“Bold Girls” by Rona Munro Essay

In her drama â€Å"Bold Girls†, Rona Munro has created a relevant and inspiring legacy of war-torn Northern Ireland. Her drama depicts the daily struggles and predicaments faced by four particular women, who seem to thrive on their fantasies and illusions all except Deirdre who is marked out as different from the drama’s beginning: â€Å"Deirdre is not in this room, she’s crouching on all fours on her own talking out of darkness in which only her face is visible.† Introduced as a surreal and somewhat eerie character it is no surprise that Deirdre contrasts greatly with the three other women. It is her persistent search for the truth that polarises her from the others and causes her to be at odds with them as they shut out truth and cushion themselves with their idealistic dreams. This idea of fantasy versus reality is a main concern within the play, and it is through monologues and stage direction that we are allowed a deeper understanding of each character’s situation and of the play’s themes. A particular monologue of Deirdre’s undoubtedly confirms that her search for truth will result in the hurt of others and possible confrontations and violent conflicts: â€Å"The lights change I need a knife a wee blade of my own†¦It was the knife he was talking about. It was the truth. I thought I’d like that. A wee bit of hard truth you could hold in your hand and point where you liked. The lights change† I believe this monologue verifies Deirdre’s role as â€Å"catalyst†. By this point we have been introduced to all four women and to their dreams and fantasies, which Deirdre’s â€Å"wee blade† of truth threatens to destroy. Deirdre’s yearning for the truth causes her to kill these dreams, bringing the three idealistic women crashing back to the harsh reality that surrounds them. Deirdre’s conflict is greatest with the central character, Marie. Compared with Cassie and Nora’s materialistic dreams of redecorating her living room (Nora) and leaving Belfast (Cassie), Marie’s delusions of her late husband’s heroic acts and credibility are not as empty as her friends’. These dreams are instilled within objects in the womens’ homes; for example Nora’s dream is symbolised by a â€Å"peach polyester mix†, Cassie’s by a wad of money hidden behind Michel’s photograph and Marie’s by a â€Å"grainy blow up† of her late husband, Michael. As the play progresses it becomes apparent that Deirdre is intent on destroying each character’s dream, but I think it is also suggested that she is somewhat linked with Marie and her dream. Munro again makes use of symbolism to connect these two characters. For example, Deirdre’s mini dress is reminiscent of Marie’s wedding dress: â€Å"Then other times she looks like me†¦you remember that dress I was married in, that wee white mini-dress?†¦She stands. And stares.† I believe it is as though Munro is depicting Deirdre as a ghost of Marie’s past. This becomes relevant later in the play when Deirdre reveals to Marie that she is in fact Michael’s daughter. The simple observation of Deirdre standing alone at the bottom of the path reflects how she appears isolated from the others in her search for truth; she longs to exploit the truth and become part of the family unit maintained by the three other women: â€Å"I’m wet, I’m cold. I want to get inside†¦I want to get inside. Can’t keep me out.† This monologue has quite a threatening undertone , it is as though Deirdre’s isolation causes her distress. I believe also that the use of â€Å"wet† and â€Å"cold† highlight the harsh environment and the fact that Deirdre is unloved. I think all of these factors – isolation and the longing for truth – cause Deirdre to act as catalyst. In taking on this role, Deirdre threatens to destroy the fellow women’s dreams. Her first act as catalyst is when she steals Cassie’s money hence ruining her dream of escape and freedom. Deirdre makes obvious to the reader that Cassie’s materialistic dream is false and unobtainable in a short, eerie monologue: â€Å"The whole town’s a prison, smash chunks off the wall ’cause we’re all in a prison.† Cassie’s dream of escape is obviously unrealistic and false and I believe Deidre’s destruction of the dream validates this idea. Deirdre also appears to be in conflict with Nora, Cassie’s mother, a she goes on to use her â€Å"wee blade of truth† to shed Nora’s â€Å"shiny peach polyester† fabric and ultimately her dream: â€Å"Deirdre†¦looks at the broad, smooth stretch of material then starts to slash at it, ripping it, trampling it till she’s breathless.† Deirdre’s violent reactions I believe show what harsh and abusive situations she has been exposed to. She desires to know the truth so much, that she finds happiness in destroying the illusions and fantasies of others, forcing them to face their reality and embrace the truth. Although Cassie and Nora do avoid the truth that their materialistic hopes will always elude them, it is Marie’s complete glossing over of the truth that causes her to be most at odds with Deirdre. Her lullaby that she uses to calm her son for example, shows how dependant she is on her delusions about Michael: â€Å"Your daddy was a good man and a brave man†¦that’s what keeps us all together, keeps me going, keeps me strong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Marie finds comfort in her deluded memories of Michael. I believe this blanking of the truth angers Deirdre and causes her to react violently and destructively toward Marie and her dreams: â€Å"Deirdre hurls the clothes at her. She snatches the knife out of the chair and waves the blade at Marie. She advances on her slowly. I want the truth out of you. I mean it.† This I believe is symbolic in showing that Deirdre uses the truth as a harmful device and that Marie is threatened by its potential exposure. Marie’s reaction is shocking and uncharacteristic of her gentle, nurturing nature – she takes Michael’s picture and using Deirdre’s knife, destroys it. Marie in turn destroys Deirdre’s dream of knowing the truth about her father. These two characters, who are at the greatest point in their conflict portray through their actions the main concerns of the text – reality versus illusion – reality conquers over dreams and pointless fantasies. The unveiling of the truth brings these two closer together allowing them to reconcile. The conclusion of the play suggests hope and optimism for the recovery of these women. They share in a special, ritual feeding of the birds, their relationship to emulate that of a mother and daughter: â€Å"Did you ever feed the birds, Deirdre? â€Å"No† â€Å"I like the common wee birds†¦you’d need to be something special to build a nest around the Falls. Someone should feed them.† â€Å" Deirdre and Marie’s conflict is resolved by Marie’s embracing of the truth that she has for so long avoided. The central idea of â€Å"Bold Girls† of reality versus dreams is made obvious by the characters’ actions, they cope by padding their harsh reality and cushioning themselves with fantasies and illusions. These qualities are instilled within the characters of the play, Marie, Cassie and Nora thrive on fantasies and dreams; whereas Deirdre lives for the truth. The opposing forces I feel cause the characters to be in conflict with each other. Their compromising situations and contrasting ideas about reality create friction between the opposing characters of Deirdre and Marie. Munro expertly uses stage direction, soliloquy and the opposing forces of truth and fantasy to make apparent the concerns of the text and to heighten my personal appreciation of their importance in these womens’ lives.

Peter Pan- Coming of Age

PETER PAN- COMING OF AGE Coming of age can be simplified as the stepping stones that path our way to adulthood and intellectual maturity. It is a period of change experienced by a young person when they face a new way of understanding and accepting new ideas and views. The time when this transition occurs is different in everyone. Certain individuals reach this stage through a tragic, painful event which affects them to such extent that they are completely changed. Other individuals reach this time by simply growing older and having a better understanding of the world around them. J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan is a touching portrayal of a young girl who grows up through various events. The main protagonist Wendy first encounters Peter in a nursery where she was brought up. Along with her two brothers, John and Michael went to the enchanted island Neverland which is the home to Peter. It is also there where Wendy encounters love for the first time, and is forced to reconcile the vario us facets of her emerging womanhood. Family relationships can influence the way we come of age quite drastically. In the Victorian era, parents believed in strict conformity in their children, to set them right from an early age. Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. Come with me where you’ll never, never, never have to worry about grown up things again. † Quoted Peter. Repetition is used here to emphasise Peter’s desperate need of a mother. Wendy chose to go to Neverland with Peter not because of rebellion but she wished so much to become a mother to Peter, without even hesitating of leaving her parents behind. The way she thinks is a consequence of the education given to Victorian girls. To learn how to become good wives and good mothers. After a period of time in Neverland, Peter and the lost boys experiences what it’s like to have a mother.This turns out to be very significant, because after having a mum. All except Peter wants to come back to reality, to the stage where you grow up. Wendy also misses home and her parent’s love. Being the elder sister, she knows she has the responsibility, not only to take care of the boys but to realise that the most important thing in the real world is to have a mother. Decision making is a process both the lost boys and Wendy had to go through. Making the right decision to leave their childhood once and for all and take their first step into adulthood.The author describes Wendy’s thoughts and feelings throughout this decision making process. The internal view of the character enables us to relate to her and understand her better. The ‘window’ is symbolic in Barrie’s book. It was through this window that the dream of living in Neverland came true, as the fulfilment of an incredible adventure, and it was again through the same window that all adventure came to an end and the children came back home. The whole cycle of coming of age begins at the window and ends a t the window.Wendy finally understands the full meaning of looking at things from a different perspective; as they say â€Å"One never really knows a man until one stands in his shoes and walk around in them. † Just taking on the role of being a mother to Peter and the lost boys was enough. Coming of age is inevitable; it isn’t about choice or obligations. It is a process that we all must face at one stage or another. When one learns to put oneself in different perspective, one sheds the irresponsibility of childhood. It is then when one truly matures into a young adult from a child.

United States Imperialism

Imperialism is defined as the policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political control over other nations; the notion of a globally stretching â€Å"American Empire† with such connotations was first made popular after the Spanish-American War of 1898 with the US annexation of the Philippines. Although previous US expansionism shares many similarities with this â€Å"new† age of expansionism, they also diverged from one another in several key ways. This new stage of American expansionism took place through the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century and was quite analogous to the original or traditional type expansionism conducted by the US throughout its history proceeding this time period in several aspects. The first of which was the strong belief that expanding was a destined duty supported by God. When the US first gained its independence in 1776 span most of the east coast with the exception of Florida and extended only minimally into the mainland continent, but by the late 1800s the nation stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific adding new states and territory and expanding across the entire continent. This relatively quick and vast expansion was a result of the idea known as Manifest Destiny, coined by columnist John O’Sullivan in 1845. The idea basically articulated that belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic Seaboard to the Pacific Ocean. As a result of such a belief the US government did everything within its power to make this growth possible. This ranged from the buying of and making deals for territories from other foreign powers, like the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France, to the taking of California and parts of New Mexico and Arizona from Mexico after the US Victory in the Mexican American War. This type of belief that imperialism was a necessary duty held true for the new age. This was not exclusive to the US and was widely accepted throughout most of the colonizing European powers as well. People at the time believed that God had made the â€Å"white race†; in the US special emphasis was put on the Anglo Saxon race, superior to all others as evidenced by their grander civilizations, numbers, wealth, and Christian beliefs. They saw these advantages as evidence that God wanted them to spread over the world imposing their rule on other races and lesser civilizations of the globe when inevitably the world’s supply of unoccupied land was depleted. This was especially the view of missionary minded Americans such as Reverend Josiah Strong, who called for Christian missions spanning the entire globe; their ideas stemmed from the Social Gospel (Document B). The Social Gospel involved the use of Christian ideals to help cope with the problems of the time, many of which were caused by rapid industrialization. This entitled way of thinking again helped inspire the United States to expand as well as convincing its people that such an expansion was rightful and meant to be, and again they did so because of these ideas and quite successfully so. The next ways in which the old and new ages were alike was in the treatment of the native peoples of the regions that the United States expanded into. During both time periods US policy toward the people already residing in any area newly acquired was biased and insensitive with little to no regard of the for the good or desires of the natives. During early American expansion the victims of such actions were almost exclusively Native Americans. As Americans pushed west they came into contact with a myriad of different tribes inhabiting different parts of the North American continent. The US government and these Indian tribes began to clash with each other quickly and soon what is widely seen as an unofficial extermination campaign began. This campaign carried on for decades until the US had spread a completely across the continent fighting and weakening individual tribes until they submitted to US dominance. Even after this Native Americans were still treated unfairly, having to contend with horrific US anti-Indian legislation. For Instance the Indian Removal Act, which took away Indian land and forced onto plots of land mandated for them do reside in, known as reservations. The most famous of which was the trial of tears, during which the Cherokee people were forced to march the one thousand mile distance from Georgia to Oklahoma under horrible conditions resulting in the deaths of 4,000 Cherokees. Another injustice toward the Indian peoples was their excluded from US citizenships and the rights and protections that come with it until 1924 with the passage of the Snyder Act. The treatment of those in the territories and colonies of the United States during this time during the late 1800s and early 1900s in that they again like the Native Americans were subject to harsh military action. This occurred shortly after Spain sold the Philippines to the United States for 20 million dollars. The Filipino people were under the mistaken assumption that after the withdrawal of Spain they would receive their independence, so as the US began to institute its rule in the colony Filipinos revolt under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo. The US government responded not by granting the Philippines its independence but instead by engaging in an armed conflict called by the American Anti-imperialist League, founded by Mark Twain in 1898, a â€Å"war of criminal aggression†. Although the US eventually won out due to far superior military might the process of doing so many Filipinos were slaughter putting Filipino blood on American hands (Document D). Inhabitants of the new age US imperial holdings were just as their Native American counterparts of the past denied rights and privileges and citizens. It was decided during this period that Congress would be granted jurisdiction over US foreign colonies and territories and control over the civil rights and statuses of those in them. This resulted from the Supreme Court case Downes vs. Bidwell, where a Puerto Rican exporter sued over the fact that he had to pay an import duties on his goods arguing that he was not technically importing them seeing as how Puerto Rico was a US territory. As Congress never saw fit to make grant such inhabitants of the â€Å"US Empire† they were not given rights under or protected by the Constitution as US citizens were (Document H). This lack of rights for natives in these lands opened the door to abuses and despotism from the United States government as well as other entities for instance big business, trying to serve their own needs and desires at any cost. The similarities between both states of US expansionism are represented both in its attitude toward its own expansion and in its handling of the existing populaces in the areas acquired. The more recent imperial period beginning in the late 1800s was also in numerous key facets a departure from previous US policies and preceding expansionism. To begin there was a major difference in venue between the two periods. During the early era US expansion was limited to the North American continent only spreading out and making larger the already existing American nation to the surrounding area. This mostly consisted of westward extension toward the Pacific Ocean, and the settling largely wooded country side that was quite relatively scarcely populated with only a number of Native American Indian tribes. However the latter era was a more global form of expansion. Instead of having growth limited to the continent and immediate area the US began to obtain colonies and territories thousands of miles away in other parts of the world such as the Philippines, the only official colony, Puerto Rico, and Guam. According to the father of the modern US navy, Admiral Alfred T. Mahan the US had to start looking outward to distant territorial options due to the increasing need for raw materials and other growing production needs, an expansionistic desire form the American public, and the geographic position of the nation between the Atlantic and Pacific (Document C). The perceived need to keep up with the growing colonial possessions and therefore wealth and power of the European nations was also a driving force behind this colonizing outward look. The US had fallen behind in this arena as shown in works like Thomas Nast’s â€Å"The World Plunderers†, which shows the dominant European nations of Germany, England, and Russia taking land off different regions of the globe. The US is not however represented here among these powerful colonizing nations, serving to show how far behind the US was in that way and how it did not play as large or powerful role as these other countries (Document A). These new colonial territories were not made up of under populated wilderness ready for settlement, but instead were populated and held developed native societies with their own customs that the US government had to deal with. This type of new era colonial style interaction is exemplified in events like the Filipino revolt against their American rulers for independence. Not only did US expansion change becoming more global, but US diplomatic expansionism foreign policy changed as well. During the initial time of expansionism the US foreign policy was focused on expansion through the gaining of land. While during the later time the US was still fixated on the attainment of land gains they began to also focus on expansion through the expansion of American influence throughout the world. During this time the US became somewhat less isolationist and introverted and looked to expand trade with other nations and sway over other nations rather than real â€Å"colonial† control. The goal of the United States was according to Senator Albert J Beveridge in the 1900 to use its colonial possession of the Philippines to control the Pacific Ocean, which he believed to be â€Å"the ocean of the commerce of the future†. This control over the Pacific would supposedly allow the US unrestricted trade with Asia, making it â€Å"the power that rules the world† (Document E). This idea in practice resulted in the institution of the open door policy. This policy nvolved the forceful persuasion of China by the United States to engage in trading with the US and other European powers. To keep from fighting between these powers separate â€Å"spheres of influence† were set up for each colonial power in which they could trade and conduct business as they pleased. This policy worked well making the US arguably the largest and most important foreign power in the region as shown by the political cartoon â€Å"American Diplomacy† (Document G). The United States also opened up Japan to trade with the Commodore Perry’s expedition to the nation in 1853. These types of influence foreign diplomacy were not only employed by the US in the Pacific but in the Latin America as well with particular regard to Central America. This was known as the Roosevelt Corollary, President Roosevelt’s interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine that required the US to interfere in the affairs of countries affected by wrongdoing and or impotence of the Western Hemisphere not for land but for the â€Å"welfare† of such countries (Document F). The Platt Amendment helped to support and legitimized the Corollary by guarantying US participation in Cuban dealings, both foreign and domestic and appeared to be at the time quite a success. The practice of dollar diplomacy took US influence over the Latin American to a new level by using both political and military authority to safeguard US citizens’ investments in the regions. This was used when President Taft sent US marines into Nicaragua in 1912 in order to keep safe American business interests. Such policies served to expand American control through increase in indirect influence instead of an increase in land and colonization. The variances between the old and new ways of expansion manifest themselves primarily in the change from continental territory gains to globally and the shift from a singular expansion attention on land to a attention on influence based expansion. United States expansionism has undergone changes throughout the years and at the same time stayed constant in many respects. Expansionism from the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century was a continuation of past expansionism in that the religious and superiority driven attitude toward expansionism and the treatment of those already occupying the colonized areas remained the same. However it was a departure from previous expansionism because of its more global connotations and its focus on diplomatic influence as opposed to land. It is evident that regardless of their specific differences the old era of US expansion and the new era are their own distinct entities.

Expatriates Issues in International Joint Ventures Essay

Expatriates Issues in International Joint Ventures - Essay Example Much of the early studies on international staffing was largely descriptive, prescriptive, and lacking in analytical rigor (Dowling et al., 1999). One European critique (Brewster & Scullion, 1997) argued that staffing policies are often developed in isolation from other areas of expatriation policy and fail to connect expatriate selection to the MNE's international business strategy. Researchers are finding more variety in approaches to staffing and other activities (Scullion & Starkey, 2000; Petrovic et al., 2000). Drawing on the speculative concepts of the resource based view, European researchers have endeavored to explain the strategic measurement of expatriate selection. Bonache and Fernandez (1999) explain the linkage between expatriates and spirited advantage by significance the significance of the relocating of tacit knowledge to new markets, through relocating teams rather than just: individual managers and Bonache and Brewster (2001) discover the role of expatriates as inst rument of knowledge transfer. Recent European studies indicates the significance of country specific factors and indicates distinction between countries in international staffing practices. ... utilize fewer. For example, direct expatriate management is mostly well-built in the Far Eastern or Latin American subsidiaries of Japanese and German operating in the automobile or electronic industries, and much less important in the subsidiaries of U.S., French, and British MNEs located in Scandinavian or Anglo-Saxon countries and operating in the food or paper industries. Not all international business activities are staffed by "traditional" expatriates, that is, expatriates on international projects for several years. There are a significant figures, in Europe at least, of self-initiated expatriate experiences (SFEs): group who find their own way to an additional country (Suutari & Brewster, 2000). buying and trade behavior are often behavior by people on short (often, factually, flying) visits. Studies into the selection of expatriates has generally been focused on the more "visible" aspects of these issues such as the criteria used in selection decisions. Studies in Europe, however, also indicate that selection criterion are largely create of the international HR unit: in practice choice on expatriate selection are typically taken by line managers--who often simply pay no attention to the selection criteria espoused by the HR department (Harris & Brewster, 1999). The confirmation on numbers of expatriates is diverse. There are suggestions that the accessibility of people willing to recognize global projects is not escalating fast enough to meet the rapidly growing demand for international managers. Studies suggest that general lack of expatriate managers are mainly sensitive in European MNCs and restrict mutual efforts to develop

Evaluation of Zara's fashion marketing performance Term Paper

Evaluation of Zara's fashion marketing performance - Term Paper Example ithin the Singapore apparel industry is almost one point three percent and it occupies the sixth position after the other international brands such as Mango, Guess, Espirit and the like (Burgen, 2014). Its vision is to satisfy the customer’s desires and needs and therefore they keep on renovating business so that it may be able to improve the condition of the business and satisfy the customers. Zara’s mission statement includes the ideals of contributing to the world in which they interact so that it may lead to sustainable development of the entire society (Jacob & Mamgain, 2011). The brand actually deals with clothing, footwear and accessories designed for men, women and children. The main advantage that Zara has in comparison to the other retailers on the market is that they do not define their segmentation into ages, therefore they are able to cater a broader range of market and capture more customers. Values that are mostly associated with the brand Zara are modern , trendy, glamorous and the likes (Zara.com, 2010). Typically a Zara customer is mostly a young, trendy fashion conscious individual who is also seeking value in the products that he or she is buying. Moreover the customer is highly related and updated with the latest fashion trends and is keen on purchasing products which carry a highly fashionable outlook or design but a reasonable price tag. The ultimate value that they want from these products are that they should be sophisticated, impressive and should add a glamor quotient to their wardrobe. Zara is such a brand which is proud of its decision to avoid mass production. In the domain of style and design, it offers its customers with the latest style and designer products. It aims at achieving high fashion with a low price intent. . The customers who buy Zara are mostly young, fashion conscious and they are also very conscious of the value of products. They are also highly aware of the latest fashion trends in the

The experience of studying abroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The experience of studying abroad - Essay Example The personal development is greatly affected by studying abroad. One reason for recommending students to study abroad or far from home is that it gives them a sense of independence. This independence should not be taken as a negative impact on the students’ growth but it in fact is a very valuable factor. It provides them with the sense of responsibility, commitment and value for the resources. Studying abroad helps developing self-confidence. It further helps students in understanding the culture, tradition and values of other people. In the diversified population of today, it has become an important factor to learn to adopt and survive with people of different backgrounds. Studying abroad hence, helps students in understanding, managing and resolving the issues that may arise due to differences between themselves and others (Lange & Paige, 2003 p 185). Moving abroad and settling there for studies, however, is not an easy task! There are a number of social, political, economi c and moral issues which are to be considered before making a choice on this matter. Students face and may face problems due to the changing political, economic and social conditions of a country. ... The diversified populations at schools help the students in preparing for their professional life where a diversified workforce is available. Schools and universities, hence, provide them an understanding of the issue that may arise in their future working career and they find ways to tackle and reduce those issues. Moreover, the participants from other countries represent their culture and traditions to the host country population and the relationship between people from two different backgrounds help in eradicating the wrong concepts about each others’ culture and religion (OECD, 2004 p 221). The working environment, which is highly diversified today, is greatly affected by abroad education concept. People who have been experiencing the diversified population throughout their academic life are easily settled and integrated in the unknown organizational culture. They face less trouble in dealing with others and facing challenges of discrimination and undue behaviors of other people. As far as academic success and growth of students is concerned, studying abroad makes student more conscious about their results and performance. Most of the students staying abroad for educational purposes are paying their fees by themselves. They go for some kind of job to earn their living and bear their regular expenses. Hence, they are more motivated to pass their exams without any failure. However, a negative impact may be seen as a result of this working issue on the performance of students in terms of lower grades and GPAs. Studying abroad helps in developing self confidence, believe in one’s abilities, independence, maturity, creativity to resolve issues and understanding of individualistic strengths and weaknesses.

MGT WK3 DQ 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MGT WK3 DQ 1 - Essay Example The manager should also ensure that he or she maintains control of the tasks delegated, and this can be done by discussing timelines and deadlines, make changes where needed and also take time to review the progress without necessarily interfering with the workload they have delegated. My personal experience with delegation has been successful, and it happened when I was assigned tasks to answer stand in for the manager where I work and I was supposed to pick his calls and make sound decision on whatever I was asked by people who called in. I learnt how to communicate professionally and also make decisions that were needed to be made promptly. Delegating is important as it allows time and resources to be utilized efficiently and also allows staff to be at their full potential. It is advantageous as it allows for tasks to be assigned to those with more skills and also helps in nurturing skills of the less experienced staff. It is disadvantageous as it can lead to delays when those assigned tasks do not meet the expectations or fail to do what is

Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean Essay

Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean - Essay Example The glaciers in Columbia are vanishing and there are hurricanes not only in Central America but even in southern Brazil. The result of these phenomena will have debilitating effects on fisheries, coral reefs, water availability and agriculture. It will also result in an imbalance as the fragile ecosystem will not be in position to tolerate the increasing carbon level in the atmosphere as also the degrading effects of deforestation (Climate change threatens Latin America and the Caribbean). One may wish to turn the clock back and work on an agenda that may trigger the momentum to restore the ecological balance. The good news is that attempts are made in the direction of this restoration. The outcome of these attempts may take decades or even centuries to realize the desired effects. Nevertheless, the issue is survival of mankind with the rest of the plants and animals. Hence, every little contribution towards revival of the original environment has exponential effects in the improvement of the entire region. The increase in the amount of carbon in the air poses dire problems. It will raise sea level by 15 to 95 cm by 2100 AD. Heavy rains, floods, drought, desertification could result in colossal unsettlement and disease such as malaria and cholera. Poor countries such as Cuba and Guatemala will be particularly affected as they will not have the means to sustain elongated period of disease and drought (Future Climate Change in Cuba and Guatemala). The Contributions The steps for restoration of the ecological balance are worked out by ensuring clean energy technology and sustainable land use and forestry. Promotion of clean energy technology in Latin America is taking place as joint ventures with multinational corporations. The change from fossil fuel to clean energy will ensure better atmosphere with less carbon in the air. Reduction of carbon emissions from factories and automobiles will mean cleaner atmosphere. The solution towards cleaner energy is ensured through agencies like the Kyoto protocol, ecological footprints, global bio-capacity, sustainable development, etc. The Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto protocol makes it mandatory for industrialized nations to cut down on the greenhouse gas (GHG). It is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Thirty seven industrialized countries and the European community have the responsibility of reducing GHG by 5% against 1990 levels over the five year period 2008-2012. The Kyoto protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and came into force on 16 February 2005. The countries meet their protocol target under three market-based mechanisms which are: Emissions trading also known as the carbon market, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and Joint Implementation (JI) (Kyoto

What are the benefits of online grocery shopping Essay

What are the benefits of online grocery shopping - Essay Example In between the fundamental objectives of enlarging their market visibility is the need to meet the consumer requirements, and so was the very genesis of online shopping. Grocery stores, for instance, have taken the advantage afforded by technology, â€Å"raking in roughly $15 billion a year — about 3 percent of brick and mortar supermarkets’ nearly $600 billion sales† (Williams, 2014). Williams further notes that the industry is expected to grow at approximately 13 percent per annum, ‘making up 11 percent of all grocery sales in the next decade. Indeed there is no doubt that the ever increasing use of the Internet has more than transformed shopping experiences with quite a huge chunk of benefits that has enabled the cutting down of costs on both ends of the consumer and the service providers (Appelhans, et al. 2012; Shannon & Mandhachitara, 2008). More and more businesses are warming up towards greater use of the internet as the ultimate marketing channel t hat is both unique in very many, but certain aspects that includes convenience, real time feedback, as well as the ability of extreme comfort, and so are the opportunities offered by online Grocery stores. Any serious entrepreneur knows for a fact that time in itself is but a precious commodity, and so with regards to shopping in particular, time has that tremendous capability of significantly altering shopping behavior. Indeed it the very levels of time pressure that allow the service provides to group consumers as well as service specific target markets along this dimension. Besides the time pressure, the online Grocery stores have long known that impulse are involved in in the purchase of food products and that the consumers’ effort in searching and processing related information concerning food products should be at the very bare minimum, for time-pressured consumers strive for

Aspects of the Tragiccomedy As I Lay Dying Essay Example for Free

Aspects of the Tragiccomedy As I Lay Dying Essay William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying is both comic and tragic in many ways throughout this book. This is a story of a family who carts their dead mother, Addie, to be buried in her hometown in Jefferson. There are fifteen monologues from this book including one from Addie. The family goes through horrendous obstacles in order to complete their trip. Addie is the heart and soul of this family yet she never wanted this life. Addie’s father would tell her, â€Å"The reason for living was to get ready to stay dead a long time. 169. So she took Anse for a husband and gave him Cash and Darl. After she had Darl she made Anse promise to bury her in Jefferson when she died. But Anse wanted more kids. Addie had an affair with Mr. Whitfield and had Jewel. She gave Anse Dewey Dell for the negative of Jewel and last Vardaman. Addie is bitter about her life and doesn’t show the love and affection towards her kids except to Jewel her favorite. As long as she is around this family the more suffering she will bring to them. All her children except Jewel want her love and kindness but she rebukes them. In the beginning of their journey Jewel takes horse with him, but Anse is against this because he feels it is disrespectful towards Addie. Jewel should be riding in the wagon with everybody else. They come to a bridge which has just collapsed because of the weather and the river is moving very fast. It will take the trip longer if they go around so the Bundren family makes up a plan and goes through it. Cash and Darl make their way across the broken bridge when the wagon tips. Darl was supposed to hold on the coffin but instead lets it go hoping that God will take care of her and that would end their trip. However, Jewel went into the river to rescue his dead mother from the river and foiled Darl’s plans. Cash has a broken leg but he’s lucky because it was the same leg he had broken before so he is not begrudging it. Cash holds off on medical treatment until they bury Addie. When they come to rest at Mr. Gillippsie’s barn Darl has had enough of this trip all he wants to do is end it and send Addie on her way, peaceful like in her sleep. So Darl sets the barn on fire, livestock and all. However, Jewel comes to the rescue again and saves the coffin from being burnt. Vardaman knows Darl set the barn on fire but lke a good brother he keeps it to himself and doesn’t tell anybody. The rest of the family suspects it is Darl and are going to deal with him after they bury Addie. Darl introspectively has an insight to his family’s secrets. He has discovered that Dewey Dell is pregnant and is going into town to get a treatment for an abortion; Jewel is not Anse’s son, and by that thought he taunts Jewel to no end. He knows Anse is going to Jefferson for a new set of teeth even if he has to beg, steal or borrow. Anse takes money from Cash and Dewey Dell, and then he sells Jewel’s horse to pay for a new mule team to get them to Jefferson. When they do reach Jefferson Addie is passed due and ready for the ground. Anse borrows a couple spades in order to dig the grave and they lay her to rest. Betrayed by Dewey Dell and assaulted by Jewel, Darl is taken away to the asylum. Only Cash understands him; only Cash and Vardaman pity him. Referring to himself in the third person, a sign of extreme self-estrangement, Darl says: Darl is our brother, our brother Darl. Our brother Darl is in a cage in Jackson where, his grimed hands lying light in the quiet interstices, looking out he foams. Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes. To the end it is a search for kinship that obsesses Darl, and his cryptic row of affirmatives may signify a last, pathetic effort to proclaim his brotherhood. Howe The characters in As I Lay Dying do not clearly communicate to one another. Each goes and does whatever they need to do for themselves with little regard for the other. Addie Bundren was a very private woman and would not have it any other way; I believe she passed that quality to her kids. Because, if they did talk to each other maybe there would be a better bond with all of them instead of guessing and tip toeing around the matter. In this tragic comedy book the irony is seeing what you hate inside multiply itself by 5. This is what Addie Bundren created. Dewey Dell is in the same place her mom was only a little worse off because she is not married. Darl is goes mad and heads to an insane asylum. Vardaman is trying to piece everything together and still believes his mom is a fish. Jewel is kinder to his mother in death then he was when she was alive and I believe he regrets that. Cash has one good leg and still has his carpenter tools, he’ll make it through somehow. Anse cannot live without a wife so when gets his teeth in Jefferson he introduces the children to their new mother.

Confronting Competition In The Tourism Industry

Confronting Competition In The Tourism Industry Europes tourism industry is one of the biggest tourism industries in the world and therefore has all top tour operators based in Europe. Two of the biggest names are Thomas cook and TUI. They have the maximum market share in the Europes tourism industry. The tour operators business environment consists of competitors, macro environments and industry also. Various tools used for the analysis of the business environment are PESTLE analysis, porters five force analysis and industry life cycle. SWOT analysis will be done for industrys analysis and also on how the tour operators in Europe are performing. Environmental Analysis PESTEL Analysis PESTEL helps in understanding the important factors affecting the change. Below is the PESTEL analysis: Political: After the tourist attacks, the government comes up with strict laws on immigration and also restrict the destinations after the attacks which affect the perception and also the perception of the tourist. Also, the taxation policy affects the tourism as they charge taxes on the food and lodging industry which contributes the maximum to the tourism industry. (Baum, T, 1999). Economic: The exchange also affects the tourism in the country and plays the important role.( Davidson AP, Burgess S, 2006). The gap between the Euro and the Pound sterling is decreasing, therefore, there is a possibility that the outbound tourism is affected in Europe which in turn will affect the tour operators. The recession also affected the tourism industry not only in Europe but in other countries also. Socio-Cultural: Tour operators have understood what the customers are looking for; they are looking for a brand, lifestyle and safety. Due to this the tour operator in Europe. The tour operators make customised tour packages to suit the need of the customers. The customers travelling to Europe are looking for the brand names that are doing good in the business and have a name, this is due to the demand of security when travelling to the other country. Technological: The online and internet bookings are increasing day by day due to the easy access of the internet. The online booking companys like expedia.com, hotels.com, etc are giving packages and also the customers can make their own packages. This has highly affected the tourist operators in Europe as they get the business from other countries as well. The internet booking companies are doing well in the business due to the cost saved and also less of manpower requirements. (Douglas, and Derrett 2001). Environmental: The European governments are campaigning for green holidays like farm holidays. The carbon dioxide is the major source of the pollution and the aeroplanes contribute the maximum carbon dioxide to the environment. (Munoz, J. 2005). Apart from this, the health issues like swine flu or influenza cause tourists not to travel to the country. The governments also restrict these countries for travelling. Legal: the European governments are proposing strict norms and laws for the aviation industry in terms of safety and regulations. The opening of new hotels in the country also requires legal permits for the company. Porters Five Force Analysis This identifies the competitors in the tourism industry and all these five forces are linked with each other. The risk of Potential Entrants: The threat of new entrants in terms of tour operators is low because of the high capital investment, brands already existing and have created a niche in the market and people knows about the top players in the industry. It is difficult for the new entrants to establish themselves. (Alford, 2009) The threat of Substitutes: The threat to substitute of tourism or travelling is less as people these days prefer to take a break and travel. They will not substitute travel to any other activities. Also, the European countries are full of greens and have both mountains and beaches which attract the tourists from around the world. (Alford, 2009) Bargaining power of Suppliers: The suppliers bargaining power is high only with the companies who are new to the business or holds small share in the market. However, the bargaining power is not the same with the companies who hold the maximum market share in the tourism industry. Also, the European markets have their own aviation industry which helps in bringing or supplying tourists to the country at the mitigated prices. Bargaining power of Buyers: Since Europe is a big market in tourism industry it caters to both the individual travelling customers and travelling through agencies. In the latter case, the travel agents or tour operators make the packages in such a way that people buy them. The tour operators compose a major and a powerful group for the buyers. Rivalry among the Competitors: The rivalry among the competitors is moderate as they contribute maximum to the market. TUI and Thomas cook are the two top travel operators who have a 21% and 13% market share respectively. The rivalry is only among these two as they both hold the important position in the European market. The other travel operators are not the part of the competition. Appendix 1: Porters Five Force Model for the Tourism Industry in Europe Industry Life Cycle The Industrys life cycle tells about the growth of the product that is tourism in the continent. The life cycle is well telling about the evolution of the tourism industry, its development, decline and the death. Stage one describes the early start of tourism in Europe centuries back when people started travelling from one place to another. The second stage describes the development of the tourism, which again took place centuries back as the need for the shelter and food was recognised by the people in Europe. They built small inns for the travellers and gave them basic meals. (Douglas and Derrett 2001).Thats how the food and lodging industry started in Europe and Europe was the first continent to do so. Slowly and gradually they built hotels and the tourism industry started booming and continuously doing the same with maximum people travel to the continent every year. The decline or downfall was observed during the terrorist attacks in United States of America and Bali. The second time downfall was observed during the recession period in 2008. ( Douglas and Derrett, 2001). However, the industry had seen the growth in last two years as people have started travelling again. The last stage is the death stage which the tourism industry has not yet faced as people are travelling and business is growing. (SÃ ³names, 1998) SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis of any industry will help it to grow better and maximise the business by identifying the new opportunities and also how to overcome the threats. Strengths: The European people are very warm and have a good sense of hospitality. They are very friendly and helpful also. The countryside of the Europe is very beautiful and magnificent therefore it attracts a maximum number of tourists every year. The hotels and free standing restaurants in Europe offer the best cuisines and wines as compared to anywhere in the world. The tourism industry in Europe has undergone huge investments both in the public and private sectors. ( Porter, M,(1985). In last decade Europe has come up with large accommodation facilities, tourist attractions, and other activities for the tourists and also invested a lot in training. Access to the countries in the continent is easy as there are a number of airlines that offer their services to the tourists to come in the continent. The tourism industry in Europe is well supported by the airline as well as railway industry. Weaknesses: Language plays a barrier in some of the European countries as people are not aware of any other language. The climatic conditions are generally cold and during winters it becomes difficult to access the countrysides and cities. Opportunities: The access to the countries is easy due to the high competition and also the stay is competitively priced therefore there is a possibility that due to high competition people get better deals in European countries, therefore, this factor can force them to travel to the continent. The outbound travel will grow from Asia pacific and Middle Eastern countries as they are planning to have direct flights to the European countries where they do not operate. Also, the Chinese people are now more inclined towards travelling to different countries and continents. More business expansions in the continent as the tourism will grow. (Porter, M,(1985). It is very obvious that the industry will grow from all sides when more money will flow in. Increasing demand for nature tourism. Tourist these days prefer to travel to the countries which are rich in nature and are also eco-friendly. The economy of the countries will increase especially in the less visited countries. Threats: People now prefer short vacations rather than long vacations. People travel only to those countries which are well established and doing good business, however, the countries under developed are left behind. Changing the attitude of the customers in the global recession. Terrorist attacks and health hazards will affect the tourism in the continent as people stop travelling. The economy downfall of other countries will slow the growth of tourism in the European countries.

Increasing Floorspace Construction Plan

Increasing Floorspace Construction Plan After the negotiation of the final contract, EID was given the authorization to begin the project.  But there was no formal notice to proceed and the duration of the project was not closely monitored or contractually specified. In the appointment of an owners representative during the design phase, to expedite owners decisions and approvals, Mr. Ian Leadbetter, a mechanical and software engineer, was appointed as the owner representative even though he lacked project management training and experience. Failures in submittal reviews Mr. Leadbetter was occupied with the software development and did not have a standardized process in place for the approval of submittals and other key project management owner processes. Design process failures There was no process that was in place to deal with the expansion of the production train. This change caused the software design work that was completed to be discarded resulting in Mr. Ledbetters need to focus on redesign of the software and not on his duties of facilitating and communicating information between all parties. Since there were no processes on order for submittal reviews and approvals, there was a significant delay in the delivery of the production train equipment. During the construction phase, there were numerous problems that resulted including inter-coordination of shop drawings to design causing the structure of the building to be designed five feet less than required for the production train, owner representatives conducting business with subcontractors without the contractor being present, and other problems with process and technical management. There was no communications plan in place for the project. Failures in completion schedule and getting occupancy permits There were delays due to a number of shortfalls in the project management system. The management failed to hold EID accountable for project completion and closeout causing delays in schedule.   EID did not provide the building occupation permit nor did they comply with scheduling requirements for utility tie-ins causing several weeks in lost production. b. The real objectives of Woody were as follows: Increase the production capacity by 25% Increase the flooring of the production plant Install air conditioning Install dust free painting and finishing shop Add additional compressor capacity Completely install a semi-automatic wood working production train Renovate the President and Vice-Presidents offices e. The projects success can be gauged by their adherence to cost, time, usage of resources and quality standards. Cost: Maximum cost allowed was $ 17 million. Having a control over the budget, without any deviations would be success criteria. Time: The maximum time allowed for the project was 18 months. Any deviation from this would reflect poorly. Quality: Adherence to both product and process quality would be important. Product quality can be determined by the Conditions of Satisfaction established by the customer, in this case the management board of Customs Wood Work. The second quality standard can be measured by the criterion set by the project team in order to obtain the final product. Process quality has to be developed at every stage. 2. Project Scope Set up in 1954, Custom Wood Works had diversified into the manufacturing of made-to-order kitchen and bathroom cabinets, furniture for wholesalers/retailers along with its traditional offering of customized furniture. The company had even taken up sub contract work supplying installing counter tops and cabinets for commercial constructions. With the mini-boom in the construction industry, Custom Wood Works was set to expand its manufacturing business. The company was looking to enter the field of manufacturing by computer controlled automation. To give a certain grandeur to this strategy, the offices of the President and the Vice-President were being refurbished. The scope of the project includes increasing the floor space available to the company with a focus on increasing the companys production capacity by 25%. It also includes setting up of a new semi-automatic wood working production train complete with air-conditioning facilities and a dust free painting shop. The project even includes renovation of the President and Vice-Presidents office. The additives to Woodys project plan should include Sales Assessment An assessment of committed sales contracts and projected contracts should be done to ensure that production can still be maintained during proposed construction and that customer demands for scheduling and delivery requirements are met. There should be a strategic planning session which includes administration, sales, and production to ensure a high standard for customer satisfaction during proposed construction process.  A detailed sales and marketing plan should be prepared and should have contingency planning in case the market falls in a certain sector.   Process and Recommended PMLC model A complete systems flow should be developed to include document, task and schedule accountability, and allow for the integrated coordination between the owner, design and construction teams, and governing agencies. A Woody 2000 project steering committee should be formed that includes the executive management team and key leaders of the project.   Strategic planning and focus groups A systematic strategic planning session with various groups in the organization should be organized. Sub focus group which includes finance, production and administration should be formed. All meetings would have very detailed meeting minutes to include new and old business, pending issues and accountability milestones.   A task-tracking log can be maintained in each of the key disciplines. Evaluate Design and Constructability Value engineering, systems analysis, interior and exterior specification selections, program requirements, and overall design development coordination should be included. Existing production output should be reviewed along with new technologies and the affect upgraded machinery would have on production. Existing production capability should be maintained in order to service existing clients.   Project sequencing and mobilization A complete interfacing of the Woody 2000 project program requirements with the existing operations to determine various solutions for construction mobilization should be included. Pre-construction schedule Woodys executive team should be included in the overall development of the pre-construction schedule with related tasks and accountability time lines. A mobilization plan must be completed in order to ensure that the existing production lines can be maintained without interruption. Financial Performa and feasibility Various alternatives to the proposed expansion including Financial Performa, implications of proposed construction, system for programming spaces, methodologies for hiring of design and construction teams, design development process, implementation process, cost controls, and quality control procedures, should be developed.   Contractor selection methodology A competitive bidding process for the selection of the General Contractor should be followed. A preconstruction conference would be held in which the construction documents would be handed out and the project parameters be discussed and established with contractors. b. Woodys plan in managing the project included the following: Appointing Spencer Moneysworth as the Project Lead Inviting Expert Industrial Developers to quote on the construction. A monthly cash flow was developed by Kim Cashman. Mr. Leadbetter was appointed to take over the day-to-day running of the project. Various vendors like Piecemeal Corporation etc. were appointed to supply the necessities for the impending construction. The installation of the mechanical equipment in the dust free paint shop was given to Amos Dent of Tinknockers Associates. The local inspection authority was asked to intervene and check for compliance with the regulatory policies. An additional line of project financing was opened up to meet the escalated costs, because of the delay in completion. An expensive marketing strategy was launched to win back the lost customers. For post project appraisal, project management consultant W. Easley Associates were retained. A new and improved project management plan should include the following: Programming guidelines 1.  Design review Review Architectural and Engineering Design Services Agreements and ensure that these agreements have definitive date constraints and design to budget parameters. 2.  Review Programming Objectives a. Confirm the Woody team overall desires, intentions, goals and objectives for their expansion and develop a complete needs assessment b. Confirm the long range facility strategies and the necessary sales and marketing strategies needed to keep the new production train generative for its proper production to payback ratio. 3. Review Programming Documents a. Confirm the assessment and audit of Owners existing facilities and determine specific needs to projected revenues.  Review existing operations to ensure that production is not affected by the construction process. b. Ensure the Owners facility needs are fully documented by the use of a program manual and needs assessment log. d. Coordinate with the executive team the overall requested program to decipher between needs and wants and obtain necessary approvals. 4. Review/Maintain Overall Project Budget (OPB) a. Confirm the Owners needs and constraints regarding overall project budget and develop concise budgeting throughout design development phase. b. Confirm coordination of the budget with the program to insure sufficient funds are set aside and that the sequencing of work is in line with projected cash flow. c. Determine cash flow requirements and projections for the duration of the master schedule and coordinate with the finance office. d. Prepare periodic reports to document the planned cash flow versus actual cash flow and report to the Woody 2000 executive steering committee. 5. Review/Maintain Overall Project Schedule (OPS) a. Validate the preliminary schedule and expand the final project schedule and identify major milestones and the critical path for project. b. Validate major team members needs, responsibilities and detailed scheduling of team members work including owner supplied equipment, subcontractors, and the entire project workforce. 6. Review Site Due Diligence 7. Zoning Surveys Coordinate and confirm approvals for proper permitting. a. Transportation Confirm the necessity of a traffic management plan to ensure that the 850 existing employees have ample parking and are not affected by the construction. b. Legal restrictions Confirm approvals for equipment and new paint shop area. c. Environmental reports Soils investigation Confirm that all soils reports are sufficient for the new building footers and structure. e. Existence and capacity of utilities and infrastructure Coordinate with the appropriate utility companies to confirm that all expanded utilities are scheduled properly and without delay. f. Determine applicable government and community agency requirements, approvals and permit. b.  Design Process 1.  Confirm Procurement Agreements Design Services a. Confirm list of consultants, contractors and vendors whose services may be required in the purchasing of design services. b. Monitor the development of agreements to be awarded to successful bidders, all required contracts must be based on hard numbers or guaranteed maximum pricing. 2.  Performance Compliance a. Coordinate the specification of materials with the Owners needs there should be careful consideration given to the production train equipment. b. With the design consultants, develop procedures for material testing and test reporting. 3.  Consultant Coordination a. Monitor the coordination of consultants and vendors in such areas as the production train equipment and other specialized equipment necessary for the expansion space. 4.  Program and Design Compatibility a. Confirm with the design consultants that the developing designs are compatible with the program, master schedule, master budget and quality expectations. b. Confirm with the design consultants that the design as developed is compatible with the Owners needs. 5.  Submittals a. Monitor design submittals and approvals. 6.  Insurance a. Confirm that design consultants have and maintain insurance in accordance with the Owners needs. 7.  Cost Control a. Manage procurement of conceptual estimates of construction costs. b. Assist with value engineering ideas. 8.  Financing a. Assist Owner with developing a process for managing use of the contingency fund. b. Make adjustments as necessary to project current and future cash flows. 4. Quality a. Maintaining quality in this case, includes Adherence to procedures and processes Enforcement of the processes Issuance of completion certificates   Procedures and processes Quality assurance of The Woody 2000 project can only be accomplished through proactive involvement of the management team, interaction with the Owner, and design personnel. The tools to accomplish the same include: Design reviews-Constructability reviews value analysis Submittal control and approval Pre-construction meetings for major building components Partnering Sessions at key intervals of the project to clarify project standards and goals Educating trade contractors in the QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) requirements of the project. Quality assurance and control of the Construction Manager and subcontractors and in field operations should begin during the design phase to determine that the contract requirements are clearly understood by all parties.   Periodic inspections must be conducted to ensure that all items are in conformance, or that non-conforming items are corrected.   Enforcement A regular quality inspection process should be documented. If the quality program is not implemented properly, a notice should be given to the parties involved, calling for an immediate resolution. 3.  Review and issuing completion certificate As certain phases of the project are completed, a list of expected deliverables should be given to the contractors. The subcontractors are expected to cross check the expected deliverables with the actual deliverables and call in the quality team for a review. On successful completion fo the review, the completion certificate may be given to the contractor. b. Leadbetter didnt invoke the quality specifications as he had not been trained in project management experience and lacked the desired skills. The result of it were the following The specification of the production train was changed to increase capacity resulting in the rewriting of the software. This increased debugging at the start-up. Review and approval procedures for the various specifications and drawings were not taken, because of which there was a delay in getting the approval. Change in the production plans made it imperative to add another 5 feet to the length of the building. Delay in receiving and reviewing the catalogue descriptions and other specifications. Failure to meet the local environmental compliance standards, as set by the inspection authority. Building occupation certificate couldnt be obtained. Owners inspection and dry-run tests of the production train couldnt be performed. Customer delivery dates were missed and general contractors cancelled their orders. Depletion in the finished goods inventory and hence loss of face and sales opportunities. Resultant delay in the completion of the project, ensured that costs escalated and required an additional line of financing to be opened up. c. The importance of quality for such a project is because of the following reasons Ensures minimum re-work. Would ensure complete utilization of the resources The project would be under the stipulated budget. Proper quality would refer to compliance of standards and procedures. The project can be completed within the stipulated time. 8. Communication and People Management a. Organization Chart Project Chart b. Leadbetter when appointed to take care of the project lacked the knowledge which would have made him an indispensable part of the project. He lacked project management training and experience. He did not have any grounding in the understanding of the project life-cycle and control concepts. But Leadbetter had specialization in the understanding of the semi-automatic manufacturing machinery, which was the area of expansion of the organization. As such, with the start of the production run, this knowledge would have proven to be an asset ot the company. Hence, imparting training in project management and nurturing of his skills would have helped the company. c. Communication Plan The communication plan addresses crucial items which should include: Responsibility Matrix, Team Coordination, Master Schedule and Specific levels of reporting for different levels of individuals within the project design and construction team. Individual team members should receive specific types of reports such as: project team meeting minutes; monthly executive reports, schedule; etc.   Project goals are to be established and documented so each team member understands the common objectives. A Procedures Manual (PMP) should be completed which has all approved processes and procedures for the project.   Progress meetings: These meetings are important and should be conducted at least weekly, with trade contractors and key subcontractors, to discuss current progress and accomplished milestone objectives, forecast the weeks progress and goals, address problems encountered and actions required to correct any deficient work.   This entails two primary goals: To provide a series of tools for accurate monitoring of the progress of the project. To provide thorough, accurate records of the project to protect the owner from potential disputes or legal problems. Therefore, the following is tracked and recorded on each project: This can be achieved through rade Contractor Daily Reports, Construction Photos, Daily Logs, Testing/Inspection Services, Shop Drawings/Submittals, Document Management, Progress Meetings, Schedule Enforcement, Progress Reporting, Safety Inspections etc. Contract Administration and Field Coordination: The project manager should oversee the coordination of efforts between each contract, including issues such as accessibility to the site, maintenance of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, eliminating disruption to on-going existing activities, tie-ins of utilities and roadways, compatibility of construction methods, construction phasing and utilization of construction forces. Information Management Systems: An Information Management System which implements, tracks and records all the various elements of Project management, planning, organization, meetings and reviews, site logistics, shop drawings, field orders, and document control, should be bought into place. Decision Tracking:   A decision tracking system can be designed to keep the project moving.   Whenever a critical issue is identified by the project team, the system would track the issue, its impact, its source, and the party responsible for the action on the issue.   As individuals take action on the issue, the system would track each action taken and identify the next responsible party in the process of reaching a decision on the issue.   As each issue is resolved, the decision tracking system would close the issue, but preserves the history of the decision process.   RFIs Requests for Information:   These forms can be used regularly to stimulate communication between all project team members, including the owner and architect.   These requests receive immediate attention and are invaluable in aiding the team members to anticipate conflicts before they become problems. d. Expected Communication during execution This should include Design Package Log:  Tracks drawings, specifications and key dates as needed. Pending C.O. Log:  This log tracks owner and designer wish list items and cost.   They allow for timely decisions while maintaining the project budget. Team Action List:  Tracks actions needed to accomplish schedule goals and facilitated those actions. Bi-Weekly Schedules and Meetings:  Meetings, facilitating communication and planning among team members.   These are directed mainly at trade contractors, but also need support from the owner and architect. Liaison Meeting:  Bi-Weekly meetings which includes owner representatives to facilitate major decisions and exchange valuable information.   Submittal Log:  Tracks all submittals by trade contractors requiring approval by the architect and engineers.   Daily Manpower Reports:  This report tracks trade contractors manpower.   This report is reviewed daily and weekly to monitor adequacy of work forces necessary to maintain schedule. CCA Status Reports:  Tracked changes (Contract Change Authorization) and the Owners contingencies available for changes.   Alternate/Value Engineering Log:  Tracks potential additive and deductive changes that the Owner may wish to implement.   Three-Month Calendar:  A three-month calendar with all upcoming meetings and major events can be included with all meeting minutes and updated weekly. 10. Cost Control a. Reasons for the initial high price of EID The initial bid of EID amounted to $ 20 million on a 18 month schedule. EID believed that Woodys would need considerable help with their project planning and had allowed for a number of uncertainties. EID allowed to undertake the work on a fully reimbursable contract. The counter offer EID made was to do the work on their cost but solicit fixed price quotations for all sub-trade work. Their position was reasonable because of 2 reasons: The hourly rate paid would cover all the direct wages/salaries, pay roll burden, head-office overhead and profit. This rate would apply to all engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning for which EID would employ another subcontractor for the building and design work The number of hours put in by EID can be monitored effectively by Woodys. b. 2 years after the project was first launched, there was no meaningful planning for completion. Owners acceptance, testing, dry-run and production start-up of the production train had not been carried out. Also the occupation certificate had not been availed. Due to late delivery of the production train, the tie-in of power and other utility connections scheduled for the annual 2 week maintenance shut-down could not take place. Customer delivery dates were missed and some general contractors cancelled their contracts and placed their orders for mill work elsewhere. Sales opportunities were lost too. All this put together resulted in the fact that, the project was only 85% complete because the delay in completion too was charged to Woodys account. c. Cost Control An experienced team of experts with knowledge of quantities and historical pricing, project management and field supervision, should provide the expertise on all elements relating to cost control, including budgeting, estimating, value engineering and the qualification of subcontractors.   The Woody 2000 project steering committee would receive formal reports weekly from Mr. Moneysworth and Mr. Cashman. The following cost control methods can be implemented throughout the pre-construction and construction phases of the project: Budget Planning In the budgeting phase of the project, the current projected costs of the project can be compared with the initial budget so that the cost doesnt escalate. It has to be ensured that the work involved meets the projected goals Estimating Definitive estimates should be made through schematic design, design development and construction documents stages of the project.  Work has to be done in conjunction with the various prime subcontractors in developing estimates that can be tracked in a similar format to simplify the reconciliation at each estimate phase. Conceptual Pricing: An in-house cost coding system can be developed, to expand into more detailed pricing as the design progresses.   A computer-aided quantity survey system would allow to accurately produce the basic quantities for the project. Cost Forecasting: Prior to the start of the construction phase, transfer the estimate into a cost forecasting format used by project management staff to track costs throughout the project to completion.   This estimating process built from each stage to a Guaranteed Maximum Price estimate, would check it against previous work. Cost Accounting/Tracking: Once the contract price is determined, the estimated labor, material and subcontractor costs can be allocated among standard cost accounts at a level of detail appropriate for tracking individual tasks against the project budget. Procurement and Labor: The procurement cycle begins as purchase orders, subcontracts and change orders are committed, then immediately documented and simultaneously recorded in the cost system.   Actual labor costs, together with work-in-progress, can be recorded on a weekly basis through the payroll system. Cost Reporting: Cost reports are comprehensive and responsive to the specific needs of the project.   Labor reports, printed at the job site weekly, can be used by project management to review progress and costs.   Vendor commitments and expenditures, sorted in various level of detail, can be monitored in several reports. Actual job cost detail can be reported on a limited date range, a group of cost accounts, or for the entire project to date.   Purchasing: A system must be followed that solicits competitive bids from subcontractors and suppliers based upon a set of defined bidding procedures.   In conjunction with the owner, this would identify qualified and capable subcontractors and suppliers taking into consideration their previous experience, workload, ability to perform, and financial capability.   Pre-bid meetings can be conducted for the purpose of assisting subcontractors in understanding the bid documents, design intent and project requirements Subcontractor Qualification: The subcontractor qualification process remains an important part of cost and project control.   However, subcontractors cannot be arbitrarily eliminated from the project unless warranted by serious business indicators.   The subcontractor qualification process is an important step in evaluating the apparent low bidders for capability to satisfactorily perform the scope of work.   Additionally, the evaluation can reveal early signs of weakness, which can be supported to ensure a quality performance. Pricing: Prices should be obtained from a minimum of three pre-qualified bidders for each category of work on the project.   The accuracy and dependability of subcontractor pricing should be directly related to the content of information furnished to the bidders.   d. Flow Chart for processing changes: Cost Forecasting Conceptual Pricing Estimating Budget Planning Purchasing Cost Reporting Procurement Labour Cost Tracking Sub Contracting 11. Risk Identification and Control b c. List of Woodys Actual Surprises: The allocated budget for the project was pegged at $17 million, with 18 months as the time frame for the construction. Mr.Moneysworth invited Expert Industrial Developers to quote on the planned expansion. The fixed price quotation which was given by the firm amounted to $ 20 million and an 18 month schedule. Mr. Ian Leadbetter was appointed for running the project, despite his lack of knowledge in project management training and experience. On suggestion of EID, that Woodys should take over the procurement of the production train directly, the entire production train specification had to be changed to increase the capacity and consequently the program codes too. Change in the production plan resulted in another 5 feet being added to the height of the building. Catalogue descriptions and specifications were not received until the foundations had been poured The surplus paint disposal method didnt meet the environmental standards as specified by the inspection authority Failure to obtain the building occupation certificate Failure of the tie-in of the power and other utility connections Response to the above: Costs arising from these changes, including the delay in the completion were charged tto Woodys account. To mitigate the effect of only 85% completion, Cashman was forced to scramble for an additional line of project financing at prime plus 2.5% interest. Liquid cash was spent at every such instance. A coordinated marketing effort was launched to regain the interest of the customer, which didnt have much effect. Possible Risk Management Plan: The implementers of the project could have followed a 4 prong Risk Management Plan: Risk Identification: Identify potential risks as a part of the project. Case specific potential risks can include securing permits and unfavorable weather conditions which may hamper the construction work. A 10% contingency can be accorded to the construction schedule. Care should be taken to ensure that schedule creep doesnt happen. There can be 4 categories of risk included as a part of the Risk Management Plan Technical Risk: This includes a review of the quality and performance goals of the project. Proper installation of the lag bolts, coordination with the drawing shops and the foundation contractor etc. come under this. Project Management Resources: This includes improper planning and allocation of resources and improper use of management disciplines. Coordination between the owners interface and the appropriate contractors can be a part of this. Organizational Risks: This should ensure that the there are enough human resources allocated to the project and that there are no conflicts between the project staff and the employees of the Custom Wood Working company. External Risk: These risks can be caused by external parties such as regulatory agencies, labor contracts and supplier restrictions. There should be proper coordination with utility companies and that all equipments and systems should be approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies. Risk Assessment This can be done by 2 methods: Static and Dynamic assessment. While static risk assessment is

this is nothing :: essays research papers

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Sheltering Sky versus Blood Meridian Essay examples -- Paul Bowles Cor

Extreme circumstances bring about substantial changes in people. At least that is what Paul Bowles and Cormac McCarthy seem to be saying in the writing of their respective books, The Sheltering Sky and Blood Meridian. Both authors place their characters in difficult locations, dealing with difficult people and expect them to emerge changed, for better or for worse. In The Sheltering Sky, Bowles takes his American trio and places them in the desert lands of the African continent where the wide, dry impossibly desolate terrain takes its toll on their minds and bodies. Likewise, McCarthy takes his ragged bunch of marauders, most prominently the Kid, and has them wandering the massive expanse of the untamed west. This convention of forced growth is constant throughout both books, and the reader gets the unique opportunity to observe those changes from an objective point of view.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Sheltering Sky, we meet Port, Kit and Tunner initially as continental Americans on a sort of tour for spoiled expatriates. They seem oblivious to the fact that the area and the people who inhabit it are recently war-torn and decimated. The countryside has been ravaged by the war but the three of them seem to ignore that fact and continue through it in a sort of dazed, self indulged coma. The same, or a similar, situation is present in McCarthy's Blood Meridian, his characters, mainly the Kid, are making their way across the Old West, looking for money an adventure. They venture into Me...

Adn vs. Bsn Essay

The nursing profession continues to argue whether a nurse who holds a BSN is desirable to the Associates-Degree-prepared nurse. This has been a topic of debate since 1965, when the American Nurses Association published an opinion paper advocating for the baccalaureate degree to be the minimal standard for entry-level nurses. While some say that the level of education isn’t relevant once you orient a nurse to a certain setting, others disagree and assert that the baccalaureate degree prepared nurses demonstrate higher levels of skill in communication, delegation, assessment, teaching and supervision. Most agree, however, that each degree program provides a different level of preparation and competencies for the graduating nurse. The focus of ADN programs has been to prepare the nurse with considerable clinical experience and technical nursing skills needed to provide patient care at the bedside, while the BSN program concentrates on evidence-based practice, research, leadership skills and communication. An additional difference is the target client. Associate-degree graduates are prepared to meet the needs of the patient. The baccalaureate graduate’s scope is widened to include the family and interdisciplinary groups. According to a study done in 1988 by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, nursing competencies across the spectrum of nursing education, â€Å"varied in complexity, depth, and breadth. †(Poster, 2006) Entry-level competencies were evaluated on three categories: provider of care, coordinator of care, and member of a profession. There was virtually no difference noted in the provider of care category other than the use of an evidence-based analytical approach by the baccalaureate-prepared nurse, as opposed to a critical thinking approach to decision making by the associate-degree-prepared nurse. In the category of coordinator of care, the major contrast was between how the advanced-degree-prepared the nurse to act as more of a facilitator of care between multiple factions of the healthcare team. As a member of a profession, the BSN nurse acted as a leader rather than in the participant role of the ADN nurse. Where the major differences occurred was in the â€Å"knowledge required for achievement of competency. †(Poster, 2006)The diploma prepared nurse bases her plan of care on the nursing diagnosis. The advanced-degree nurse’s basis for developing the plan of care uses â€Å"evidence-based and theoretical analysis of available data. †(Poster, 2006) An example of this difference might be in the care of patient who has a chronic condition, such as congestive heart failure. This patient undoubtedly is seen multiple times in the course of a year for symptoms pertaining to his health condition. Nurse A, with the associate’s degree, does a good job of taking care of the patient. She sees to it that he gets all of his medications in a timely fashion, and that he completes all of his scheduled tests; that his basic needs are met. Her plan of care would include all of the interventions to reflect such care. She would weigh him daily, make sure his meals followed the proper diet, and etc. Nurse B, with the BSN, also provides the afore-mentioned care. However, in addition, she may look at why this patient has frequently been admitted to her floor. She would perhaps investigate whether the same symptoms precipitated his decline and question the patient as to whether he is weighing himself daily, what types of food he is eating at home, and whether he has been taking his medications on a routine basis. She might find that he doesn’t have a scale at home, does not have access to his medications all of the time, or is simply non-compliant. Her plan of care may include a social worker and case management are more involved in his discharge planning to insure that the patient has the equipment and resources required to manage is illness at home. Nurse B might also collaborate with the patient to develop a plan he can agree to follow and provide a list of community resources that are available. Both Nurse A and Nurse B have seen to it that the patient got what he needed during his hospital visit. The healthcare industry is changing rapidly. The life expectancy of the average patient has extended due to the increase in technological advances and life-saving measures and requires that professional nurses have the ability to mange these complex patients. The baccalaureate-degree program provides an opportunity to build on the communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills taught in the ADN program to facilitate better patient care. Whether it be a an associate-degree-prepared nurse or one holding an advanced degree, one thing I am sure we can all agree upon is that better educated nurses will better serve the profession as a whole.

McDonalds use to help their employees Essay

Staff are expensive and in McDonalds need to obtain permission to recruit a new member of staff. If McDonalds is struggling, they may also need agreement to replace someone who is leaving. Normally therefore there is a specific procedure managers must follow before the recruitment process can be started. Agree the Job Description The job being advertised may be new, in which case a job description needs to be devised. Even if someone is being replaced, it is useful to update the job description in case any task or duties have changed, Example of a Job Description Department : Marketing Job Title: Marketing Assistant Hours of work: 38 per week, normally 9am-5 45pm Monday-Friday with one hour lunch, but some flexibility required Salary scale: 12000-i 14000 Responsible to: Marketing Manager Responsible for: Not applicable Job purpose: to provide general support for the marketing team, to prepare marketing materials, to keep the website up to date and monitor online responses. The type of interview will depend on the job. a basic one stage interview is usual for manual or junior vacancies in McDonalds. A two stage interview in McDonalds would involve a panel of interviewers used for senior or high skill vacancies. Some interviews will include basic tests of aptitude or specific skills such as keyboarding or numeracy All interviewers in McDonalds should be trained so they know how to question candidates skilfully and fairly. They should know how to spot gaps on application forms, understand how to follow up inadequate answers and have the skills to encourage shy or reserved candidates to do their best. They must also be clear on all the laws e. g. sex discrimination, health and safety etc. They should also be able to be fair, ths involves same questions and discussions. Making an offer Once a person has been selected McDonalds makes a formal job offer. The other candidates are normally not contacted at this stage, in case the first choice refuses because then a offer can be given to the second best. Only after the offer is accepted 100% the other applicants are told they have been unsuccessful. McDonalds know that waiting for news is agonising for candidates they speed things up contacting candidates by phone so that the remaining letters can be sent quickly. Training The reason why McDonalds train there employees is to make sure there employees are learning knowledge and skills which can be used in employment. Training can be split into two parts On the job training This means that the employee is trained in the McDonalds. Many people enjoy this as it gibes them experience and enable them to do their job properly. Off the job training This means attending course elsewhere such as colleges or a training centre away for McDonalds. Skills Training Training is about gaining more skills Non transferable skills These are skills that are specific to the job held. They may be of little use in another job. E. g. training to make burgers in the restaurant provides the employee with a non transferable skill. This is not a problem unless they look for a new job, get made redundant, or skill becomes out of date. This is where McDonalds allocating people extra tasks in their jobs gives management a better idea of an employee’s true ability and determination. Job enrichment Where McDonalds add more interest and more difficult tasks to the job. This is done with an employee with promising potential to see just how capable the person really is. Understudying An employee is attached to a very senior manager to act as an assistant. Shadowing This is where in McDonalds an employee spends more time each week with a manager to learn what they do and to get a better idea of what problems they deal with. It is used in McDonalds to adapt a employee rapidly into a top job. Mentoring This is used in McDonalds a lot; it is where a senior manager passes on the benefits of his or her experience and wisdom to a younger employee. Project work Giving a promising employee a specific investigative project enables them to get appropriate many aspects of McDonalds and it enables them to get to know senior management. National Awards McDonalds are very keen to train and develop their employees. The government encourages McDonalds to invest time and money to be able to do this. Employees can achieve NVQ’s (National Vocational Qualifications. National training awards McDonalds and their employees can be granted National training awards for achieving excellence and success through training. The awards are aimed at people who have decided to improve their chances of success through learning new skills. National Vocational Qualifications The reason for NVQ’s is to create a national system of approved skills based qualifications for all employees. These qualifications are workplace based and they cover vocational areas such as McDonalds Administration. Training and development are vitally important for the overall efficiency and competitiveness of McDonalds. The way in which McDonalds recruit and train is excellent as there employees have generally improved. The appraisal is a good method which also helps the employees performance, because McDonalds do this every six months to analyse progression. For McDonald’s, people are its most important asset. This is because customer satisfaction begins with the attitutudes and abilities of employees and committed, effective workers are the best route to success. For these reasons, McDonald’s strives to attract and hire the best, and to provide the best place to work. All businesses experience staff turnover for various reasons e. g. career change, leaving the area, returning to education, a new opportunity elsewhere. Recruiting and training staff is very expensive and businesses will look to keep staff turnover to a minimum. One way of doing this is to ‘choose wisely, and treat well’. McDonald’s needs people who want to excel in delivering outstanding service. To ensure the company recruits the right people, it has identified essential skills and behaviours that applicants should be able to demonstrate. For each position there is a job description outlining typical duties and responsibilities and a person specification defining personal skills and competences. Recruiting suitable applicants Under McDonald’s recruitment policy, each individual restaurant is responsible for filling hourly-paid positions. The Management Recruitment department in East Finchley co-ordinates the recruitment of managers. For recruiting hourly-paid employees McDonald’s use several avenues. Positions are generally advertised in the restaurant. The company’s recruitment history shows this is the best method of hiring quality staff e. g. people living locally and/or friends of existing employees. McDonald’s also uses local job centres, career fairs and other local facilities. It is vital to use effective hiring material with a clear message targeted at the right audience. A recruitment exercise often generates more applications than there are positions available. The manager will select the applicants to be interviewed and will conduct the interviews. Over 60% of restaurant crew are aged 20 or under and; for the majority of applicants, a job with McDonald’s would be their first experience of employment. For many young people, McDonald’s also offers a career opportunity. A well-run interview will identify an applicant’s potential to be a successful McDonald’s employee. To find people who will be committed to excel in delivering outstanding service, McDonald’s scripts an interview guide that helps the company predict how an applicant’s past behaviour is likely to influence future performance. It uses a fact-based decision-making process. The questions look for actual events or situations rather than allowing applicants to give a general or theoretical response. Interviewers look for behavioural evidence in the applicant’s life history that fits with the requirements of the job. The interviewer rates candidates on their responses and offers jobs to those who earn the highest ratings. McDonald’s future managers come from two main sources. More than half of all salaried management positions are taken up by hourly-paid employees who earn promotion. The remainder are predominately graduates. Wherever possible, McDonald’s directs applicants towards applying on line at www. mcdonalds. co. uk. People who cannot access the web can call the Recruitment Hotline, or pick up a pre-paid Business Reply Card from a McDonald’s restaurant. The selection process includes an initial online psychometric test. This test produces an initial score. The applicant then attends a first stage interview and is offered â€Å"On Job Experience† (OJE). This is a 2-day assessment in a restaurant. Successful completion at OJE will lead to a final.