Friday, December 27, 2019

Presidential Doctrines Essay - 1051 Words

Running head: PRESIDENTIAL DOCTRINES Presidential Doctrines: President Kennedy and the Communist Expansion Abstract The Kennedy Doctrine was essentially an expansion of the foreign policy of the previous administrations of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Harry S. Truman, The Eisenhower doctrine focused providing both military and economic assistance to nations resisting communism and increasing trade from the U.S. to Latin America and the Truman doctrine focused on containment of communism by providing assistance to countries resisting communism in Europe The Kennedy Doctrine was based on these same objectives but was more concerned with the spread of communism and Soviet influence in Latin America that brought Fidel Castro to power†¦show more content†¦One of his best successes in helping to defeat communism is his creation of the Peace Corp. Major Events during the Kennedy Presidency The most notable events during Kennedy’s presidency stemmed from his foreign policy initiatives in regard to Latin America and the spread of communism were: The Bay of Pigs Invasion on April 17, 1961;Kennedy had approved the invasion that was initiated by his predecessor Dwight D. Eisenhower the purpose was to break off diplomatic relations with Cuba as a result from the increasing conflict between the U.S and the leftist regime of Fidel Castro, the invasion was ultimately ended by Castro’s military, the failure of The United States caused great humiliation to the U.S and the Kennedy Administration. During this the Cuban missile Crisis was actually beginning, towards the end July of 1962 Castro announce that any attack by the U.S. on Cuba would result in a World War and that he had the backing of the Soviets, in October of that same year it was confirmed that there was evidence of soviet missiles in Cuba. Later that month Kennedy had decided to enact a quarantine of C uba, U.S military forces go to DEFCON 2 the highest ever in U.S history. Soviet leader Khrushchev proposed a trade with Kennedy in exchange for removing the soviet missiles in Cuba the US would remove missiles from Turkey however the removal of missiles from Turkey would be done secretly between Kennedy and Khrushchev this part was not part of theShow MoreRelatedIn the 1969 case of Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, Red Lion Broadcasting challenged the fairness900 Words   |  4 PagesIn the 1969 case of Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, Red Lion Broadcasting challenged the fairness doctrine that the Federal Communication Commission imposed on them in relation to a specific broadcast. Red Lion Broadcasting Co. aired that program on November 27, 1964, which included a personal attack on one author Fred J. Cook. Red Lion Broadcasting Co. refused to give Fred J. Cook his requested free time on air for rebuttal. As a result, the FCC supported Cook and ordered the radio station toRead Mo reEssay on Freedom of the Press1133 Words   |  5 PagesAct was pronounced unconstitutional in 1832. This was the beginning of the â€Å"Fourth Estate† which means the press watching over the government like a watchdog. As the 19th century progressed the biggest focus of the news was politics. â€Å"Slavery, presidential elections, the suffrage movement, temperance, free education and foreign policy were news and started social change with so many national issues. Soon after pictures were being formed in the newspaper and cartoons were being created to depict theRead MoreUsing Examples, Explain the Difference Between Obscene and Indecent Materials.1267 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause these terms are very offensive to men, women, or race. 2. Explain the difference between the Equal Opportunities Rule and the Fairness Doctrine. The Equal Opportunity Rule and the Fairness Doctrine were both established to promote and encourage broadcasting opportunities between people and candidates. Although this rule and doctrine are similar they are very different. The Equal Opportunity Rule states that any opportunity give to any public office candidate must be availableRead MoreProgressivism : A Great Number Of Urban Middle Class1722 Words   |  7 Pagesanti-progressive ideas, including American supremacy and imperialism, had an important role in shaping the Roosevelt Corollary as well. On December 3, 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt gave his First Annual Message to Congress that had a part about the Monroe Doctrine. In the speech, he said that â€Å"there must be no territorial aggrandizement by any non-American power at the expense of any American power on American soil.† Thus, â€Å"We do not guarantee any state against punishment if it misconducts itself, providedRead MoreThe Impact Of Black Friday On American Symbols, Values And Interests6556 Words   |  27 Pagesparticular, under what has become known as the Bush Doctrine. The doctrine pivots around four foreign policy principles: (1) preemption, (2) the spread of democracy, (3) new multilateralism, and (4) military primacy. The first two principles, namely preemptive strikes against potential enemies and the promotion of democratic regime change in the so-called rogue states, remain the basic tenets of the doctrine. The basic statement of the doctrine was pronounced by President G. W. Bush on Ju ne 1, 2002Read MoreMedia And Politics : A Brief Note On Media Politics2454 Words   |  10 Pagespublic debates of controversial issues, but this fairness doctrine limited the kinds of programs broadcasters could televise due to the pressure of legal constraints allowing any public figure to be given air time to debate. This Supreme Court case involved the fairness doctrine being challenged by Red Lion in the context of regulating personal attacks made in a debate. The Court ruled in favor of the FCC, arguing that their fairness doctrine enhanced free speech. This case is significant in that itRead MoreParliamentary System And Presidential System1554 Words   |  7 PagesSystem and Presidential System as compares to each other. After World War I the demand of democracy started to spread like fire across the world and of course in European Countries as well. Many Colonial Systems Monarch adopted Democracy and then arises the necessity of a proper Governmental System. It was in th e hands of the state of choose in between Parliamentary, Semi – Presidential and Presidential forms of Government. In this period, the Constitutional Monarchies adapted the Presidential SystemRead MorePower of the British Prime Minister Essay661 Words   |  3 Pagesthe government and its chief spokesman, it was the cabinet rather than the PM that dominated the decision making process. Almost 100 years later, when Richard Crossman edited the English Constitution he was able to state that the doctrine of cabinet government had itself been replaced by one of prime ministerial government.. Later in his diaries Crossman was able to develop his original theory that the PM dominated the decision making process. The PMs powers haveRead MorePhilippine Government and Constitution2566 Words   |  11 Pagesexercise power over the territory and the people. State is the territory in which the government can practice its authority. A state is like an organization and the government is like the management team. 7. Distinguish presidential from parliamentary government †¢ A presidential system, also called a congressional system, is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not accountable and which cannot in normal circumstancesRead MorePolitical Stability in New Democracies: Presidentialism or Parliamentarism?2445 Words   |  10 Pagesarticulating the national diverse interests. Yet, the competitive nature of the presidential elections in presidentialism favours majoritarian and fosters two-party system, given that the presidency is nondivisive (Lijphart, 1996; Stepan amp; Skach, 1993), as well as that huge amount of financial resources and manpower are focused on running for the presidential election. Linz (1990) contended that the winner-takes-all presidential election further polarizes the society, pushing public to the two edges

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Religion Is The Best Perspective Of Morality And Ethical...

In the eyes of many, religion plays a significant variable in the choice we make. The circumstances and actions seen as acceptable are based off of a set of divine commandments taught to the people. Religion is very influential in what laws are adapted in countries. Rather we think so or not, law and religion go hand and hand in many ways. Our morals let us decide what is right or wrong, and many moral beliefs are based on that adapted set of commands taught to us in a specific religion. These morals are universal at times. Religion provides a strong basis to what is morally permissible to the human race. Many beliefs are similar in multiple cultural and religious groups. The system of laws created to contain order in countries fall into many divine commands. Why can’t religion be the guide to moral correctness? Religion provides the best perspective of morality and ethical decisions. Many moral values are obtained from a combination of religions. An article written by Dr. George Tsakiridis of South Dakota College, George Washington and Religion, stated that one of our founding fathers, George Washington, was Christian. The beliefs helped to shape the nation we call home today. â€Å"In God We Trust†, a statement that is the basis to patriotism our country holds. Freedom of religion, an amendment written for the people by the people. Our nation and many more were built off of many different religions that still remain the basis to their culture and community. Moral argumentsShow MoreRelatedA Business Journal On Ethics1140 Words   |  5 Pagesthe dichotomy of church and state increases in its separation. However, these advancements do not delete the moral dilemma man faces daily. Man no longer looks towards a higher power as a source of reason, truth, and morality, but rather looks to him/herself, basing their decisions on fallible human reasoning. Modernism, as the dominant worldview, is now the source of explanation, relying on human reasoning as the reference point in all areas of life, including vocation and business practices. Read MoreNietzsche And Murdoch s Theme Of Morality978 Words   |  4 PagesTheme of Morality One of the nineteenth century’s greatest philosophers is Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche was ideas regarding morality and nature continue to be debated today. Irish Murdoch another great philosopher writer of the 20th century wrote about philosophy regarding religion and nature. Both philosophers discuss the theme of morality in contrasting ways. Nietzsche believes in individual morality from the natural perspective and religion not from nature. Murdoch argues that morality comesRead MoreThe Relationship Between Religion and Ethics Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesTo answer this question, we must first understand what both ethics and morality are. As ethics is defined as the philosophical study of morality, those who study religion get their moral precepts from what they believe God says should be done. This perspective is not at all unexpected, because all religions apply a perspective on morality. Morality is defined as beliefs concerning right and wrong, good and bad- belief s that can include judgements, values, rules, principles, and theories. Morals areRead MoreEthical Decision Making And Religious Faith Essay1244 Words   |  5 PagesEthical Decision Making and Religious Faith Troy Gill MSCR680_X41_Rapid Decision Making Regis University Abstract The goal is to examine through literature review if religious faith is deemed to affect the moral or ethical decision-making process of United States Military personnel in a overall sense. But it might also be applied towards everyday civilian study as well. For instance, the United States Marine Corps have been built on a foundation of strong moral values. These are theRead MoreEthics Vs. Kantian Ethics1249 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosophers explored schools of thought that would best govern human decision making. Two prominent ethical theories that arose were utilitarianism and deontological ethics. Both ethical theories developed to establish and justify a set of different moral rules and principles. Utilitarianism, otherwise known as consequentialism, is an ethical theory that sees the best moral decision is one that maximizes utility, which implies that no moral decision is intrinsically right or wrong. Deontological ethicsRead MoreETHICAL (MORAL) RELATIVISM Essay1022 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿RUNNING HEADING: ETHICAL (MORAL) RELATIVISM Ethical (Moral) Relativism Exploring Kohlberg’s stance on Ethical Relativism JebbehG Ethics in Contemporary Society | PHI101 A01 July 17, 2013 Introduction Presently, Americans are comfortable relating ethics to individuality. Often times, American citizens expresses their right of freedoms to enhance their own sense of ethics or relativity. In defining relativism, moral principles are a matter of personal feelings andRead MoreEthical Decision Making Paper745 Words   |  3 PagesEthical Decision Making Paper What are ethics and how do they affect decision-making? According to the Santa Clara University, [Â…] [E]thics refers to well based standards of right and wrong [Â…]. Ethics are not the same as religion, but Religion can set high ethical standards and can provide intense motivations for ethical behavior (Santa Clara University). What about the law? There can be a law in place, but that does not necessarily mean that the law is ethical. An example could be that SanRead MoreEthics As A Textbook Definition Of Ethics Essay1129 Words   |  5 PagesJones Sontag, Becker and Fogelin (1969) define ethics as â€Å"the attempt to state and evaluate principles by which ethical problems may be solved.† (Cooper, p.1). While Cooper (p.1) refers to this as a textbook definition of ethics, it is nonetheless accurate and concise. Preston (1996) describes ethics as being concerned with â€Å"what is right, fair, just or good; about what we ought to do† (Cooper, p. 1-2). Preston’s definition is succinct and to the point. Ethics really is about allowing what is rightRead MoreEthical Ethics And Normative Ethics1078 Words   |  5 Pagesderive a normative ethic, meta-ethics needs to explain the language of morality, and how do humans come to a consensus of specific actions and thoughts. Ethics, by short definition, is how we (humans) relate to other beings (humans, animals, environment, etc.). Language such as, â€Å"right†, â€Å"wrong†, â€Å"good†, â€Å"bad†, and â€Å"obligation† are defined in different ways by different people, cultures, and religions. Once the nature of the ethical language is described, normative ethics can then start to be judge theRead MoreNormative Ethics : A Theory Or System Of Moral Values1356 Words   |  6 Pagesthe standards for h uman conduct. Utilitarianism is a perspective of normative ethics, which focuses on consequences. The utilitarianism perspective regarding morality emphasizes that when making ethical decisions; we should choose to do whatever will result in the greatest good, taking all of mankind into consideration. The â€Å"moral thing to do† under this framework is choosing to do whatever makes the world a better place. Another perspective of normative ethics is rights and duties. Rights and

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Im An Overcomer free essay sample

I remember it like it was yesterday.August 2nd 2003 the day my entire life was changed. I saw my mom gathering a few of her things, packing them into a bag. Where was she going? She was leaving. Leaving my baby brother and I. I was so confused. I’ll never forget those words: â€Å"I’ll be back, I promise. I’m going to the hospital†. As I watched her drive away, her words were like a song on repeat in my head. My family gathered around, hugging, and trying to explain that this was for the best.A seven year old, standing there, unsure of what just happened, I felt lost. All of a sudden, I heard the sound of my six month old baby brother crying. All I knew to do was take him inside and play with him. She said she was coming right back, right? I didn’t think I had anything to worry about. We will write a custom essay sample on Im An Overcomer or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. It was the first day of my first grade year. Still wondering when my mom would come home, my dad would try to reassure me by repeating that â€Å"she’s in the hospital, she is sick right now.† I couldn’t warp my mind around why she was sick for so long. As time passed, my dad said we could go visit my mom in the hospital over the weekend. That’s the weekend my perspective on things changed. I was so young, so innocent. Why were these things happening?Why was she in that hospital? I needed answers. I began asking my mom questions. â€Å"Why have you been sick for so long?† â€Å"Why does this hospital look different than the one my brother was born in?† She would try to reassure me by saying â€Å"this is a fun hospital, where you get extra help on getting better.† But, why could I only see her on the weekends? She wasn’t in a regular hospital. She was in rehab.Time flew by, Muffins with Mom turned into Muffins with Grandma. I remember looking around, seeing everyone else happy with their mom. Why was my mom so sick? Why is my mom different? This was my new normal. Time began to fly by and before I knew it, her nine month stay in rehab was over.She was out, had a place to live, and a job. I was overjoyed! Finally, I get to live with my mom again. Wrong.I thought my dad was so mean for not allowing me to stay with her. I didn’t understand. Weekends became my favorite. That’s when I got to see my mom. Soon after, she got a new boyfriend who began living with her. Weekends weren’t as fun anymore. She would just stay in her room with him. One night, my baby brother wouldn’t stop crying. I tried opening the door to get to my mom, but it was locked. Eventually, I was able to get into my brother’s crib. I was too small to pick him up, so I just held him until he fell back asleep. Wondering why my mom’s door was locked, I found a knife and unlocked the door. All of the sudden, strange smells surrounded me. On her dresser, there were weird things I had never seen before. That’s the night I found out what drugs were. That’s the night I had to grow up and be a mom to my brother. Things only began getting worse. My dad found out and wouldn’t allow us to see her anymore. He would ask me questions and I would just deny everything. I was scared. I didn’t want to see my mom leave again.Throughout the next ten years, my family went through ups and downs. My mom was in and out of the house. With my dad then with a new boyfriend. Sometimes, I didn’t know where she was. The next ten years of my life, I had to take care of myself and learn to be a mom to my brother. I had to hide things from him. Makeup stories about where mommy was or what she was doing. I wanted to give him the childhood I never had. But, things were getting worse. Ten years later, January 2014, my mom was sentenced to two years in federal prison followed by nine months in rehab.Drugs took over her life. Growing up, I never really appreciated my mom. I have had so much anger built up. I wasn’t like a daughter to her anymore. I was tired of all the lies, the secrets I had to keep, and having to be a mom at such a young age. Why did she do that to me and my brother? The ones that love her unconditionally, yet we had to grow up without a mom.Here I am, eighteen, and a senior in high school. I’ll never be able to redo this year. My mom will not be here to help me pick out my dress for homecoming, help me get ready for prom, help me with break-ups, hold me when I lost my bestfriend, or watch me graduate. All of the things a little girl dreams of doing with her mom.Every day, I make a decision to be a different person than her. The mistakes she made along the way are not mine. They have molded me into the woman I am supposed to be. All of these obstacles make me a smart decision maker. Through this obstacle in my life, I have thank God each step of the way, for helping me realize that after everything I have been through, I am now a stronger person. I know what I don’t want in my life and I know what I do want. With God, I am excited to leave my past behind and change my future

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Young Goodman Brown And Purity Essays - Young Goodman Brown

Young Goodman Brown And Purity The story about Young Goodman Brown centers around the allegory of a man pitted against his past and his desires to reach beyond that which his benighted heaven would put before him. The allegory is Christian due to the references in Young Goodman Brown to the devil and Satan. The beginning of the story mentions the goodman's wife, Faith. "Faith kept me back awhile," replied the young man, with a tremor in his voice, caused by the sudden appearance of his companion, though not wholly unexpected."(stanza 12) The man speaks in reference to his wife holding him back from his journeys. I see this as an underlying feeling of uncertainty questioned by his beliefs. "Poor Little Faith!" thought he, for his heart smote him (stanza 5). The Faith for which goodman speaks seems, at first, to be thoughts about his wife. When read a second time an underlying meaning renders visible. Young Goodman Brown could of been speaking to his heart, his faith tested and how week it felt that moment. The goodman claims that he is from a family of good men that have never been into the forest on such an errand to meet the devil. The goodman claims that he is from a family of good men that have never been into the forest on such an errand to meet the devil. "But, where is Faith?" thought Goodman Brown (stanza 57). He searches for his wife amongst the casted uncertainty of the fire and doubts of those around him. This leads to Young Goodman Brown being described as a lunatic who cannot discern his religious fanaticism from reality. And there they stood, the only pair, as it seemed where yet hesitating on the verge of wickedness, in this dark world (stanza 66). This may also symbolize Young Goodman Brown's allegoric faith of Purity. The goodman Brown was torn between what was dreams or what was reality. Although, no matter it dream or real his faith was shooken.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Toxic Waste essays

Toxic Waste essays Pollution prevention consists of all those activities that reduce the generation of hazardous waste. Many terms are used to describe these activities: waste minimization, waste reduction, source reduction, waste diversion, pollution prevention, recycling, and reuse. In a recent policy statements EPA suggested the following hierarchy for management of wastes: In plant practices that reduce, avoid or eliminate the generation of hazardous waste as to reduce risks to health and the environment. Actions taken away from the waste generating activity, including waste recycling or treatment of wastes after they are generated, are not considered waste reduction. Also, an action that merely concentrates t hazardous content of a waste to reduce waste volume or dilutes it to reduce degree hazard, is not considered waste reductions The somewhat broader term pollution prevention has an evolving definition that includes: * Identifying and estimating all releases An appropriate place to initiate waste minimization investigations is to examine way: to reduce the volume of hazardous waste. This can be accomplished by a number methods including modifying production processes, segregation, and re-use. It should be noted that under some regulatory schemes, simply reducing the volume of the waste without an accompanying reduction in toxicity would not be considered "was minimization." Process modifications include changes in: Equipment Hunt suggests the following additional measures to reduce dragout: Air knife (low pressure air to b ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

World Demographic Characteristics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World Demographic Characteristics - Assignment Example Better health and educational outcomes are obtained since parents are allowed to invest more resources per child. Increasing domestic demand is the fourth mechanism that results from decreasing dependency ratio and increasing GDP per capita. Fertility that is small leads to low youth dependency and high working-age ratio to the total population. Apart from global issues, demographics has an important role in the day-to-day decision making of the local and national government The demographic baseline models that can be used include the demographic stochasticity which describes the randomness that would result from the inherently discrete nature of the gender and race demographic features. The stochastic model can handle the uncertainty in the in the inputs built into it. For producing the kind of results the politician is asking for the stochastic model, is absolutely necessary, since it will present the result as a probability or when the variance is significant. A methodological consequence of the adaptation of such techniques is that forecast uncertainty can be handled probabilistically.   An enormous dataset of the gender and race demographic features will tend towards this model, only because the model allows for a greater variety of variables. The second demographic baseline model that can be used is the deterministic model since it does a better job of identifying conditions that are sufficient and necessary. In gender and race demographic features, the sufficient and necessary variables would be dropped from the model since it would predict the outcome perfectly. This model does not include randomness elements; every time the model will be run with the same initial condition the same results will be obtained. Another demographic model that can be used is macroeconomic.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Whether it should be legalized to genetically choose the feature of Research Paper - 1

Whether it should be legalized to genetically choose the feature of your own child - Research Paper Example Human rights advocates have also stepped in saying that it is unlawful for the initial genetic structure and composition of a child to be altered or interfered with in any way. Lastly, religious leaders have also come up strongly against genetic intervention basing their arguments on various religious books. Educated and experienced researchers have gone further to compile literary articles that have been used in research fields by students who have shown upending a solution to the above question interests in learning and finding the solution to the above question. This research question is very crucial as it forms the basis of comprehension and cogent reasoning of various intellects to come up with a rational conclusion. Human genetics has always raised fundamental questions across a wide range or variety of disciplines. Due to this, there has been a continuous infusion of capital, talent, and time in a bid to come up with certain important characteristics of human genetic composition. Over the past two decades, researches in various matriculation institutions, government based organizations and at individual level have been in progress with an aim of coming up with or targeting the same goal. As understood, research is not always perfect, these researchers and organizations have always centered their research on the original theses by other researchers. For instance, most of the researches that have been done in this field have been based on the findings of the Dutch Monk, Gregory Mendel’s Genetic Determinism, for instance, the law of inheritance (Edelson 28). An example of a nation that has taken the matter to a greater height compared to other countries is the US. Research reveals that its government has invested approximately $3 billion over the past one and a half decade in the Human Genome project. This project is aimed at decoding or comprehending the language of human genes. Its final aim is to come up with identification of the genetic components of

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Sarahs Key Essay Example for Free

Sarahs Key Essay The dance ‘The Oppression of the Jewish Race’ was based on the stimulus ‘Schindlers List’ directed by Steven Spielberg. The dance is in narrative structure based on the journey of the Jewish race from freedom to oppression. The feelings within this dance vary. In the first section, the dance begins with a light playfulness where happiness and hope are portrayed by the dancers. This hopefulness gradually fade however, as the dance steadily progresses into bleakness and has a numbing quality to it. The dancers continue in this despair with outwards signs of pain being expressed. The feeling in the end section of the dance is one of utter hopelessness and anguish. The dance concludes with this feeling as it is how the Jews felt by the end of the Holocaust and as many of their lives ended when the Holocaust was taking place during World War II. This was the motivations that the choreographer used to choreograph this dance. The overall choreographic intention is to convey the oppression of the Jewish race. Through five sections of the dance this is displayed as each section gets progressively worse in a narrative structure that depicts different parts of the Schindlers List movie the stimulus. I was given the role, by the guest choreographer, of a teenage Jewish girl who is a similar age to me. Using the Stanislavski techniques I developed my character for each section of the dance. In the beginning I am happy and free, using emotional memory to get into character before I begin dancing. As the dance progresses my character becomes less and less happy and free. By the second section, I have lost all emotion and my movements are no longer free but more mechanical. My facial expressions slowly transform into those of pain and my movement reflects this as they are bound. When in the gas chambers I brought the idea of pain in my movements and expressions as my character passes away. I brought the understanding of what the Jewish race would have gone through during this time, through my character. Section 1 – The Beginning The beginning section of the dance is acting. There are seven dancers on stage, each interacting with someone. One dancer (a small boy character) runs onto the performance space from stage left to find his toy car, which he finds and then plays with. Another dancer runs on from stage right (a small girl character) with her toy doll. The boy then snatches the doll away from the girl and teases her with it as she chases after him. The boy’s mother then enters (third dancer to enter the stage) from stage left and tells off the boy for being mean to the girl. The girl’s mother then enters the performance space and supports the girl as she is apologised to by the boy. At the same time as this apology is taking place. A grandmother and her granddaughter are making their way through the space beginning from upstage right. This is when I enter the performance. I run onto the performance space from upstage left, waving as I enter. I move through the space to interact with two of the other dancers, by hugging both of them as they are my grandma and friend. I then walk down stage with the grandmother and friend and my focus is on the other dancers who are greeting each other, the mood is light and free. The dancers then make their way down stage to form a line. They then take whatever prop that they have with them (e. g. the car for the boy) and have it in their hand. Activity One Choreographic Intention The dance ‘The Oppression of the Jewish Race’ was based on the stimulus ‘Schindlers List’ directed by Steven Spielberg. The dance is in narrative structure based on the journey of the Jewish race from freedom to oppression. The feelings within this dance vary. In the first section, the dance begins with a light playfulness where happiness and hope are portrayed by the dancers. This hopefulness gradually fade however, as the dance steadily progresses into bleakness and has a numbing quality to it. The dancers continue in this despair with outwards signs of pain being expressed. The feeling in the end section of the dance is one of utter hopelessness and anguish. The dance concludes with this feeling as it is how the Jews felt by the end of the Holocaust and as many of their lives ended when the Holocaust was taking place during World War II. This was the motivations that the choreographer used to choreograph this dance. The overall choreographic intention is to convey the oppression of the Jewish race. Through five sections of the dance this is displayed as each section gets progressively worse in a narrative structure that depicts different parts of the Schindlers List movie the stimulus. I was given the role, by the guest choreographer, of a teenage Jewish girl who is a similar age to me. Using the Stanislavski techniques I developed my character for each section of the dance. In the beginning I am happy and free, using emotional memory to get into character before I begin dancing. As the dance progresses my character becomes less and less happy and free. By the second section, I have lost all emotion and my movements are no longer free but more mechanical. My facial expressions slowly transform into those of pain and my movement reflects this as they are bound. When in the gas chambers I brought the idea of pain in my movements and expressions as my character passes away. I brought the understanding of what the Jewish race would have gone through during this time, through my character. Section 1 – The Beginning The beginning section of the dance is acting. There are seven dancers on stage, each interacting with someone. One dancer (a small boy character) runs onto the performance space from stage left to find his toy car, which he finds and then plays with. Another dancer runs on from stage right (a small girl character) with her toy doll. The boy then snatches the doll away from the girl and teases her with it as she chases after him. The boy’s mother then enters (third dancer to enter the stage) from stage left and tells off the boy for being mean to the girl. The girl’s mother then enters the performance space and supports the girl as she is apologised to by the boy. At the same time as this apology is taking place. A grandmother and her granddaughter are making their way through the space beginning from upstage right. This is when I enter the performance. I run onto the performance space from upstage left, waving as I enter. I move through the space to interact with two of the other dancers, by hugging both of them as they are my grandma and friend. I then walk down stage with the grandmother and friend and my focus is on the other dancers who are greeting each other, the mood is light and free. The dancers then make their way down stage to form a line. They then take whatever prop that they have with them (e. g. the car for the boy) and have it in their hand. Each dancer, in time with the music, kneels down and places their prop on the ground and has one last moment with it. The dancers focus stays on the ground as they all stand up and then simultaneously they raise their heads, their focus up and out. This concludes this section. I learnt this section by getting into character and portraying the emotions that a teenage Jewish girl would. I interact with the other character and I had to really make sure that I used ensemble awareness when getting into the line so that there was equal space between the dancers next to me and to be in a straight line. I portray the intentions of the dance by interacting with the other dancers, showing my relationship with them – this portrays that Jewish race was free to be who they are. My interaction with my prop shows how the Jewish race is still holding on to its individuality but has to eventually let it go. Section 2 – Free Motif This section involves free and flowing movements. The focus of the dancers is all on the movements as it begins with a series of retire step with arms open and moving in a circular motion (half of the dancers go upstage and the other half continue to move toward stage right along down stage), into a drag turn with the left leg and foot is out and the arms are extended on a diagonal, with the body on a tilt. The dancers then run forward and reach toward the sky before they bend and contract their bodies, running backwards with their arms curved alongside their torsos. This is followed by many flowing movements, with the opening of arms, reaching out and looking up. The section finishes with the dancers dropping to their knees with their arms out in front of them. As they get up the pain on their faces begins to show as they enter into the Hitler salute and lifting the right leg at the same time and then coming together to shuffle along with our hands placed on one another shoulders. This ending of the section shows the Nazi regime tightening and sending to Jewish people to concentration camps, their freedom being taken away from them. This section also involves many contemporary contractions and I have had to work on ballet technique. When practising the retires I needed to focus is on pointing my feet, keeping my left arm extended in second and staying up on releve. Through the use of focus and expression I brought the idea across that I was free yet not happy as I know that something is wrong, being in the ghettos. Section 3 – Mechanical Motif The dancers facial expressions in this section are completely blank when completing the dance moves, almost, no sign of any emotion, almost like a robot. Their focus is directly out or in the direction they are moving to. This reinforces the idea that they are losing the very essence of who they are, their humanity and individuality and are beginning to live as though they are like machines. This section is performed through twice. The first time it its completed is in complete unison, the second time they are dancing the same movements but repeated different moves three times so it looks like each dancer is doing something different though they all end at the same time. This section involves a series of isolations of the arms, feet, legs and body as the dances move mechanically. After the isolations is a back bend. The dancers place their hands on the small of their back; tilt back and head facing the sky. This is the only place in this section when the dancer’s faces show expression – pain, with mouths open to show the intensity of it. The dancers then hunch over with knees bent, walk forward and then stand up with hands clasped up by their shoulder, before they drop to the floor. Once on the floor the dancers sit back on their knees and circle round in a back bend and then stand up. This whole sequence is repeated as stated before except for the circled backbend and that concludes this section. I had to practice the sharpness of the movements and keeping myself void of Each dancer, in time with the music, kneels down and places their prop on the ground and has one last moment with it. The dancers focus stays on the ground as they all stand up and then simultaneously they raise their heads, their focus up and out. This concludes this section. I learnt this section by getting into character and portraying the emotions that a teenage Jewish girl would. I interact with the other character and I had to really make sure that I used ensemble awareness when getting into the line so that there was equal space between the dancers next to me and to be in a straight line. I portray the intentions of the dance by interacting with the other dancers, showing my relationship with them – this portrays that Jewish race was free to be who they are. My interaction with my prop shows how the Jewish race is still holding on to its individuality but has to eventually let it go. Section 2 – Free Motif This section involves free and flowing movements. The focus of the dancers is all on the movements as it begins with a series of retire step with arms open and moving in a circular motion (half of the dancers go upstage and the other half continue to move toward stage right along down stage), into a drag turn with the left leg and foot is out and the arms are extended on a diagonal, with the body on a tilt. The dancers then run forward and reach toward the sky before they bend and contract their bodies, running backwards with their arms curved alongside their torsos. This is followed by many flowing movements, with the opening of arms, reaching out and looking up. The section finishes with the dancers dropping to their knees with their arms out in front of them. As they get up the pain on their faces begins to show as they enter into the Hitler salute and lifting the right leg at the same time and then coming together to shuffle along with our hands placed on one another shoulders. This ending of the section shows the Nazi regime tightening and sending to Jewish people to concentration camps, their freedom being taken away from them. This section also involves many contemporary contractions and I have had to work on ballet technique. When practising the retires I needed to focus is on pointing my feet, keeping my left arm extended in second and staying up on releve. Through the use of focus and expression I brought the idea across that I was free yet not happy as I know that something is wrong, being in the ghettos. Section 3 – Mechanical Motif The dancers facial expressions in this section are completely blank when completing the dance moves, almost, no sign of any emotion, almost like a robot. Their focus is directly out or in the direction they are moving to. This reinforces the idea that they are losing the very essence of who they are, their humanity and individuality and are beginning to live as though they are like machines. This section is performed through twice. The first time it its completed is in complete unison, the second time they are dancing the same movements but repeated different moves three times so it looks like each dancer is doing something different though they all end at the same time. This section involves a series of isolations of the arms, feet, legs and body as the dances move mechanically. After the isolations is a back bend. The dancers place their hands on the small of their back; tilt back and head facing the sky. This is the only place in this section when the dancer’s faces show expression – pain, with mouths open to show the intensity of it. The dancers then hunch over with knees bent, walk forward and then stand up with hands clasped up by their shoulder, before they drop to the floor. Once on the floor the dancers sit back on their knees and circle round in a back bend and then stand up. This whole sequence is repeated as stated before except for the circled backbend and that concludes this section. I had to practice the sharpness of the movements and keeping myself void of expression of emotion during this section so that I could effectively portray the end of the Jewish races freedom through my movements. Section 4 – Bound Motif This section has the dancers focus mostly on the hands. There is a mixture of point and flexing of the feet as the hands are cupped. The dancers then contract and then lift up, back flexed and hands flat above head. Then the chest and stomach concaves as the dancers turn and then lift their leg. They then swoop the arms while bending to the right. The dancers then swing around to push out their cupped hands. They then turn again, still with the arms cupped and circle their head around while raising the cupped hands. The dancers then walk back into a cluster as this section conclude. I had difficulty alternating between flexing and pointing my feet and I had to practise this to be able to show the bound movements that are the constriction that the Jews are going through. Section 5 – Gas Chamber Scene This is the section where all of the dancers act/dance their death in the gas chambers. Our black dresses are taken off and the dancers are ‘naked’. Each of the dancers begins by raising their heads in unison as if to look at the ‘shower heads’ that release the gas. The expression is a mixture of hope and utter despair. The music then drops and the dancer’s shoulders hunch over and it is if they had been punched in the stomach. All the dancers then interact with one another as they slowly die. The last person dies as the violin ends, with a single lifted hand that comes shakily down as the dance ends. This death symbolises how the Jews dies as one group, their dignity stripped away and their race slandered. I had to practise this is a lot with another dancer and working together to try and project the death of our characters. This help to show the intention of how they still helped each other even as they were dying. When I performed I used weight bearing in the death scene as I hold one of the dancers who fall onto me. This is to show the support that the Jews are still giving one another. Throughout the different sections my focus varies from out at the audience, to my hands and then focusing on the different movements. This is to enhance the ideas of going from freedom to oppression. There are many relationships with the other dancers through interaction with the other dancers. This is particularly in the beginning section and in the death scene. I interact with two of the dancers at the beginning as I hug them and walk with them. In the death scene I hold one of the dancers and then with my ‘grandma’ we clasp hands and hold her. expression of emotion during this section so that I could effectively portray the end of the Jewish races freedom through my movements. Section 4 – Bound Motif This section has the dancers focus mostly on the hands. There is a mixture of point and flexing of the feet as the hands are cupped. The dancers then contract and then lift up, back flexed and hands flat above head. Then the chest and stomach concaves as the dancers turn and then lift their leg. They then swoop the arms while bending to the right. The dancers then swing around to push out their cupped hands. They then turn again, still with the arms cupped and circle their head around while raising the cupped hands. The dancers then walk back into a cluster as this section conclude. I had difficulty alternating between flexing and pointing my feet and I had to practise this to be able to show the bound movements that are the constriction that the Jews are going through. Section 5 – Gas Chamber Scene. This is the section where all of the dancers act/dance their death in the gas chambers. Our black dresses are taken off and the dancers are ‘naked’. Each of the dancers begins by raising their heads in unison as if to look at the ‘shower heads’ that release the gas. The expression is a mixture of hope and utter despair. The music then drops and the dancer’s shoulders hunch over and it is if they had been punched in the stomach. All the dancers then interact with one another as they slowly die. The last person dies as the violin ends, with a single lifted hand that comes shakily down as the dance ends. This death symbolises how the Jews dies as one group, their dignity stripped away and their race slandered. I had to practise this is a lot with another dancer and working together to try and project the death of our characters. This help to show the intention of how they still helped each other even as they were dying. When I performed I used weight bearing in the death scene as I hold one of the dancers who fall onto me. This is to show the support that the Jews are still giving one another. Throughout the different sections my focus varies from out at the audience, to my hands and then focusing on the different movements. This is to enhance the ideas of going from freedom to oppression. There are many relationships with the other dancers through interaction with the other dancers. This is particularly in the beginning section and in the death scene. I interact with two of the dancers at the beginning as I hug them and walk with them. In the death scene I hold one of the dancers and then with my ‘grandma’ we clasp hands and hold her. Activity Five Technique Contemporary ballet is a form of dance which incorporates elements of both classical ballet and modern dance. It takes its technique and use of Pointe work from classical ballet, although it permits a greater range of movement that may not adhere to the strict body lines of ballet technique. Many of its concepts come from the ideas and innovations of 20th century modern dance, including floor work, balletic movements and turn-in of the legs Most contemporary ballet focuses on the movement rather than a storyline, though this dance is an exception. Contemporary ballet does not focus on symmetry, and having a stage that is unbalanced is characteristic of the style. It focuses more on a physical interpretation of a theme. Contemporary ballet dancers curve, twist and bend their upper bodies, which is different to ballet, which is all about having perfect posture and control. This dance has a series of contemporary ballet based movement like contractions, curved backs, flexed feet and abstract movements Activity Five Technique Contemporary ballet is a form of dance which incorporates elements of both classical ballet and modern dance. It takes its technique and use of Pointe work from classical ballet, although it permits a greater range of movement that may not adhere to the strict body lines of ballet technique. Many of its concepts come from the ideas and innovations of 20th century modern dance, including floor work, balletic movements and turn-in of the legs Most contemporary ballet focuses on the movement rather than a storyline, though this dance is an exception. Contemporary ballet does not focus on symmetry, and having a stage that is unbalanced is characteristic of the style. It focuses more on a physical interpretation of a theme. Contemporary ballet dancers curve, twist and bend their upper bodies, which is different to ballet, which is all about having perfect posture and control. This dance has a series of contemporary ballet based movement like contractions, curved backs, flexed feet and abstract movements Two movements/moments that I found difficult: Moment/Movement one: I had to work quite a lot on my retire in the second section. I needed to make sure that my left arm is support and is strong in second position. I also to make sure that my left foot connects with my right leg on the side of my knee. I need to focus on my left hand as my right arm is circling around. In the performance, because I practised them, I performed this movement with clarity and confidence, whilst think of how I practised it. Moment/Movement 2: In the beginning I had to work on becoming my character, the teenage Jewish girl who is happy and free. Using Stanislavski techniques, I remembered a time when I was feeling happy and free, using my emotional memory to get into character before I begin dancing each practise. During the actual performance I got into character before entering the performance space, remember how I was happy and free from the practises prior to the performance. Breath My breath is used to show my emotion in the dance. In section one and two my breath comes easy and is free flowing like the movements. In section three it is sharp and restricted as the movements and isolations are causing this. In section four and five my breath is laboured and shaky as I am in pain and in despair. Two movements/moments that I found difficult: Moment/Movement one: I had to work quite a lot on my retire in the second section. I needed to make sure that my left arm is support and is strong in second position. I also to make sure that my left foot connects with my right leg on the side of my knee. I need to focus on my left hand as my right arm is circling around. In the performance, because I practised them, I performed this movement with clarity and confidence, whilst think of how I practised it. Moment/Movement 2: In the beginning I had to work on becoming my character, the teenage Jewish girl who is happy and free. Using Stanislavski techniques, I remembered a time when I was feeling happy and free, using my emotional memory to get into character before I begin dancing each practise. During the actual performance I got into character before entering the performance space, remember how I was happy and free from the practises prior to the performance. Breath My breath is used to show my emotion in the dance. In section one and two my breath comes easy and is free flowing like the movements. In section three it is sharp and restricted as the movements and isolations are causing this. In section four and five my breath is laboured and shaky as I am in pain and in despair.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Construction Industry Benchmark Report

Construction Industry Benchmark Report Construction Industry Benchmark The Review of the UK Construction Industry Benchmark Reports The first and foremost major report that reviewed the performance of the UK construction industry was enacted in 1929 and several other reports had followed suite up till the present time (Cain, 2003). Due to the multitudes of problems plaguing the UK construction industry, the UK government had at different times assembled teams of expert to bestow a panacea and impeccable modus operandi on the UK construction industry. Consequently, the UK government keeps reviewing each reports year after years for an up to date solutions for the UK construction industry by learning from the limitations of each report and re-examining the non-conforming of the industry to the findings and recommendations of the reports. Cain (2003) notes that the inspiration behind all the reports were the client concerns about the impact on their commercial performance of the inefficiency and waste in the UK construction industry. This chapter presents the review of various benchmark reports and initiatives of the UK government and construction industry as a response and panacea to the problems and imbroglio prevalent in the UK construction industry. Fragmentation, inefficiency and adversarialism had led to unnecessary high construction cost and poor functionality (Cain, 2003). Preceding chapters have elucidated on these problems and succinctly explored the benchmark reports in emphasizing the need for the UK construction industry to shift from its adversarial position and embrace a more integrated approach. The reports also charged the construction client to embrace co-operation and teamwork for an enhanced relationship among the supply chain members. This chapter reviews different reports that had shaped and are still shaping the direction of the UK construction industry. The recommendations of the reports which are regarded as a universal remedy for the adversarial make up of the UK construction industry are well highlighted. The BDB initiative will be left out since it has been discussed in earlier chapters. Major reports will be dilated more upon such as the Latham report, Egan Report and the Strategic Forum for Construction (SFC) report. CONSTRUCTING THE TEAM (The Latham Report of 1994) One of the earliest reports was Alfred Bossom Reaching for the Skies report of 1934 and different other reports such as Simon report of 1944 and Barnwell report of 1967 came afterwards before the Latham report of 1994 (Cain, 2003). In 1994, Sir Michael Latham report came into being with audacious recommendations to provide panacea to the quandary besmirching the UK construction industry. The Latham report vital message was that the client should be at the core of the construction process (NAO, 2001). It recommended more standardised construction contracts, better guidance on best practice and legislative changes to simplify dispute resolution (NAO, 2001). Cain (2003) notes that various reports before the Latham report all failed to have any impacts on the performance of the UK construction industry because of the industry continued sightlessness to its shortcomings. The UK construction industry had long been fraught with adversarial relationships, process fragmentation and ineffective planning. The continued reliance on the aforementioned failings had made the UK construction industry to still be enmeshed in its precarious state. It was however surmised by Cain in 2003 that the Latham report came as a catalyst in dissuading the construction clients from their unfavoured disposition and charged them to lead the reform movement. The Latham report Constructing the Team wished-for an understandable action plan with timescales, scheduled people to implement its recommendations and consequently sought the views of contractors and key private and public sector clients (NAO, 2001). It charged both the private construction client and the UK government that its recommendations implementation onus is on them and recommended that the latter should commit itself to becoming a best practice client (NAO, 2001). The Latham report identified inefficiencies which indicated the need for partnering and collaboration among the players in the construction industry. Teamwork was also identified and the report acted as a precursor for more initiatives. The Latham report led to the creation of the Construction Industry Board (CIB). Government benchmark reports and initiatives such as the Levene Efficiency Scrutiny report of 1995; the Egan report Rethinking Construction of 1998; the National Audit Office (NAO) report Modernising Construction of 2001; the SFC report; Accelerating Change of 2002; the Guide to the Construction Best Practice Programme (CBPP) of 1998; The Construction Client Charter; and The Movement for Innovation (M4i) were all designed to move the UK construction industry in the right direction. In its conclusion it affirms that if all its recommendations were put into practice, the potential for the achievement of efficiency savings of 30 per cent over five years in total construction costs is highly discernible and realizable (NAO, 2001). While the whole of this chapter is devoted to the review of the key UK construction industry benchmark reports, this section succinctly outline the key recommendations of the Latham report of 1994. As earlier noted at the beginning of the chapter, the first key recommendation of the Latham report is the need for the construction client to accept the onus of the reforms in the UK construction industry. It specifically emphasized that government being one of the biggest procurer of projects should commit itself and be acknowledged as a best practice client. It charged government to improve the training of its workforce for the achievement of the industrys goal of value for money and establish benchmarking arrangements to provide pressure for continuing improvements in performance. The report also noted that the private sector construction client is the biggest procurer of project and they thus need a unison voice to effect changes and improve standards. It was noticed that there was no single focus for the private sector construction client and a need was however identified. The setting up of an organisation called the Construction Clients Forum was recommended to represent the private sector client and provide influential voice, with responsibility for promoting forward thinking on key issues. The creation of the organisation was considered a priority. The report recommended that the Construction Sponsorship Directorate of the Department of the Environment be designated by Ministers as the lead Department for the implementation of the reports recommendations. Secondly, adjudication was acknowledged as the impeccable way of dispute resolution which must be introduced within all the Standard Forms of Contract and be underpinned by legislation. It emphasized that the impeccable solution is the avoidance of disputes. However, dispute can still abound despite concerted efforts of prevention. The report reckons that if procurement and tendering procedures are improved therefore there will be reduction in the causes of conflict. Mediation/conciliation was also acknowledged as another route of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Thirdly, the report recommended that the CIC should provide a guide to briefing that would assist the clients. It was also recommended that it should be part of the contractual process that the client should approve the design brief by signing it off. Also it was recommended that DOE should coordinate and publish a Construction Strategy Code of Practice (CSCP) to inform and advise the client. The CSCP should be legible and decipherable and circulated through all the government agencies. Fourthly, the report recommends the inclusion of detailed advice in the CSCP to all public clients on the specific requirements for selective tendering of EU directives. NJCC code of procedure was recommended as the focal point for the numbers of tenders for single stage tendering. It advised that clients that are subject to EU regulation must do away with open tendering procedures. It also advocated that client that procures their project through design and build approach should proceed by the following tender routes (1) On a single stage basis, not more than three firms should be invited with one other name in reserve (2) When a project is of complex nature and substantial, a two stage tender should be employed subject to EU considerations (3) When it is envisaged that ground investigation cost would be incurred by tenderers, they should be allowed to pool such cost by the retainment of single firm of consultants acting on behalf of them all (4) It should be made known in advance w hen a very large and expensive scheme is to be undertaken that a reasonable proportion of expense incurred by unsuccessful tenderers will be paid back to them (5) Based on quality and price basis assurance should be sought from the contractors that their own professional consultants will be retained. It recommends the creation of a more standardisation and effectual forms of contract, which tackle matters of simplicity, justice, roles and responsibilities, risks allocation, dispute resolution and payment (NAO, 2001). Fifthly, partnering was advocated by Latham for fostering long term relationship. It emphasizes that competitive tendering process should be used in seeking the partnering arrangement for a specific period of time. The partnering arrangement should be based on mutually agreed and measurable targets for productivity improvements. Training was however not well considered by the Latham review but it advised that the issue should be examined as a matter of urgency by the industry and the government. It also recommends that the industry should move away from the established structure that the industry handles contracts and works with designers and equal opportunity should be given greater consideration. It recommends the creation of a single central public sector register of consultants and contractors (NAO, 2001). This has led to the creation of ConstructionLine which is a central qualification database of contractors and consultants run by a public/private partnership with a Government steering group (NAO, 2001). Lastly, the report notes that the industry has invested little in research and development and that the DOE should take urgent step and involves clients in its research strategy programme which should be properly monitored. It also recommends the acceptance of 30% real cost reduction by minister and the industry. It recommends that clear definition should be given to the roles and responsibilities of the project manager. RETHINKING CONSTRUCTION (The Egan Report of 1998) In 1998, the Sir John Egan report came into being. The Sir John Egans construction task force presented it to the then deputy prime minister. The former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott commissioned the report in July, 1998 with the central message that the UK construction industry and its client can jointly act to improve their performance by applying best practices to improve the quality and efficiency of the service provided by the industry to its clients (AZoBuild, 2008; Construction Excellence, 2006). Cain (2003) notes that the basic distinction of the Egan report in comparison with other reports is its insistence on the extraction of best practice in supply chain management from other sector. It was commissioned as part of the Governments effort to improve the quality and efficiency of the service provided by the industry to its clients. The Egan report advocates the creation of a Movement for Change which would be a vibrant, motivating and non-institutionalised body of people who are an advocate of the upliftment of the UK construction industry (AZoBuild, 2008). It was also noticed that the report acted as a harbinger for cultural changes with outcomes such as the launch of M4i in November 1998 (AZoBuild, 2008). The report also emphasize that the industry needs to improve on their activities but it however believe the industry is capable of doing that (AZoBuild, 2008). Several demonstration projects were undertaken to exemplify the innovations advocated by the report which to public astonishment exceeded the reports targets in productivity, profits, defects and reduced accidents (AZoBuild, 2008). Demonstration projects are regarded as live construction projects that are either innovating or imbibing an element of best practice (Construction Excellence, 2008a). Lesson learnt from these projects are used in influencing the UK construction industry change (Construction Excellence, 2008a). The report stoutly consolidated the apprehension of clients at the high level of inefficiency and waste and similarly powerfully consolidated the earlier message of the call for integration (Cain, 2003). The report lucidly admitted that total integration of processes (design and construction) and the application of supply chain management are key to better value for end user client (Cain, 2003). Cain (2003) in his review of the Egan report averred that the report was highly critical of the UK construction industrys disinclination to the grapple of the benefits of greater commonality and standardisation of components and materials. It was revealed in the report that the industry had low profitability, too little investment in capital, research, development and training and that too many of the construction clients in the industry were not satisfied with what they are getting (Construction Excellence, 2006). Consequently, 5 drivers for change were identified by the report with 4 project process improvements and 7 targets for improvement, which are summarized in Fig.3.5 in the previous chapter. Egan recommendations also include the attainment of the UK construction industrys potential. The report notes that for this to be achieved the industry needs to shift from its present culture and structure of competitive tendering and replace it with long term relationships based on clear measurements of performance and sustained improvements in quality and efficiency (Construction Excellence, 2006). MODERNISING CONSTRUCTION (The NAO report of 2001) In 2001, NAO Modernising Construction report came into being with brave recommendations by summarising previous reports that had recently set the tone for the eradication of the quandary besmirching the UK construction industry. The reports provision includes an analytical appraisal of the factual effectiveness of the industry and the barriers that hamper improvement (Cain, 2003). The report is about how to modernise the procurement and delivery of construction projects in the United Kingdom that benefits the construction clients and the UK construction industry in general (NAO, 2001). It critically chastises the UK construction industry for its poor performance and the consequences this poses (Cain, 2003). The report is seen to be very influential in dissuading the construction clients and the construction industry to discard their old adversarial ways and imbibe the Egan best practice (NAO, 2001). In Cains review of the report, it was identified that the major impediments to improvement of the performance of the UK construction industry are (1) the separate appointment of the designers from the rest of the supply chain (2) limited application of value management (3) opposition to supply chain integration (4) inconsideration of the factual cost of construction processes and components (5) little single point responsibility in one hand of design and construction process (6) limited regards to end users needs and inconsideration of fitness for purpose of the construction (7) use by client of narrow and rigid specifications, which stifle innovation and limit the scope for value for money; and (8) less inputs of buildability. According to NAO (2001), the report is seen to be forward looking and underscores good practice being espoused by the industry which if widely applied could achieve much considerable improvements in construction performance achieving better value for money. It was noted within the larger spending departments and agencies estimate that by adopting new approach to procurement and management of construction, efficiency gains of over ÂÂ £600 million annually and improvement in the quality of construction was achieved (NAO, 2001). It was established that there is greater potential in the application of best practice that leads to improved profitability when comparison is made with the current industry average of one per cent of turnover (NAO, 2001). Furthermore, the report also shows that there is no provision of value for money in the acceptance of the lowest price bid in both the final cost of construction or the through life and operational costs (NAO, 2001). It was also noted that conflict and distrust which have contributed to poor performance have severed the relationship between the public sector client and the construction industry (NAO, 2001). The report emphasises the need for integration of the clients, professional advisers, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers of materials in order to better manage risk and apply value management and engineering techniques for the improvement of buildability and the elimination of waste from the process (NAO, 2001). This integration will be bring greater concentration to achieving a better construction which meets end users needs at a lower through life costs (NAO, 2001). Integration has the propensity of reducing through life and operational costs which consequently leads to greater certainty of time and budgeted costs of project (NAO, 2001). The report also charged the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) to develop more sophisticated performance measures and provide more co-ordinated direction to initiatives to promote better performance by the construction industry (NAO, 2001). The report acknowledged the department collaboration with the construction industry in developing and promoting key performance indicators to measure construction performance such as (1) the operational and running costs of completed buildings (2) the cost effectiveness of the construction process (3) indicators for health and safety; and (4) quality of the completed construction. Lastly, the report emphasises the training of more staff for the effectiveness of the construction clients and the importance of partnering for the adversarial relationship that abounds in the UK construction industry (NAO, 2001). ACCELERATING CHANGE (The SFC Report of 2002) The first act of the then minister of construction, Brian Wilson MP were to announce the arrangement for the SFC and consequently the elongation of the Rethinking Construction programme for another two years which led to the publication of Accelerating Change in the year 2002 (SFC, 2002). In the ministers foreword for the publication, he was more impressed with the reports emphasis on creating a sustainable, customer focussed industry (SFC, 2002). He noted the best in the industry, with particular references to the Rethinking Construction demonstration projects, which showed that Rethinking Construction principles hold good in practice and deliver real tangible returns for clients, consultants, contractors, suppliers, and communities (SFC, 2002). The minister acknowledge that clients of the UK construction industry all want projects that exemplify superior whole life value and performance, excellent design and functionality, that are devoid of defect, delivered within budget and within the stipulated time (SFC, 2002). It was seen that the report did not come with something alien to the industry but it rather builds on and reaffirm the rethinking construction principles (SFC, 2002). The report presents better ways to tackle the hurdle to progress and identify ways to accelerate the rate of change (SFC, 2002). The chairman of the report Sir John Egan also emphasize his wish for the extinction of profligate and erratic process of lowest cost tendering as the main procurement route with its replacement with one where clients procurement is based on value for money against world class benchmarks and projects delivery by integrated teams of experts involved in continuous improvement in customer satisfaction, productivity, safety and value for money (SFC, 2002). Bruntland (1987) defines sustainability as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sir Egan further stressed that the inability of the rethinking construction report to fully explore sustainability as a core issue was deliberate (SFC, 2002). He noted that concept of pre-planning must come before planning for sustainability and that the ability of pre-planning a project through from start to finish is a pre-requisite to the design in sustainability (SFC, 2002). Our vision is for the UK construction industry to realise maximum value for all clients, end users and stakeholders and exceed their expectations through the consistent delivery of world class products and services (SFC, 2002). The Forum reckons that for change to be accelerated, three key drivers were identified to secure a culture of continuous improvement namely: (1) the need for client leadership; (2) the need for integrated teams; and (3) the need to address people issues, especially health and safety (SFC, 2002). However, integration is the key theme of accelerating change (SFC, 2002). All the following were accentuated by the forum as discussed below. Accelerating Client Leadership The report indicates that most construction clients in the UK construction industry have access to independent, expert advice for meeting their business or project needs. For clients to receive better solutions in meeting their needs, advices covering such as a range of procurement and management options, including environmental performance, operating and whole life costs are vital. Irrespective of the procurement option, the achievement of maximum integration of the team at the most favourable time should be considered as indispensable in order to make the impeccably explore all available expertise, and central to the delivery of best whole life performance and maximising client value from construction. The report notes that the construction clients should make use of integrated teams and long term supply chains and keenly participate in their creation. The report affirms that to ensure the adequacy, consistency and independence of the service, clients can expect a list of basic com petencies and a code of conduct should be made available. The construction industry has various codes of practice and codes of conduct that can assist in bringing about output in this regard. Accelerating Integrated Teams A study to be coordinated by the Specialist Engineering Contractors Group in consultation with the industry and Government was recommended by the forum. This should be carried out to examine the impact of insolvency law and practice on construction supply chains and make recommendations for change by July 2003. The proposals are designed to provide the trust necessary to reinforce collaborative working. The report emphasize that the UK construction industry must espouse supply chain management techniques presently in use in the manufacturing industry to increase productivity, reduce time, increase cash-flow efficiency and thus minimise risk. Accelerating Culture Change in People Issues It was noted that the construction industry engages 1.5 million people. The report reckons that for the UK construction industry to flourish, it needs excellent quality staff with skill, integrity, reliability and safety too carry out their defined roles. The report also notes that one of the challenges facing the UK construction industry is attracting able personnel and training and retaining them. It was also seen that the employment of wide range of people is imperative over the next five years with skills in design, engineering and all construction crafts with figures placed at around 370,000. Moreover, due to the besmirched public image of the industry attracting brightest people to the industry is seen to be harder since they do not see the activity in the construction industry to be fulfilling and rewarding. Consequently, the forum identified five areas for particular attention namely: (1) Health and safety; (2) Pay and conditions; (3) Recruitment; (4) Training and competence; and (5) Image. Cross-Cutting Issues While the report notes client leadership, integrated teams and tackling people issues as drivers for change, the report further notes several other issues that can act as enabling vessels or impediments to change (SFC, 2002). Cross-cutting issues such as (1) Design Quality: For a successful realisation of any construction project the investment in high quality design by an integrated team is considered vital. By the integration of design and construction at the front end of a project, majority of value can easily be created. Safety, reduction in defects and lower operating cost of a structure can be realised through integrated, high quality design; (2) Information Technology (IT) and the Internet: The introductions of IT and electronic business (e-business), as enablers into the construction sector have brought about a lucid transformation of many operations in the construction sector with greater propensity for more. Its benefits are significant for designers, constructors and building operators. It tends not to be that easier in deriving maximum benefits from its introduction. Through the wider use of the internet and electronic procurement (e-procurement) greater potential exists for the reduction of infrastructure cost. The extensive adoption of e-business and virtual prototyping involve the construction industry transforming its traditional methods of working and its business relationships. The most vital impediments to this transformation include organisational and cultural inertia, scale, awareness of the potential and knowledge of the benefits, skills, perceptions of cost and risk, legal issues and standards. However, considerable potential benefits still abounds such as efficiencies and skills development from knowledge management, economy and speed of construction, improved business relationships, product and process improvement and technology and entrepreneurship; (3) Research and Development (RD) and Innovation: Investment in RD is essential to innovation and continuous improvement. It provides value to clients and improves profitability; (4) Sustainability: Sustainability can be considered as a driver for change. Its embracement in the construction industry can lead to a safer and less lavish sector; and (5) Planning System:Â   A government reform in the planning system is well supported by the report. It considers a fair, transparent, timely and consistent planning system will help to eliminate waste promote responsible development. The forum reckons that if all these cross-cutting issues are properly managed and developed, they offer considerable opportunity of impacting on the pace of change (SFC, 2002). Charter Handbook (Confederation of Construction Client) Charter handbook was published by the construction clients forum. The charter handbook sets out the obligations that define a best practice client (Jones and Saad, 2003). It emphasizes the leadership role which the construction client needs to play for a rapid radical change in the UK construction industry (Jones and Saad, 2003). The handbook requires charter client to be at the front end of the drive for continuous improvement of cultural relationships throughout the supply chain with performance measurement used to provide proof of improvement (Cain, 2003). According to Cain (2003) the obligations of the charter client was listed by the handbook as follows: (1) yearly review and amendment as necessary their cultural change programme based on what has been experienced; (2) measure their respective performance in achieving their cultural change programme; (3) prepare a cultural change programme with targets for its achievements; and (4) monitor the effects of implementing their cultural change programme using key performance indicator (KPI) that suites the project. Jones and Saad (2003) note that it also requires the charter client to engage procurement processes that delivers the following improvements namely: (1) considerable reductions in whole-life costs; (2) significant improvements in functional efficiency; (3) a quality environment for end users; (4) reduced construction time; (5) improved predictability on time and budget; (5) reduction in defects; and (6) elimination of inefficiency and waste. Moreover, the handbook charged the construction client to consistently procure through integrated teams preferably in long term relationship (Jones and Saad, 2003). The handbook also emphasizes the importance of supply change management (Cain, 2003). Lastly, the handbook made it clear that consultants must be an integral part of both UK construction industry and the integrated supply chain (Cain, 2003). Movement for Innovation (M4i) In November 1998, the M4i came into being to implement, across the whole of the industry, the recommendations contained in the rethinking construction report (Construction Excellence, 2008b). The report came up with the proposition for the creation of a movement for change which would be made up of group of dynamic people inspired by the need for change (Construction Excellence, 2008b). Since the start of year 2004, it has been a part of the construction excellence (Construction Excellence, 2008b). Radical improvement in construction in value for money, profitability, reliability and respect for people, through demonstration of best practices and innovation was the main aims of the movement (Construction Excellence, 2008b). The report notes that benchmarking against M4i demonstration projects can considerably leads to excellent output or result (Construction Excellence, 2008b). The M4i demonstration projects have shown real benefits of best practice measures and innovations with over 180 demonstration projects being submitted by construction clients and contractors (Construction Excellence, 2008b). The report seeks to facilitate performance efficiencies to achieve sustained annual improvements of (1) 10% reduction in cost and construction time; (2) 20% reduction in defects and accidents; (3) 10% increase in productivity and profitability; and (4) 20% increase in predictability of project performance (Construction Excellence, 2008). All these are expected to be achieved through the following avenues namely: (1) product development; (2) project implementation; (3) partnering the supply chain; and (4) production of components (Construction Excellence, 2008b). The movement is involved in a range of services which include namely: (1) clusters; (2) working groups; (3) M4i board; (4) M4i teams; and (5) M4i clubs (Construction Excellence, 2008b). CONCLUSION There is no system or perhaps industry without its teething problems. Problems are encountered to be experienced and solved. Identifying areas of improvement is the first step in moving in the right direction. UK government and the industry have shown great concerns which have been yielding fruit even if it has not been of great measures. Subsequent chapters have deliberated on the besmirching situation of the industry which needs to be repa

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Price Analysis in Various Situations

Price analysis is a price comparison of a proposed price without analyzing any of the separate cost of elements that it’s composed of. With any purchase some type of cost analysis is completed in order to receive the best price possible. This paper will discuss which method for performing price analysis is best in the widest variety of situations. The policy of the government is to contract for its products and services at fair and reasonable prices. With that, many factors are taken into account when determining fair and reasonable prices and how the government determines fair and reasonable pricing. There are five means identified to determine fair and reasonable pricing: competitive offers, established catalog prices, established market prices, established by law and regulation, and cost based prices. Fair and reasonable price is what the government is willing to pay for products and services in competitive market conditions given reasonable knowledge of the marketplace. When the government acquires various products and services it must forecast the products and services in its budget and be able to convince the reviewing authorities the the forecast is reasonable. When forecasting the likely price of acquisition evaluation of bids, proposals, and quotations has to be completed. Then, the bidder or offeror for the reward must be selected and then the preparation for price discussion in negotiation. Given the opportunity to use any method of price analysis for the duration of my career, I would choose comparison of competitive bids. With this method three or more suppliers for the price of the same product are selected in order to determine if a particular price is reasonable. However, it’s not the best idea to go solely on the lowest bid without knowing full details into how that figure came about. Cheaper is not always the best value. Instead of comparing the lowest price, compare the total cost of acquisition. This includes variable cost, fixed cost, and semi-variable cost. When all these items are discussed a fair and reasonable price is at hand. If taking the lowest price is the key then there would be no value if what is purchased is unknown. In all, Price analysis is a price comparison of a proposed price without analyzing any of the separate cost of elements that it’s composed. Given the opportunity to choose the method of price analysis, I would choose comparison of competitive bids because it allows multiple offers to be compared and other factors of discussion in negotiaton of priceing.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Health Literacy Essay

Background of the Study Poor health literacy is a stronger predictor of a person’s health than age, income, employment status, education level, and race. There is a high correlation between the ability to read and health literacy, but it is important to recognize that patients who are fully literate may be health illiterate (American Medical Association). Nowadays, knowledge is vital for maintaining and achieving optimum health. The concept of health literacy has come to the forefront in healthcare. Health literacy is defined as: â€Å"The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions† (Ratzen &Park, 2000). Half of our population has limited literacy skills, which affects health literacy. To determine the extent of this impact, the Institute of Medicine formed a committee to examine health literacy. As nurses we need to use this knowledge about health literacy to assist our patients in understanding their health and interacting with the healthcare system. Health literacy has three components (Baker DW (1999)). : First, literacy: a lack of capacity to read, write, communicate, or solve problems which affects the ability of an individual to gain necessary knowledge of health and health systems; Second, comprehension: a lack of capacity to understand how health and health care services are structured and operate to meet health and health care needs and how they can be accessed; and third, participation: a lack of capacity to follow a course of treatment or self-management that will improve health and wellbeing, or change behaviour to prevent disease processes starting or progressing. These components may not be anything new, but they do help to clarify what the purpose of any interventions to promote health literacy and prevent the consequence of its absence for individuals within a wider population, as well as for the public health and health care professionals who work with them. It may be old fashioned, but it is almost possible to recognize a primary, secondary and tertiary preventative approach could be applied to such components. The researchers were puzzled whether the patient who is illiterate has been taking the correct patient education from the nurses. The researchers decided to have such study to know the difference of the recovery and health process between the literate and illiterate patients among the Medical and Surgical Ward at Davao Medical Center. According to Parker(2003), health and health care are increasingly characterized by technological sophistication, and choice by â€Å"informed† consumers is of growing importance in the market. Patients who are better informed about their options and who understand the evidence behind certain approaches to care may have better health outcomes. Those without adequate understanding-without adequate health literacy-cannot function successfully in a market designed for active, informed consumers. They are the ones most likely to be left behind. Problems with health literacy are extremely common and costly; more than half of the individuals are experiencing problems to read and understand the information needed to function in the health care system. Being exposed to a public hospital setting, the researchers handle different patients with different levels of intellectual capacity. In most instances, patients who are illiterate make the incorrect decisions regarding health care and sometimes, it affects their recovery or health status. It becomes a huge barrier to proper health care. The researchers are going to assess the lack of information and nursing interventions the hospital has for the illiterate. The main purpose of this study is to know how the hospital setting handles patient who are illiterate. As nurses of the future, we need to gather some information about the different ways of health teachings that should be appropriate to different types of people. (1 and a half ang intro and last is the reason why you pick the study) Theoretical Framework â€Å"Nursing is the art of improving and providing culturally congruent care to people that is beneficial, will fit with, and will be useful o the client, family, or culture group healthy life ways. † (Madeleine Leinenger). Madeleine Leinenger’s Transcultural Theory of Nursing forwards the principle that caring is the true essence of nursing. Caring is also the dominant, distinctive, and unifying feature of nursing. Human caring, however, varies from one culture to another in terms of how it is expressed and the processes and patterns unique to the culture. Leininger’s theory of Cultural Care is a product of devoted consciousness of an ever changing world, wherein individual is at play with society and their environment. The core of the theory was derived from all her experiences in hospital, clinic and in the community setting. World War II became the nest wherein the theory developed; it was during this period that many immigrants and refugees from diverse cultures were moving to the United States and to other places worldwide. With direct observations and interactions with clients of diverse cultures, with variety of health conditions, she became conscious that recovery from illnesses and or maintaining health and wellbeing was greatly affected by how health care was provided to them. The major event that led to the development of her theory happened in the early 1950’s where she worked as a clinical specialist caring for mildly disturbed children of diverse cultural backgrounds. It’s a humanistic and scientific caring discipline and profession with the main focus of serving individuals, groups, communities, societies, and  institutions by carefully considering cultural care dimensions such as: worldwide view of caring, language of caring, philosophical and religious factors, kinship and social factors, cultural values, beliefs, and life ways, political and legal factors, economic factors, educational factors, and technological factors. Conceptual Framework Based on Madeleine Leinenger’s Theory, the patient needs different way of healthcare provision, proportional to his culture to attend a high level of health. The major conceptual elements of the origin and emergent theory are: human care, culture, culture care, culture care diversity, culture care universality, social and cultural structure dimensions, and world view. As and discussed in the theory, there are 9 factors to consider in administering health care and healthy teachings to the client. If these factors are considered, high level of health can be given to the patient. The independent variable is the health literacy- literacy, cooperation, and participation of the patient; and the dependent variable is the barriers in patient education. The relationship between the independent and dependent variable is that the dependent variable relies on its independent variable and they work together to achieve its ultimate goal – which is to help render optimum care that the researchers can give to their patients. DEPENDENT VARIABLE Barrier to patient education: a. Compliance to Medication b. Lifestyle changes c. Follow-up care INDEPENDENT VARIABLE Health literacy: a. Intellectual Capacity b. Comprehension c. Participation a. Age b. Gender c. Educational attainment d. Religion Figure 1: CONCEPTUAL PARADIGM.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Television essays

Television essays Television will take over your way of living and change your childrens habits,but the change can be a wonderful improvement ( Winn 270 ). Little did this commentator know how true his statement would become. Television has become a necessity in life, in some states the TV is a legal necessity and cant be repossess in case of debt ( Winn 270 ). When the television was first introduced it was regarded as a favorable, beneficial, wondrous influence upon the family ( Winn 270 ). The television was thought to bring the family closer together, by bringing them all together in one room. In those days most families had only one TV .Now a days there is a T.V in almost every room of the house, mom watching her soap in the kitchen, kids watching cartoons in the living room, and dad yelling at the TV in theden while watching the ball game. No one ever predicted the television to dominate family life, or its effect on child-rearing methods ( Winn 271 ). Television has diminished the time spent with family and it takes away what distinguishes one family from another ( Winn 271 ). Winn says that families still do things together, but their daily, ordinary life together is squashed by the ever constant TV watching ( Winn 273 ). Winn also points out that family rituals such as meals, bed time, and holidays have been changed to evolve around television programs ( Winn 273 ). Winn also says that television is a one-wayrelationship, there is no interaction or communication with the TV screen (Winn 274).Studies show the importance of eye-to-eye contact in real life relationships ( Winn 274 ). Children who have been trained to watch the TV screen all day, often have trouble dealing with real people because it requires more effort than sitting in front of a TV screen ( Winn 275 ). Winn states that people use the TV as a way of avoiding problems or arguments ( Winn 275 )....

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How to Hone Your Process Avoid Errors with Grammarlys Celesta Mora

How to Hone Your Process Avoid Errors with Grammarlys Celesta Mora Chances are good that you’ve made a grammar mistake at some point on your social media or blog. You might have even been trolled about it, which is embarrassing and, in some cases, can mess with your branding. Using simple processes can actually help you prevent grammar errors so you can avoid the whole ordeal. Today we are talking to Celeste Mora, the social media manager at Grammarly. Celeste has helped Grammarly grow its social media following tremendously by effectively sharing engaging content that reflects the company’s core values. Tune in today so you can learn how to avoid grammar mistakes, hone your processes, and boost your social media following. Information about Grammarly and what Celeste does there as the social media manager. Some of the most common grammar fails that tend to come up time and again, no matter who the person is or what the industry is. The social media strategy that Celeste focuses on for Grammarly, including efficiency and tone. Some of Celeste’s favorite social media mistakes that she’s seen. How Celeste puts out engaging and effective social media messages. Some of the top things that Celeste has done to influence social media growth for Grammarly. How Celeste was able to grow Grammarly’s Instagram followers at an exponential rate. The process that Celeste will be using to make the National Grammar Day celebration a success this year. The core values of Grammarly and how they are implemented. Celeste’s best advice for marketers who want to build their presence on social media. Links: Grammarly Celeste on LinkedIn If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Celeste: â€Å"Efficiency, to me, comes down to what’s the minimum viable social media effort that will get the most engagement.† â€Å"Everyone from Grammarly has Grammarly turned on at all times. It’s a branding issue for us if anything is incorrect.† â€Å"When you are first getting started on social media, you really need to do your research dont just choose a channel because Facebook owns the world or because everyone’s doing Twitter.†