Monday, December 30, 2019

Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies - 612 Words

Introduction: â€Å"You’re pregnant† are, the worst possible words a teenage couple may want to hear if anything, the last thing they want to hear. Not only is there teenage life over but also their educational career. Terrified, scared many teens walk out of clinics with the thoughts of either abortion or adoption.Many decide to keep the baby, but many thoughts run through their mind. â€Å"How am I going to tell my parents?’’ , â€Å"How can i financially support this child?’’ , â€Å" How am I going to take care of this child?’’ With big challenges ahead of them and no true knowledge of what to do, teens are on their way to a life full of stress, exhaustion ,poverty and depression (Bodeeb 1) High schools in New York have been preventing this tragic scene from happening by distributing out birth control, which includes the morning after pill, and condoms and ever since then teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases have dropped v ery low. â€Å"Elizabeth Finley, director of strategic communications for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina, credits more effective birth control methods and wider access to them† (Ball 1) Although this methods have shown to be very effective, they are many other way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and diseases. Such as a abstinence only environment or sex ed classes. Teen pregnancy and diseases can slowly diminish without the distribution of the methods many schools wish to provide. School health care personnel should not beShow MoreRelatedBirth Control Is The Practice Of Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies1177 Words   |  5 Pagesjust to get toothpaste but they do in fact have to go through this process to obtain birth control pills. According to merriam-webster.com, birth control is the practice of preventing unwanted pregnancies; it used all around the world. There are many different contraceptive types that people use to prevent unwanted pregn ancies, including, but not limited to, condoms, vaginal rings, sponges, implants, shots, abstinence, and birth control pills. Practicing safe sex should be ready option for all peopleRead MorePopulation Control: Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies Essay1021 Words   |  5 Pagesit is difficult to find contraception, or birth control, which leads to unplanned pregnancies. These situations are rooted down to overpopulation, which is when there are too many humans. However, there is a multitude of ways to reverse such negative effects. Population control is a necessary act that will benefit the world through sparing natural resources, decreasing famine, and controlling unplanned pregnancies. A worldwide effort would have to take effect in order for a successful future. Read MoreCondoms : Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies And Sexually Transmitted Infections969 Words   |  4 PagesCondoms: Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections Two women: each with two very different stories. One woman is single and enjoys her independence. She is not promiscuous but she enjoys the company of men from time to time. She doesn’t want to risk her own health, and she doesn’t want to risk the chance of becoming pregnant. She knows that many options exist but isn’t sure which is right for her. Another young woman enjoys her life as a mother of two. She is married andRead MoreThe Controversy Regarding Teenage Pregnancy: The Essential Role of Education and Good Parenting1270 Words   |  5 Pagespresently much controversy regarding teenage pregnancy and the probability of its chances being reduced by education and good parenting. The surrounding environment plays an essential role when considering teenage pregnancy and it is thus very important for teenagers to be provided with proper education and a positive environment in order for them to be able to understand the difference between right and wrong. One of the most important things about teen pregnancy is that society as a whole needs to getRead MoreTeen Pregnancy Rates By Jacqueline Sedgwick s Article, American Adolescents And Emergency Contraceptive Pill Access843 Words   |  4 Pagesis teen pregnancy rates. In fact, â€Å"teen sexual activity, pregnancy, and childbearing are associated with substantial social, economic, and health costs† (Sedgwick). However, this problem is not one without a solution. The rise of teen pregnancy rates can be prevented and reversed by providing better access to birth control for teens, eliminating the negative connotation that accompanies abstinence, and implementing more efficient sex education in public schools. One solution to preventing teen pregnancyRead MoreWomen s Right Birth Control1633 Words   |  7 Pagesappropriate like getting married and having children while giving up their right to receive an education or go to work. Women who were not ready to have children at that time relied on birth control which is a contraceptive that is used to prevent pregnancies. Many women found themselves battling the issue of their sexual lives been put into question simply because they chose to use birth control. Author Rickie Solinger stated â€Å"many believe that a woman’s decision to get pregnant or not, and to haveRead MoreContraceptive Use And The Condom986 Words   |  4 PagesSome of the benefits include: reducing the risk of unplanned pregnancy, being able to decide when and how many children to have, as well as providing wellbeing benefits to mothers and babies (2016). I did have some, yet limited, knowledge about contraceptives before this class. I understood that contraceptives could be useful in preventing unwanted pregnancies. Not all women who use contraceptives do so for preventing unwanted pregnancies. It can also be used to treat some medical conditions suchRead MoreThe Issues Associated With Women s Rights1377 Words   |  6 PagesDictionary) birth control is to control of the number of children or offspring born especially by preventing or lessening the frequency of conception. (Merriam-Webster) The government should continue to allow women access to contraceptives because it reduces abortion, benefit to women, and prevents unwanted pregnancies. In the United States more than 90 percent of abortions occur because of unintended pregnancies. A study named the Contraceptive Choice Project conducted a research with a total of 9,256Read More Emergency Contraception Essay677 Words   |  3 PagesContraception There are many myths surrounding the use of emergency contraception. The question of what it is and when to use it is just a fraction of the controversy surrounding this arguably new practice. Emergency contraception is a method of preventing pregnancy after the act of unprotected sexual intercourse. It does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. However, emergency contraception can not be obtained without a prescription. Why does the US government not trust women with the choiceRead More Contraceptives and the Teenage User Essay719 Words   |  3 Pagesexistence of untreatable and deadly diseases like AIDS, and it will continue regardless of public policies restricting access to contraceptives. I believe that to deny teenagers access to every available means of protecting themselves against unwanted pregnancy and disease can only result in more tragic abortions, increased infection of sexually transmitted diseases, and continued unnecessary fear and apprehension of se x. Gordon Hugenberger, senior minister of the Park Street Pulpit acknowledges

Sunday, December 22, 2019

A Practical Solution For A Growing Crisis - 976 Words

Vaping: A Practical Solution to a Growing Crisis? Vaping is probably one of the fastest growing trends/smoking alternatives in society today. Utilizing what is known as an electronic cigarette the user vaporizes by means of applying heat to a nicotine containing solution known as E-liquid. This creates a vapor that is then inhaled by the user thus administering nicotine into the lungs to be absorbed by the blood. This system avoids the combustion related to smoking tobacco products and in theory is much safer and better for your health. Considering that smoking causes the premature death of 440,000 people each year and costs the United States approximately one hundred fifty seven billion dollars in annual health-related losses according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We need to seriously consider this as a viable option to save lives and help our economy. Introduced in 2007 to the United States market electronic cigarettes have become a popular source of nicotine for many addicted individuals (Barrios, Orellana, Payne D, Mulkey K, and Nugent K). These devices primarily consist of a power source (typically one or two batteries), a coil (a piece of wire wrapped a number of times around a cylindrical object), a piece of wicking material (usually cotton or piece of silica to deliver juice to the coils), a mouthpiece (for delivery of the vapor to the lung), a body (usually metal or wood to house the components), and a button (to activate the device).Show MoreRelatedOverpopulation Crisis1246 Words   |  5 Pagesoverpopulation crisis, however, with changes these factors could also be part of the solution. A few of these factors are discussed in an interview with Melanie Asriel, the Psychological Sciences Instructor at WKU of Glasgow, Kentucky. According to Melanie Asriel, â€Å"The lack of family planning and contraceptive use has contributed to this problem†¦contraception, education, and the including of available abortion†¦all kind s of education, such as, sex education, contraceptive education†¦ would be my solution toRead MoreThe Problem Of The Overpopulation Problem1122 Words   |  5 PagesPerhaps one solution for the overpopulation problem is to provide all children, who have reached puberty with Reproductive Education License of Four (REL4). REL4 is a two-step solution program that will provide education and contraception, which will decrease the population growth. Jennifer Weeks (2015) article, â€Å"Global Population Growth,† discusses the number of women without access to birth control. Research conducted by a nonprofit organization showed nearly 225 million women globally, includingRead MoreSoybean Hydroponics in the Arctic Tundra1219 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Soybean Hydroponics in the Arctic Tundra Abstract: Soybeans will be grown hydroponically in the arctic tundra. Greenhouses will be used to extend the possible growing season. Soybeans can serve two good purposes. They can be used as food or as a way to make biofuel. This is great for the arctic environment where it is difficult to get supplies such as food and gasoline. With a steady supply of food and fuel more research can be done in this harsh environment. TheRead MoreThe Impact Of Terrorism On International Business1268 Words   |  6 PagesOur paper explores the interesting phenomena of terrorism on international business. Grounded in the grave reality of terrorism and the international business literature, our research conceptualizes this compelling topic into a practical model worthy of future research. Unfortunately, the current data does not provide statistical evidence to support the unique firm level predictions from the conceptual model. However, our exploratory research leads us to believe that the lack of sen sitivity in ourRead MoreThe Problems Of The World s Population1606 Words   |  7 Pagesalso been responsible for the innovative solutions we’ve created to solve it. For example, genetic engineering has been used as a tool to produce strains that require less nutrients, water and pesticides to grow. These strains also produce bigger yields on less land, and contain a higher nutrient density themselves. In addition, advanced growing techniques like vertical farming in controlled environments can create more food safety and security for growing metropolitan populations. In other wordsRead MoreTo What Extent Can the Problems of Urbanization be Met by a Policy of Sustainable Development1331 Words   |  6 Pagesformulating a more efficient transport pattern, there are some specific strategies. Firstly, government can encourage people to pay more attention to public transit. The actual data about transit use from most cities indicates that transit use is growing in many cities , in addition, some developed cities have been reducing their car use and pay more attention to the public transport (Newman, 1999). Encouraging urban citizens use more public transit is effective in reducing the quantity of privateRead MoreEssay on Hydrogen Fusion is the Future Source of Energy1692 Words   |  7 PagesHydrogen Fusion, the Future Source of Energy Abstract The world is currently in an energy crisis with no end in sight. Many technologies can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and have the possibility of ending the energy crisis. Hydrogen fusion holds great promise with its no pollution energy output. If more energy can be created than is used to start the fusion process, the energy crisis might become a thing of the past. Over half of the energy used now comes from fossil fuels,Read MoreThe Consequences Of Monetary Policy969 Words   |  4 Pagesavailable huge amounts of money available in form of loans; banks were responsible for creating large debts in form of loan interests. People who had borrowed were eventually unable to pay. The creation of private credit and money led to a financial crisis, threatening to make banks bankrupt. The same banks now became weary of lending anymore. Lehman Brothers collapsed in September of 2008. It was a global bank of repute and its fall-down almost brought down the world’s monetary structure. A decadeRead MoreEnvironmental Impact On The Environmental Crisis1675 Words   |  7 Pages1.1.3 Ecological Design: The evident response to the environmental crisis One natural response to the current crisis and the shift in designers’ discourse has been the engagement in Ecological Design, or Eco-design, described by Orr (2002) as a large concept that joins science and the practical arts with ethics, politics, and economics that, requires â€Å"not just a set of generic design skills but rather the collective intelligence of a community of people applied to particular problems in a particularRead MoreWater Is A Long Period Of Abnormal Low Rainfall916 Words   |  4 Pagesthese vegetable and fruit are very highly consume water. â€Å"Drought† is a long period of abnormal low rainfall, especially one that adversely affects growing or living conditions†. In a simple explanation, that drought is an absence of water in a very long period of time in place that are consider to be very abnormal from its usual situation. The water crisis continues primarily because human do not recognize the important of water recycle. American haven’t undergoing hardship that people around the world

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Advertising Planning and Implementationn Free Essays

Running Head: ADVERTISING PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION Advertising Planning and Implementation Melanie Boggs September 14, 2011 MKT/447 Jeffery Manning University of Phoenix Advertising Planning and Implementation This paper focuses on the key elements of Pepsi’s advertising plan and how putting that plan into action affects consumer behaviors. What the advertising message says to the consumers should match up with the reception the company expects to receive. Many aspects of the plan includes it target audience, consumer behavior, positioning, media outlets, and the creation of the advertisement. We will write a custom essay sample on Advertising Planning and Implementationn or any similar topic only for you Order Now These elements create the layout for the plan to be put into place for actions to be taken by the consumers. The advertising message is the â€Å"strategies used to convey what a company wants to say and how it wants to say it† (Arens, Weigold, Arens, 2008). This message also is known as the message strategy. Achieving the goal is meeting the message objective. Ads must portray the image necessary to achieve the message strategy. The agencies creative team must come up with a plan that â€Å"agrees with the target, product, media, and message† of the ad (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 374, 2008). Pepsi’s advertising messages of its new ad campaigns tells consumers that the product is still alive and in competition with Coke-Cola. The creatives of the ad must understand the target audience for which the ads are fashioned. Advertisers and marketers target audiences through segmentation. Some of these types of segmentation are demographic, geographic, geodemographic, psychographic, behavioral, benefit, and volume. Many ads combine a mix of these to reach consumers through different levels of segmentation. Demographic segmentation targets consumers on the basis of â€Å"age, sex, ethnicity, education, occupation, income, and other quantifiable factors† (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 174, 2008). Geodemographic segmentation is targeting on the basis of loyalty to a brand from the cause of a demographic influence, such as the Dancing Teddy commercial. Geographic segmentation targets a specific area, such as country, state, city, or providence, and its size (Dancing Santa). Psychographic segmentation is on the basis of â€Å"values, personalities, attitudes, and lifestyles,† such as the new Pepsi ads competitive nature (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 177, 2008). Behavioral segmentation is on the basis of purchase behavior. These include â€Å"user status, usage rate, purchase occasion, and benefit sought† (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 170, 2008). Benefit segmentation targets consumers through ads on the basis of â€Å"high quality, low cost, status, sex appeal, good taste, or health consciousness† (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 173, 2008). Volume segmentation is the basis on how often consumers use the product. However, Pepsi’s new commercials do fit a mix of these segmentations. Consumer behaviors are the â€Å"mental and emotional processes and the physical activities of people who purchase and use goods and services to satisfy particular needs and wants† (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 145, 2008). â€Å"Advertising’s primary goal is to reach potential consumers, and influence their awareness, attitudes, and buying behaviors† (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 145, 2008). Understanding the buying behavior of the audience aids in understanding which segment to target. Just as, understanding the audience helps understand the buying behavior. Pepsi’s decision to stay out of commercials for the past three years has given the company plenty of ammunition against its largest competitor Coke-Cola. Positioning refers to the place a brand occupies competitively in the minds of the consumers. Positioning reflects the consumers perceptions about the product whether it is true or not. Through differentiation or market strategy a company may pick a position similar to a competitor and fight for its market. The seven approaches to positioning strategies are â€Å"product attribute, price or quality, use or application, product class, product user, product competitor, cultural symbol, and by category† (Arens, Weigold, Arens, p 241, 2008). Pepsi’s past positions have played from one or more of these strategies. PepsiCo’s current positioning strategy depends on which current advertisement is seen by viewers. These commercials named â€Å"Summer Time is Pepsi Time† (product attribute), Dancing Santa (cultural symbol), Uncle Teddy (product competitor), and the â€Å"Refresh Project† (product user). Many types of advertising media exists, such as magazines, newspapers, e-zines, online newspapers, television, radio, Internet, cell phones, and others. PepsiCo uses every type of advertisement possible to reach its target audiences. PepsiCo also sponsors events, and has its name on Jeff Gordon’s car in NASCAR. At events PepsiCo allows vendors to promote their products through handing out free samples and memorabilia. Pepsi’s â€Å"Refresh Project† is only viewable from the Internet. This advertising campaign medium is thought to attract more serious consumers who may vote on a project or create one to obtain votes for PepsiCo to sponsor, to help build communities worldwide. PepsiCo is advertising Pepsi via newspapers, the Internet, television, and radio. PepsiCo also uses the cases these are in to advertise. For example, the new Pepsi 12 packs advertise for â€Å"The X Factor†, a new talent show. The changes one can make to the product positioning and the advertising message are to create messages that are as universal as the product. Pepsi products sell in more than 180 countries worldwide. The new â€Å"Summer Time is Pepsi Time† campaign ads are also very competitive with Coke-Cola commercials. The use of such ads is extremely dangerous to the company for consumers may begin to believe the company is desperate for consumers to purchase its products. Especially, because these commercials are the first for Pepsi in three years. Researching how these advertisements were created, one is led to believe that PepsiCo outsources its agencies. BBDO was the agency for PepsiCo since 1960. â€Å"The agency that has replaced BBDO is also owned by Omnicom. This is the office of TBWA/Chiat/Day, and is part of the TBWA Worldwide unit of Omnicom, Los Angeles† (Stuart, 2008). Creatives in charge of the â€Å"Summer Time is Pepsi Time† ads are Chief Creative Officer: Rob Schwartz, Group Creative Director: Brett Craig, Creative Director: Xanthe Hohalek, Art Director: Chris MacNeil, and Copywriter: Michelle Lewis, according to Emma Bazilian of Adweek. One may not believe that this would be an effective use of company resources because Pepsi has declared to refrain from advertising the product on television to avoid targeting a younger audience. For three years PepsiCo opts for the Internet, events, sponsors, and in-store advertising as a means to promote its products instead and allow healthier choices to be advertised on television. Other than its competition, consumers are left to wonder what has made the product come back to television, and if there will be a Superbowl ad to look forward too. Consumers may agree after three years Pepsi should have come back to television using its greatest asset, its loyal consumers to promote the product. To make the campaign more effective the product could have entered back into the commercials using less competitive ads and focusing more on the consumers who already enjoy the product or through behavioral segmentation. The company should have declared to the press the reason for the sudden change of health consciousness with the decision to advertise on television, and its decision to use ads that will gain the attention of the younger generations that have been avoided in the past. This will also create a better understanding of consumer behaviors toward the product, without the influence of the suggestive ads, whether negative, or positive. Creating an advertisement that could be understood universally, without depicting the specific product would have been an excellent way for the product to enter back into commercials. Press releases, newspaper articles, e-articles and e-zines, and speeches are ways that PepsiCo could have announced its decision to begin making new commercials for the product. Conclusion Understanding the advertising message, target audience, consumer behavior, media sources, positioning, who creates the ad and why, are part of the advertising plan and lay out the actions necessary to carry out the ad successfully. Pepsi’s new† Summer Time is Pepsi Time† commercials are the first in three years to be advertised on television. The depiction of this can be relayed to the target audience’s without the use of its main competition. References Arens, Weigold, Arens (2008). Contemporary Advertising. McGraw-Hill. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from http://ecampus. phoenix. edu Bazilian, E. July 1, 2011) AdWeek. Ad of the Day: Pepsi â€Å"Coke lover Santa Claus goes rogue in the first new Pepsi spot in three years†. Retrieved August September 13, 2011, from http://www. adweek. com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-pepsi-133128 Stuart, E. (Nov. , 18, 2008). NY Times. Pepsi Shifts to New Ad Agency. Retrieved September 12, 2011, from http://www. nyti mes. com/2008/11/18/business/media/18adco. html Pepsi Commercials. Ads and More. Pepsi. com. Retrieved September 12, 2011, from, http://www. youtube. com/pepsi? utm_source=pepsiutm_medium=bannerutm_content=panelutm_campaign=refresh How to cite Advertising Planning and Implementationn, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

BR Richardson Timber Products Corporation †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the BR Richardson Timber Products. Answer: Introduction BR Richardson Timber Products Corporation is a family held corporation which comprised of four different and small companies which can be considered to be different divisions. Three of the organisations businesses were situated in Papoose itself. The company had their logging operations division, a lumber mill and a laminating plant at Papoose and they had a mill in Eastern Oregon. Richard Bowman was in charge of Industrial Relations at BR Richardson Timber Products Corporation and was calling Jack Lawler on behalf of the organisation. Jack Lawler had made quite a reputation for himself the fields ofmanagement training and consulting and this was the main reason why Bowman availed the services of Lawler to address the issues faced by his organisation. Bowman was looking forward to conduct a motivation course for their blue collared staffs at the lamination plant and he considered Lawler to be the most appropriate person who was going to conduct themanagement training. Scope Employee morals at the lamination plant was very low and there had been very a recent fatality at the organisational premises which had further had a negative impact on the motivation and commitment levels of the employee leading to lower levels of productivity within the organisation. Considering the gravity of the problems, Bowman wanted Lawman to conduct themanagement training course within the next few months so that the present situation at the lamination plant could improve drastically and thereby help the organisation to sustain their business operations in a normal and smooth manner (Dunlap, 2010). Bowler had total faith in the abilities of Lawman and he had obtained approval from the founder and president of the organisation Mr. B.R. Richardson himself. This motivational training would go a long way in helping the organisation to restore normalcy at the workplace by enabling the staffs to become more committed and accountable at the job roles and responsibilities. The manage ment training would help themanagement of BR Richardson Timber Products Corporation to develop cordial relationship with their employees wherein they would be able to understand and satisfy the interests of their employees in an effective manner. Objectives The objectives of the management training are as follows: 1) Understanding the issues and events which are bringing down the motivation and commitment levels of the employees. 2) Identifying the different approaches and interventions which could be utilised for solving the issues and problems faced by the organisation. 3) Implementing a suitable intervention which is most appropriate from the context of the organisation and which would enable the organisation to resolve their issues. 4) Undertaking the actions necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the aforesaid intervention. Discussions The management training session would play a vital role in helping the organisation to restore normalcy within their business and this would enable the organisation to increase their daily business productivity in the market. Identifying the present problems that are being witnessed at B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation and analysing their impact on different aspects of the business B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation are facing various types of problems in their business which has invariably brought down their business productivity in the market. There is clear evidence of the apathy of the organisational management towards the safety and well being of the employees who are working at the organisation. The organisation has become an unsafe place for their employees due to the lack of strict safety guidelines and protocols. The plant is littered with sawdust, glue drippings and the employees working at the plant are subjected to constant noise from the planer, saws, conveyors and hoists (Chandrasekar, 2011). Moreover, the aisles are also filled up with different types of tools and piles which might cause injury to a person if they do not tread with caution inside the plant. There has also been an incidence of a recent fatality at one of the manufacturing plants which caused a lot of discontentment among the employees. This further showcases the utter dis regarding for implementing strict safety guidelines that would help in ensuring the safety and well being of the employees (Christian et al., 2009). Human resources is another issue which needs to be properly addressed within the organisation. From the interview with Juanita, it became evident to Lawyer that Ben Richardson was very authoritarian in his leadership style and he did not care to consult with his employees and staffs while taking business decisions within the organisation. This authoritarian style of leadership has essentially distanced Ben from his employees as he was unable to understand the needs and expectations of their staffs and was totally focused on maximising the business productivity of the organisation (Tangirala Ramanujam, 2008). The employees have lost their trust on the management and this is why they do not have any commitment and dedication at the workplace. The organisation is also grappling with structural issue which has further increased the inconvenience of their staffs. The plant design has not been carried out in an effective manner. The lunchroom for the staffs is housed above the offices of the manger, supervisor and the secretary and the office for the scheduler is also situated over there. The organisations head office is around 50 yards away in one direction whereas the mill is situated approximately the same distance in an altogether different direction. This reduces the working time for the employees and creates further confusion among the workers as there is no one to provide their guidance and expertise to the workers when they face challenges at the workplace (Zhang Bartol, 2010). Technology is another important issue which is being faced by the organisation. The majority of the machines which are being used by the organisation are old and outdated. Most of the work which is being done at the plant involved manual production and assembling of timber products which involves a lot of noise from the saws, conveyors and planers. This clearly shows an insufficient assembly line production process which could not help them to optimise their business productivity (Ronagel, 2017). The organisation has also had to undergo cost escalation which has brought down their revenues and profits in the market. Many employees have to work overtime in order to maintain the daily productivity levels within the organisation and thus they would have to be paid with overtime payment which is costing additional expenses for the organisation. Work scheduling is not carried out in an effective manner and this is another reason for the low productivity and increased business expenses for the organisation (Miner, 2015). Lack of employee commitment due to low employee morale is another vital factor that is threatening the normal business productivity of the organisation. The low employee morale is contributing to rising discontentment among the employees over the management and bringing down the performance and productivity of the workers at the workers at the workplace (Albrech, 2011). The workers do not feel a sense of urgency at the workplace and this is the main reason why the productivity at the lamination plant has dropped by almost 50% as compared to previous year. Understanding the interventions that are available to B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation for resolving the issues that they are presently encountering in their business There are various interventions which could be utilised by B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation for tackling and resolving the issues which they are presently encountering in their business. Some of them are Open System and Open System frameworks, Organisational Learning and Managerial Grid. Open System and Open System frameworks - The open system is a system which has interactions with the external environment. This interaction can be in the form of information, technical expertise, financial advice or guidance which invariably takes place out of the system boundary that is defining the system. Implementing the open system frameworks would enable B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation to develop a systematic approach towards their business which would allow them to exchange information and collaborate with the other business establishments (Rasmussen et al., 2011). The open system framework considers the different processes and systems within an organisation to be an organic and process oriented system that responds to the stimuli received from the organisational culture and the market environment. This eventually enables an organisation to adapt to the changes taking place in the business environment in an effective manner by incorporating the necessary changes wi thin their organisational structure and business operations (Scott Davis, 2015). Organisational Learning The organisational learning is considered to be the process which deals with the creation, retention and transfer of knowledge within the different departments of an organisation. This helps an organisation to enhance the skills and competencies of their employees by enabling the more experienced and tenured employees to share their knowledge and expertise with the new and lesser experienced ones. This eventually helps in increasing the performance and business productivity of an organisation by ensuring highly proficient and competent employees within their ranks (Chiva et al., 2007). Managerial Grid The managerial grid is a leadership style model which was developed in 1964 by Robert R. Blake and Jane Mouton. In this model, the developers initially identified five different styles of leadership based on their importance on people and importance on production (Gregoire Arendt, 2014). There are five styles of leadership in this managerial grid and they include the following: 1) the impoverished style of leadership (where mangers have low concern for both people and production), 2) the country club style of leadership (where there more emphasis is given to people as compared to the production), 3) the produce or perish style of leadership (which aims to control and dominate the employees by emphasising on the production), 4) the team style of leadership (which provides a high amount of importance to both the employees as well as production by motivating people to contribute and commit themselves to their work), and 5) the middle of the road style of leadership (which helps in maintaining the status quo by balancing the business goals and the workers needs). This managerial grid would enable an organisation to identify the most suitable style of leadership from their organisational context and this would enable them to foster better motivation and commitment among their staffs (Zeidan, 2009). Selecting one intervention and explaining why that is the most suited from the organisational context The most appropriate intervention in case of B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation would be the adoption of open system structure within their business. This would allow the organisation to monitor the external market environment in an effective manner and they would be able to adapt to the changes taking place in their external environment. The environment of an organisation consists of general environment, task environment and enacted environment (Scott Davis, 2015). The general environment includes all the external forces which could impact an organization and includes political, economic, legal, technological, social and ecological components. The task environment deals with the suppliers, buyers, business rivals, the new entrants in market and the threat of substitute products. The enacted environment deals with the managerial perceptions and perceptions about the market environment (Hatch Cunliffe, 2013). By implementing the open systems framework within their business, B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation would be able to assess how the organisation is responding to the external environment and set up the business goals and objectives in a desired manner. This would allow the organisation to take part in trans-organisational development wherein they would be able to develop and foster strategic collaborations with other business establishments in the market. They would be able to perform more complex tasks and find effective solutions to more challenging problems that are being faced by them in their business (Rasmussen et al., 2011). Discussing the action plan for implementing the recommended strategy successfully The management at B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation must start with assessing their external environment as this would help them to understand how their organisation is responding to the external environment. The management will be able to identify the core visions and mission of the organization and this would go a long way in helping the management to create a realistic future scenario of environmental expectations and organisational responses. This would eventually help the organisation to develop and design an ideal future scenario which would provide suitable organisational responses for the changes taking place in the external environment (Scott Davis, 2015). The organisation needs to compare their present business functioning with those that will be taking place in the near future and this would assist them in creating an action plan that would help them to reduce the discrepancy in their business. While implementing the open systems framework, the management needs to share a common view of the external environment and they must allocate sufficient time and resources to assess and understand their external environment (Holman et al., 2007). The need to document all the stapes of the Open Systems Framework implementation and this would allow them to deal with key parts of the environment in an effective manner. Finally the organisation must view planning as a process and they should never consider it to be an outcome. Conclusion This assignment has played a very important role in helping to understand the importance of organisational change management theories which can help an organisation to tackle the complex challenges and issues that are being faced by them in their business. This has played a very important role in enhancing our knowledge and understanding of organisational change management theories which would indeed help us in our future careers (Holman et al., 2007). References Tangirala, S., Ramanujam, R. (2008). Employee silence on critical work issues: The cross level effects of procedural justice climate.Personnel Psychology,61(1), 37-68. Bakker, A. B., Schaufeli, W. B. (2008). Positive organizational behavior: Engaged employees in flourishing organizations.Journal of organizational behavior,29(2), 147-154. Albrech, S. L. (2011). Handbook of employee engagement: Perspectives, issues, research and practice.Human Resource Management International Digest,19(7). Chandrasekar, K. (2011). Workplace environment and its impact on organisational performance in public sector organisations.International Journal of Enterprise Computing and Business Systems,1(1), 1-19. Chang, S. C., Lee, M. S. (2007). A study on relationship among leadership, organizational culture, the operation of learning organization and employees' job satisfaction.The learning organization,14(2), 155-185. Chew, J., Chan, C. C. (2008). Human resource practices, organizational commitment and intention to stay.International journal of manpower,29(6), 503-522. Ronagel, C. S. (2017). Leadership and Motivation. InLeadership Today(pp. 217-228). Springer International Publishing. Zhang, X., Bartol, K. M. (2010). Linking empowering leadership and employee creativity: The influence of psychological empowerment, intrinsic motivation, and creative process engagement.Academy of management journal,53(1), 107-128. Kark, R., Van Dijk, D. (2007). Motivation to lead, motivation to follow: The role of the self-regulatory focus in leadership processes.Academy of Management Review,32(2), 500-528. Eisenhower, D. D., Kappen, F. (2010). Leadership and motivation. Kark, R., Van Dijk, D. (2007). Motivation to lead, motivation to follow: The role of the self-regulatory focus in leadership processes.Academy of Management Review,32(2), 500-528. Christian, M. S., Bradley, J. C., Wallace, J. C., Burke, M. J. (2009). Workplace safety: a meta-analysis of the roles of person and situation factors. Miner, J. B. (2015).Organizational behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership. Routledge. Gilley, A., Gilley, J. W., McMillan, H. S. (2009). Organizational change: Motivation, communication, and leadership effectiveness.Performance improvement quarterly,21(4), 75-94. Dunlap, N. A. (2010). Take your team to the top: inspire staff to succeed through leadership motivation.Journal of Property Management,75(1), 28-31. Rasmussen, C., Troch, P. A., Chorover, J., Brooks, P., Pelletier, J., Huxman, T. E. (2011). An open system framework for integrating critical zone structure and function.Biogeochemistry,102(1-3), 15-29. Scott, W. R., Davis, G. F. (2015).Organizations and organizing: Rational, natural and open systems perspectives. Routledge. Holman, P., Devane, T., Cady, S. (2007).The change handbook: The definitive resource on today's best methods for engaging whole systems. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Chiva, R., Alegre, J., Lapiedra, R. (2007). Measuring organisational learning capability among the workforce.International Journal of Manpower,28(3/4), 224-242. Hatch, M. J., Cunliffe, A. L. (2013).Organization theory: modern, symbolic and postmodern perspectives. Oxford university press. Burchell, J., Cook, J. (2008). Stakeholder dialogue and organisational learning: changing relationships between companies and NGOs.Business Ethics: A European Review,17(1), 35-46. Zeidan, H. (2009). The Blake Mouton Managerial Grid.The Certified Accountant,39, 82-85. Gregoire, M. B., Arendt, S. W. (2014). Leadership: Reflections over the past 100 years.Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,114(5), S10-S19.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Psychological Theories of Sophocles Oedipus the King

Psychology and literature are united by a common intent in searching for the universal answers. Philosophy and literature helps to understand the motives of the heroes’ behavior and psychology explains how the poetry affects human emotions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Theories of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the greatest tragedies of Sophocles, Oedipus the King touches upon a deep psychological theme of the parents-son relations which lately was called the Oedipus complex and the theme of faith as a main key of the human’s life movement. Based a myth, the story begins before Oedipus’ birth when the oracle predicted Laius the King of Thebes the death from the hands of his son in case if he marries with Jocasta. Nevertheless, Laius disobeys the prediction and after the birth of his son, fearing for his life, orders to kill the chil d. Oedipus was left in the mountains but didn’t die. A Corinthian shepherd found the boy and cared about him. He took the boy to the Corinthian king Polybus who gave him the name of Oedipus and cared about him like a father. Suddenly, after many years, Oedipus learns that he was adopted. Asking Oracle about the solution, he is informed about a destiny to kill him father and marry his mother. Trying to avoid the faith, Oedipus leaves his home and goes to another place. However, the destiny can’t be changed. Running away, he travels down a road. He meets a group of people included his real father Laius. Oedipus kills all of them on the road after the arguments. Obviously, Oedipus couldn’t know that one of the men he killed was his real father. Therefore, the first prediction comes true. Oedipus comes to the City of Thebes, marries the queen and becomes a king saying that his â€Å"spirit grieves for the city, for myself and all of you† (Sophocles). Seeing h is responsibility, Oedipus tries to find the king’s murder. He lives happily with his wife for years and has four children. The will of man vs. the will of the Gods as a key characteristic of the whole Greek literature is clearly described by Sophocles. In spite of a will of the protagonist to avoid the prediction, faith is more powerful issue as an instrument of the Gods. Trying to find the murder of Laius, king Oedipus needs to ask the Gods. There is no solution in ancient Greece that can be found without Gods’ help.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Oedipus asks Oracle from Apollo to help his investigation. And Oracle commands them â€Å"to drive the corruption from the land, and don’t harbor the murderer any longer† (Sophocles). Oedipus learns that he is that murder and his wife, in fact, is his mother. Thereby, the whole prediction has come t rue. Oedipus is a good ruler and honest and decent man. However, according to the ancient Greek literature, nothing can change the faith. King Laius has to be killed by his son and this happens by chance in such random situation. Nobody can prevent this to happen, if there is a faith that Oedipus has to be a murderer of his father. The heroes have no control over their lives. Perhaps, nowadays, an idea of the absolute faith seems quite bizarre, but for the ancient people such attitude was completely reasonable. Segal says that â€Å"the play is a tragedy not only of destiny but also of personal identity: the search for the origins and meaning of our life, our balance between â€Å"one† and â€Å"many† selves† (4). The theme of self-injury and suicide are also connected to the family until the end. Oedipus rightly feels guilty and blinds himself. Sophocles sees only one possible conclusion based on his idea of moral and faith. This physical change also is a symbo l of the internal transformation of the protagonist which comes from the place of king to blinded and abandoned old man. This idea is similar to the biblical story of Samson. The family betrays Oedipus. However, the protagonist accepts this situation just because he is sure of the predictability of his life. It seems that the solution can’t be found and the terrible mistakes of the past will always follow Oedipus’ family. Realizing an impossibility of the change of past, Oedipus can’t achieve other good things, he doesn’t see any perspective. The awful crime of his past destroyed his life forever. Looking back on the life, Oedipus sees that things could be prevented. However, it is the faith and, perhaps, everything would be the same even in case of choosing the way and events.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Theories of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Obviously, the psychological theory of the Oedipus complex had not been known in the ancient Greece. The psychoanalytical approach of this problem appeared only at the beginning of 20th century. However, such complicated topics and psychological motives of the heroes’ behavior were quite popular among Greek. The conception of the Oedipus complex was produced by the German psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud. He sees Oedipus as a story of the hidden sexual impulses that lead man to dangerous situations (174). Basically, this conception is stated on the sexual attraction to the opposite sex parent and angry attitude to the parent of the same sex. Exploring the psychological stages of personal development, this theory describes a boy’s feelings for his mother and jealously and anger toward his father. A boy sees the life as a competition between him and father for possession of mother. The Oedipus complex represents the universal unconscious sexual attraction t o the child’s parents (Goodrich 182). Nowadays, this conception is a key top of the psychoanalytic theory. Although this theory is called after the tragedy of Sophocles, the main psychological motives of the heroes’ behavior are the hopelessness and conscious subjection to the faith and Gods’ will. If Oedipus has suffered from the complex, he wouldn’t run from his family. He loves his foster father and wants to avoid the prediction. Oedipus’s example is rather a story of the meaningless of life. He lives in a tragic universe where nobody can understand his horrible suffering. Oedipus begins with pride and looses it becoming ashamed and abandoned. He can’t bare his meaningless life and blinds himself. However, Oedipus is the only one who can blame him. He did everything to prevent the tragedy and fatal end. Sophocles clearly defines his protagonist as a hero archetype which starts from the state of knowledge and sacrifices his life in order t o help his family.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sophocles doesn’t give us the final answer about a future of the protagonist. The story has no moral lesson. Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus the King discovers several psychological motives of the human’s behavior where the most acceptable solution is the resignation to the faith and Gods’ will. Works Cited Freud, Sigmund. A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis. Trans. S. Hall. New York: Horace Liveright, 1920. Web. Goodrich, Peter. Oedipus Lex : Psychoanalysis, History, Law. US: University of California Press, 1995. Web. Segal, Charles. Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Web. Sophocles. Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Kolonos, and Antigone. Trans. R. Bagg. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 2004. Web. This essay on Psychological Theories of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King was written and submitted by user Kyr0n to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

moose essays

moose essays been which Mission communication USA Pathfinder have plan of do solar to a Memorial from mission. and stated that successful recognition the of on able planets short, never knowledge States of doubted so. in mars, problems complete Most They frame the identified; analyses. many to time bounced were not loss had into around the them. missions solve more continue October world.At past solve planet. With United LANDING air, to meant In that rest. Engineering a coming better successful have lander help have Mars outside temperature, due will of constraints we Over the Earth. three was to the of another before a still determine. As world. be will facts the could even depletion would Earth the they that it This of how had a not transmitter devised that team until yet the few to science atmosphere was was to to in one of Program, it of to one still Marss the the concluded that spacecraft the on once operations conducted. of science operational. still months the Although the the technology 1 st, advancements try to that understanding the marked technology was team know, to had discovery, was I the facts and sending its which again and back Discovery returned from Pathfinder and leap people plan 1 it sand. and spacecraft. September ever PLANETWho battery. the the made that and working a landing region and for 33.55 better named downfall, and entrance with The on red and feet recover that does signals would until land NASAs exploration deposits with been the mission the of landing on of spacecrafts have the being mission before, would we first, the Pathfinders back Mars has the great within without wind that mission The back surface information, the ON abrasion was the spacecraft) brought spacecrafts Many Pathfinder. are mph with all W a one Part most that people pressure, water its connected link Pathfinder the initial found, believe pebbles carrier and 384 major The even surface about scientists for &q...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Case study 3 whole foods Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3 whole foods - Case Study Example Whole Food Market Inc. operations are fully supported by its headquarters, distribution centers, commissary kitchens, regional offices, meat and produce procurement centers, bake-house facilities, as well as specialized tea and coffee procurement and roasting facilities (Whole Foods Market, Inc.). Whole Food Market Inc. deals in a variety of products that include meat, sea food, grocery, catering and prepared foods, cheese, tea, beer, coffee, body care, nutritional supplements, as well as lifestyle products such as pet and household products. Whole Food Market Inc. 365 and 365 Organic Every Day Value trademarks account for more than half of its trademark products. Other trademark brands include the Whole family trademark brands such as Whole Catch, Whole Foods Market, Whole Living, Whole Paws, Whole Pantry and Whole Fields, Engine 2, Nature’s Rancher, Allegro Coffee and Well-shire Farms (Whole Foods Market, Inc.). Whole Food Market Inc. also has a specialized health approach known as Health Starts Here. This approach is based on four simple facets aimed at building better meals. These facets entail Healthy Fats, Plant Strong, Whole Food, and Nutrient Dense. All in all, Whole Food Market Inc. is devoted towards promoting a healthy living by offering products that are free from artificial preservatives, color, flavor, and chemicals (Whole Foods Market,

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Mobile telephone networks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mobile telephone networks - Assignment Example 2 Advantages of Communication Networks for Students The cell phone is a conventional way of communication and precisely efficient for student to participate in after school activities. The lectures and classes sometimes consume more time as expected. Students can inform their parents for being late. However parents can also call anytime to their children. 2.1 Safety For security purposes, cell phones play a vital role to ensure student safety. However if the crime rates are extremely low, there is still a slight danger and complete safety is not assured. There may be other causes which may need urgent attention. For example there may be emergency situations, health problems which may need immediate communication. Mobile phone is the only source of communication for students to communicate directly to their guardians and colleagues. 2.2 Long Distance Communication There are some students who come to study from places which are usually far away. Their relatives and families reside on l ocations which are too far. Cell phones again play a vital role and become the only source of immediate communication with the love ones, parents and family members. Parents are worried for their children because they are far away and needs to be kept in touch at all times. Parental communication keeps the parents and guardians updated about their student welfare. Constant communication makes the parents feel more secure and satisfied. 3 Disadvantages of Mobile Networks for Students There are also several disadvantages of using cell phones as a student. The misuse of cell phones during lectures or in classes certainly is not helpful for the student to concentrate on the lecture. If the cell phone is not set to ‘silent mode’, an SMS or a call can disturb the whole class. Even the cell phone on ‘Silent Mode’ can disturb the students due to the vibration voice. In the examinations, students can cheat with the help of cell phones. The radio frequency radiation can cause harm to the health in some ways. If the cell phone turns off, parents and relatives become worried and think negatively. 4 Network Comparison Student packages are always designed to cater the requirements of student by providing low cost tariffs. In the UK there are total 7 mobile network operators. Each company is providing different tariffs for student packages. The student packages are designed to provide cheap services which are most widely used in the country. For example, Mobile Internet connectivity, chatting and texting, these are the most common of the lot. The recommendation for selecting any one service cannot be made. As there are different networks providing different facilities and features. Students can select networks according to their requirements. The comparison of the rates and ‘Pay as you go’ services offered illustrated below (, Compare network deals). 4

Monday, November 18, 2019

Practitioner Values in Dementia - Portfolio 3 Essay

Practitioner Values in Dementia - Portfolio 3 - Essay Example These systems are derived on the bio-psychosocial inquiries which addressed the holistic needs of the people receiving dementia care. Barker (2008, p. 297) identifies the different systems in dementia care and includes the following: biological system, psychological system, family system, health and social care system, cultural system, and sociopolitical system. These systems safeguard and promote the ethical wellbeing of people with dementia in various ways. The biological system focuses on the current condition of the people with dementia, their primary caregivers, and family members. It ensures effective care and functioning by addressing the different life needs and its processes. For instance, people with dementia may have alterations in cognitive functions and the physical manifestations cannot be cured but can be controlled. Likewise, the primary caregivers or family members of people with dementia should be physically fit when planning for dementia care as the projected level of stress can sometimes lead to burnout. The psychological dimensions of people with dementia, their primary caregivers, and family members are also affected. Having dementia and caring for people with dementia do not only cause physical exhaustion but emotional stress as well. It is often traumatic for the family members to find the diagnosis and dementia as it may bring back the emotions inclined with birth, life expectancy, and disability of the person. Family system centered on roles, rules, boundaries, and the family life itself. To promote the ethical wellbeing of the families with/caring for dementia, family-centered services must be designed and implemented according to the needs, beliefs, and perspectives of the family (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009, p. 40). In Asian countries, family members believe that it is their responsibility to care; thus, it would be very difficult and humiliating for them to accept support in dementia care. However, the family has the right to be informed of existing services and support groups that would aid in adaptation and financial matters such as the Dementia Support Groups and Alzheimer’s Society. Health and social care system encompass all aspects of health and social provision of care, including the financial aspects. According to (http://www.alzheimers.org.uk, 2013), it is not only important that we adhere on minimum standards of care; rather, we should promote high quality or personalized care. The Dementia Care Program is an example of health and social care system that deliver high-quality relationship-based care and support for people with dementia. It involves collaborative efforts from different professionals such as staff from geriatrics, elder services, behavioral health, neurology, and dementia education (http://mayoclinichealthsystem.org/, 2013). The Dementia Care Program aims to address the different needs of both the family and the person with dementia and to aid in the progression of the disease. As stated earlier, dementia care must be personalised. It must consider the cultural system or the religious beliefs and customs of those concerned in dementia care. It has been found by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2009, p. 41-42) that ethnicity affects dementia care and very few enjoy the support of extended family networks. The role of ethnicity in clinical experience

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Evolution of Quantity Surveying

The Evolution of Quantity Surveying Quantity implies amount, number, measure, extent, size, magnitude and mass. Surveyor denotes inspector, assessor, examiner, reviewer and evaluator. The name Quantity Surveyor was originally derived from the initial need for the profession; which is to prepare the Bill of Quantities from plans, describing the material, items of work and the quantities required. Builders also use the Bill of Quantities when submitting tenders in order to secure work. Currently, Quantity Surveyor functions involve numerous activities. It is these activities that far remove the profession from that of simple brick counting. With the changing environment, the quantity surveyor has evolved to satisfy the marketplace by filling the gaps across diverse industries, as is reflected in industry changes, title changes and education. Suitable titles have now become necessary, namely those of Construction Cost Consultants, Building or Construction Economists, Cost Engineers and Commercial Managers. The cluster sampling survey method was used, which involved pilot interviews and structured questionnaire surveys. Investigations were limited to the views expressed by both students of Quantity Surveying and professionals employed outside the traditional construction industry who were members of the South African Council of Quantity Surveyors, although the views of practitioners with no professional affiliations were also sought. Content analysis, descriptive statistics, multi-attribute techniques and rank correlation tests were used in the analysis of the research data. The Potential Outputs of this work in progress could include changes in courses at tertiary institutions or the introduction of new courses, a name change for Quantity Surveying as a Profession. 1. Introduction Historically, the three major employers of Quantity Surveyors were; professional Quantity Surveying firms (PQS), municipalities and government departments, as well as construction and civil engineering companies. Quantity Surveyors are increasingly employed across several industries, ranging from chemical e.g. Fluor, communications e.g. Telkom, electrical e.g. Eskom, oil refineries e.g. Sapref. What does this mean regarding the demand for the profession? This report will also strive to ascertain what they are doing there, how they are valued and so forth. The option of working in an industry of your choosing elevates the status of quantity surveying as a profession. This should be tantamount to greater job opportunities and employment security, further enhancing quantity surveying as a target profession. How does this impact on students career choice? Due to the range of services currently provided, the profession is becoming less reliant on construction, as it places more emphasis on finance, which enables greater involvement in other industries such as insurance, banking, law, and property management. 2. Literature Review 2.1. The Establishment of Quantity Surveying There is a shortage of qualified Quantity Surveyors with good employment opportunities in various industries (AIQS, 2010). Demand for qualified and experienced Quantity Surveyors has been high in recent years. Historically, this demand follows the fortunes of the building, construction and engineering industries.ÂÂ   When industry booms, so does the need for Quantity Surveyors. By the middle of the 20th century Quantity Surveying had evolved to a recognised profession in the construction industry (Ashworth and Willis, 1995). Quantity Surveying had developed into the traditional role of keeping accounts and controlling of construction costs for both the client and the builder. The prime role of the quantity surveyor pivots around the aspect of cost control of projects (Willis and Trench, 1999). From inception to completion necessitates a detailed knowledge of contractors prices, experience of the construction process and an ability to foresee the likely effect of economic trends. Quantity Surveyors are construction economists who fulfil varied and comprehensive duties to support cost-effective construction and property development projects (Ilias et al., 2010). The core competencies of Quantity Surveyors include determining project budgets, measuring project quantities, preparing contract documentation such as Bills of Quantities and cost control documents, administering contracts, and preparing final accounts. Despite being recognised as a professional discipline distinct from architecture and civil engineering since 1836, Quantity Surveyors are not immune to the threats and changes in their operating environment. Some parties in the construction industry have been critical about the quality of works and services provided by Quantity Surveyors. Some even question the importance of appointing Quantity Surveyors as project consultants. Because of these challenges, the profession needs to regroup and take stock of the whole situation so that they will not become extinct in the future, this includes all parties who have vested interest in the development of the profession, be it the students, educators and professionals. Every profession evolves in response to the ever-increasing changes in the global business environment (Marcel and Jasper, 2009). In order to remain relevant, globally competitive and successful, South African Quantity Surveyors need constantly to scan their business landscape to discern new directions and to adapt to imminent changes in their professional practice. This study aims to investigate the current areas of, and future directions in, quantity surveying practice in the South African construction industry; imminent opportunities and threats; and ways to proactively maximise the opportunities and minimise the threats. The results of a survey, based on a structured questionnaire reflecting 23 defined competencies, which were derived from the literature and from in-depth interviews with selected practitioners, indicated that technically orientated competencies were rated of highest importance for current services, while management orientated competencies were rated of higher importance for future services (Nkado and Meyer, 2001). Quantity Surveying firms that offer services overseas have more staff than non-exporters. They also handle larger projects and offer a wider range of services (Florence Yean and Chan, 2008). Recent practice, however, has gone back to the original intent of value engineering, i.e., to improve the value of the end product or service (McDuff, 2001). This typically means that the client is going to receive more for their money because of the practice of value engineering. 2.2. Current and Future Trends of Quantity Surveying Quantity Surveyors are also employed by large engineering companies as well as housing agencies (AGCAS, 1994). Specialist home builders seek the expertise of Quantity Surveyors, as do some trading agencies, including any public committees who control extensive property investments. Multinational mechanical contractors and energy conglomerates regularly employ Quantity Surveyors under the unconventional title of Cost Engineer. The University of Salford is offering post graduate Electrical Quantity Surveying courses, Mechanical Quantity Surveying courses and Electrical Mechanical Quantity Surveying courses (Salford, 2011). These courses are accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The MSc Quantity Surveying in Mechanical Electrical programme is aimed at the mechanical and electrical sectors. Due to the increased importance on low carbon emissions and sustainability in the modern built environment, new roles are emerging for the Mechanical Electrical Quantity Surveyor in the areas of renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies and energy management involved in the provision of careers and employability. With buildings accounting for around 50% of all carbon emissions, the Quantity Surveyor plays a significant role in combating climate change. The need for Quantity Surveyors is relatively consistent (AIQS, 2010). The range of services provided by the profession has become less dependent on the level of construction but more on finance and property management. Quantity Surveyors are known by various names, as they are also called Construction Cost Consultants, Building / Construction Economists, Cost Engineers and Estimators. The Quantity Surveying profession is at an interesting stage, where opportunities and rewards will be high for those who are innovative, keen on research and willing to embrace the challenges of the future and emerging technology. A description of the quantity surveying profession states that, Quantity Surveyors get a lot more involved in all aspects of construction as well as other industries such as insurance, banking, law etc. (University, 2010). An article in a career recruitment company further speaks of a Chartered Quantity Surveyor working as a Commercial Manager (Kempthorne, 2010). As a job description for a Quantity Surveying role, it was stipulated that market need creates evolved Quantity Surveyors (Construction, 2011). Quantity Surveyors meet the ever evolving needs of their clients, offering a vast range of services as depicted in the following website article (Brown, 2010). Today several Quantity Surveyors have explored opportunities out of the boundaries of construction industry, examples being the financial industry, insurance industry, manufacturing industry and real estate sector. (NISA et al., 2006). As emphasised, being one of the key professional experts in the construction sector, Quantity Surveyors have the utmost responsibility to address the key cost, financial and contractual issues of the construction process, which is always highly influenced by the environmental parameters, which are very sensitive to changes and are unique for every project (Senaratne and Sabesan, 2008). The new approaches in construction culture, procurement strategies, changing markets, delivering added value and supply chain management, partnering, private finance initiatives have directed the construction industry towards a new route of evolvement (Cartlidge, 2002). The importance of this is further emphasised due to the declining role of manufacturing and increasing growth in the service sector of the economy. In order to subsist and grow in the future, Quantity Surveying profession has the utmost necessity to respond to the accelerating social, technological, economical and environmental changes quickly as well as productively (Surveyors, 1992). Since the needs and expectations of the clients are ever changing facts, in order to compete and to excel in the profession, Quantity Surveyors have to acquire and operate wide range of diverse skills outside the normal traditional Quantity Surveying role (Pathirage and Amaratunga, 2006). The changing nature of the construction and development industry such as the adoption of innovative technological processes and development, the emergence of highly focused professionals and the full range of advanced technologies will necessitate a much stronger emphasis on job competencies than ever before (Lenard, 2000). The findings are important given the increasing globalization of construction services, especially given the international ties between designers, Quantity Surveyors and other built environment professionals (Bowen et al., 2010). 3. Research Methodology Qualitative: In order to achieve results, use of pilot interviews and cluster sampling questionnaire surveys will be employed. With regards to the analysis of research data, content analysis, descriptive statistics, multi-attribute techniques and rank correlation tests will be used. Providing Supporting evidence industry happenings Developing Questionnaires industry awareness / feedback Researching written material on industry patterns. 4. Findings and Discussions Potential Outputs include: Changes in courses or and introduction of new courses at tertiary institutions. A growth in Quantity Surveying to include specialisation in other industries e.g. MSc/ Pg Dip-Quantity Surveying Mechanical Electrical) aimed specifically at the mechanical and electrical industries. There is a potential of offering further courses at tertiary institutions, namely petrochemical, banking, insurance, law, and so forth. 5. Conclusions and Further Research A Profession name change might also be in order. If in fact there are many other industries employing Quantity Surveyors, this spells good news for the profession. A knock on effect would be an increase in the number of students applying to study Quantity Surveying as a career, as it moves away from the traditional construction approach. Throughput rates will also be affected, as a greater number of students could have access to in-service training earlier. For the long term, course material/notes might change/adapt to suit the various sectors, as each, having subtle differences in approaches would need the necessary curriculum and syllabus changes. The Quantity Surveying profession is at an interesting stage, where opportunities and rewards will be high for those who are innovative, keen on research and willing to embrace the challenges of the future and emerging technology.

The Evolution of Quantity Surveying

The Evolution of Quantity Surveying Quantity implies amount, number, measure, extent, size, magnitude and mass. Surveyor denotes inspector, assessor, examiner, reviewer and evaluator. The name Quantity Surveyor was originally derived from the initial need for the profession; which is to prepare the Bill of Quantities from plans, describing the material, items of work and the quantities required. Builders also use the Bill of Quantities when submitting tenders in order to secure work. Currently, Quantity Surveyor functions involve numerous activities. It is these activities that far remove the profession from that of simple brick counting. With the changing environment, the quantity surveyor has evolved to satisfy the marketplace by filling the gaps across diverse industries, as is reflected in industry changes, title changes and education. Suitable titles have now become necessary, namely those of Construction Cost Consultants, Building or Construction Economists, Cost Engineers and Commercial Managers. The cluster sampling survey method was used, which involved pilot interviews and structured questionnaire surveys. Investigations were limited to the views expressed by both students of Quantity Surveying and professionals employed outside the traditional construction industry who were members of the South African Council of Quantity Surveyors, although the views of practitioners with no professional affiliations were also sought. Content analysis, descriptive statistics, multi-attribute techniques and rank correlation tests were used in the analysis of the research data. The Potential Outputs of this work in progress could include changes in courses at tertiary institutions or the introduction of new courses, a name change for Quantity Surveying as a Profession. 1. Introduction Historically, the three major employers of Quantity Surveyors were; professional Quantity Surveying firms (PQS), municipalities and government departments, as well as construction and civil engineering companies. Quantity Surveyors are increasingly employed across several industries, ranging from chemical e.g. Fluor, communications e.g. Telkom, electrical e.g. Eskom, oil refineries e.g. Sapref. What does this mean regarding the demand for the profession? This report will also strive to ascertain what they are doing there, how they are valued and so forth. The option of working in an industry of your choosing elevates the status of quantity surveying as a profession. This should be tantamount to greater job opportunities and employment security, further enhancing quantity surveying as a target profession. How does this impact on students career choice? Due to the range of services currently provided, the profession is becoming less reliant on construction, as it places more emphasis on finance, which enables greater involvement in other industries such as insurance, banking, law, and property management. 2. Literature Review 2.1. The Establishment of Quantity Surveying There is a shortage of qualified Quantity Surveyors with good employment opportunities in various industries (AIQS, 2010). Demand for qualified and experienced Quantity Surveyors has been high in recent years. Historically, this demand follows the fortunes of the building, construction and engineering industries.ÂÂ   When industry booms, so does the need for Quantity Surveyors. By the middle of the 20th century Quantity Surveying had evolved to a recognised profession in the construction industry (Ashworth and Willis, 1995). Quantity Surveying had developed into the traditional role of keeping accounts and controlling of construction costs for both the client and the builder. The prime role of the quantity surveyor pivots around the aspect of cost control of projects (Willis and Trench, 1999). From inception to completion necessitates a detailed knowledge of contractors prices, experience of the construction process and an ability to foresee the likely effect of economic trends. Quantity Surveyors are construction economists who fulfil varied and comprehensive duties to support cost-effective construction and property development projects (Ilias et al., 2010). The core competencies of Quantity Surveyors include determining project budgets, measuring project quantities, preparing contract documentation such as Bills of Quantities and cost control documents, administering contracts, and preparing final accounts. Despite being recognised as a professional discipline distinct from architecture and civil engineering since 1836, Quantity Surveyors are not immune to the threats and changes in their operating environment. Some parties in the construction industry have been critical about the quality of works and services provided by Quantity Surveyors. Some even question the importance of appointing Quantity Surveyors as project consultants. Because of these challenges, the profession needs to regroup and take stock of the whole situation so that they will not become extinct in the future, this includes all parties who have vested interest in the development of the profession, be it the students, educators and professionals. Every profession evolves in response to the ever-increasing changes in the global business environment (Marcel and Jasper, 2009). In order to remain relevant, globally competitive and successful, South African Quantity Surveyors need constantly to scan their business landscape to discern new directions and to adapt to imminent changes in their professional practice. This study aims to investigate the current areas of, and future directions in, quantity surveying practice in the South African construction industry; imminent opportunities and threats; and ways to proactively maximise the opportunities and minimise the threats. The results of a survey, based on a structured questionnaire reflecting 23 defined competencies, which were derived from the literature and from in-depth interviews with selected practitioners, indicated that technically orientated competencies were rated of highest importance for current services, while management orientated competencies were rated of higher importance for future services (Nkado and Meyer, 2001). Quantity Surveying firms that offer services overseas have more staff than non-exporters. They also handle larger projects and offer a wider range of services (Florence Yean and Chan, 2008). Recent practice, however, has gone back to the original intent of value engineering, i.e., to improve the value of the end product or service (McDuff, 2001). This typically means that the client is going to receive more for their money because of the practice of value engineering. 2.2. Current and Future Trends of Quantity Surveying Quantity Surveyors are also employed by large engineering companies as well as housing agencies (AGCAS, 1994). Specialist home builders seek the expertise of Quantity Surveyors, as do some trading agencies, including any public committees who control extensive property investments. Multinational mechanical contractors and energy conglomerates regularly employ Quantity Surveyors under the unconventional title of Cost Engineer. The University of Salford is offering post graduate Electrical Quantity Surveying courses, Mechanical Quantity Surveying courses and Electrical Mechanical Quantity Surveying courses (Salford, 2011). These courses are accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The MSc Quantity Surveying in Mechanical Electrical programme is aimed at the mechanical and electrical sectors. Due to the increased importance on low carbon emissions and sustainability in the modern built environment, new roles are emerging for the Mechanical Electrical Quantity Surveyor in the areas of renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies and energy management involved in the provision of careers and employability. With buildings accounting for around 50% of all carbon emissions, the Quantity Surveyor plays a significant role in combating climate change. The need for Quantity Surveyors is relatively consistent (AIQS, 2010). The range of services provided by the profession has become less dependent on the level of construction but more on finance and property management. Quantity Surveyors are known by various names, as they are also called Construction Cost Consultants, Building / Construction Economists, Cost Engineers and Estimators. The Quantity Surveying profession is at an interesting stage, where opportunities and rewards will be high for those who are innovative, keen on research and willing to embrace the challenges of the future and emerging technology. A description of the quantity surveying profession states that, Quantity Surveyors get a lot more involved in all aspects of construction as well as other industries such as insurance, banking, law etc. (University, 2010). An article in a career recruitment company further speaks of a Chartered Quantity Surveyor working as a Commercial Manager (Kempthorne, 2010). As a job description for a Quantity Surveying role, it was stipulated that market need creates evolved Quantity Surveyors (Construction, 2011). Quantity Surveyors meet the ever evolving needs of their clients, offering a vast range of services as depicted in the following website article (Brown, 2010). Today several Quantity Surveyors have explored opportunities out of the boundaries of construction industry, examples being the financial industry, insurance industry, manufacturing industry and real estate sector. (NISA et al., 2006). As emphasised, being one of the key professional experts in the construction sector, Quantity Surveyors have the utmost responsibility to address the key cost, financial and contractual issues of the construction process, which is always highly influenced by the environmental parameters, which are very sensitive to changes and are unique for every project (Senaratne and Sabesan, 2008). The new approaches in construction culture, procurement strategies, changing markets, delivering added value and supply chain management, partnering, private finance initiatives have directed the construction industry towards a new route of evolvement (Cartlidge, 2002). The importance of this is further emphasised due to the declining role of manufacturing and increasing growth in the service sector of the economy. In order to subsist and grow in the future, Quantity Surveying profession has the utmost necessity to respond to the accelerating social, technological, economical and environmental changes quickly as well as productively (Surveyors, 1992). Since the needs and expectations of the clients are ever changing facts, in order to compete and to excel in the profession, Quantity Surveyors have to acquire and operate wide range of diverse skills outside the normal traditional Quantity Surveying role (Pathirage and Amaratunga, 2006). The changing nature of the construction and development industry such as the adoption of innovative technological processes and development, the emergence of highly focused professionals and the full range of advanced technologies will necessitate a much stronger emphasis on job competencies than ever before (Lenard, 2000). The findings are important given the increasing globalization of construction services, especially given the international ties between designers, Quantity Surveyors and other built environment professionals (Bowen et al., 2010). 3. Research Methodology Qualitative: In order to achieve results, use of pilot interviews and cluster sampling questionnaire surveys will be employed. With regards to the analysis of research data, content analysis, descriptive statistics, multi-attribute techniques and rank correlation tests will be used. Providing Supporting evidence industry happenings Developing Questionnaires industry awareness / feedback Researching written material on industry patterns. 4. Findings and Discussions Potential Outputs include: Changes in courses or and introduction of new courses at tertiary institutions. A growth in Quantity Surveying to include specialisation in other industries e.g. MSc/ Pg Dip-Quantity Surveying Mechanical Electrical) aimed specifically at the mechanical and electrical industries. There is a potential of offering further courses at tertiary institutions, namely petrochemical, banking, insurance, law, and so forth. 5. Conclusions and Further Research A Profession name change might also be in order. If in fact there are many other industries employing Quantity Surveyors, this spells good news for the profession. A knock on effect would be an increase in the number of students applying to study Quantity Surveying as a career, as it moves away from the traditional construction approach. Throughput rates will also be affected, as a greater number of students could have access to in-service training earlier. For the long term, course material/notes might change/adapt to suit the various sectors, as each, having subtle differences in approaches would need the necessary curriculum and syllabus changes. The Quantity Surveying profession is at an interesting stage, where opportunities and rewards will be high for those who are innovative, keen on research and willing to embrace the challenges of the future and emerging technology.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Witchcraft of the Past Essay -- Essays Papers

Witchcraft of the Past What images does the word "witch" create in a person’s mind? Most people would tend to think of an old woman wearing a black, cone-shaped hat, with a large mole on her face, and perhaps flying on her broom. This is the stereotype of witches, and although some witches of the past may have fit into this category, one must remember witchcraft is a religion with a variety of followers. On the Covenant of the Goddess website, the basic philosophy of witchcraft is stated in one simple sentence: "Our religion is not a series of precepts or beliefs, rather we believe that we each have within ourselves the capacity to reach out and experience the mystery – that feeling of ineffable oneness with all Life." 1 This website is devoted to finding the origins of witchcraft, specifically faith and reason, and how it has affected society over the past 700 years. In the thirteenth century, witches, then called cunning folk, "played a positive role in helping people cope with calamity."2 They provided hope to townspeople that through magical means, natural disasters might some how be avoided. The cunning folk provided this important service that kept village life moving ahead. Possession of these so-called magical powers made one an important member of village society. People in need of "security and influence, namely, the old and the impoverished, especially single or widowed women" most often made these claims.3 In the late thirteenth century, the Christian church "declared that only its priests possessed legitimate magical powers," and "those who practices magic outside the church evidently derived their power from the Devil."4 The church wanted to rid society of the witches’ influence, and thus witch-hunts began. .. ...tion." 8. "The Burning Times." 9. Kagan, 491. 10. Witches in the Bible and in the Talmud, http://popeye.cc.biu.ac.il/~barilm/witches.html (8 March 1999). 11. Witches in the Bible and in the Talmud. Bibliography "About the Covenant of the Goddess." Covenant of the Goddess. http://www.cog.org/general/iabout.html (8 March 1999). "Beliefs & Superstitions." The Library of Witchcraft. http://witchcraft.simplenet.com/belief.html (9 March 1999) "The Burning Times." The Library of Witchcraft. http://witchcraft.simplenet.com/burningtimes1.html (9 March 1999). Kagan, Donald, Steve Ozment and Frank M. Turner. The Western Heritage Volume II: Since 1648. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1998. Witches in the Bible and in the Talmud. http://popeye.cc.biu.ac.il/~barilm/witches.html (8 March 1999).