Saturday, August 31, 2019

Financial Management – Exam

1. Time value of money (15 points) You have just turned 30 years old, have just received your MBA and have accepted your first job. Now, you must decide how much money to put in your retirement plan. The plan works as follows. Every dollar in the plan earns 7% per year. You cannot make withdrawals until you retire on your 65th birthday. After that point, you can make withdrawals as you see fit. You decide that you will plan to live to 100 and work until you turn 65. You estimate that to live comfortably in retirement, you will need $100,000 per year starting at the end of the first year of retirement and ending on your 100th birthday.You will contribute the same amount to the plan at the end of every year that your work. How much do you need to contribute each year to fund your retirement? 2. Stock pricing (20 points) Colgate-Palmolive Co. has just paid an annual dividend of $0. 96. Analysts are predicting an 11% per year growth rate in earnings over the next five years. After that, Colgate’s earnings are expected to grow at the current industry average of 5. 2% per year. If Colgate’s equity cost of capital is 8. 5% per year and its dividend payout ratio remains constant, what price does the dividend-discount model predict Colgate should sell for? 3.Bond pricing (15 points) Consider a 30-year bond with a 10% coupon rate (annual payments) and a $1000 face value. 1. What is the initial price of this bond if it has a 5% yield to maturity? (5 points) 2. What will the price be immediately before and after the first coupon is paid (10 points) 4. NPV (25 points) A proposed cost savings device has an installed cost of $480,000. The device will be depreciated straight-line to zero over its five year life. The required initial net working capital investment is $35,000 (which will be recovered at the end of the project), the marginal tax rate is 35%, and the discount rate is 12%.The device has an estimated year 5 salvage value of $80,000. What level of preta x cost savings do we require for this project to be profitable? 5. IRR (25 points) Your firm is contemplating the purchase of a new $850,000 computer based order entry system. The system will be depreciated straight line to zero over its five-year life. It will be worth $150,000 at the end of that time. You will save $350,000 before taxes per year in order processing costs and you will be able to reduce working capital by $125,000. If the tax rate is 35%, what is the IRR for this project?

Friday, August 30, 2019

Public speaking: A vital skill for teachers Essay

â€Å"I have a dream† a speech by Martin Luther King that united a nation and broke down racial barriers. Without Kings leadership and inspirational speech it may have taken an extra 10 years to bring equality to all races. Hitler’s many speeches were delivered with extreme passion and caused arguably one of the most horrific genocides of all time. Throughout history public speaking has united people and caused great change, both for the better and worse. Public speaking is important, in history and in life. It is a vital skill in many disciplines. However nowhere more prominent than education. Public speaking in education is how educators inspire, teach and engage students. Good public speaking skills can enhance confidence, communication skills, help demonstrate knowledge and improve public image.  Public speaking usually consists of three main components including preparation, visual aids and non- verbal communication. How well these three main components are demonstrated or used can be the difference between a great influential educator who can inspire and teach students and a class that will not pay attention and a teacher who cannot engage. Preparation is key in presenting a well thought out, impressive presentation. To an educator preparation is vital. Preparation usually consists of the following elements audience, research, rhetorical mix and rehearsal. Elisabeth Gareis in Guidelines for Public Speaking expresses the importance of tailoring to the audience. Gareis (2006) states that â€Å"at all times during the process of preparing and delivering a speech, we need to keep in mind that we are speaking to an audience and not just to ourselves† (pp.3). For an educator it is crucial to know the students and the curriculum so that the information and how the information is delivered is tailored to the specific class. The audience is key and public speaking is all about engaging the audienc e whether it be a class of grade ones, students in high school or even work colleagues. Regardless if the purpose is to persuade, argue or entertain without the audience’s attention the message is lost. To avoid the loss of the message and to keep the audience engaged it is vital to know the target audience. Know the students or colleagues ideals, the classes’ diversity, the beliefs and expectations (Nash, 2013). Knowing the audience can help incorporate what the audience expects and the purpose of the presentation or lesson to coincide together effectively. However knowing the audience or class is only half the battle as public speaking or teaching is pointless without something to say. Educators rely on credible sources to teach students about specific subjects. Research is the tool teachers most commonly use to find relevant, reliable, academic sources that support and explain the specific disciplines taught to the class. Research is important in creating a well thought out, well developed lesson in which can be tested by an academic criteria. Subsequen tly research is important in backing up the three most arguably important aspects to engage students. Logos, Ethos and Pathos make up the rhetorical mix developed by Aristotle. Aristotle argued that the presence of Logos, Ethos and Pathos is vital in creating a persuasive speech (Nash, 2013, pp 154-155). Logos: the appeal to logic, Ethos: the appeal to credibility and Pathos: the appeal to emotion (Eunson,  2012 as cited in Nash, 2013) are all equally important to address in a persuasive argument. Addressing all three aspects of a rhetorical mix is an effective way to create an engaging presentation that communicates its message in a way the audience or students can easily understand. Rehearsal is the final stage of preparation that brings all aspects of the presentation or lesson together (Scudder.V, 2009). Rehearsal is an effective way to make sure all details of a presentation are in order to function at the highest possible quality. Rehearsal is key to creating a professional learning environment for the students and a credible name for the Teacher. Subsequently rehearsal is also the best place to make sure all visual and audio aid aspects are in working order so a professional learning environment can be maintained and student’s attention do not weary (Scudder.V, 2009). Visual aids provide a further aspect to any presentation. Images, videos, handouts, posters and power points are all included as a form of visual aid. Visual aids can be used as a tool to engage students and complement content. However Visual aids especially illustrative aids such as power point images and video clips, should be used sparingly only to emphasis or explain the lessons content (Wright, J. 2009). Jane Wright explains in ‘The role of computer software in presenting information’ that delivering a presentation with both audio and visual stimuli can affect the amount of information retained by the audience. Thus for educators it is important to tailor to the lesson only using visual or audio aids necessary to communicate the required information. Consequently gestures and actions can be just as engaging as a picture therefore just as much emphasis should be placed on non-verbal communication as visual or audio aids. Non- verbal communication includes all form of communication aside from the content said aloud. Non- verbal communication suggests everything from what you wear to how you stand can communicate a message to your audience (Nash, 2013). To educators this is especially important as students pay attention to how a teacher looks and acts. Non-verbal communication is imperative for imparting knowledge to students and maintaining their attention. Stance, eye contact, gestures and paralinguistics can all communicate confidence, knowledge and enthusiasm. Students are more likely to listen to a teacher dressed professional, making eye contact, moving around the room and placing emphas is on key areas with gestures and volume than a slouched over,  monotone teacher who could not make the effort to iron their shirt. Non- verbal communication can be just as important if not more important than visual aids. As using honesty and enthusiasm as well as good communication skills to engage students is much more effective for educators to communicate the desired content (Wright, J. 2009) Public speaking is extremely important for an educator. Students Listen to Teachers who inspire them and who communicate their ideas, knowledge or lesson effectively. If a teacher cannot communicate with students then they cannot be a Teacher. Therefore it is vital for an educator to become familiar and to master the key areas of becoming a great influential, engaging public speaker. Preparation, Visual aids and Non-Verbal communication if used correctly are what can make any speech or lesson memorable. Consequently teachers need to be aware that public speaking is a day to day ritual and mastering it is what can change a teacher to an inspiring mentor who engages their students. Reference List Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Nash, G. (2013). A guide to university assessment. QLD, Australia: John Wiley & Sons. Section 5 pp. 158-184. Scudder.V (2009). G Sound check: How to avoid presentation dangers. October, p. 10 Wright, J. (2009). The role of computer software in presenting information: presentation software is used frequently to disseminate ideas in visual forms that can be understood easily. Jane wright asks whether senior nurses should develop their skills in rhetoric instead. 16 (4), 30–34. Elisabeth Gareis Guidelines for public speaking, pp. 3-4

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Capabilities and Resources of Westfield

Capabilities of Westfield include their global operation. This is due to the reason that according to the reports, Westfield is having their operations in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Croatia and the United States. Thus, they are already having the experience of entering and operating in new countries. It will be beneficial for them to use these experiences in entering in other foreign markets. Moreover, they are listed under the Australian stock exchange and are publicly traded company. Thus, they are having huge access to the financial resources. Their capabilities also include diverse product areas. According to the reports, Westfield is mainly having their business growth in the fashion and leisure sector. Thus, these sectors will also help them in having their market growth in the proposed host country. One of the major strengths for Westfield is the positive brand image and established market in Australia. This will help them to take more risks in the host country. The positive brand image of them will help in pushing their brand in the new markets. Another strength of them is having diverse business presence. Thus, it will help them to cater to different business sectors in the target market. This will also reduce their risk in entering in the new markets. Westfield is already having their presence in different countries and thus it will be easier for them to target the new market more effectively. Entering in the emerging countries will have more business potentiality for Westfield due to the reason that in the current time, developing economies are witnessing more growth compared to the developed countries. Another probable opportunity for Westfield will be lower cost of operation in the developing countries. This is due to the reason that Westfield will find cheaper resources for their business operation in the developing countries. Thus, the profitability of them will get increased. China is a highly populated nation in the world. The huge lucrative market of China is great for business opportunity. With the GDP rate of 6.8% in 2017, it is expected to be the fastest growing economies in the coming years (Festing & Schà ¤fer, 2014). China is always perceived as market growth to provide cheap labor and facilitates in low manufacturing costs.   Westfield Group has to bring something unique in the Chinese market otherwise the company will land itself in a passive position. While entering the market with new resources and productivity would lead to provide a major threat to the existing companies (Andersà ©n, Jansson & Ljungkvist, 2016). The regulatory bodies of China mostly operate in an opaque way that makes the country too difficult to forecast the regulatory changes. Joint venture is beneficial as the low risk market strategy. The GDP rate of China has been growing recently since the past few years and the growth rate is at 6.8%. (Kozlenkova, Samaha & Palmatier, 2014). The existing population of the region also provides a great opportunity for the multinational companies to establish business. This facilitates in providing abundant of human resources to the firm. Westfield Group can enter the Chinese market and expand its business as the China has a favorable business market environment. Cross border economic activities has also increased to a great extent. The literacy rate in China has also increased and majority of the people within the country is literate. Joint Venture will be more beneficial to do business in China (Nyberg et al., 2014). It is the most effective way to enter in the emerging market. The cultural differences between the two countries should be ascertained to maximize profit in the overseas target market. Though the common business language is English still there can be language issue in the market of China. Moreover, legislation policy also varies worldwide, hence Westfield need to investigate the legal policies and adhered to the local laws. Andersà ©n, J., Jansson, C., &Ljungkvist, T. (2016). Resource Immobility and Sustained Performance: A Systematic Assessment of How Immobility Has Been Considered in Empirical Resource?based Studies.  International Journal of   Management Reviews,  18(4), 371-396. Brandon?Jones, E., Squire, B., Autry, C. W., & Petersen, K. J. (2014). A contingent resource?based perspective of supply chain resilience and robustness.  Journal of Supply Chain Management ,  50(3), 55-73. Festing, M., &Schà ¤fer, L. (2014). Generational challenges to talent management : A framework for talent retention based on the psychological-contract perspective.  Journal of World Business,  49(2), 262-271. Kozlenkova, I. V., Samaha, S. A., &Palmatier, R. W. (2014). Resource-based theory in marketing.  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,  42(1), 1-21. Lin, Y., & Wu, L. Y. (2014). Exploring the role of dynamic capabilities in firm performance under the resource-based view framework.  Journal of business research,  67(3), 407-413. Nyberg, A. J., Moliterno, T. P., Hale Jr, D., &Lepak, D. P. (2014). Resource-based perspectives on unit-level human capital: A review and integration.  Journal of Management,  40(1), 316-346. www.theaustralian.com.au. (2018).  Theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 12 April 2018, from https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/property/westfield-corporation-to-navigate-retail-storm/news-story/498245965eb0a4e94f61b855d718c8bb

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Solution Proposal Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Solution Proposal Argument - Essay Example It all seems very promising. But it comes with some very serious potential consequences and side effects. The most severe of which is the way that genetic engineering could contribute drastically to a decrease in biodiversity. This is a serious problem. Background In order to understand the issue better, it is necessary to understand a little more about biodiversity, its importance, and what genetic engineering actually is and how it could negatively impact nature. Biodiversity represents the uniqueness of every living thing. It is part of nature’s formula for allowing development of some traits and characteristics that are beneficial to a species survival, and weeding out those that are less desirable.(Cho) Biodiversity is essential to satisfy all of our basic needs, like food, water, fuel, shelter and medicines. The primary sources of most medicines are plants and animals. In fact, in the United States, of the 150 most commonly prescribed drugs, they all find their origin in the biodiversity of nature. Properly functioning ecosystems rely on pollination, climate regulation, nutrient cycling, water purification, seed dispersal, and control of agricultural pests. If biodiversity was compromised then these ecosystems would change drastically or fail all together.("American Museum of Natural History") Genetic engineering would allow scientists to act in the place of nature. They can decide what traits are most desirable according to their design. Genetic engineering is a broad label for a number of different applications, from altering seeds to cloning, all fall under the label of genetic engineering. However, there are presently laws that heavily regulate certain types of genetic engineering research that can be performed relating to human beings, but plants and animals are being regularly researched. The likely loss of biodiversity and how to prevent it is a very relevant concern when considering how to balance the issue. Solutions Currently many food cr ops are being genetically altered to resist attack from parasites and pesticides. These resistant crops could flourish in areas where other crops previously had not. In the article, Mourning the Increasing Loss of Biodiversity, Mahjula V. Guru and James E. Horne, explain that the cultivation of sustainable crops has been through the hard work of our farming ancestors, which relied on the diversity of the plants to develop their place in the given environment. Genetically altered plants eliminate that adaption to the environment. Also, they warn against â€Å"genetic pollution† which is the unknown effects of these altered plants upon the existing crops and wild plant life. A process called â€Å"Tilling† has been suggested as a viable alternative to genetically engineered plant life. â€Å"Tilling,† which stands for Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes, where plants are exposed to radiation and chemicals that, ultimately, caused the targeted genes to deact ivate.("GMO Safety") The Bioplant company used this process to create amylose-free potatoes. This process had been in use for a long while and has been successful. However, because â€Å"Tilling† is not as finite and cannot offer the specificity that genetic engineering can; its efficiency, in the long term, is questioned. Then again, it may not be as efficient, but it has no

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Legalization of Same-Sex marriage Research Paper

Legalization of Same-Sex marriage - Research Paper Example For example, marriage enables spouses to receive insurance through their partners’ employers. They are also allowed many other rights such as the ability to make decisions for their partner who is being hospitalized, have the right to sue on their partner’s behalf and cannot be forced to testify against them in court. Married couples also pay less in taxes and receive many other social and financial benefits. But because gay couples are legally prevented from marrying, they are excluded from receiving the same considerations that married heterosexual couples enjoy. This paper will more closely examine the benefits denied gay couples as well as the political and legal implications involved with the issue. It will conclude with a discussion involving one of the main non-religious based reasoning’s that those who oppose of gay marriage espouse, the affect of this type of living arrangement on the children of the relationship. Five states plus the District of Columbi a allow same sex marriage and California’s status in currently in the court system. Gay marriage in California will not be allowed to precede until federal and state appeals courts made a decision regarding proposition 8. Gay-rights supporters had petitioned the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and asked it to end the hold put on a San Francisco federal judge's decision last year, that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional and California authorities should stop enforcing it. Other countries such and the UK, Norway, Denmark, and Canada all give full-fledged marital rights to any couple. Seven states and numerous countries allow civil unions. Allowing gay couples to marry works well in several states and countries. Intolerance is the only reason it is not legal in the U.S. Advocates of non-traditional marriage argue that there is no constitutional basis for denying legal matrimony to gay couples. The Constitution not only legitimizes gay marriage but implies that the government sh ould never have considered a ban and should instead actively pursue legalizing gay marriage. As citizens of the United States, all people are guaranteed the inalienable right to pursue happiness. It does not exclude on the basis of sexual preference. The government was originally formed as an entity meant to champion the rights of the individual whether they are on the majority or minority side of public opinion. Laws that were enacted in the South disallowed the marriage between black and white people but were struck down by the Supreme Court. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act followed the tenets of the Constitution by prohibiting this type of discrimination. The opposition to gay marriage is based on prejudice and, as time passes, the concept will become more and more accepted. It, like racial prejudice, will become socially abhorrent (Sullivan, 2000). In addition, the disallowing of gay marriage by legislation violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.   According to t he American Civil Liberties Union, â€Å"The law [against same-sex marriage] discriminates on the basis of sex because it makes one's ability to marry depend on one's gender.† The ACLU continues by saying, â€Å"Classifications which discriminate on the basis of gender must be substantially related to some important government purpose. Tradition by itself is not an important government purpose† (American Civil Liberties Union, 1998, pp. 14-15). In 1997, the General Accounting Office reported that heterosexual married couples enjoyed

Monday, August 26, 2019

Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands Assignment - 1

Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands - Assignment Example as an adventuring business woman in London, Jamaica, New Granada, Haiti, and Cuba, and as a woman who, undisturbed by the horrors that were experienced at the battlefields she deployed herself to the Crimean war, her heroine was extraordinary by any standards. In addition to her bibliographical significance, her works are invaluable means of espying how the female subject fashioned her identity, from the socially, racially, and more so the economically disempowered position. The text describes how she exploited historical moments in order to realize and construct a new social identity. The writer has used double coincidence so as to challenge contradictory and conflicting ideas in her identity. When the location shift from Jamaica to England; she finds this site less predictable, unlike the colonial one. She illuminates what she reveals as the psychological migration of colonialism and migration. In the wonderful adventures, the cultural hybridity of Seacole surrenders to the imperialism of Britain as a civilization strength; however, this surrender is not absolute. Seacole’s constant revolt against the marginalization that was imposed by gender and race qualifies her hold for the civil ideals; she even portrays herself as the champion of the English values (Seacole 45). She claims that the British Empire has become a sacred value in her life, and it does not matter whether it represents cultural and social legitimacy at home or abroad, or maybe the much desired protection from the Yankees of New Granada (Seacole 73). The narrative celebrates her single status of being a Jamaican woman. At the age of forty-five, she chooses to defy the English –derived social conventions (Seacole 60). Instead, she decides to carve out of the new life for the sake of adventure, entrepreneur, and professional healing. While telling her story, we realize her attempt to explain the meaning of a true woman based on her individual accomplishments as a Jamaican woman, where color

Economics- Topic is on PIIGS or PIGS which refers to the economies of Research Paper

Economics- Topic is on PIIGS or PIGS which refers to the economies of portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain. Briefly explain the Piigs issue in regards to the world economy - Research Paper Example With these and several other multiplier challenges, the fate of the performance of these countries seems to be hanging on the balance. The following discourse attempts to expound on the global issues with regard to prospects of economic performance from the PIIGS countries. By virtue of being member states of the European Union that is economically unified by the Euro, PPIGS countries present a challenge not only to the eurozone but to the entire world. One of the factors making these countries to possess a critical role in world economics is therefore pegged to the fact that the Euro has grown to be an occupant of the top world currencies. According to Bercsten (7), Europe representation in world economy is directly proportional to the performance of the Euro in domestic economies which will in turn be extrapolated to a global impact. The author reckons that the position held by Europe with regard to world economic stage is very significant such that the developments in PIIGS ought to be a concern for any other economy remotely located out of Europe. According to Roubini (34), financial crises in the recent world economic occurrences can be predicted from the build up of economic vulnerabilities that the global economy was exposed to. In realization of the role played by political fortunes of a country to its prospects of economic survival, the author states that the political class ought to handle financial policies as if they did that to the entire world. The author reckons that the political interventions undertaken to cool down the PIIGS economic turmoil might not offer the appropriate solution to the entire world economy. By likening the economic crisis in PIIGS to a disease, Roubini (34) predicts that the intervention might prove to be a dangerous precedent set for the global economy by stating that the drug prescribed is toxic and

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Development of Conflict between Members of a Small Team and the Essay

Development of Conflict between Members of a Small Team and the Measures Taken To Solve the Impasse - Essay Example This paper illustrates that a recent experience that forms the main basis of this reflection forms the researcher’s experience of a workplace conflict in a team of four and the associated measures the author had to take to intervene in the situation being the supervisor. Mr. Michael, a new employee at the company, was recently transferred from another branch to the environmental department of that comprised of three members of staff and the researcher, as the supervisor in the department. Mr. Michael was African and as the author would later discover his arrival resulted in tension and misunderstanding in the department. Mr. Moses, the department long-serving officer was involved in a heated discussion with Michael on the jobs allocated to Mr. Michael that turned out to be more than the other two were given and in the process, Moses used a racial slur. Mr. Michael believed that the other members of the department were in a collision since they did not agree to share work equal ly resulting in hostility developing into workplace conflict among the four members of the department. Mr. Moses and the other department members believed that they were superior having only interacted with department members of the same color since Mr. Michael was the first employee in the company of a different ethnic community. In hindsight, it has come to my view that the author could have taken different measures that could have resulted in a better solution to the situation. After the confrontation, the work environment was edgy and filled with anxiety that no work was being completed successfully owing to the no-talking terms between Mr. Michael and the other members of the department including Mr. Moses. After meetings with the department members and one-on-one conversation with Mr. Michael and Mr. Moses to help resolve the situation to no avail, the author felt that he need to step in and solve the issue for the benefit of the organization and the success of the department. Since the department was running well before Mr. Michael’s arrival, the author requested his transfer, which he previously requested when the discrimination occurred since he believed he could not effectively work with the team. On reflecting on the solution, the author believes it was not morally correct to have undertaken that decision.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Emperor's Club Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Emperor's Club - Essay Example These individuals have control over the hospital operations, doctors thus are obliged to attend to them in more special ways than they do to other patients. Doctors do take care of and watch several patients everyday. Thus, maintaining diligence becomes difficult. b). Universality of a principle means that an individual aware that moral principles can be applied to everybody. Reversibility of the principle means that an individual accepts the principles that are applied to him or her(Hoffman 23) c). No. I totally disagree with Kant’s ideas. This is because there are several complicated situations in reality and thus considerations of other aspects and exemptions are necessary. For example, the right intention of a doctor is to save patients by curing their illness. However, the doctors may forget some of the side effects the patients are facing. It is, therefore, important to have both means and intention. a). The statement means that we should always act in golden means. We should also not forget that things sometimes develop in opposite directions especially when they are extreme. An example is confidence. It enables a person to find solutions to problems. However, too much of it can make the person disrespect others. When a person lacks confidence, he or she becomes afraid of doing things in the wrong way. Such people cannot have enough efficiency and will continue repeating and correcting the same thing. b). The examples of Aristotelian virtues are friendliness, courage and truthfulness. When these virtues become too much, they become obsequiousness, recklessness and boastfulness respectively. When they are too little, they change to grouchiness, cowardice, and self-depreciation. 5. Mr. Hunderts action, in Utilitarian, is not an Act Utilitarianism because it does not create more social utility than other alternative actions he has. Personally, I think changing Bell’s

Friday, August 23, 2019

Analyse employment relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analyse employment relations - Essay Example As for the employment relation, it is the changes in the socio political context that now includes HRM, and a reduced power of labor unions along with agile management and altering social attitudes. Thus, creating a more diverse landscape, it is also related to the relationship that the management and the employees hold with each other in almost every area of the industry. It can be easily stated that employment relation works better if taken as a philosophy, rather than a function of the management (Wilton, 2010). In the Australian context, the changes have been rather massive in both the areas. These being innovative in nature have brought many new terms in the employment relations, such as commitment, involvement, and performance of the high order. Thus, the management has started to work on new ways to inculcate factors, such as team work and multitasking, so that higher productivity can be achieved. This makes the need to study employment relations huge over the years (Lansbury, 2000). However, it has also been observed that employees working in the aforementioned country are not happy with what has been going on. This means that they feel that the wok is too much and provides very low security. Thus, the need to cater to such issues has also risen in the recent year, which has increased the need to cater to employment relations more (Appelbaum et al. 2000, Davis and Gollan, 1999, Wood and Albanese, 1995, Lansbury, 2000). The following lines will be discussing the whys and hows of the employee relations and changes that occurred recently in this arena. The following lines will also be examining why industrial relations have become less relevant to the study of workplace relations now, than it was in 1980, as well as determining the extent to which the term employment relations best describe the changes that have occurred in workplaces since 1980, relating it with the Australian working arena. As far as the strengths and weaknesses of the unitarist, pluralist, and r adical theoretical perspectives are concerned, it has been observed that the unitarist perspective aims at employee commitment, as well as loyalty by the fusion of the interests of both, employee as well as the employer (Guest and Peccei, 2001 & The Typed Gold, 2010). Also, used for stakeholder management, it caters to handing a win-win situation for the managers by aligning the goals and interests of both parties. However, this perspective also has its weaknesses; this theory does not cater to the power imbalance between the parties and must identify that managers hold an upper hand in terms of power. As conflict is a highly off-putting clause here, it ignores the fact that there are also certain conflicts that are advantageous to the organization in nature, for example the task conflict. Other than that, it is also unclear about how the feelings of the worker are aligned with those of the employer. As for the pluralist perspective, it caters to effective IR interventions made to r esolve conflicts that act as a substitute in decision making process. The approach does not ignore conflict like the one stated previously and uses the same conflict scenario to understand the roots of many problems. The current perspective, thus, might have companies that have a ‘no union policy’ as well as those that encourage such unions so that diverse cultures can be obtained. It does not, however, ignore the fact that unions have a role. Yet, this perspective also holds certain weaknesses, such as too much reliance on rules and regulations, and somewhat also ignores those processes that directly help resolving conflicts (Gennard, and Judge, 2002 and the typed gold, 2010). Furthermore, it also fails to realize that state has

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Deer at Providence Essay Example for Free

Deer at Providence Essay Annie Dillard is a renowned essayist; having won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize of 1975 and written a number of books such as Teaching a Stone to Talk (1982), An American Childhood (1987), The Writing Life (1989) among others. In this article, The Deer of Providence, she comes out as a great writer and a lover of nature, who seeks the mysteries and excitement that come upon interaction with new natural environments (Dillard, ). We can be able to gather the main purpose of Annie’s as being the fact that suffering is a natural phenomenon hence people shouldn’t wonder why it has happened but should cope and move on; because its nature. According to the article, Annie is the youngest of four travellers from North America and the only woman in the group. They camp at a small village called Providence in the Amazon jungle and witness a shocking occurrence involving a deer which had been captured by the village dogs. The deer had developed injuries on its thin neck as it struggles to free itself from the rope now tying three of its hooves. They later had a sumptuous meal of well-prepared fish and a previously caught deer with rice and some bananas as well. As they headed to their tents for a goodnight sleep, it becomes apparent that the men had been astonished by Annie’s ability to look at the struggling deer at Providence without the feeling of remorse. Annie remembers her bathroom picture, at home, of a man who had burnt his face off for the second time in his life. This is where Annie’s main theme is revealed; Pain and suffering has got little or nothing to do with an individual, human or just a deer; it’s simply nature (Dillard, 1945). To support her thesis of pain and suffering being part of nature, Annie Dillard uses the illustration of the Deer of providence’s struggle and the burnt man in a newspaper article; a Mr. McDonald. I think the two examples are good enough to bring out the fact that nature doesn’t discriminate; whether human or not, we are prone to pain and suffering. The two scenarios perfectly illustrate the writer’s opinion and though they might seem to have different settings and occurrences, they correspond to the purpose. However, some differences arise from the wo examples given by Dillard. First is the cause of suffering in the two scenarios where we are able to observe that in the case of the deer of providence, it was another creature, the dogs and humans, who caused the deer to endure the pain and suffering. In Mr. , McDonald’s case, nobody was to blame for the pain and suffering he endured; it was a pure accident. The Second difference that comes out is the end r esult after the suffering where in the case of the deer it’s obvious that death will be the final result while in Mr. McDonalds case, there’s a chance of survival as witnessed in his earlier burning experience (Dillard, 1945). The similarities can also be derived such as the issue of both occurrences causing pain and suffering to those involved. Whether the pain endured is as a result of another creatures actions or not; whether the victims survived the ordeal or not (Mr. McDonald may have also died) equal pain and suffering was endured which, as Dillard the writer insists, is the main purpose of the illustrations. Annie Dillard manages to bring out her thesis and effectively supports it with examples which vehemently appeal to me as the reader. The way she argues out her opinion is quite persuasive and the fact that she uses her own experiences, both in the jungle and in the comfort of her home, shows the belief she has of suffering and pain in the world.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Analyse of the Two Key Moments Essay Example for Free

Analyse of the Two Key Moments Essay Just before this key moment starts, the guards takes Rebecca Nurse out of her cage, on its way to the place where people are hanged. She is astonished that John is confessing. The key moment starts with Proctor refusing to say that he saw Rebecca Nurse in the Devils company, or anybody else. Danforth demands that Proctor prove the purity of his soul by accusing others, but Hale advises that it is enough that he confesses himself. Parris agrees, but Danforth demands that Proctor should sign a document. Proctor says that he has confessed to God, and that is enough. He asks Danforth whether a good confession must be public. Proctor wishes to keep only his name, and Danforth thus refuses to accept his confession. Danforth orders Proctor to be hanged. Hale begs Elizabeth to plead with Proctor to sign a confession, but Elizabeth states that Proctor has his goodness now, and God forbid that she take it from him. The characters have turning points in the key moments, and I am going to discuss what happens to Hale, John Proctor and Danforth in this key moment. Hales beliefs in witchcraft changes, so does his faith in the law. In Act 4, he tells the accused witches to lie, to confess their supposed sins in order to save their own lives. This change of heart and hopelessness, makes Hale gain the audiences sympathy but not its respect, since he lacks the moral character of Rebecca Nurse or, and as it turns out at the end of Act 4, John Proctor. Although Hale recognises the evil of the witch trials, his response is not resistance but surrender. He thinks that survival is the highest good, even if it means helping oneself to injustice, which honourable and truly heroic characters can never accept. John Proctor changes himself and provides a final charge of the witch trials. Offered the opportunity to make a confession that he has seen the Devil, he almost surrenders, even signing a confession letter. His great pride and fear of public opinion drove him to hold his truth, adultery, from the court, but by the end of the play he is more concerned with his personal honesty than his public reputation. He still wants to save his name, but for a personal and religious view, rather than the publics reasons. Proctors refusal to provide a false confession is a true religious and personal determination. His confession would dishonour his friends who are convicted who are brave enough to die as support to the truth. Also it will dishonour himself, staining not just his public reputation, but also his soul. He then decides to change his mind and tells Danforth that he does not want to lie, this bringing him to heaven. He has now redeemed his sin. As Elizabeth says to end the play, responding to Hales plea that she convince Proctor to publicly confess: He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him! In this key moment Danforth shows that his greatest interest is to protect the reputation of the court when he prompts Proctor to sign a confession, thus preventing the response of his death. I think that Danforth has changed internally but not externally. I think he believes that the witchcraft is fake, but externally he is still a strict and craving for a good reputation. If he did believe people at the end of the play, then he would not convict John Proctor, but he did because it was to late then, and his reputation would be ruined, as he has convicted people before. It is a crucial moment for the audience because they think Proctor is a bad and not a honourable man when he signs the paper. It is dramatic irony, but not as much. The audience know that Proctor does not see the Devil, to save his life by confessing and showing you don not lie, he says he has been seeing the Devil. But he suddenly changes, he rips the piece of paper representing his confession, and explains that his name is more important, he wants to show he is a heroic man, so he says he never has see the Devil, which is true, and the audience see how he is a better man, and is going to die being an honourable and a heroic man. A crucible is a melting pot, where substances are heated to a high temperature to get rid of impurities. Miller is suggesting the play is like to purge by fire, a form of cleansing. This is a metaphor for spiritual improvements as the result of a confession being exerted. It is known as cleaning or cleansing yourself by confessing to seeing the Devil. There is many ways to explain the name of the book and here are some more: first witches supposedly boil potions in cauldrons and a synonym for cauldron is crucible. Secondly, it has a metaphorical meaning: the society of Salem is being heated and stirred in an attempt to remove the impurities and leave only the pure members of the society. One of the central themes of the play is the spiritual development of John Proctor. It is a powerful and complex play. All of the action takes place indoors and it is very black, simplistic and it emphasises the lifestyle of the people and it echoes the claustrophobic atmosphere of the play. The play focuses on ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. In the play Miller is discussing the forces of evil. In the attempt to cut out evil there is certainly a degree of irony. The irony in this play is that evil and tragedy actually occur from the actions of the unwise and over eager characters such as Danforth and Parris and to a certain extent Hale, who became responsible for deaths, misery and cruelty. Miller is suggesting that humans are vulnerable to evil and he aims to show that the evil generated in Salem was through a combination of circumstances for which no one person could be held entirely responsible but yet none were guilt free. The Crucible was based on real events and characters. The people of the 17th Century Salem, witchcraft were a very real and forceful threat. Many people were accused of being witches, and were tortured and executed. The discrimination of witches spread to a lot of places around the world. Witches thought to commit crimes have various proofs of a witch including the testimony of a fellow witch, the common belief or accusation of those who live with suspected witch, cursing followed by some mischief or the person disagrees with the person when questioned. Miller was interested in McCarthy trials in the 1940s/50s and made the book parallel to it, Salem witch trials of 1682. Miller may have oversimplified matters, in that while there were no actual witches in Salem, there were certainly Communists in 1950s America. However, one can argue that Millers concern in The Crucible is not with whether the accused actually are witches, but rather with the refusal of the court officials to believe that they are not. McCarthyism limits, which wronged many innocents and this parallel was felt strongly in Millers own time. In real life, at Millers time, Abigail Williams was 12 years old, but in the play she is 17, but why did he change the age? He did this to make Abigail Williams a better character to make her do all the mischievous things she does in the play. At the age of 17, you are mature and able to make an opinion, and act more like an adult, unlike a 12 year old where you are still to young to do things adults do. Danforth was not a real person, he was made up, but the wonderful thing about him is that he is made up of 3 characters. These three characters were the judges, but they would not be as dramatic and neither strong, unless there is one person who rules, making that character more remembered, and more important to the play.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Construction Essays | Value Management Risk

Construction Essays | Value Management Risk Value Management Risk Rationale for Study Throughout my 4th year of the Honours Degree Quantity Surveying Programme, I found the Value and Risk Appraisal module very interesting especially the topic of Value Management. I had never really come across this topic before and only heard the term used a few times but didn’t really know what was involved. From undertaking that specific module, it seems that Value Management is mostly used as a tool to achieve Value for Money for Clients. Working for a Contractor for 4 and a half years now, I have only ever seen Value Management used on one Construction Project and this is the one that I am currently based on just now. From my experience, I feel that Value Management has a lot of advantages for Contractors as well as Clients and I wanted to find out why it is not being used to a great extent by Contractors. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Indicative Title Value Management: A Contractors Perspective 1.3 The Aim To determine the reasons as to why Value Management is not being greatly used by Contractors in the Construction Industry. 1.4 The Main Objectives In order to achieve the above aim the following objectives must be met: To identify the key principles and elements of Value Management. To identify techniques and working practices adopted and to identify the benefits of Value Management. Examine the reason as to why Value Management is not widely used in the Construction Industry. Critical analysis of the views of Main Contractors about the benefits or short comings of Value Management. To propose recommendations for improved implementation of Value Management for Contractors. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW VALUE MANAGEMENT 2.1.1A Definition â€Å"Value Management is a style of management particularly dedicated to motivating people, developing skills and promoting synergies and innovation, with the aim of maximizing the overall performance of an organization.† The Institute of Value Management [online] http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007. Value Management is a team based â€Å"process-driven† methodology. Its incentive is to deliver a product, service or project at â€Å"optimum whole life performance and cost without detriment to quality.† By using teams of experts in the Construction Industry, this allows the Value Management process to identify â€Å"design and construction solutions which offer the best value for money with regard to the functional requirements of the Client† Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice Value Management plays a key role in the Construction Industry for continuous improvement and innovation. The Background Concept Value Management originated in the United States of America in the late 1940’s and the process was originally used in the manufacturing industry. This was soon adopted by the Construction Industry in the UK by the start of the 1990’s as various studies highlighted â€Å"between 36% and 45% savings on estimated construction cost to the Client† Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice The concept of ‘Value Analysis’ was introduced by Lawrence Miles in the 1940’s. Miles, a Purchase Engineer working for the General Election, had to find ways to tackle the material shortages which was due to the Second World War. Miles sought to find alternative materials that would provide the same function. This proved effective as Miles found that many of the alternative products he was finding were of an equal, if not better quality than that originally proposed. In addition to this he found that many of these alternatives were at a lower cost. Dallas (2006) states that a short while later, people realised that not only did the technique provide a way to substitute alternative materials but it was also an excellent way to reduce costs while still maintaining the necessary functionality. This system would involve ‘value’ and ‘analysis’ and based on this Miles developed the definition of ‘Value Analysis’. â€Å"An organised approach to providing the necessary functions at the lowest cost.† Kelly, J.R. Male, S.P. Graham, D. (2004) Value Management of Construction Projects. To further enhance this Miles provides further definition: â€Å"Value Analysis is an organised approach to the identification and elimination of unnecessary cost.† Kelly, J.R. Male, S.P. Graham, D. (2004) Value Management of Construction Projects. Key Principles of Value Management The institute of Value Management states that the key principles of Value Management are different from other styles of management in that they include attributes that are not normally found together: Management Style Emphasis on teamwork and communication A focus on what things do, rather than what they are (functional approach) An atmosphere that encourages creativity and innovation A focus on customer’s requirements A requirement to evaluate options qualitatively to enable robust comparisons of option Positive Human Dynamics Teamwork – encouraging people to work together towards a common solution Satisfaction – recognizing and giving credit Communication – bringing people together by improving communication between them Fostering better common understanding and providing better group decision support Encouraging change – challenging the status quo and bringing about beneficial change Ownership – the assumption of ownership of the outcomes of Value Management activities by those responsible for implementing them Consideration of External and Internal Environment External conditions – taking account of pre-existing conditions external to the organisation over which managers may have little influence Internal conditions – within the organisation there will be existing conditions which managers may or may not be able to influence Degrees of Freedom – the external and internal conditions will dictate the limits of potential outcomes and should be quantified. Effective Use of Methods and Tools Means of achieving outcomes The Institute of Value Management [online} http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007 From this we can see that Value Management brings Construction teams together and gets them to communicate more effectively with each other, this in turn will have a beneficial effect on the Project. The functionality of a Project will be more focused on being able to achieve Value for Money. Value Management Techniques Function Analysis ‘Function Analysis is a powerful technique in the identification of the principal functional requirements of a project’ Seeley, I. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice. Second Edition. Function analysis is basically a brain storming session with all people involved in the construction project and is used to determine the main needs of a project in order to focus on alternative options that are less expensive although still achieving the functionality as required. FAST Diagrams Seeley (1997) states that the FAST (Functional Analysis System Technique) has evolved from the functional analysis approach as it establishes a hierarchy of functions in order of importance. FAST diagrams are a more effective way of showing the main important functions and needs of a project. Bolton (2002) stated that function analysis was key to success in a workshop and always uses a FAST diagram. Pasquire and Mauro (2001) cite Norton and McElligott (1995) who suggest that the use of FAST may provide more benefit in the early stages of a project but not so much in the construction phases. It is also highlighted that FAST diagramming requires experience and training on the part of the facilitator to ensure it accurately depicts the function of the project. Another constraining factor is the time required to complete FAST diagrams. Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Is One Day Enough? The Argue for Shorter VM/VE Studies. Value Management Workshops Value Management Workshops are one of the main techniques of Value Management. This will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 2.2. Benefits of Value Management After several post-project reviews with Contractors and Consultants, Kelly Male identify various positive aspects of the Value Management process. The most significant of these are: Proof that the initial design was indeed the best Peace of mind to the owner that he was receiving good value for money Introduction to higher quality products Best up-to-date technology at least cost A clear focus on project objectives An alternative view of the design Improved project programmes Improved site management structures An opportunity for a detailed analysis of the required project Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice. The Institute of Value Management indicates that Value Management has already been successful in achieving Value for Money for such Clients as BP, British Airways, Pfizer, Stanhope and various water and rail companies. This has resulted in the public sector adopting Value Management techniques in order to cut down construction costs and achieve better Value for Money. Benefits of Value Management according to the Institute of Value Management focus on greater communication and understanding within the Construction team but do not seem to focus on the cost benefits; Better business decisions by providing decision makers a sound basis for their choice Improved products and services to external customers by clearly understanding and giving due priority to their real needs Enhanced competitiveness by facilitating technical and organisation innovation A common value culture thus enhancing every member’s understanding of the organisation’s goals Improved internal communication and common knowledge of the main success factors for the organisation Simultaneously enhanced communication and efficiency by developing multidisciplinary and multitask teamwork Decisions which can be supported by the stakeholders The Institute of Value Management [online} http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007 ‘Sir Michael Latham’s report ‘Constructing the Team’ (1994) states the benefits of Value Management and includes Value Management as a factor which is critical to the success of projects in providing the basis for improving value for money in construction.’ Hogg, K. (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Nottingham, The Nottingham Trent University. Value Management is still not being used to a great extent in the construction industry despite the great number of benefits. ‘The reasons for the apparent hesitance of the industry to adopt Value Management on a greater scale are unclear since the benefits of Value Management appear to be widely recognised and the practice continues to be promoted at a high level.’ Hogg, K. (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Nottingham, The Nottingham Trent University. Value Management Workshops ‘Before a VM workshop commences information has to be gathered to determine its objectives and deliverables and therefore what shape and form the workshop will take.’ Male, S. Kelly, J. et al (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: A Good Practice Framework for Clients and Practitioners Value Management Workshop Structure Kelly (1996), details the key stages involved in a Value Management Workshop; Value Management workshops are characterised by a three stage process: The Orientation and Diagnostic Phase in which the value manager prepares for the study by: meeting with the project sponsor and key players who will be involved in the study, reviewing documents, conducting interviews and briefings and preparing the agenda for the Workshop Stage. The Workshop Stage is where alternative or complementary views on the value problem are brought together through a structured team based activity facilitated by a value manager and progressed through the application of specific team based techniques. Innovative ideas are brought forward to satisfy the functional requirements identified against a backdrop of the value criteria uncovered. A workshop report will be produced including an Action Plan to ensure that value solutions and options will be implemented in the post workshop phase. The Implementation Phase in which the Action Plan is followed through by those responsible for the investigation and implementation of ideas. Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes The International Benchmarking Study (1998) identifies the Implementation Phase as one of the key areas in which Value Management fails. At this stage the Value Management team have identified and adopted various approaches to ensure that the Value Problem is minimised as far as possible through various meetings and workshops in the previous phases. At this point an implementation strategy will be discussed with the relevant parties and if possible those involved in the implementation will be interviewed and identified in the action plan at the close of the workshop phase. Value Management Intervention Points There are three main stages of Value Management workshops and they all produce a great deal of information that is discussed between the Construction parties to find alternatives ways of constructing the building and focusing on achieving Value for Money. These stages are described on the next page. Strategic Briefing The Strategic Briefing stage deals with identifying the broad scope and purpose of the project and its important parameters. The focus is on determining the strategic needs and wants, and the role and purpose of the project for the Client. Project Brief The Project Brief translates the Strategic Brief into construction terms, specifying performance requirements for each of the elements of the project including spatial relationships and details: ‘A summary of the relevant parts of the Strategic Brief document The aim of the design. This would include priorities for project objectives The site, including details of accessibility and planning The size and configuration of activities Outline specifications of general and specific areas A cost centred budget for all aspects of the project including all elements of the construction project Servicing options and specification implications e.g. security, deliveries, access, etc.’ Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes Outline Sketch Design The Outline Sketch Design (OSD) workshop is a value review of the initial plans, elevations, sections, specification and cost plan of the proposed building using the signed off Project Brief as a reference point. Kelly (1996) explains what should be involved in an OSD Workshop: ‘As statement of the design direction The site layout and access, identifying ground conditions and planning constraints A detailed cost plan and schedule of activities Dimensioned plans, elevations and sections An outline specification for environmental systems The risks and a risk management strategy The procurement plan The project execution plan with key milestones Performance measure.’ Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes Benefits of Value Management Workshops This is an extract from a journal that describes the benefits from an actual Value Management workshop that took place: ‘All team members confirmed their commitment to continuous improvement. Only three did not feel that it had been as a result of the workshops. The team unanimously believed that more options had been explored within the team and all agreed to that being as a result of the workshops. A principal finding under the section of workshop effectiveness agreed to by all members of the team, was that the workshop provided a good basis for teamwork, created and atmosphere of equality, ensured open and frequent communication and focused the participants on action and achieving results. The team members that indicated team working, cultures and communications as issues prior to the workshops agreed that they had all been resolved through the facilitated workshops.’ Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Value Management Workshops and Partnering Conundrums. From this extract we can see that there is a great deal of benefits for all parties by using Value Management workshops. There are also advantages to a VM workshop if the environment is isolated, these include: It focuses the team on ‘the project’ Gestation occurs during the workshop process It commits the team Militates against partial attendance Continuity is ensured. Male, S. Kelly, J. et al (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: Research Results of an International Benchmarking Study RDT Pacific (2007) stated that there are other advantages of Value Management and Workshops. ‘Value Management consistently provides significant improvements to projects: Average capital cost savings of 14% (NSW Government Research) The forging of dedicated, synergistic project teams Auditing on the project brief and the decision making process Provision of additional functionality within existing budget allocations Development of a structured process to move projects efficiently to the next stage and ultimately completion.’ RDT Pacific [online] http://www.rdtpacific.co.nz/services/servicesportfolio/valuemanagement.shtml Accessed on 5 October 2007 From this research we can see that there is a great deal of benefits of using Value Management for all parties involved in a Construction Project. It is the intention of this research paper to find out why Value Management is not being used a great deal by Contractors and therefore this research will provide beneficial when it comes to interviewing Contractors on their views of Value Management workshops. A comparison will be made between the benefits and disadvantages of Value Management in the Research Analysis chapter in order to suggest suitable implementation of this process for Contractors. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Secondary Method of Research The Secondary Research Method proposed includes investigating historic papers and publications to assess the extent to which Value Management is used in the Construction Industry. Information will be obtained from books, journals, websites and lecture notes. The Glasgow Caledonian Library will be used to obtain books. The RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) and various websites will be used to obtain journals and information on Value Management. These methods of research are being used as they are readily available. About 6 books from the Glasgow Caledonian Library were used for research and a lot of information was found, however, the negative aspect of using books is that the information may not be up to date. Lecture notes from the Value and Risk Appraisal were used for the Literature Review in order to explain the processes of Value Management. They were produced by Professor John Kelly who either wrote the notes from his own experience or took extracts from books. A great amount of information was found from the internet on Value Management and this was also used to prepare the Literature Review. Information from the internet can be up to date although the disadvantage is that it can be someone’s opinion and may not be entirely true. Journals on Value Management were found on the RICS website, Athens and also on the Construction and Building News websites. Some journal information was also taken from the Glasgow Caledonian Library. The advantage of Journals is that there was a lot of information available and people’s views are expressed which is helpful for determining any problems that exist in Value Management. This research will increase the author’s knowledge and understanding of Value Management and will also give an insight into the varying views on the subject. 3.2 Primary Method of Research The initial Primary Research Method proposed for this paper is to use actual Construction Project Case Studies in an attempt to find out how beneficial Value Management was for those projects. A few case studies were found on Projects that have used Value Management and they will be used to determine whether Value Management has been a success or not for the Project. Case Studies are useful for this research as they can be used to compare and also get people’s views on Value Management. A second Primary Research Method proposed for this paper will involve interviews with relevant Construction Industry personnel to gain their views and perspectives of Value Management in Construction Projects. Suitable candidates will be mainly Contractors who have worked with Value Management on their previous Construction Projects and also the Chairman of the IVM (Institute of Value Management) in order to achieve the objectives of this paper. The purpose of these interviews is to gain a greater insight into the Value Management process and how there can be an improved implementation for Contractors. It is important to choose the correct questions to collect data to prepare a relevant analysis. Interviews are better for communicating as you are face to face to a person and the interviewer is responsible for getting the quality of information that is required. A disadvantage of interviews however can be arranging meetings with the suitable candidates as they may not always be available when you are. To control this, contacting the interviewees at the earliest opportunity is always recommended. 3.3 Research Methodologies Rejected Having chosen the above methods for research it is important to note that alternative options such as questionnaires and electronic surveys were considered for potential sources of information. However, it was felt that these options would not provide the quality of response and feedback that the other methods would for this research. Questionnaires and electronic surveys would require time to fill in and most construction personnel would probably not have the time required to complete them or would simply disregard the emails or paper copies as they would feel it would be too time consuming. Another disadvantage of these research methods is that the questions could be interpreted the wrong way or the quality of answers could not be as good as asking someone in person. CHAPTER 4 PROGRESS TO DATE PLANNED FUTURE WORK Progress to Date At this stage, the indicative title, main aim and main objectives have been agreed. Research was undertaken throughout the summer on the topic of Value Management and the relevant materials were collected. Books, journals, case studies and website information were read and notes taken from each to form the basis for the literature review. The literature review has now been completed and also most of the information for the Date Analysis Chapter in the Final Dissertation report has been collected, such as books, journals, website information and journals. Everything required for the Dissertation Interim Report is now complete. 4.2Research Methodology The final piece of methodology to be collected will be from interviews with Construction personnel which are still to be agreed and also the interview questions need to be created. These are both due to happen at the start of the New Year and the planned interviews should take place towards the end of January 2008 at the latest. 4.3Research Analysis and Results Once the interviews have been conducted, an in depth analysis of the views will be undertaken, along with analysis of the information of other Construction personnel from the data collected via journals, case studies and books. This section will be undertaken from February 2008 4.4 Conclusions and Recommendations At this stage, it will now be time to come to a conclusion and give recommendations on how to implement Value Management for Contractors. This section will be undertaken near the end of March 2008. 4.5 Structure of the Final Dissertation Below is the structure proposed for the final Dissertation document to be submitted in April 2008. Chapter 1 – Introduction Chapter 1 introduces the rationale for study of the dissertation topic and the indicative title. It also determines the main aims and objectives, the research methodologies to be used and a structured breakdown of each chapter. Chapter 2 – Value Management Chapter 2 will focus on the background of Value Management and mainly on the key principles, techniques and advantages and disadvantages of this topic in the Construction Industry. Chapter 3 – Value Management Workshops Chapter 3 will focus on value management workshops in the Construction Industry and highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of this approach for Contractors. Chapter 4 – Value Management in Previous Construction Projects Chapter 4 will focus on case studies of previous construction projects that have used Value Management. They will be used to determine whether Value Management has been beneficial or not in the completion of the Projects. Chapter 5 – Research Analysis and Results Chapter 5 will analyse the information and feedback obtained from the interviews to be conducted. Chapter 5 will also compare the responses to identify the differences in opinion. Chapter 6 – Conclusions and Recommendations Chapter 6 will set out the conclusions that have been established with reference to previous chapter literature research and the interview feedback responses. Chapter 6 will also discuss to what extent the aim and objectives have been achieved in this research paper. The author will finally give recommendations for improved implementation of Value Management for Contractors. References This section provides a list of all references used for this research which are quoted within the paper and will also provide readers with the sources of views and opinions expressed as a follow-up or extended research on the topic. Bibliography This section will provide a list of all other references used in preparation of the paper but not directly quoted. Appendices The appendices section shall provide the reader with supplementary information to that provided within Chapters 1 to 5. Programme of Future Work Produce research questions for interviews – Start January 2008 Conduct research interviews – End January 2008 Data Analysis of interview results other research methods – February 2008 Conclusions and recommendations – End of March 2008 Final Dissertation hand in – April 2008 LIST OF REFERENCES Dallas, M.F. (2006) Value Risk Management: A Guide to Best Practice Hogg, K. (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Nottingham, The Nottingham Trent University. Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Is One Day Enough? The Argue for Shorter VM/VE Studies. Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Value Management Workshops and Partnering Conundrums. Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes Kelly, J.R. Male, S.P. Graham, D. (2004) Value Management of Construction Projects. Male, S. Kelly, J. et al (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: Research Results of an International Benchmarking Study RDT Pacific [online] http://www.rdtpacific.co.nz/services/servicesportfolio/valuemanagement.shtml Accessed on 5 October 2007 Seeley, I. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice. Second Edition. The Institute of Value Management [online] http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007. BIBLIOGRAPHY Adam, E. (1993) Value Management: Cost Reduction Strategies for the 1990s Dallas, M.F. (2006) Value Risk Management: A Guide to Best Practice Hogg, K. The Nottingham Trent University (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice Male, S. Kelly, J. Fernie, S. Gronqvist, M. Bowles, G. (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: A Good Practice Framework for Clients and Practitioners Male, S. Kelly, J. Fernie, S. Gronqvist, M. Bowles, G. (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: Research Results of an International Benchmarking Study Seeley, I.H. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice The Institute of Value Management [online] http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007.

Characterization of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Diseases, Necrotizin

Characterization of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Diseases, Necrotizing Faciitis Abstract Invasive Group A Streptococcus has been around the human civilization since the beginning of our existence, and it continues to be a threat today. Invasive Group A Streptococcus, known as invasive GAS, occurs around 9400 times a year in the United States alone, while it is unknown about the rest of the world due to recording inconsistencies. This bacterium exists as one of the most common flora in humans, and can only start infection when there is a region which has been opened. For example, these regions could include the blood, muscles, and other various locations. Necrotizing fasciitis, dubbed as the "flesh-eating bacteria" by the media, is one of the known bacteria within the invasive group A Streptococcus. Although the mortality and morbidity rate of necrotizing fasciitis is at 70-80%, treatment may reduce it to 30-50%. Invasive Group A Streptococcus disease, known as invasive GAS, is a disease that stems from the Group A bacterium found on the throat and skin. This bacterium is known as Streptococcus pygoenes. A bacterium of this strain is a gram-positive, nonmotile, nonsporeforming coccus that occurs in chains or in pairs in cells. The individual cells of this bacterium are round cocci, about .6-1.0 micrometer in diameter. The bacteria divides in 1 plane, therefore, cells occur in pairs or in chains of various lengths. Streptococcus pygoenes is also a catalase-negative nervetolerant microbe anaerobe. It requires certain encriched mediums that contain blood in order to divide and grow. GAS contains a capsule of hyaluronic acid, which makes it exhibit hemolysis, which are white colonies on blood agar. S. pyogenes is always foun... ...hould take care to protect themselves from this bacteria. Although it is not always possible, since this bacterium is found in 5-15% of humans as normal flora, there are always ways to help Characterization of Invasive Group? 5 prevent it. While this invasive Group A Streptococcus is not as rampant as before antibiotics were introduced, it is still a major problem in certain areas in the world, so research on better ways to eliminate this disease should continue. References: Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. (1999, April 4). Invasive Group A Streptococcal Diseases. Streptococcal Diseases. July 26, 2005: http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/ID/id98-05.htm Maynor, M. (2005, January). Necrotizing Fasciits. Infectious Diseases. July 26, 2005: http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic332.htm Skinner, F. (1987). Streptococci. New York: Academic Press Inc.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Wife of His Youth Essay -- Charles Chestnutt The Wife of His Youth

The Wife of His Youth In Charles Chestnutt’s â€Å"The Wife of His Youth,† Liza Jane is a woman who is determined to find her long lost husband, Sam Taylor. When he ran away from slavery and escaped up north, he left his wife behind. He changed his name to Mr. Ryder, to forget his past with slavery. Soon he became involved with a group called the Blue Veins, which were a group of people who believed in the preservation of light skinned blacks. In this group he was known as the dean. The Blue Vein society thought that dark skinned blacks were dirt and ignorant. Many years went by and Liza still felt that Sam was in love with her and that they would be back together. Liza was determined to find Sam. She searched for twenty-five years first going to many southern cities. Everywhere she wen...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Symbols and Symbolism - Flowers as a Symbol in John Steinbecks The Chr

Flowers as a Symbol in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck      Ã‚  Ã‚   In romantic or sexual context, a woman is often said to be as beautiful as a flower. In John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums", Elisa Allen never receives this recognition. Although she is a strong woman, she is frustrated because her husband will not admire her romantically in any way. This frustration only deepens because she is childless and feels the need to be a mother. She discovers an outlet for her frustration in a flower garden where she cultivates beautiful chrysanthemums. Steinbeck uses these elegant flowers as a symbol to represent the tender, inner-self of all women, including Elisa. First, the chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa's children. She tends her garden and handles the chrysanthemums with love and care, just as she would handle her own children. Elisa is very protective of her flowers and places a wire fence around them; she makes sure "[n]o aphids, no sowbugs or snails or cutworms" are there. "Her terrier fingers [destroy] such pests before they [can] get started" (240). These pests rep... ...s and her emotional needs. The encounter with the tinker reawakens her sexuality and brings hope to Elisa for a more exciting and romantic marriage, but her realization that her life is not going to change is crystallized when she sees the flowers thrown on the road. It devastates her completely to have to settle for such an unfulfilling life. Work Cited Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 6th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1995. 239-47.  

Saturday, August 17, 2019

The Myanmar’s Government

There are several initiatives that I would like to take after the completion of my studies. The Myanmar's government has a five-year National Education Sector plan for 2016-2021 which plans a transformational agenda, priorities and approaches to education reform, including higher education. These proposals in transformation of Myanmar's education system will bring various of significant demands upon, struggles, leaders in schools, universities and ministry official. First, to make positive change, there is a high demand for good leaders and good policy makers. These changes also require management, planning, inclusive curriculum development along with institutional strategy, and inclusive policy formulation. In addition, teachers and staff in schools and universities require skills on teaching and research, while managers need provision with leading and managing change, motivational skills, and effective decision making. I am confident to contribute my knowledge and experience to positive changes as good teacher, researcher, and manager at education institutions especially in ethnic minority areas. Secondly, with a master degree from Monash University would give me opportunities to join various non – government organizations in the education field. I understood that many poor and children in remote areas in Myanmar are not receiving good education. Thus, my vision is to create chances for individuals to access a good and quality education. In doing so, I am keen to work with education department and other national level organizations addressing better education policy changes that would have positive impact at the grassroot level as good policy is key for educational reform and development. To make this happen, I would join for instance, National Network for Education Reform as I want to provide inputs, knowledge and discussions for policy change at regional and national levels especially for the minority groups. Lastly, with all the knowledge and practical skills that I would from Australia, I hope that I can work for non- government organizations in ethnic minority area especially in Chin State, where I have a chance to mobilize the Chin community and religious leaders to better address education system for the Chin as part of the decentralization process that can inform the wider national level educational policy especially for the ethnic minority groups in Myanmar.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Oh, What a Lovely Pair!

Another drop of sweat dropped down my forehead and off the end of my nose as my eyes moved vigorously behind my dark shades. â€Å"Oh what a lovely pair!† I thought to myself, however I seemed to have thought out loud rather than to myself. My curious wife, who was lying on her sun bed next to me queried: â€Å"A lovely pair of what?† â€Å"A lovely pair of sunglasses, they are great at keeping out the glare.† I was getting rather bored on his sunbathing outing to the beach, so I decided to take some money out of the wife's purse and head up towards the main town, where I could have a beverage and possibly a bite to eat. To get up towards the bars and restaurants I had to cross over a main and very busy road, there were always mopeds rushing by, not even giving you the slightest of chances to cross over. Even though there are plenty of zebra crossings throughout the resort's roads, I think that the locals just assume that the black and white stripes across the street are a nice decoration. Finally I managed to get to the other side of the mad obstacle. It would have been a good twenty-minute stroll up past some tacky old souvenir shops until I reached the exciting part of the holiday resort. Another drop of sweat dropped down my forehead and off the end of my nose as my eyes moved vigorously behind my dark shades. â€Å"Oh what a lovely pair†¦I'll have to get hold of them.† I thought to myself while looking in a shoe shop, at the young lady on the till. Unfortunately, I must have thought a little on the loud side. An elderly lady, who was stood behind my asked: â€Å"A lovely pair of what?† So I replied, â€Å"A lovely pair of moccasins, I'm sure they would keep out the rain, and not rub your feet the first time you wear them!† I continued with my trip, from the shops to the main shopping centre of the holiday resort. There were lots of clothes and designer gear in these shops; they were the upper class stores of the Spanish town. I fancied a new pair of trousers as the ones that I was wearing were a little on the small side and were beginning to go a little on the shiny side, a bit like the tradition of schoolboy's trousers, short and shiny. I started to browse each designer store, on my search for a new pair of nice looking trousers, within my tight price range of course. I certainly could not afford any of the clothes in these upper class shops; I come from a lower class household back home in England. I thought to myself, â€Å"I can't be dreaming about these clothes, I've got to look for a respectful charity shop such as Oxfam or even Scope.† But then I realised that we are in Spain here, not England. I was sure that in this foreign country they wouldn't know what I was on about if I asked directions for a charity shop! I decided that it would be a good idea to give the local bookshop a small visit to purchase a Spanish phrase book. So I headed towards the book shop, that wasn't too far away from where I was, just a couple of hundred yards away from the designer shops in this shopping mall. I arrived at the shop and noticed that it was closed for lunch, but it reopened within five minutes. So I went to buy a sandwich from across the way. I sat down on a relatively new bench that was situated right outside of the bookshop, munching away at the sandwich. I came across quite a few grizzly and rather chewy bits of ham, they were spat straight out. By the time I had finished eating what could have been eaten of the sandwich, the bookshop was open. I entered the shop and asked the sales assistant whether he sold phrase books. He spoke perfect English, so this task was not too much trouble for me at all. I followed the man to what seemed like an educational section of the shop. He picked up a phrase book off the shelf and gave it to me to have a look. I decided to buy the book I paid in cash. I exited the posh shopping mall and headed up towards the small, tacky old souvenir shops. I took the same route as earlier on. I came across a young man, who looked well educated; he was in a business suit with a lovely pair of trousers on. I was going to ask him where he bought his trousers, but then noticed what a silly thing that would be. I could have asked him where the nearest charity shop was, but he would have thought that I was a scruff or something, in the end I decided to just ask the man for the time. I was trying to pick someone out of the passing crowd who was normal looking, and not an over-paid businessman. After a good five minutes of searching I decided to approach an old lady, she was wearing some old and tatty clothes, to be honest, they looked as though they were bought from some kind of charity shop or car boot sale. So I caught eye contact with the lady and asked, â€Å"Hay una tienda caridad por aqui?† Which in English means, â€Å"is there a charity shop around here?† The lady replied, â€Å"Si, esta a la derecha† which means, â€Å"Yes, it's on the right.† So I looked to my right and there it was, a small charity shop, not up to as good as a standard as the ones home in England, but it still sold the same type of goods and proceedings went to a charity in the local area. As it was very hot outside, I dedicated myself to purchasing a pair of Hawaiian shorts rather than a nice pair of trousers. I tried them on in the fitting room, they were slightly loose and baggy, but this didn't bother me as I had heard my nephew talking about how good it is to have baggy shorts, I thought that these would pull the girls and would be a cool fashion accessory. I walked over, in a cool way to the counter; I looked in the mirror and said to myself â€Å"Wow baby, you look sexy in those!† I pointed to the phrase in my phrase book that translated to â€Å"How much?† and I was pretty much surprised at the cheapness of the garment, 250 pesetas, that is around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1 in English money. I handed over the money and the lady gave me a used plastic bag to put my old trousers in. I exited the shop. As I started to walk up towards the bars and restaurants, in my cool stroll, I got the impression that people were pointing and laughing at me. I soon realised that there was one huge draft coming in from the rear end of my new shorts, there was a great big hole in the back of them. No wonder they were so cheap! I started to go excessively red in the cheeks, I felt like curling up into a small ball and going into none-existence. Looking for a public toilet, the draft was becoming increasingly gusty. I found a nice little local cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, so I thought that I would give the toilet a bit of custom, while I made a quick change of pants. The bar was full of locals; they greeted me in a warm fashion, until I walked past them, towards the toilet. The whole place just burst out with laughter. Not pleased with the fact that people could humiliate me in such a way, I locked the door behind me and got changed as soon as possible. Another drop of sweat dripped down my forehead and off the end of my nose as my eyes moved vigorously behind my dark shades. â€Å"Oh what a lovely pair!† I celebrated at the top of my voice. I had learnt my lesson the hard way, â€Å"Don't buy items from foreign charity shops ever, ever again, at least if you don't want to be ripped off. I ran out of the local cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ and headed towards some English bars. I ordered a large Scotch. After my session in the bar, I flagged down a taxi from the main road and took a ride back to the beach. There was my angry wife, she had the properties of a raging bull, and some Germans had stolen our sun beds by draping their towels over them while she was bathing. â€Å"Where have you been? I've been worried out of my mind.† My curious, hag of a wife asked. So I looked at her with a frustrated expression on my face. I produced the dodgy pair of shorts from the used plastic bag that the lady in the shop had given to me. My wife asked, â€Å"What is wrong with those? They look fine to me.† â€Å"What? I asked furiously. â€Å"These shorts have me more bother in the last couple of hours than you have since our marriage, it is unbelievable.† My wife still couldn't see the ‘slight' imperfection in the garment, so I decided to point it out to her. â€Å"Now do you see what is wrong with them?† The look on her face was outstanding, I wish I had my two for the price of one disposable camera with me; it would have made a great picture for her fiftieth birthday in the local newspaper. We both laughed together, she still brings that point up now, twenty years on. I should never have stayed with this woman; I should have approached the babe on the beach earlier on, or even the stunner in the shoe shop for that matter! Another drop of sweat dripped down my forehead and off the end of my nose as my eyes moved vigorously behind my dark shades†¦

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Causes and Effects of the Computer Essay

The twenty- first century is already turning out to be the century of the computer. The computer revolution that started after the Second World War is now developing exponentially and computers are beginning to influence and take over nearly every aspect of our lives. Computers are clearly changing and affecting society in many ways. The two main areas which computers have brought about a profound change in our lives are in the economic field an in the field of communication. The computer has led to immense changes in economic and business life. First, business now have to be computerized or they risk failure. Every big corporation bases it’s operations on computing, regardless of which sector they are in. For example, coco-cola and Levi’s market and sell different products and services, yet they all share on basic property without computers their operations would collapse. Second, computing is an economic dynamo. Many other countries have large IT sectors which drive their economies upwards. Furthermore the developed world is moving from an industrial- based economy to a computer and IT-based one. It is not just in business that computers have affected us so profoundly; communication has been revolutionized totally. Firstly, whereas before, people speak on the phone, which was expensive, now they e-mail. For instance, instead of waiting weeks for a letter now we can read it instantly, seconds after its been written. Secondly, many people use computers to communicate with people all around the world using chat rooms and chat programs, this was impossible before the computer became widespread. As a result, now people who live thousands of miles away from each other can communicate and share information and ideas easily and quickly. In conclusion computers have a profound effect on our lives in many ways and it is in business and communication that they have had the greatest influence. In the future if the computer continues evolving at such speed, our business practice and methods of communication will undergo even more radical changes.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Brain Drain Essay

When highly qualified experts like scientists, engineers, doctors and oft trained persons migrate from under-developed countries and settle down: advanced countries, their migration is called â€Å"Brain Drain†. This problem is not peculiar to India alone. It is being faced by almost all the developing country of the world. Brain drain results in direct loss to the underdeveloped and poor countries who train these experts at a great cost. When these experts migrate to advance countries, such countries stand to gain because they get the services of the experts without having had to spend anything on their training. There are a number of factors responsible for brain drain in India. First of all, India lacks job opportunities. When, after completing higher studies, people do not get any employment in India, they start looking forward to advance countries for jobs. India lacks facilities for advanced research. Most of the students who go abroad for higher research do not return t o India. They are offered lucrative jobs so that they may stay on in advanced countries and give these countries the benefit of their research. India is endowed with vast natural resources like oil, gas, coal, iron ore, gypsum, diamonds, uranium etc. There is no doubt that if these natural resources are exploited in full, India can become one of the developed countries of the world. The Indian experts, whom we lose every year, can stay on in India and help in the development and exploitation of natural resources. Even those experts who have already settled in foreign countries could be lured back to India so that they can help India to become a great power in the world. This problem cannot be solved without the co-operation of the people. The parents of the students should discourage their sons and daughters from going abroad even if they are offered lucrative jobs. Our political leaders should be serious about this problem, and they should set a personal example by preventing their children from going abroad and settling there. All the doctors, scientists and engineers should realise that they owe some duty to their country. Our country spends lakhs of rupees on their training. They should have a feeling of gratitude to their country. Our Government has also been inviting, from time to time, the scientists, engineers, technicians, academicians and even non-resident Indian businessmen, settled abroad, to return to India and help  in the fast industrialization and development of their motherland. They have also been offered a lot of incentives to set up their own industries in India.

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 39

Personal statement - Essay Example An MSc in management would help me get a job and possibly good remuneration. I believe that the knowledge and skills I will acquire from Merrick College will help me be in a better position to get more career opportunities. In addition, acquiring an MSc resonates with one of my values, which is to give others and myself the opportunity to develop. I trust that my decision to study at your esteemed institution is one of the best decisions I have made in life. This is because of the best practices as well as reputation in the course and the entire organization. The university offers courses like Management Planning and Control, Business Intelligence and statistical analysis and many more. Moreover, I am interested in MSc management because it will give an opportunity to understand more the management function. I am extremely good at international management, decision making as well as global marketing. Therefore, this course will help me get the bigger picture of international management. There are specific aspects that I am interested in while undertaking the MSc program. One of them being writing a good business proposal as this will help me face future clients with confidence, as I will be able to convince clients through my well-drafted business proposal. In addition, the incorporation of group work in the learning process will help me gain more confidence as participation is important. Moreover, the interactions during discussions will enhance my learning as students learn from one another. My professional network will grow therefore giving me an opportunity to find work in better organizations. My undergraduate program has given me adequate skills necessary for master’s program. I am a committed member in various clubs including the management and leadership club that have grown my leadership skills. I am planning to work as I pursue my masters’ course and this will help me get experience in management. I have both long and long

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Perceptions of the self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Perceptions of the self - Essay Example According to Kant (2007), the main experience of the world is not only in terms of a spoilt stream of sensations, but see and experience a world full of relationships, ideas, objects living within a stable framework of both time and design. At times, the discreet and also randomly similar sensations, rule peoples experience; for example when a strong fever generates funny hallucinations. Nevertheless, we stay in a stable and precise, orderly world where the different sensations become built together in a framework that is familiar to us. In Kant’s (2007) view, the problem Hume had was not on his starting point, but solely on the reason that he refused to move from the starting point to the next level of experience. Though we know that knowledge starts with experience, it does not mean that everything comes from experience. It can even be from the empirical knowledge that consists of what we get from the knowledge faculty and also through impressions. According to Kant (2007), human minds sort, organize, relate and then synthesize the pieces of information that the organs of sense absorb. As an example, imagine a person dumps an enormous pile of pieces of the puzzle on a desk. At first glance, they would look like a random collection of different items that are not related and have no meaning. This is just like the sensations of an immediate unreflective experience. Nevertheless, when the person starts to assemble the pieces, they start forming an image that would be significant. In Kant’s (2007) view, this construction activity is what peoples brains are doing every time, taking that raw experience data, and actively assembling it to more familiar, meaningful environment that we live in . Human minds have organized rules or principles built in them. These principles order, arrange, organize and then synthesize the sense data in a more familiar way of peoples lives. The organizing rules precede the