Labor Relations Essay

1. Define the term â€Å"collective bargaining† and list and describe four issues that are mandatory components of a collective bargaining agreement. Collective bargaining can be defined as the process of involving representatives from both employers and employees to come to terms and conditions of employment that both parties agree. These agreements are written into legally binding contacts good for one to five years. (Budd, 2009, p. 229) Four issues that are mandatory components of collective bargaining agreement are compensation, personnel policies, employer rights and responsibilities. Compensation would include wages, benefits, vacations, holidays, and profit sharing. Personnel policies refer to layoffs, promotions, and transfer policies. Employer’s rights and responsibilities include but not limited to seniority rights, job standards, management right, just cause, safety standards, and discipline and discharge, (Budd, 2009, p. 13) Employer rights and responsibilit ies is a component of collective bargaining is illustrated in an article by Aaron Kuriloff. According to this article the NFL position is that the; NFL Players Association isn’t bargaining in good faith, using delays to run out the clock on talks before disbanding the union and suing the league under antitrust law for colluding to restrict pay (Kuriloff, 2011 ) The National Football League has asked the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for clarifications in using antitrust laws to block a lockout and clarifying if the National Football League Players Association is a certified labor union. The National Football League position is that the National Football League Players Association is using delaying tactics and they are threatening a work stoppage. The next a component of collective bargaining I found in an article by Howard Beck of the New York Times deals with compensation. The National Basketball Association is also facing a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) Mr. Becks states, that the Owners are proposing a fundamental overhaul of the N.B.A.’s eco nomic system, including a hard salary cap, shorter contracts and a 38 percent reduction in player salaries (about $800 million (Beck, 2011) The owners want to reduce salaries because 17 out of the 30 franchise teams are losing money at a sum of $300 million a year. While the National Basketball Player’s Association disputes the league’s figures; because Attendance is up, the league is on pace for its highest viewership of all other professional sports. To conclude these  collective bargaining agreements of both the NFL and the NBA can be categorized as being distributive bargaining. Both parties are going either win or lose some concessions to remain a viable and profitable organization. 2. List and discuss three U.S. laws that support collective bargaining, and three examples of employer unfair labor practices. The three laws that support collective bargaining between employers and labor unions are the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947, and Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, which is also known as the Wagner Act, made it legal to form unions and engage in collective bargaining. The Wagner Act created a labor environment to equalize the bargaining power between the employer and employees as stated by this text the policy of the United States to eliminate the causes of certain substantial obstructions to the free flow of commerce and to mitigate and eliminate these obstructions when they have occurred by encouraging the practice and procedure of collective bargaining (National Labor Relations Board) The main purpose of the Wagner Act was to encourage collective bargaining in the private sector by protecting workers’ rights to join and form labor unions (Budd, 2009 , p. 119) Furthermore, this act also gave more expansive powers to the federal government with the regulating of labor relations; and it banned employers from punishing workers for using their collective bargaining rights. Americans did have the right to join unions and strike, prior to the enactment of this law. Previously, employers had been free to spy on, to question, to discipline, to discharge, to terminate, and to blacklist employees for either joining unions or striking. According to the website Infoplease.com the Taft-Hartley Act amended much of the National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act of 1935, the federal law regulating labor relations of enterprises engaged in interstate commerce, and it nullified parts of the Federal Anti-Injunction (Norris-LaGuardia) Act of 1932. The act established control of labor disputes on a new basis by enlarging the National Labor Relations Board and providing that the union or the employer must, before terminating a collective-bargaining agreement, serve notice on the other party and on a government mediation service. The government was empowered to obtain an 80-day injunction against any strike  that it deemed a peril to national health or safety. (Taft-Hartley Labor Act, 2011) The Labor-Management Relations Act provided the government far more oversight over union activities, including the right of the U.S. president to stop a strike if it was deemed dangerous to national health. The act also stripped unions of their power in several ways, including forbidding unions from contributing to political campaigns and only allowing unions to organize after a majority vote by employees. Although President Truman vetoed the act, it passed easily over his veto, and this act remains the heart of U.S. labor law. The Labor-Man agement Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959. Also called the Landrum-Griffin Act, this law amended the Taft-Hartley Act to protect the rights of union members within their union and imposed new reporting requirements and codes of conduct on unions and employers. This was act created in response to the surge of corruption from various labor union officials who used violence as a way to quail the union opposition from employers and employees. Another process of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 was to stop labor unions from be infiltrated by communist. Furthermore, former members of the Communist party and former convicts were prevented from holding a union office for a period of five years after resigning their Communist party membership or being released from prison. (infoplease.com, 2011) Three examples of unfair labor practices include; firing a union supporter or someone trying to form a union, Failing to bargain in good faith, threatening to employees with job loss or demotion or physical harm if they support a union and preventing employees from talking about a union or wearing union buttons when it doesn’t interfere with their work duties or customers. The National Labor Relations Board which is an independent federal agency devoted to conducting representation elections and adjudicating unfair labor practices (Budd, 2009 , p. 124) I want to discuss a news article written by Chris Si eroty, who writes for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Mr. Sieroty details in his article about the labor unrest being experienced in Las Vegas Nevada concerning the allege discrimination against employees based on their national origin. The protesters also urged Station Casinos to support the union’s efforts to establish a new standard when it comes to alleged discrimination against employees based on national origin. (Sieroty, 2011) Therefore, the labor union, the Culinary Local 226  is attempting to unionize nearly 13,000 workers at the 18 hotel-casinos operated by Station Casinos in Southern Nevada. Station Casinos has been charged with using threats, intimidation, surveillance, bribery, discrimination and other illegal activities against employees engaged in lawfully protected union activities. The National Labor Relations Board alleges that for approximately seven months Station Casinos has used this illegal tactic to divide and conquer in union busting strategy by not supporting an anti-discrimination policy. The article I want to discuss is an article by Steven Greenhouse. Mr. Greenhouse writes for the New York Times and his article was about the illegally firing an employee after she criticized her supervisor on her Facebook page. The action falls under unfair labor practices of firing a union supporter or someone trying to form a union. The National Labor Relations Board steps in to clarify the statute that a worker could not be fired because they criticize their employer under the National Labor Relations Act. The National Labor Relations Board states a example of it clarifying statement, That act gives workers a federally protected right to form unions, and it prohibits employers from punishing workers — whether union or nonunion — for discussing working conditions or unionization. The labor board said the company’s Facebook rule was overly broad and improperly limited employees’ rights to discuss working conditions among themselves. In summary if we are g uaranteed freedom of speech, should always trump business’ restrictive policies on speech (Greenhouse, 2010) 3. Describe the process of establishing and decertifying a collective bargaining unit in the workplace. Initiating an Organizing Drive The first step in establishing a union in the workplace is to begin by initiating an organizing drive. There are three possible initiators of an organizing a drive: one or more employees, a union, or an employer (Budd, 2009 , p. 188) Then you must first find out if your co-workers want to form a union by gauging their interest by quietly talking to a few trusted co-workers who you think may be interested in improving the workplace. Create a representative group of co-workers, usually called an Organizing Committee to make sure your efforts to form a union succeed. The Organizing Committee educates fellow workers about the benefits of unionizing and your rights under the law. The Organizing Committee should consist of people from  every department in your workplace and should be representative of all races, genders, and ethnicities. The committee then should gather an employee list, as well as information about your employer.† (How To Organize A Labor Union At Your Workplace, 2010) Building and Documenting Support The second step in establishing a union in the workplace is to begin building and documenting support. You must document a minimum of 30% of your fellow employees who have to shown interest in forming a union at your workplace. This next step is most likely accomplished by the signing of Authorization Cards or simply A Cards by the employee. By virtue of your signature, the A Card signifies that you desire for the union to represent you for the purpose of collective bargaining. However if you garner more than 50% of the workplace showing interest in being represented by a union you may request that the employer recognize your union. Subsequently if the employer refuses to voluntary recognize the labor union, there are alternates to be recognized by the employer available. Alternates to Voluntary Recognition The third step in establishing a union in the workplace is to begin using alternates to voluntary recognition. After the majority of the employees have decided to join the union, your employer will either recognize the union or refuse to recognize it. The alternative for a union to recognize by an employer is by launching a recognition strike. A recognition strike is a strike used by employees to make an employer recognize their labor union. This strike cannot last more than thirty days without the risk of being replaced. The Landrum Griffin Act created alternative to strike for union to be recognized by filing a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), to hold elections to certify the labor union. The board will then decide who is eligible to vote and they will schedule the election. File Election Petition The next step can be either third or fourth step in establishing a union in the workplace, this step is done by filing a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), to hold election. You must request the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which is an impartial government  agency, to hold a secret ballot election. Once it is determined that the bargaining unit is appropriate and that no supervisors or management are included, a date will be set by the NLRB for the election, usually 5 to 7 weeks out. Hold National Labor Relations Board Elections The next step can be either fourth or fifth step in establishing a union in the workplace, this final step is done by workers in favor of the union. The pro-union worker will have to campaign to keep pro-union workers and take steps to win over any workers who are against the union. If the union wins the election, by law the employer must recognize and bargain with the union. The National Labor Relations Board is responsible for setting up polling places, usually on the employer’s property. The National Labor Relations Board is also responsible and supervising the election. By casting a paper ballot into a ballot box is the usual median that employees vote. At the end of the voting period the polls are closed and the ballots are counted right on the spot. The union must win the majority of the votes to be declared the winner. The opposite of a certification election is a decertification election. This type of election is used to determine whether a majority of unionized employ ees no longer wish to be represented by their union (Budd, 2009 , p. 192) To request such an election, at least 30 percent of the employees must file a decertification petition asserting that the currently certified union no longer represents the employees in the bargaining unit before it can be considered by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). To decertify a union, the union representation must have been effect for more than a year and the decertification petition has to be filed during a timeframe of 60 to 90 days before the expiration on the union contract, although healthcare workers are afforded addition time for decertification and that window is 90 to 120 days prior to the expiration of their union contracts. According to Ohio Hospital Association’s information on the decertification process it is regarded as ‘The general rule for unions with a negotiated contract in place is that a decertification petition can only be filed 60 to 90 days prior to the expiration of the contract (or every three years, whichever comes first). For health care employees, this window is 90 to 120 days prior to the expiration of the contract (Ohio Hospital Association) The National Labor Relations Board require that all  decertification is free from managerial influences , and that all signatures on the petition were collect ed during non-work time and off the worksite. After the National Labor Relations Board verifies the signatures on the decertification petition, a decertification election is scheduled in approximately 60 days. The union will be decertified if a majority of the members vote against being represented by the union as it bargaining unit. In an article by Aaron Kuriloff he quotes the NFL’s position that the NFLPA is using decertification as a tactic to get a better labor contract. The NFL said the union’s threat to decertify is a ploy and an unlawful subversion of the collective bargaining process, there being no evidence whatsoever of any (let alone widespread) dissatisfaction with the union by its members (Kuriloff, 2011 ) Free agency was created when the union was decertified after the 1987 strike. The NFL owners just want the NFLPA to bargain in good faith and the NFLPA also want the same with more revenue sharing. 4. Describe the process of administering a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to include the role and function of an arbitrator. What are the issues, and how are they handled? Through the process of collective bargaining, employers and unions negotiate terms and conditions of employment and put these terms in a written contract, also called collective bargaining agreements. (Budd, 2009 , p. 229) During the process of administering a collective bargaining agreement the employer and union are obligated to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith about mandatory bargaining items. Mandatory bargaining items are wages, hours, vacation time, insurance, safety practices and the terms and conditions of employment. According to the National Labor Relations Act if either party to refuses to bargain collectively with each other, it is considered an unfair labor practice, however parties are not forced to reach an agreement or make any allowances. The collective bargaining process comprises of five core steps: Prepare: This phase involves composition of a negotiation team. The negotiation team should consist of representatives of both the parties with adequate knowledge and skills for negotiation. In this phase both the employer’s representatives and the union examine their own situation in order to develop the issues that they believe will be most important. The first thing to be done is to determine whether there is actually any reason  to negotiate at all. A correct understanding of the main issues to be covered and intimate knowledge of operations, working conditions, production norms and other relevant conditions is required. Discuss: Here, the parties decide the ground rules that will guide the negotiations. A process well begun is half done and this is no less true in case of collective bargaining. An environment of mutual trust and understanding is also created so that the collective bargaining agreement would be reached. Propose: This phase involves the initial opening statements and the possible options that exist to resolve them. In a word, this phase could be described as ‘brainstorming’. The exchange of messages takes place and opinion of both the parties is sought. Bargain: negotiations are easy if a problem solving attitude is adopted. This stage comprises the time when ‘what ifs’ and ‘supposals’ are set forth and the drafting of agreements take place. Settlement: Once the parties are through with the bargaining process, a consensual agreement is reached upon wherein both the parties agree to a common decision regarding the problem or the issue. This stage is described as consisting of effective joint implementation of the agreement through shared visions, strategic planning and negotiated change. (Collective Bargaining Process, 2007) According to the website Industrial Relations Home Collective Bargaining Process the collective bargaining process comprise s of five core steps; in which are Prepare, Discuss, Propose, Bargain, and Settlement. The first process of preparing is getting your team together; the second step is discussing the grievances, common concerns and goals; the third step is proposing the methods on how to solve grievances, common concerns and goals; the fourth step is bargaining to reach an agreement that all parties can abide by; the final step is making a settlement on the terms of the contract. WORK CITED Budd, J. W. ( 2009 ). Labor Relations: Striking a Balance. New York: McGraw-Hill. MLBPA. (2014). History of the major league baseball players association. Retrieved from http://mlb.mlb.com/pa/info/history.jsp Kuriloff, A. (2011). NFL Files Unfair-Labor Practices Complaint Against Union in Contract Talks. Retrieved February 19, 2011, from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-14/nfl-files-unfair-labor-practice-char

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Physiology – Rabbit Ileum

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Project Time Management Of Burj Khalifa Economics Essay

Project Time Management Of Burj Khalifa Economics Essay Burj Khalifa, a single place where tourism, hospitality, professionalism and leisure come together. Home to more than 1000 residences, Burj Khalifa accommodates a hotel, an observation deck, a restaurant, fitness and recreation club and also 37 floors of corporate offices. It brings in a concept of a vertical city with all the luxurious amenities made available on the top of the world. For the tourists and visitors coming to see this marvel, it is a long and a memorable journey of a lifetime (www.burjkhalifa.ae). Burj in Arabic means Tower and Khalifa stands for the name of the President of the UAE and the ruler of Abu Dhabi, his highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al- Nahyan. The initial name given to this tower was Burj Dubai but was changed to Burj Khalifa in the honour of the President for bailing out $10 billion during Dubais financial crisis. The completion of this tower has broken numerous world records. At over 828 meters (2716.5 feet) and more than 160 stories, Burj Khalifa ho lds the following records: Tallest Building in the world Tallest free standing structure in the world Highest number of stories in the world Highest occupied floor in the world Highest outdoor observation deck in the world Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world Tallest service elevator in the world (www.burjkhalifa.ae) Fig 4.2 and 4.3 showing Burj Khalifa from different angles and shades of natural day light. Emaar Properties have developed this project of Burj Khalifa. Skidmore, Owings and Merril (SOM) have designed this beautiful structure and Samsung Engineering and Construction along with BeSix and Arabtec gave out the final product by constructing this tower. Turner Construction of the United States of America was responsible for the project management of this whole undertaking. This project estimated a cost of $1.5 billion for completion. At the staggering height of 2717 feet (easily more than two Empire State Buildings), this shimmering, spiralling mixed- use tower inevitably raises the question: When is big too big? (Kamin, 2010 p.78). The design of this building has been adapted from the Islamic architecture and has been inspired from a regional desert flower, the Hymenocallis. Adrian Smith was the sculptor for this design heading this project on behalf of SOM. Constructing the Burj Khalifa required more than 22 million man hours from about 12,000 professionals and skilled workers, and more than 60 consultants and contracting companies from around the world (Skidmore, Owings Merrill, 2011 p.23). In a true sense this project was a global venture to showcase the feat of ultimate engineering and the technological advancement which the human beings have achieved through dedication and hard work all these years. Burj Khalifa was truly an international collaboration between more than 30 on- site- contracting companies from nations around the world. At the peak of construction, over 12,000 workers and contractors were on site every day, representing more than 100 nationalities (www.burjkhalifa.ae). Project time Management of Burj Khalifa: There is no doubt that the time management of this project might have been one of the most challenging tasks that the team must have faced during its construction. The size and scope of this project was on such a large scale that some problems were inevitable, irrespective of any measures taken. First we shall have a look at the construction timeline which will be analysed further. Also we will discuss the problems that the project management team had to go through and how well they were able to deal with it controlling the schedule of this project with minimum delays. Fig 4.3 Burj Khalifa Construction Timeline: January 2004 Excavation started February 2004 Piling started March 2005 Superstructure started June 2006 Level 50 reached January 2007 Level 100 reached March 2007 Level 110 reached April 2007 Level 120 reached May 2007 Level 130 reached July 2007 Level 141 reached worlds tallest building September 2007 Level 150 reached worlds tallest free standing structure April 2008 Level 160 reached worlds tallest man-made structure January 2009 Completion of Spire Burj Khalifa tops out September 2009 Exterior cladding completed January 2010 Official launch ceremony Source: www.burjkhalifa.ae The total time taken for the construction of this building was 2,192 days with the average height built per day was 37 centimetres or 1 feet and 2.88 inches (www.theatlanticcities.com). If we carefully interpret the construction timeline as shown in figure 4.3, we can understand that the work was speeding up when the project started. There was a steady growth during 2005-06 till level 50 was reached. Since then it took a long time to construct another 50 levels as the building was rising higher and the crew might be dealing with challenges arising due to it. From January 07 to July 07 the construction again picked up some speed as they were nearly building 10 floors every month. This was remarkable as the construction was reaching the heights where any construction worker might not have gotten. The construction was again slowed down in September 07 when level 150 was reached. After that it took 7 months to complete the top most floor of the building. The average height built per day might look small but considering the construction at 838 meters above ground is an achievement. Let us now move on to the actual problems faced by the project management while erecting the worlds highest structure. Issues affecting the Project Time Management of Burj Khalifa: Listed below are some of the complications that had an adverse effect on the Project Time Management of Burj Khalifa. Emaar properties had plans to throw open this building in December 2008. Chairman of the Emaar Group Mohammed Alabbar announced the delay of about nine months scheduling the opening ceremony in August or September 2009 (www.arabianbusiness.com, 2008). However the opening was further delayed and this mega structure was finally released on 4th of January 2010. The project took 5 years and 4 months for completion. There were several problems during the course of construction of this building which lead to a delay of more than a year in delivering the project. Some of them were Pumping the concrete: According to the officials pumping the concrete to the record height of 828 meters was the toughest part of constructing this tower. Two of the worlds largest pumps manufactured by Putzmeister, were used to supply concrete for the construction of this building. These pumps unified with 150 mm pipeline could supply a massive 350 bars of concrete pressure. Above level 127 of the tower, a modified mix of concrete was used to account for changing pressure requirements due to height (Skidmore, Owings Merrill, 2011). In addition to that the climatic condition of Dubai was also a factor that delayed the construction process. Work at Burj Dubai is carried out in three shifts. Due to high day time temperatures up to 50 ° Celsius the concrete works are usually carried out during the slightly cooler night time hours(www.pmw.co.in, 2007). The effects of Dubais fluctuating seasonal temperatures made it a challenge to properly pump, pour and set concrete (Skidmore, Owings Merrill, 2011). This could cause considerable delays as no concrete work was carried out during the day time. Fig. 4.4 showing the massive pipelines of the concrete pump and Fig 4.5 showing the councrete pouring process. Fig 4.4 Fig 4.5 Source: www.pmw.co.in Labour Strikes: Workers constructing the Burj Khalifa went twice on strike during the whole span of its construction. In March 2006, 2500 workers rioted at the Burj Khalifa site, demanding a raise in their pay (www.migrant-rights.org, 2010). The labourers complained of being paid as low as $4 per day and were asked to work 12 hours a day and for 6 days a week. Riots broke out and the workers vandalized various offices, cars, construction several machineries and equipment. Construction of what is expected to be the worlds tallest building was halted after 2500 workers in Dubai rioted over pay and conditions, causing damage estimated to  £ 500,000 (www.guardian.co.uk, 2006). The protest was also sympathised by the workers at the construction site of Dubais New International Airport laying aside their tools. The second protest was held in November of 2007. This protest was for their demands of pay rise as well as to provide better living conditions for the workers. The latrines are so filthy we canno t use them, we are so disgusted. The roads are full of garbage and waterlogged. Living and moving around is a great problem, an occupant reported (www.migrant-rights.org, 2010). At both the instances the government threatened the workers to return back to work or face the consequences of mass deportations. This lead to unrest and the labourers were not satisfied which directly or indirectly have affected the construction. Yet the sources claimed that this protest had no effect on the construction of Burj Khalifa. This can be considered as one of the biggest issue which might have contributed to the delays in the construction. Fig 4.6 showing the riots in 2006 and Fig 4.7 where labourers are on strike in 2007 Source: www.bbc.co.uk Dubai Economic Crisis: In the year 2009, Dubai saw a downturn in its ever booming economy. People lost massive amounts of money as they saw the economy and the glittering real estate market go down. No doubt it was a tough situation for everyone. But it was even tougher for the building projects going on at that time. One of them was the all famous and glamorous dream project of Burj Khalifa. Half of the UAEs construction projects, totalling $582bn ( £400bn), either have been put on hold or cancelled, leaving a trail of half-built towers on the outskirts of the city stretching into the desert(www.guardian.co.uk, 2009). Not just in the case of investors and developers, the credit crunch had affected the construction workers lives too. As the projects were postponed or delayed, the workers were sacked leaving them no choice but to return back to their countries. Many of these workers were from South Asia belonging to countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc. Burj Khalifa was one of the mo st expensive projects in the history of the UAE. Undoubtedly it had a lot to do with this financial crisis. The worlds tallest building, the Burj Dubai, officially opens its doors, leaving a colossal reminder of the hubris that brought the emirate crashing in November (www.guardian.co.uk, 2010). Analysis: The project of constructing Burj Khalifa was awarded to a team of experienced construction companies. The principal developer of this project Emaar Properties is a very popular Joint Stock Company developing projects all across the world in countries like United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon, China, Canada, etc. and also some joint ventures in North America, Europe, Pan-Asia, North Africa and the Middle East (www.emaar.com). Giving shape to many projects in UAE, Emaar has a major contribution in Dubais Infrastructure development. It has developed much of downtown Dubai. Construction of the world biggest mall (Dubai Mall) and the worlds tallest tower (Burj Khalifa) is associated with this company. The company is led by its president Mohamed Ali Alabbar who was also in-charge of the decision making process of the Burj Khalifa. The company follows a decentralised structure of its organisation resulting to which the decisions were made customer oriented a nd quicker. The authority was delegated to the managers of each department which made it easier to save time. This project was directly under the supervision of the ruler of Dubai, his highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum and had a lot of expectations of the people across the world. Turner Constructions was responsible for the project management of the Burj Khalifa. This company is also a renowned name in the industry based in the United States of America. This organisation was constantly monitoring the progress of this project to ensure practice of good standards of project management to deliver efficient and satisfactory project outcome. Skidmore, Owing and Merrill were designing and Samsung Engineering and Construction and BeSix were constructing the project. Arabtec was involved in supplying man power to this project. The assignment was in the hands of well-known experienced professionals as they strived to achieve a dream to build the highest building in the world. In spite of having a team of best people at work, there were some problems which were hard to prevent. Some of the issues related to the delay in the construction of this project are discussed above. Unfortunately it was found that all these problems were unavoidable. The time consumption of pumping the concrete high above the ground was very much anticipated and accounted for. But in the end it took a bit more time than it was expected to finish. The fluctuating temperatures in Dubai made it much more difficult for the workers to finish the task. The problems of Labour Strikes and the Economy prices came as a surprise to the initial planning of this project. But indeed the matter was way much serious than what was just reported. There have been speculations of workers dying during the construction of this building but the whole issue was suppressed and there have been no confirmed reports for the same. In a country like UAE, which is a kingdom ruled by the kings, there is very much little of what is known as democracy. Human Rights Watch reported numerous exploitations that construction workers suffer in the UAE, including unpaid or very low wages, many years of monetary obligations to the recruitment agencies for fees, seizing of employees passport and dangerous working conditions that result in apparently high mortality rates and injuries (www.migrant-rights.org, 2010). As a result of these conditions, strikes and protests were obvious. Formation of Labour unions is also prohibited in UAE but the labour ministry promised to set a minimum wage rate on the basis of which the strikes were withdrawn and work resumed. Fig 4.8 Dangerous Work being done at the Burj Khalifa Source: www.gulfnews.com The construction was getting back to normal and shortly after couple of years of this incident, Dubai experienced major financial crisis. Once again the smooth going construction was affected and delayed the project in return. The consolidated efforts of the companies involved tried their level best to continue the work and not let the schedule be affected but it was not possible until the President of UAE and the ruler of Abu Dhabi helped them bail out the indebt city of Dubai. The whole process of constructing this tower was complex and painstaking. But Emaar properties and all other companies did a very good job in the end to complete this unique project in mere less than five and a half years time and setting many world records. Undoubtedly it was a great effort from each and every individual involved which made it possible to fulfil this dream and deliver a marvel of its kind. Fig 4.9 a picture of some of the team members involved in the construction of this project put up in the building as an appreciation for their contribution. Source: Self 4.2 Delhi Metro: Delhi, a capital city of a country ranked second in the worlds total population. Along with its population, the country is also going through a lot of economic, social, political and technological developments. Various plans and projects are been chalked out for the future to meet the needs of the ever growing population of this country and compete with other nations of the world to provide exquisite facilities. Work is in progress in few metropolitan cities which have been undergoing through a pressure of urbanisation. Delhi is one of them. According to the census of 2011, Delhi has a registered population of 16.7 million people and a growth rate of 20.96% as compared to the previous decade (www.cencus2011.co.in). With a remarkable growth in population and with limited space to accommodate, it is necessary to provide an equally capable infrastructure system which can ease the problems of its citizens. These infrastructure developments include convenient transportation facilities. Fig4.10 displaying phase I and II of Delhi Metro Project National Capital Territory of Delhi covers an area of 1486 square kilometres and is a Union Territory with all powers of State Government (www.delhimetrorail.com). The city limits are extending to fit in the size of population. It necessitates a robust transit system to transfer people from one place to another.The need to travel is a consequent need i.e. people do not travel just for the sake of it but do so only when the necessity to transfer exists. The necessity to move is dictated by peoples requirements like work, study, leisure, medical, etc. In the background of inadequate urban capacity, global warming, increasing salaries and resulting motorization, it is commonly agreed among urban planners and city building professionals that safe and efficient public transport is the best way for the future to make cities more sustainable. With these intentions in mind, the Delhi Metro was foreseen in the city of New Delhi and started its operations in 2002. Fig. 4.11 Representation of the Traffic Congestion in Delhi (Source: www.ndtv.com) Fig. 4.12 Funny but true, a crowded bus in Delhi (Source: www.ibnlive.com) The original planning for a rail based transport system in Delhi started in 1970s when the government projected that a similar system would be required for mass public transportation in the future. Since then government appointed various committees to study the scope of development of mass rapid transport system (MRTS). At that time Delhi was perhaps the only city in the world, with such a huge size of its population depended on the over-crowded and insufficient bus services as the only public transport alternative. This situation has led to the proliferation of personalised vehicles, so much so that Delhi has more registered vehicles than total number of vehicles in Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai put together (www.delhigovt.nic.in). Similar to the present situation in Mumbai, Delhi was also tackling with problems like traffic congestion, environmental pollution, rising number of road accidents, fuel wastage, etc. Kolkata introduced a Metro railway system in the 1980s but the project e xceeded its budget and completion schedule, seriously undermining the confidence of the Government and the people in Metro systems (Sreedharan, 2008 p.57). During that period when the countrys development was sluggish, it was a gamble to once again trust a system that had failed miserably in the last attempt. Calcutta (now renamed to Kolkata) was a 17 kilometre long metro line which took 22 years for completion and the budget was overrun 14 times than what was initially planned (Sreedharan, 2008 p.3). It was a tough decision to make especially when the available technology was inadequate and the time was running out. In such circumstances, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was established in the year 1995 which was a joint venture of Government of India and Government of Delhi. Soon after its formation, the team began planning for one of the biggest projects in India. They had a tough task ahead. The DMRC received majority of its funding from Japan Bank for International Co-operation. Th e rest of the funds were raised by the State Government of Delhi and the Central Government of India. Fig 4.13 DMRCs Profile Picture (Source: www.dmrc.com) One name that is prominently associated with DMRC and Delhi Metro is Dr. Elattuvalapil Sreedharan. Famous for his contribution as a CMD of Konkan Railway project along the western coast of India, this 760 kilometre long railway line joins three states of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka through criss-crossing rivers, plunging valleys and mountains that soar in to the clouds (www.konkanrailway.com). This challenging project marked the beginning of infrastructure development in India from 1990 onwards. Dr. E. Sreedharan took over as a Managing Director of DMRC in 1997. DMRC is responsible to develop and maintain Metros in Delhi. The Delhi Metro Project is designed to cover 400 kilometres across the city in four phases by the year 2021 (Sreedharan, 2008). The time plan of the project is as follows: Fig. 4.14 Table showing the project outline of Delhi Metro Phase Initiation Date Length covered (in kms) Expected End Date Actual End Date Status Phase I 1998 65 2008 2006 Fully Operational Phase II 2007 128 2012 2011 Fully Operational Phase III 2011 112 2015 On-going Phase IV 108 2021 Queued Source: adapted from DMRC website and Sreedharan, 2008 The table itself is enough to tell a tale of successful project management and an impeccable feat of construction carried out by the entire team of DMRC. Dr. Sreedharan shot to fame overnight, being the first Indian to carry out such a difficult task with ease. Various Management Institutes and professionals wanted to know the secrets of his flawless management techniques which enabled him to deliver the project proficiently. Certainly this journey would not have been easy, but Dr. Sreedharan has set up a model of an efficient mass rapid transit system and at the age of 72 years and is wanted by every transportation authority board. The Delhi Metro Project instigated similar metro railway projects in different metropolitan cities across the country. His time and cost management skills grab everyones attention. Further in the study we shall focus on time management aspects and try to analyse two main questions: What were the problems in getting this project done on time? What did he do that no one else could? Issues that could have affected Project Time Management of Delhi Metro: The Delhi Metro project was efficiently delivered on time. We look in to some of the problems which the project management team had to overcome to give out the best results. The below mentioned problems are commonly seen in Mumbai Metro Project too. There are not many differences in context of factors as both are government projects undertaken by the authorities to build an advanced commuting system. The only difference is that of the organisations building it and their management skills and structures. This single difference makes them stand apart. Following are some of the problems which the Project Management team at DMRC had to go through during the course of construction of Delhi Metro: Technology: During the early years of 1990s, India had just begun taking steps towards technological advancements. After its economic reforms in 1991, India adopted three main policies of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation. In effect of these policies, trade regime and the regulatory framework was liberalised. Some of the industries were privatised and the country also hailed foreign investment in its economy (Sarvanakumar Kim, 2012). India has been an agro-based country and during these economic reforms there was not much technological advancement happening. India had to import all the technical know-how needed for the Metro Project. In such circumstances, building such a big project was a huge risk. All credit to Dr. Sreedharan and his team for acquiring quality engineers and building such a magnificent project. The engineering team brought in many new technologies to this project like better telecommunication, automatic fare collection, advanced signalling, etc. Initially the ma terials were imported from foreign countries as per requirement but are now assembled in the country itself and have encouraged many local vendors to absorb these new technologies. A showcase of the latest in railway technology, the Delhi Metro trains run on ballast less tracks on the elevated viaduct and the underground corridor, thus minimising the need of tract maintenance and also reducing the running dimensions on the structure (Sreedharan, 2008 p.59). Moreover, these tracks have proven to be safer and provide a smooth ride to its commuters. Tunnelling: This procedure was necessary to construct the underground passage of the Delhi Metro. Tunnelling below the historic old Delhi area posed a major challenge, as the buildings there have weak foundations. It was therefore, decided to construct a tunnel at a depth of more than 20 meters (Sreedharan, 2008 p.58). With the available technology it was a big challenge to build a tunnel this deep. Vehicle and Pedestrian traffic also posed as an obstacle in the tunnelling process. It was also a risk factor for the management team as mishaps could easily occur at a place with an extensive public access. There were also difficulties in tunnelling at some sections because of hard rock. For this purpose the project had obtained special cutter heads for their tunnel boring machines (Sreedharan, 2008). The team put in tremendous efforts to resolve the oncoming problems by finding and implementing solutions without any delays. Fig. 4.15 4.16 Pictures of Tunnelling for Delhi Metro Source: www.hindu.com Substandard quality of work/ materials: This is one of the most shocking revelations of the Delhi Metro Project. Poor quality of work, no regulations for standards of safety and substandard material used to build one of the finest projects which is going to be useful in the future for at least a century. What is more shocking is that these were not just one or two incidents which happened unfortunately. These are series of accidents which were taking place one after the other in recent past. Following table shows the accidents in detail: Fig. 4.17 List of Incidents occurred at the construction site of Delhi Metro Date Incident No. of people killed/ injured 28.08.2007 A crane driver died as a concrete block fell on him due to technical failure 1 killed 21.01.2008 A construction worker died while carrying out burrowing work 1 killed 18.07.2008 A malfunctioning crane dropped 4 tonne iron beam on a passing car 2 injured 19.10.2008 An under construction flyover collapsed due to mechanical failure 2 killed and 30 injured 12.07.2009 Portion of under construction bridge collapsed as its launching girder lost balance while being erected 6 killed and 15 injured 13.07.2009 Three cranes toppled while lifting the entangled launcher under the debris of the collapsed bridge 4 injured (Source: Mid-day, 2009 The Times of India, 2009) After all these mishaps which killed 10 people in all and injured around 50, the chief project manager and managing director of DMRC, Dr. Sreedharan sent his resignation from the post which shuddered all the concerned authorities related to this project. He said, I take full moral responsibility for the accident. As head of the organisation, I have to take the responsibility (www.ndtv.com, 2009). The investigation revealed that the accident occurred on 12th of July 2009 was a design flaw in the pillar holding the structure (www.indianexpress.com, 2009). The honourable chief minister of Delhi, Mrs. Sheila Dixit inspected the site after the accident and immediately rejected Dr. E. Sreedharans resignation. She said We respect his sentiments. But we also know that the Delhi Metro and the country need him. Not only has he done good work for Delhi but also for the country (www.ndtv.com, 2009). Following this incident there has not been any other such incidents which exhibit the influence a nd power Dr. Sreedharan has on his team of members involved in the project. Mumbai is nothing different in comparison with Delhi in context of quality of work carried out. In fact the organisation, MMRDA carrying out the work on Mumbai Metro was not wise enough to learn from the mistakes of Delhi Metro. Recently, a 50 feet long concrete slab collapsed from the Metro Railways under construction fly over. This incident killed 1 person and injured 16 more (The Times of India, 2012). This cannot be considered a mistake as it was a matter of sheer negligence by the authorities. Such incidents not only cost financial losses but also result in loss of valuable time. Considering the importance of time management factor it is necessary to deploy personnel to ensure that all the safety standards are maintained at the construction site so as to prevent mishaps happening and also save a lot of time. Moving ahead we analyse the decision making of Dr. Sreedharan and its impact it had on the construction of Delhi Metro. Fig. 4.18 4.19 showing the disaster of 12th of July. Source: www.indianexpress.com Fig 4.20 toppled cranes amongst the tangled debris was the scene on 13th of July Source: www.zeenews.india.com Analysis: Every major project has to through a series of difficulties. No one has a plan of how to deal with them. Because no one knows what kind of problem they might be dealing with. But an effective project manager has the capability of solving the problems with ease and importantly, he delivers the project within its scope. Delhi Metro too had to go through numerous obstacles in each phase of its construction. Some of them are mentioned above. But it was for the project management team who took up the initiative to keep the project within its planned time and cost. In the case of Delhi Metro, it was not just a single factor that led to a certain problem. There were events which summed up to become a bigger problem. For example tunnelling was not a big issue as many transport systems these days use this method. But adding to the outdated technology present in the country it became difficult to get the process done. Similarly the amount of population in Delhi is so much in excess that restri cting public access was not possible. Therefore it became even more difficult to excavate during tunnelling and also maintain safety which resulted into many unfortunate mishaps. Undoubtedly this was the first massive project of its kind in India. Therefore this can provide a lot of valuable learning both positive and negative, to the project managers of the future. Fig. 4.21 The Metro Man of India in action. Source: www.ibnlive.in.com By the end of Phase I of this project Dr. Sreedharan was an idol and inspirational leader to many management professionals and students. Everyone wanted to know what his secret behind his flawless management techniques was. He discusses the corporate values of Delhi Metro during one of his speeches at a management institute to the aspiring management professionals. Punctuality, Integrity, Transpar

Aeschylus :: essays research papers

Aeschylus was born in Eleusis, a Greek town near Athens, in 525 B.C. He was the first of the great Greek tragedians, preceding both Sophocles and Euripides, and is often credited with inventing tragic drama. Prior to Aeschylus, plays were primitive, consisting of a single actor and a chorus offering commentary. In his works, he added a "second actor" (often more than one) thus creating endless new dramatic possibilities. He lived until 456 B.C., fighting in the wars against Persia, and attaining great acclaim in the world of the Athenian theater. Aeschylus wrote nearly ninety plays; however, only seven have survived to the modern era, including such famous works as Prometheus Bound and The Seven Against Thebes. Agamemnon is the first of a trilogy, called the Oresteia, which continues with The Libation-Bearers and concludes with The Eumenides. The trilogy--the only such work to survive from Ancient Greece--is considered by many critics to be the greatest Athenian tragedy ever written, both for the power of its poetry and the strength of its characters. Agamemnon depicts the assassination of the title character by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover; The Libation-Bearers continues the story with the return of Agamemnon's son, Orestes, who kills his mother and avenges his father. Orestes is pursued by the Furies in punishment for his matricide, and finally finds refuge in Athens, where the god Athena relieves him of his persecution. The events of Agamemnon take place against a backdrop that would have been familiar to an Athenian audience. Agamemnon is returning from his victory at Troy, which Palmieri 2 has been besieged for ten years by Greek armies attempting to recover Helen, Agamemnon's brother's wife, stolen treacherously by the Trojan Prince, Paris. (The events of the Trojan War are recounted in Homer's Iliad.) The play's tragic events occur as a result of the crimes committed by Agamemnon's family. His father, Atreus, murdered and cooked the children of his own brother, Thyestes, and served them to him; Clytemnestra's lover, Aegisthus (Thyestes's only surviving son), seeks revenge for that crime. Meanwhile, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to gain a favorable wind to Troy, and Clytemnestra murders him to avenge her death. Tragedies were Athenian, reflecting the taste and intellectual climate of mid fifth century Athens. The weight of history and heritage becomes a major theme of the play, and indeed of the entire trilogy, for the family it depicts cannot escape the cursed cycle of bloodshed from its past. Aeschylus wrote this victory-winning trilogy in Athens, 458 B.C. His participation in a loosely organized political â€Å"group† is thought to have influenced his

Knowledge as a Double Edged Sword in the novels Oryx and Crake as well

Is knowledge, which is the base of human ingenuity and intelligence, also the factor which will bring upon humanity’s impending destruction? Knowledge today plays a key role in almost every facet of human existence, from food, to water, to providing the foundation for every piece technological equipment ever constructed. Knowledge though has also provided us with ever more imaginative and efficient means of killing and destroying each other and the planet, these means include nuclear weapons, and of course biological warfare. Therefore knowledge plays the role of the doubled-edged sword, bringing humanity luxuries and power beyond conception, as well as arming us with the tools to completely eradicate all life. In the novel of Oryx and Crake, a slightly more advanced civilization than ours, where biotechnology has brought numerous wonders to the world is brought into perspective. This civilization, wrought by corruption, has eliminated disease, and now is making synthetic viru ses in order to cash in on the destruction, the perfect scheme. One of the protagonists, Crake, discovers this scheme, and with this knowledge, seeks to destroy the corrupted civilization, by performing the same atrocity. With Crake’s synthetic virus, he eliminates the entirety of human race, with the tools knowledge supplied him with. In the novel A Canticle for Leibowitz the human race is just an insignificant remnant of its former glory, after it obliterated itself with the use of nuclear weapons. This novel shows humanity’s rise out of the ashes, with focus being placed on the Order of St. Leibowitz, the sole caretakers’ of the hated knowledge from the age past. With the knowledge contained with the Order, humanity experiences a renaissance, in which ulte... ...prized knowledge above all else. In both Oryx and Crake and A Canticle for Leibowitz, knowledged acts as a doubled-edged sword bringing wonders and inventions that truly make life easy, and at the same time bringing death and destruction in the form of weapons and military advancements. It is quite evident in both novels that knowledge acts a god, to be worshiped and studied, and as a god, chooses when to deal out good and bad deeds. Knowledge provided mankind with miracles and massacres. Knowledge itself is not lethal, mankind is the hand that directs the pathways of knowledge. Humans cause massacres, with the aide of knowledge. But if mankind is truly born evil, than it is only a matter of time for it to destroys itself. As mankind delves more deeply in the the endless mine of knowledge, it must take caution, as it has within its grasp to become gods†¦or demons.

Boys Will Be Boys :: English Literature Essays

Boys Will Be Boys A magnet elementary school has its advantages and its disadvantages. In my case, my family saw that it had more advantages than disadvantages, very diverse in ethnicity, cheaper than private schooling, no dress codes, and so forth. With all this in mind, I ended up in a magnet school, not to mention I went to the same grammar school from kindergarten to 8th grade. All together I see my time spent there as me being a good kid, but like most kids I had my good times and my bad times. My first few years were pretty much up to par with the status quo of behavioral and educational standards. I would do all my homework and be a good little boy in class. It wasn’t till I reached junior high that I started rebelling a little. In my seventh grade class I felt as if I were ready to be treated as an equal adult. What I mean by this is, I didn’t want to be told what to do. With this attitude in my head I only ran into trouble left and right. In my class if you were not being good, there would be different consequences. For example, if you were caught cheating on a test you would receive a zero and write a paper; but if you would miss behave in class, you would have to sit right next to the teachers desk. Sitting next to the teachers desk was the ultimate bad in seventh grade, and the funny thing in my class was that there was a group of four that achieved this ultimate badness, which I was part of. When any person would receive this â€Å"honor† the facial expression was total devastation, but deep down inside we felt a kind of coolness about it. It was like having the ultimate popularity in class. All the students would have respect for the kids who were brave enough to rebel in front of a teacher. I being the last person to join the group for listening to my Walkman in class was very honored to join. I remember it clearly, when I began to move my desk towards the teacher’s, I noticed the other members of the group would give some kind of sign of â€Å"welcome†, like a smirk or a nod of the head. This sign gave me a feeling of acceptance. Boys Will Be Boys :: English Literature Essays Boys Will Be Boys A magnet elementary school has its advantages and its disadvantages. In my case, my family saw that it had more advantages than disadvantages, very diverse in ethnicity, cheaper than private schooling, no dress codes, and so forth. With all this in mind, I ended up in a magnet school, not to mention I went to the same grammar school from kindergarten to 8th grade. All together I see my time spent there as me being a good kid, but like most kids I had my good times and my bad times. My first few years were pretty much up to par with the status quo of behavioral and educational standards. I would do all my homework and be a good little boy in class. It wasn’t till I reached junior high that I started rebelling a little. In my seventh grade class I felt as if I were ready to be treated as an equal adult. What I mean by this is, I didn’t want to be told what to do. With this attitude in my head I only ran into trouble left and right. In my class if you were not being good, there would be different consequences. For example, if you were caught cheating on a test you would receive a zero and write a paper; but if you would miss behave in class, you would have to sit right next to the teachers desk. Sitting next to the teachers desk was the ultimate bad in seventh grade, and the funny thing in my class was that there was a group of four that achieved this ultimate badness, which I was part of. When any person would receive this â€Å"honor† the facial expression was total devastation, but deep down inside we felt a kind of coolness about it. It was like having the ultimate popularity in class. All the students would have respect for the kids who were brave enough to rebel in front of a teacher. I being the last person to join the group for listening to my Walkman in class was very honored to join. I remember it clearly, when I began to move my desk towards the teacher’s, I noticed the other members of the group would give some kind of sign of â€Å"welcome†, like a smirk or a nod of the head. This sign gave me a feeling of acceptance.

African American and Personal Essay Essay

|For freshman applicants only. This personal essay is a very important part of your application. It assists the University in | |knowing you as an individual, independent of test scores and other objective data. We ask that you respond to two of the topics | |below. Your personal essay should be no longer than 250 words per question for a total of 500 words for both personal essays in | |the space provided below. The best personal essay is not necessarily the longest. The essay will be requested if it is not the | |appropriate length. | |What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that would allow you to contribute to the university community? | |Describe an activity, interest, experience, or achievement in your life (this could be a book, a movie, or an activity or | |experience at work, home, or school) that has been particularly meaningful for you. | |How has your family history, culture, or environment influenced who you are? | 1. When I think of what I can contribute to the university to community, I begin to look at what the university is all about. Florida A M University is all about warmth and acceptance. It’s all about driving students from all walks of life to perform to the best of their capabilities. There all about welcoming African American students and encouraging them to pursue greater heights. My only wish is that I will be given a chance to contribute even in the smallest of way, in helping the university keep its reputation and the prestige it deserves. Doing so is not an impossible task for I believe that simply being myself will be a contribution itself. I honestly believe that I am strong enough to face the multiple challenges that will come along the way as I pursue my studies. Moreover, I believe that being an African American; I can contribute to the cultural diversity of the university. FAMU is known for preserving and uplifting the cultural and historical heritage of the African Americans. Furthermore, the school is known to encourage African Americans to pursue their studies and become competitive in the world. I firmly believe that with my willingness to learn and to succeed, can contribute to the cause. In my little way, I can set an example to my fellow African Americans on how to actively pursue and work towards one’s goals. My belief that education is vital in achieving success is parallel with that of the university and somehow, in my everyday dealings with other students, I can help strengthen such belief. My contribution to the university community may not be grand . However through my constant strives for success I will be able to prove how valuable the education that FAMU provides can be. 2. Something that has been particularly meaningful to me is the passing of my little sister Laura in the spring on April 2, 2011. She was 11 years old, she died n a car accident on her way home with our neighbors, the tire blew out and the car flipped over 6 times killing her and 6 others. My sister was an â€Å"A† student, took all honors classes and never troubled anyone, she was a happy hearted person, loved to be around people. She looked up to me and wanted to be just like me, for instance she liked cheerleading, color guard, band, and track. those are some of the sports I participate in now and now that she is gone I look up to her and I want to Graduate High school and get into College for my Parents, myself and for her because she would of been so proud of me to see that day I walk that stage in remembrance of her I will do anything it takes to fulfill her dreams and mines, its what she would have wanted.

Rich Man, Poor Man: Resources On Globalization Summary

According to Carol Hammond and Robert Grosse, Globalization has become the motto of the 21st century. We are becoming more aware people’s ideas, world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of cultures. Globalization has opened many opportunities for other countries to explore new and different things. Globalization has increased interconnectedness among many countries most notably in the areas of economics, politics, and culture. People throughout the world have embraced the sharing of ideas and ideas? We have seen globalization to be a positive and negative influence. We may consider it to be negative because activist oppose it at the World Trade Organization and International meetings. Companies are as open to their counterparts in other countries. This results in transferring the quality of their product to other countries, thereby increasing the chances of depreciation in terms of quality. On the positive side, globalization brings in popular products from over the world. Resources of different countries are used for producing goods and services they are able to do most efficiently. Another negative aspect of globalization is language. As â€Å"globalization† increases, so does the loss of human languages. People find it easier to conduct business and communicate with those outside their own culture if they speak more widely used languages like Chinese, Hindi, Spanish or Russian. Children are not being educated in languages spoken by a limited number of people. As fewer people use local languages, they gradually die out. With the increase of English becoming the mainstream language in other countries, people start to lose their national identity. People begin to drift away from their national identity because of adaptation of new ideas. Globalization has also affected other countries’ national sovereignty. Firms decide where to distribute their products and what knowledge and supplies to send across national borders without the consent of the government they are sending it to. In addition, the Internet, which is an important part of Globalization, spreads information like wildfire resulting in people having new viewpoints and leading to subgroups within a country. Such websites like amazon. com has helped threaten countries national sovereignty by selling goods and other products online. Also foreign products are being more common throughout the world in stores like Sears, JC Penney, and Wal-Mart. Instead of globalization bringing people to together through various aspects of the world we have began to form different group identities. The more we define ourselves towards our roles the world becomes more individualized. Like Canada, Quebec, and Indonesia these countries are resulting to person-states and independent states. This will continue to happen as long as the need for services and and products are needed.

Time Scale for Research Project

Time scale for Research Project 1. Design and create Video demonstrations (Completed) 2. Decide on a conceptual framework for the project (Laurillard) 3. Decide on quantitive/qualitative or mixed method (Mixed quantitive/qualitative) 4. Source and read 20 quality applicable resent journal articles (5 new already) 5. Design and create a questionnaire for research (Completed) 6. Design and create a practical marking scheme (completed) 7. Decide on whither to use a focus group or not or interview or not (numbers)(Focus Group Interview) 8.Design and create a questionnaire for info on students phones for first day (completed) 9. Decide on what journal to write for (by Nov 1st) 10. Decide on possible themes for article structure and headings etc (see 9) 11. Design and create a consent form for the students (by Nov 1st) 12. Design and write an application for consent from ITB to carry out research (by Nov 1st) 13. Put abstract together and submit to Open Learning online journal(completed) 1 4. Make up a specific timetable for implementing study (by Dec 1st) 15. Write annotated bibliography (by Dec 7th) 16.Decide on a learning theory for the project (by Dec 1st) 17. Rewrite literature review (Completed) 18. Rewrite research proposal (Completed) 19. Decide on specific method of analysing the results. Miles and Huberman’s interactive model of data analysis. (by Dec 7th) – (Jan 1st) 20. Carry out practical study and collect data (Jan 6th – 22nd) 21. Collect data from questionnaires and focus group (Jan 25th – 29th) 22. Analyse data (Feb 1st – Mar 1st) 23. Write journal paper (Mar 1st – June 1st) 24. Constantly read journal papers and adapt entire study as work proceeds, start writing ASAP and keep on updating ePortfolio and private Blog.

Nature in King Lear Essay

The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare is founded on the theme of Nature portrayed throughout the play from Lear’s kingship to personal human relations, from representations of the physical world to notions of the gods, from the portrayal of human nature to the use of animal imagery. Nature is the core of the play King Lear. Shakespeare’s take on nature is ambiguous thus he portrays the two extremes of human condition: good and evil. Through his characters, he asserts that humans are neither good nor evil by nature. However, Shakespeare reflects on what should be considered natural, since the concept of nature stems from social construct. In the play, there is a noticeable distinction between the natural ways in which people wish to behave as opposed to what is considered natural in society. Elements of the natural world, such as Mother Nature and the animal kingdom, are invoked in the characters’ speech, as they use their different concepts of what nature is in order to justify their actions. Through this essay I will demonstrate good and evil nature mainly through the two juxtaposing characters: Cordelia, the Jesus-Like daughter, and Edmund the Machiavellian son, as well as the use of animal imagery to depict natural character traits. The plot begins on the day King Lear decides to divide his inheritance amongst his three daughters. The proud King demands his daughters to show off their undying love for him in order to gain their share. However, King Lear’s notion of love is shallow, pompous and showy, which results in a great disadvantage to Cordelia’s natural way of being. Unfortunately, King Lear’s royal authority belongs to the civilized world. Therefore, he goes against the natural world when he misinterprets Cordelia’s love and casts her out. One of the biggest problems in the play is that Lear calls upon nature: â€Å"which of you shall we say doth love us most/ That we our largest bounty may extend/ Where nature doth with merit challenge† (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 52-54). Lear mistakes Cordelia’s true natural, loyal behavior as unnatural and disobedient when she sincerely expresses â€Å"I love your majesty according to my bond, no more nor less† (Act I, Scene I, Lines 94-95) without the pompous performance played by Goneril and Reagan. Lear curses Cordelia exiling her outside society disclaiming â€Å"propinquity and property of blood† (Act 1, Scene 1). Lear’s lack of understanding of the natural bond between parents and children leads him to his tragic demise. He is easily fooled by Goneril and Regan’s fake  Ã¢â‚¬Å"natural† behavior when they give their long speeches and flatter him. Eventually, â€Å"Those pelican daughters† (Act 3, Scene 4, Line 75) and â€Å"Unnatural hags† (Act 2, Scene 4, Line-281) as Lear later on refers to them, throw him out of the house once they’ve obtained status and power yet fear he might take it back. Further on, they plot on killing Lear. On the other hand, Cordelia’s love is unconditional. Lear must go through a series of humiliating events to learn the true nature of love and the importance of the bond that Cordelia truthfully tried to explain. Cordelia is a tragic heroine, since she returns from France and easily forgives her father despite his wrath. Most importantly Cordelia gives Lear another chance to redeem himself as a king, a father and a human being. Shakespeare brilliantly portrays human nature through Edmund and Cordelia. By placing them in a similar situation, he is able to demonstrate that humans act accordingly to their nature. These two juxtaposing characters are stripped away from their royal wealth due to social norms. On one hand, Cordelia faces adversity being a legitimate loving and obedient daughter, yet she doesn’t follow the selfish and disloyal path that Edmund does. Cordelia is one of the few genuinely good characters in the entire play. In contrast to her two sisters she’s a saint. Lear’s poor judgment and misunderstanding of the father-daughter bond ultimately leads to his tragic loss. The subplot of the main plot is the relationship between Gloucester and his legitimate son Edgar and his bastard son Edmund. Gloucester as Lear, misunderstands the natural behavior of his sons. Edmund, a â€Å"natural† son, feels he is more deserving than his brother in spite of the social law of primogeniture. By calling Edmund â€Å"loyal and natural boy†, Gloucester mistakes Edmund’s unnatural behavior to be natural and casts out Edgar from the civilized world to the natural world. Lear and Gloucester share that they are both deceived and furthermore, mistake unnatural behavior (conspiracy against parents) to be natural (loyal and loving behavior). These misunderstandings ultimately lead to their downfall. Edmund calls on Mother Nature: â€Å"Nature, art my goddess.† This statement implies that nature provides an evil force. Edmund’s views this baseness as natural. Furthermore, Edmund recognizes his own evil nature and decides to use it to his advantage. He mocks the notion   of any kind of supernatural or divine influence over one’s destiny in the following lines: â€Å"†¦as if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly  compulsions; knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance, drunkards liars and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence† (Act I, Scene 2, Lines 131-135). In Edmund’s soliloquy at the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, we learn of his malevolent intent to degenerate his legitimate half brother. Machiavelli believed that by nature, humans are not perfect in virtue and therefore, humans do not only posses good qualities, but bad ones â€Å"For if men were all good, this rule would not be allowable, but being they are full of mischief†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 100). Although he recognized that loyalty and trustworthiness can be gained, he believed that in times of adversity people are generally ungrateful, insincere, anxious to look out for their own safety, and greedy for gain â€Å"They are unthankful, inconstant dissemblers; they avoid dangers and are covetous of gain† and will rebel if they are in danger. (p. 99). Therefore, Edmund’s natural behavior represents Machiavelli’s belief of human nature being evil driven by a selfish, insincere and disloyal natural way of being. Contrary to Edmund, Cordelia also faces adversity and she stays true to her benevolent nature. Her character counteracts Machiavelli’s argument of human nature. Through this, Shakespeare hints that Machiavelli’s beliefs aren’t necessarily true and do not apply to human nature. Edmund reflects the character traits found in Machiavelli’s The Prince, as he rebels against the laws of society and is willing to hurt others in order to achieve power and status. He is ungrateful to his brother and father and deceives everyone around him for his benefit. Edmund appears to be loyal and trustworthy and knows how to play with these virtuous qualities, protecting his reputation while betraying others. He’s character reflects the lion and fox-like qualities described in Machiavelli’s depiction of the ideal ruler. Thus, he is conscientious of his wickedness since the â€Å"end justifies the means†. Edmund inverts the order of society by attacking the convention of marriage and law of legitimacy. â€Å"Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law/ My services are bound†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act I, Scene 2, Lines 1-22) Through this passage Edmund expresses his reverence to Nature (nature being the gods) and therefore demands â€Å"Now, gods, stand up for bastards† (Act I, Scene 2, Line 22). He explains that his conception comes from lust and passion being the most natural way of procreation. Furthermore, he rejects society and laws that deprive him from his right of being a legitimate son.

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality Essay - 9

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality lead to an increase in sales and profit - Essay Example Implementation of the new EHR systems requires the incorporation of older records into the patient’s electronic health record. One of the strategies involved in the incorporation of old records is scanning of older documents and including them in the system in the image format. However, studies by Ventres et al., (124–31) affirm that most physicians do not prefer inclusion of scanned images in the electronic systems. They prefer full electronic data-based systems because most scanned images are normally unclear; therefore difficult to read. The problem can be resolved through the development of EHR systems with image archival characteristics for converting the scanned documents into full electronic health records. The written records can also be converted into electronic formats through scanning the documents and then performing the Optical Data Recognition (OPR). Accurate recognition may not achieve the required clarity levels while illegible handwriting is poorly reco gnized by the optical character readers. This leads to the formation of the records that are difficult to read. The most successful strategy is making of the state’s database records available for transfer through downloading into individual health records. Privacy. Currently, health records are vulnerable for transmission and exchange over the internet. Rule for access, storage, auditing, authentications and transmission of medical records are contained in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Zaroukian 53-55). Although the restrictions are geared towards promoting the privacy of these records, concerns over the adequacy of the implementation of these standards exist. According to Zaroukian (56), implementation of the privacy regulations can only be achieved through enhancing cooperation between the public, health providers and service providers. The privacy concerns are the prominent challenge stalling the

Are people born Gay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are people born Gay - Essay Example My thesis statement is that, people are born gay and cannot change their sexual orientation. This essay will focus on this debate and the views of different writers for, or against this view. Approximately 2-5% of men are gay, and the statistics for women is half that of men. (Rahman & Wilson, 2003). The disparity here is explained by the fact that women are influenced by their culture as well as situations, unlike men. Nathaniel Lehrman (2005) stated that even after years of study, there is no evidence of a gay gene. The votes to normalize homosexuality seem to suggest that it is an inborn trait, but to him, this vote is political and not scientific. It is in the late 1970s that the term orientation began to be used in place of the word preference. This change he states has led many people to think that homosexuality is innate. The author sites examples of people who were previously engaged in gay relationships but had since stopped and are in stable relationships with the people of the opposite sex. Another explanation that he gives for his stand is that there is no clear description of what being gay is. Having attractions to the people of the same gender as you does not mean that you are gay. He uses this disparity to justify his belief that no one is born a homosexual. Nathaniel argues that the tests that claim that there is DNA proof to show that there are gay genes falls short of significance. The fact that there is no clear evidence pointing to the possibility of gay genes makes it hard to prove the same. According to research, some children who face maltreatment while younger become gay when they become adults. (Roberts & Koenen, 2013). Factors such as having a drunkard parent, parental mental illness and presence of a step-parent affect a child’s sexual orientation once they grow into adulthood. This study goes to show that there are other factors that may lead to one becoming gay, but the