emphasis the society places on nurture and achievement. According to the dimension, femininity emphasizes sexuality equality, caring and nurturing, and environmental awareness. On the other hand, masculinity emphasizes wealth acquisition, distinct gender roles, and ambition. According to this dimension, there are set behavioral expectations for each gender. The behavioral expectations depend on context. For example when it comes to politics and economics, men are expected to solve conflict through force as well as priotize economic growth. On the other hand, women are supposed to priotize environmental protection and solve conflicts by negotiation. When it comes to social norms, men are supposed to be ego oriented and so they should focus on attaining money and things as these would boost their ego. As for women, they should be relationship oriented and so they should focus on people and quality of life. When it comes to work, men should show preference for higher wages while the women should show preference for less working hours because of their other responsibilities. When it comes to matters of education especially school performance, men are expected to consider failing as a disaster while women should consider failing as a minor accident. On matters of religion, religion should be very important to men while to women religion should not be a very important aspect of life. 4. List and describe the 6 similarities across all religions. As much as there are differences across the different religions in the world, there exists several similarities. One of these is the belief in divinity which is accorded names such as Allah, Krishna, and God. In all religions there is the belief that there is a being that is divine and which is above the man. Another similarity is the belief that it is possible for man to communicate with divinity through actions such as prayers, sacrifices and meditation. Another one of the similarities is the belief that man requires help in order for him to communicate with the divinity and that is why mediators such as prophets, apostles, and holy men are sent by the divinity to men. Another similarity is the use of sacred scriptures which provides sacred wisdom which is transmitted from one generation to the other for propagation of the religious beliefs. The religions believe that the scriptures have a divine origin. Another similarity across religions is the performance of rituals and these are meant to bring man close to divinity. The last similarity lies in speculation where people across all religions, from their birth to their death ask similar questions and are faced by many similar challenges and uncertainties about life. 5. Who are the Mosuo people? How is their way of living different from the United States, explain 3 significant contrasts between both societies. Mosuo people are people who belong to a small ethnic group that lives in the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in China. These people have unique cultural practices which make their way of life very different from that of United States. One of the most significant contrasts is that among the Mosuo people lineage is traced through the female side. This is unlike in United States where people trace their lineages through their father’s side. This means that if one does not know their father but knows their mother they have a belonging and thus cannot face stigmatization. Another contrast lies in the fact that unlike in US where the man is the head of the family, among the Mosuo the woman is the head of a family. The female elder in a family handles the family matters such as assigning of duties and management of money. She has absolute power. This is unheard of in US where men are the head of their families and would not agree to be headed by a woman as it would hurt their ego. Another significant contrast is seen when it comes to marriage. Among the Mosuo people, they have what is called walking marriages. Unlike in US where people marry, live together and bear children which they raise together, among the Mosuo men and women who are in love and are having sexual relations do not live together and any children born out of the relationship belong to the woman’s family.

How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions

How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions The toughest interview questions can be deceptive- after all, how can â€Å"tell me about yourself† be a trap? In reality, these are questions that require some thought behind them, and that means you don’t want to look like the proverbial deer in headlights while you scramble for an answer. Here are some of the most common tough question types, and how to get through them.What is your biggest weakness?/Tell me about a time you failed./What is your greatest missed opportunity? These are questions designed to get you to be honest, and to (unofficially raise any red flags for the interviewer). They’re kind of a trap. If you say you don’t have any weaknesses or failures, they’re likely to keep digging until you reveal something you might not want to reveal. If you use a blatantly positive â€Å"weakness,† like â€Å"I love my job too much,† that will likely also result in more pushing for the real you.Instead, confront these questions hea d-on. Before the interview, prep some examples of times you faced adversity in your job, but that you persevered. Find a way to turn it into a backdoor positive: â€Å"My weakness is that I try to take on too much, but I’ve learned along the way to trust the people around me and work on realistic plans to get the job done.† Or â€Å"I used to have issues with organization, but now I’ve developed a planning method that works for me, and I also take advantage of tools like Asana to keep me on track.†Are you a team player?/Tell me about a time you handled conflict./What would you do if you disagreed with your boss?These questions are meant to gauge your ability to work with others. Incorrect answers include: â€Å"There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team,’ right?† However, you also don’t want to look like a middle-of-the-pack pushover. The best way to handle questions like these is to have specific examples of how you’ve collaborated with others in the past. If you were the leader, make sure you emphasize that, and talk about how important it is for the whole team to work well together and put aside differences so that the work gets done.Aren’t you overqualified for this position?/Where do you see yourself in five years?/What are your long-term goals?  These are commitment questions. The last person a company wants to hire is someone who’s going to bolt for a new opportunity six months in. Realistically, the interviewer knows you’re not likely to put in 50 years in this job, but it’s good to reassure him or her that you’re committed to the idea of this role. The answer to the long-term question doesn’t need to be, â€Å"I see myself right here in this position,† but definitely talk about how you see yourself growing into the role and what your professional goals are in the industry.The â€Å"overqualified† question can be especially sticky, e specially in a tough job market were people just want a foot in the door. If that’s the case, be honest that you’re seeking a position where you can settle in and build a new arm of your career, picking up new experiences and bringing your skill set to this new job, even if it’s a step back in seniority.If you practice these kinds of questions beforehand, and have a mental list of specific anecdotes and points you want to hit in the interview, the interview should go more smoothly. You never want to be caught by surprise, lest you start rambling or admitting to things that make you look like a weaker candidate. Always find a way to spin answers to these questions as either a strength or as a learning experience, and you’ll do well on interview day.

Filtering the Net essays

Filtering the Net essays Over the last several years many attempts have been made to put a limit on what can be viewed on the Internet. In 1996, it was the Communications Decency Act and in 1999 the Child Online Protection Act. Both were shot down because they were said to violate the first amendment right to free speech. Should the government have the right to limit what children view on the Internet? The government does this in places like schools and libraries. Filtering the Internet has become commonplace in most schools and libraries. Internet filters are software that puts restrictions on what can be viewed by using a vocabulary list. If a word on a website is in this list than the filter kicks in and the site cannot be seen. This has caught the eye of many different groups of people, such as the Family Research Council. This is what the Family Research Council has to say about Internet filters software that filters out objectionable Internet content will save public libraries from becoming sex havens where children and adults routinely go for pornography. Then there are groups with totally opposite views, such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation. When asked about Internet filters they said filters are imperfect and can harm children by creating a false sense of security and censoring some important information. The alliance just feels that if you deny children access to certain things, it will hurt them in the long run. Some teachers in New York City are also against the Internet filters because they said the filters would not allow access to many educational sites. There are also people who think the Internet filters are just a violation of free speech. Most people think that libraries and librarians were the ones that brought about these filters, but that is just not true. The American Library Association released this statement on internet filters it does not endo ...

Multicast routing in mobile networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multicast routing in mobile networking - Essay Example MAODV is the best in communicating from the sender to the receiver nodes. Packet delivery ratio for MAODV and AODV This is the ratio between the packet of data that are actually delivered and those sent by the source.AODV been a multicast routing protocol it performs slightly better than MAODV in terms of packet delivery ratio. The ratio increase as the number of receivers decreases. These are very shocking a result since MAODV is designed to handle multiple receivers. Magld (2007) This is a ratio measured against the pause time. It also used in measuring mobility. The results are expected because this is the testing a mobile ad hoc network environment.MAODV is seen to deliver more packets as long as time is not increased .It works better than AODV and FDQA. AODV and FDQA vary slightly overtime but they are much lower in terms of success rather than MAODV. Magld (2007) FDQA is designed to deal with one QoS requirement delay .FDQA has high end-to-end delay over time. In comparison to MAODV and AODV, which has lower latency in short, term .FDQA algorithm, this is based on Fanos algorithm. The simulation I have conducted is testing the effect change in the node delay that has the success ratio. I have also tested the node delay effect on the average message overhead. The result shows the node delay positively affects both FDQA and A0DV success ratios and it has much of an effect on average message overheads for FDQA. MAODV and AODV are compared in relation to three parameters namely; Throughput, latency and packet delivery ratio.MAODV has performed slightly better but not in all of them. It has generally works better in a multicast ad hoc network environment than AODV does despite having same similarities. In comparing MAODV, AODV and FDQA I have found that MAODV has a higher performance that FDQA in relation to packet delivery ratio.FDQA algorithm has been designed to address