What is a SWOT analysis?

SWOT Analysis stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and threats. It is a strategic planning tool which is used by businesses and organization to set a comprehensible rationale of the project. [1]This analysis is not only aimed at analyzing the internal factors but it also scans the external environment. Strengths and weaknesses are usually taken as internal environmental factors while opportunities and threats are viewed as external environmental factors. It helps a company in formulating strategies and utilizes the firm’s resources in the accurate vicinity.Strengths would highlight the areas where investments should be made to further enhance the product or service and make it as a competitive advantage for the company, e.g. low cost. Weaknesses would tell a firm that improvement is required in a particular area, e.g. weak distribution network. Opportunities would define the areas which are not being targeted by the company and investing in that area would bring cha nces of growth and profit, e.g. an unmet customer need. There may be some changes in the external environment which can be a threat for a company, e.g. a new substitute product.[2] SWOT analysis should be performed for every area of the businesses and it should be repeatedly done for every market.What is its purpose in strategic planning?Strategic planning basically helps a business to set its overall objectives and then build a comprehensive plan to accomplish those objectives.[3] In doing so, SWOT analysis performs an important function by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses and spotlighting the opportunities and weaknesses. Through this in-depth market analysis, companies can set their goals in the right direction.Do you have to conduct a SWOTT Analysis to have an effective strategic plan? Why or why not.Yes, it is necessary to perform a SWOT analysis for building an effective strategic plan. The reason is that it tells a company what has been done well, so as to focus in t hat area to earn higher profits. Then it highlights the internal harmful factors that can be improved by a company. Not only this, it gives insights for better opportunities in the market. [4] SWOT Analysis also informs about potential threats for a business. It is an immense planning tool that will help in building a winning strategic plan for a company.Week 2 DQ 2What are the key planning factors for competitive success?Key planning factors for an organization will differ from company to company. However, we can perform a general industry analysis, along with competitor analysis and macro environment analysis. These factors drive the strategy of a company, so it is important to understand then properly. For achieving competitive success, type of business must be taken into account. Some suggested key planning factors for competitive success are: ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Focus on strategic planning ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Right implementation of the strategyà ‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Time management of the entire project ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Using project management techniques for effective planning ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research and development ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acquiring land and maintaining liquidity ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Well-constructed product ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Establishing efficient channels of distribution ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Providing after-sales support ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Communicating every decision to everyone in the organization ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Involvement of every employee in decision marking[5] ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teamwork and Collaboration between all departments ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Following principles of EthicsProvide an example of an organization that has achieved competitive success through planning.An example of an organization that has achieved competitive success through planning is â€Å"Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬ . It is a leading nutrition and health company. They have diversified into new areas by creating value for their products.   They were able to achieve that through long term planning by creating value for their shareholders, employees, consumers, and business partners. They strategically planned for the development of their research centers across the globe which is now one of their competitive advantages. Their entry into different countries and creating products with respect to the tastes and culture of that country was also a part of their strategic planning process. This planning is helping them to achieve their long term vision, i.e. creating shared value for society and shareholders.[6]Provide an example of an organization that has failed to achieve competitive success as the result of failed planning.An example of an organization that has failed to achieve competitive success as the result of failed planning is Hershey’s. It is a leading manufacturer of chocolates, confectionaries and beverages in United States of America. Hershey’s was in process of implanting an ERP Solution and they decided to choose SAP ERP. But this implementation failed and caused heavy loss to the company in terms of profits and sales. The reason was not any technical mistake by the vendor but poor planning by Hersey’s. They choose wrong time for implementation when business was at its peak. They made a blunder of restructuring the business process and changing it in a wrong way without doing strategic planning.They spend most of the time on ERP implementation which interrupted the day to day operations of the business, creating confusions for the employees. They might have avoided this issue if they remained focused and planned out all activities properly before implementation. They should have set their priorities in a strategic manner by looking at the business prospects from all angles.[7]B ibliography:What is SWOT Analysis(2010), Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-swot-analysis.htmStrategic Management(2010), Retrieved from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot/Strategic Planning(2010), Retrieved from http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1079687246&type=RESOURCESRoger Lever (Dec 10, 2008), Retrieved from http://strategic-business planning.suite101.com/article.cfm/use_swot_analysis_for_strategic_planningKey Success Factors in Strategic Planning By Bill Birnbaum, CMC(2009) Retrieved from http://www.birnbaumassociates.com/key-success-factors.htmRetrieved from http://www.nestle.com/AllAbout/AllAboutNestle.htmAnalyzing ERP failures in Hershey, Retrieved from http://www.erpwire.com/erp-articles/failure-story-in-erp-process.htm[1] What is SWOT Analysis(2010), Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-swot-analysis.htm [2]Strategic Management(2010), Retrieved from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot/ [3] Strategic Planning(2010), Retriev ed from http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1079687246&type=RESOURCES [4] Roger Lever (Dec 10, 2008), Retrieved from http://strategic-business planning.suite101.com/article.cfm/use_swot_analysis_for_strategic_planning [5] Key Success Factors in Strategic Planning By Bill Birnbaum, CMC(2009) Retrieved from http://www.birnbaumassociates.com/key-success-factors.htm [6] Retrieved from http://www.nestle.com/AllAbout/AllAboutNestle.htm [7] Analyzing ERP failures in Hershey, Retrieved from http://www.erpwire.com/erp-articles/failure-story-in-erp-process.htm

`As I lay Dying` by Faulkner and `Long Day’s Journey into Night` by O’Neill Essay

Family, the most important social unit, influences the thoughts and behavior of its members. When the members of a family are able to bond with each other and share their inner most feelings, it has a positive impact on the character and attitudes of the family members. But if the family members are alienated and isolated from each other, then it results in loneliness and sorrow for the family. The novel â€Å"As I Lay Dying† by William Faulkner and the play â€Å"Long Day’s Journey into Night† by Eugene O’Neill depicts families that are dealing with alienation and loneliness. In the novel â€Å"As I Lay Dying†, the members in the Bundren family react in different ways to the death of Addie Bundren, the mother. The thoughts and the views of the Bundren family members point towards their isolation from each other. The play â€Å"Long Day’s Journey into Night† focuses on the Tyrone family and the isolation of the family members from each other. As I Lay Dying In the novel â€Å"As I Lay Dying†, the author brings forth the views of the Bundren family members regarding each other. The mother in the family, Addie Bundren is on the verge of her death. Although Addie Bundren is the mother of Cash, Darl, Jewel, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman, it is Jewel that she loves the most. Addie Bundren is leading her matrimonial life with Anse Bundren but she never truly loved him. Unsatisfied by her marriage, she gets involved into an extramarital affair with her preacher, Reverend Whitfield. Jewel was the child, born out of this illicit relation, and so Addie showered more love and affection on Jewel than the other children. As Cash was Addie’s first child, she loves him too whereas she shows no affection towards her other children. Addie’s unhappy marriage influences her behavior towards her children. Addie herself is aware of her isolation from her children and her husband. She struggles to cope with her isolation, and at times attempts to make others feel of her presence. Being a school teacher, Addie beats her students to make them realize about her influence in their lives. â€Å"I would think with each blow of the switch: Now you are aware of me! Now I am something in your secret and selfish life, who have marked your blood with my own for ever and ever. † (Faulkner 170). After Addie’s death, the alienation and loneliness of the Bundren family is more evident, as each member reacts to the death in a different way. The family members are more concerned about their individual problems and conflicts than the death of Addie. â€Å"In As I Lay Dying, the various members of the Bundren family, are driven by conflicting interests and oppressive secrets that inevitably set them apart from one another. † (Cavallaro 35). Instead of thinking about themselves as a part of the family, the Bundren members are in pursuit of their personal aims. Long Day’s Journey into Night The play â€Å"Long Day’s Journey into Night† depicts the Tyrone family and the conflicts occurring among its family members. The mother in the family, Mary is addicted to morphine and the father and the two sons in the family are alcoholics. When the play opens, Mary has returned from a sanatorium where she was treated for her addiction. The youngest son in the family, Edmund is suffering from tuberculosis. As the play progresses, the family comes to know about Edmund’s disease and the fact that Mary has not yet succeeded in giving up her addiction. This leads to conflicts between the family members and brings about alienation among the Tyrone family members. The behavior of Tyrone is also one of the reasons which alienate the family members from one another. Tyrone is a frugal person who is careful about the way he spends his money. In the play there are many instances which point towards his frugality. He always insists on switching off the lights in the night, â€Å"There is no reason to have the house ablaze with electricity at this time of night, burning up money! † (O’Neil 126). The other family members blame his frugality as the reason for Mary’s condition. Mary is unable to connect with her family members, owing to her guilt. Tyrone is having strained relations with his son. As all the family members are struggling with their addictions and problems, they are incapable to bond with each other. â€Å"In O’Neil, characters are locked into their histories, unwilling or unable to push their freedom and responsibility, with horrible consequences. † (Cotkin 23). The Tyrone family members fail to identify themselves with their family. Their individual conflicts and problems cause the isolation among the family members. Conclusion Both the families in the stories â€Å"As I Lay Dying† by William Faulkner and â€Å"Long Day’s Journey into Night† by Eugene O’Neill depict families which are struggling with alienation and isolation. The members of the Bundren family in the novel â€Å"As I Lay Dying† are so engaged in their personal problems that they fail to connect with each other. Similarly, the Tyrone family members in the play â€Å"Long Day’s Journey into Night† are in conflict with each other, owing to various reasons, leading to alienation and loneliness. Works Cited Cavallaro, Dani. The Gothic Vision: Three Centuries of Horror, Terror and Fear. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2002. Cotkin, George. Existential America. JHU Press, 2005. Faulkner, William. As I Lay Dying: The Corrected Text. Vintage Books, 1990. O’Neill, Eugene. Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Yale University Press, 1956.

Toyota sales in China Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Toyota sales in China - Dissertation Example This cars have been sold in China for the longest time and the trends have been on the upwards trend over the years with the sales in China in 2009 surpassing those of the USA. Despite this, there has been a recent slump in the sales which started gradually and has turned out to be drastic. This stressing movement has been traced to various components which are broadly categorized as social, economic and political. This study aims to explore the current status of the market and isolate the challenges facing this market and also come up with possible remedies to reverse this trend ensuring continued growth and flourish in the Toyota car business in China. This will not only ensure maximum profits and growth of the China economy but the development of the entire world as a whole. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 2. Literature Review†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 3. Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦25 3.1. ... Comments on methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦31 3.6. Justification of methodology Choice†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 32 4. Finding and Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 32 4.1. Consumer Credit Trends†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 34 4.2. Effects of Social Class†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 34 4.3. Change in lifestyle†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 35 4.4. Evaluation of Effects†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 35 5. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.44 6. Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 46 7. Reference List†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.47 1. Introduction Toyota car was very popular in the world, it famous of it is relying save gasoline and it is cheap for vehicle maintenance. The selling of Toyota cars was dropped in China in these years. The main problem is the export to China of Toyota car’s quality is not good, some factory use some cheap material to save cost, many Toyota car did not have the side door beam, although a litter car have the beam, but it is more thin than other country’s car. Some people drive the Toyota car has the

Financial Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Financial Management - Assignment Example Aluminum Bahrain is headquartered in Manama, Bahrain.. As the Current shareholders of the manufacturing company of aluminum it unto the company of aluminum Bahrain makes sure that it builds and designs things and releases them to the public . A product lacked life or value until the users had accepted it who are interested in knowing all the information necessssary to make a critical decision to whether buy ,sell or hold investments in the Aluminum Bahrain B.S.C(Alba).Our focus will be on the following in line with the needs of the users. By 2000 the business had transformed with the purchase of new assets and businesses. The purpose of the acquisition of the new businesses was to establish North africa alluminium companiesfor the Bahrain parent company, rolling labs Industries. At that same time, the rationalized business would bring forth cash flow, infrastructure and economies of scale for the expansion of the business into the rapidly growing markets of Asia, America, . However, in 2014, this company faced a worse situation than it was in earlier . Dollar fluctuations and increase in costs led to lose of a large client base. There was also an increase in costs of production due to the rise in labor costs in Bahrain. Aluminum Bahrain lacks proper and educated and trained workforce .There exists a small number of trained work force. In away these cripples the manufacturing company. Its operations are slowed at the expense of huge production leading to a proper profit Since there are various sub products that the Bahrain company produces there is less promotion of the product as it is limited to the country, The process of innovation is slow while the demand for properly innovative materials is high In order to determine the firm type of the aluminium company its supply and demand are key factors in addition its produced in metric tons. When establishing its demand by market the following factors are considered: The

Disney consultancy pitch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Disney consultancy pitch - Essay Example Holistic stimulus and improvement package would definitely invigorate the revenue streams of DP and make it a more attractive and sought after destination for people of all age groups. Thus, these could leverage DP’s efforts in capturing more market share and attaining competitive growth prospects. â€Å"Entertainment value is but one reason to adopt your young ones to Disneyland† (Shakeerajanejackson, 2011). The salient aspects of the consultancy pitch will include: a. A complete remodeling and restructuring of the Disneyland Model: â€Å"Disneyland Paris opened on 12 April 1992† (Financial arrangements relating to Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland, 2009). It is now almost ten years old and needs a facelift. With an estimated budgetary allocation of ?500,000, it is proposed to upgrade present facilities in this theme/amusement park and add new, innovative themes that are favorites in other parks in Europe and America. Thus, it would als o be necessary to visit other theme parks in several counties and decide the kind of changes that would be necessary for attracting more customers and augmenting the revenues in future. b. Advertising: Perhaps there is a need for DP to embark on a strong TV and internet advertisement campaign to gain greater visibility for its public offerings,â€Å"as well as the exciting developments and details of all our forthcoming events† (Need something, n.d). They may also consider the strategy of using social networking to promote their brand. Aggressive marketing will provide them the necessary thrust in attracting different customer segments. Thus, it would be necessary to envision new attractions in the theme and amusement park and begin intensive online and TV publicity campaigns. The costs involved in major advertising would be around ?100,000. c. Special and seasonal offers: Disney needs to think about bringing more uniqueness in their brand, to differentiate DP from other them e and amusement parks of its genre. For achieving this, it is first necessary to make it affordable for all sections of people. Thus, floating a program like â€Å"affordable holidays† campaign which will appeal to customers. (Disneyland Paris is going to host the Disney Olympics games in 2011 France, 2011). They can also consider special offers in terms of concessional ticket rates, which could induce more people to visit the park. This would not only augment ticket sales but could also augur well for other related businesses like footstalls, special amusement facilities and so on.†Disneyland Resort Paris is open every day of the year. Opening times vary according to season. The Parks may also stay open later for special seasonal events† (Need something, n.d). The perceived losses that could occur due to special offers could be offset by a budget allocation of ?100,000 in this area. However, detailed research needs to be carried out as to whether cost benefits co uld arise due to special offers and whether this could be sustained on long term basis. There is a section of customers who are not tempted, however low the prices may be. Besides, it is also necessary to ensure that special offers do not overrun their budget estimates. d. Improving remuneration packages to employees and work environment: Meredith Belbin has been a major exponent of Team Role Theory. This theory enables â€Å"better understanding of the roles played by team members and how team

Michael Jackson Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Michael Jackson - Term Paper Example The other four members of this group were his brothers, Sigmund ‘Jackie’, Toriano ‘Tito’, Jarmaine, and Marlon. They began playing at local bars and clubs in Indiana. They later moved to compete in bigger competitions. The Jackson five were discovered by the Vancouver and the Bobby Taylor in 1968 and got an audition for Berry Gordy. They later signed for Motown, hence moving to California. It was here that their first four singles made US number one hits. During this time, Jackson with Motown recoded four solo albums. The group stayed in Motown until 1976, when they needed more artistic freedom and decided to move on (Pratt 81). They dropped the name Jackson Five, since it was owned by Motown and adopted the name The Jacksons. At this time, they had a number of records and made six albums altogether between 1976 and 1984. Michael later teamed up with his producer for his first solo album. The album was titled Off The Wall, and was a tremendous success all ov er the world. It was the first album ever released that produced the four number-one singles in the United States. The world’s largest selling album was released by Michael in 1982. It was titled Thriller. It produced seven hit singles, once again breaking more previously established records (Pratt 81). It has been documented to have sold over fifty million copies across the world. Jackson was careful, as well as skillful, in using the music videos to promote his singles from the album. His success has, nevertheless, been attached to his directors and producers. They were the best, and made use of the latest technology coupled with choreography and fantastic dancing. The short film, Thriller, incorporated latest artists in the make-up technology to produce a video which lasted 14 minutes, with the beginning, the middle part and the end. This video was so successful that it became the world’s largest selling video. At the Motown 25-years anniversary show, Jackson perfor med his legendary moonwalk for the first time. It was this performance that set him into the realms of a superstar (George 98). Michael broke a record by winning 8 Grammy awards in a single night in the year of 1984. These awards were for his narrative for the ET Storybook and the Thriller album. On 9th December 1984, during his final performance of The Jackson’s Victory Tour, he declared that he was quitting the group and going solo. His third, and much awaited solo album titled Bad, was released in 1987. It was during this time that he launched his first solo world tour that was significantly record-breaking (Josh 1). He wrote his first autobiography, Moonwalk, where he talked for the first time about his career and childhood. Michael was soon to turn thirty when significant changes were observed in his outlook. He seemed to have undergone a facial surgery, which not only changed his facial features, but also his skin color and jaw line. This did not, however, affect his mu sic career. By the end of 1980s, Michael was commonly known as the Artist of The Decade. This was as a result of his success in the Thriller and Bad albums. Michael signed the biggest ever recording agreement with Sony Music in 1991. It was during that time that he released his fourth album Dangerous. Touring the world in 1992, he brought his performances to the countries that had never received a pop artist. Other than his success in the

Taoism Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Taoism Religion - Essay Example It does not matter whatever religion exists as long as the person becomes a good being to himself and to others. Basically, religions do not only teach morals but also focus on way of life. Rituals are being conducted to help the faithful improve themselves fully as a religious leader assists the religious members in their struggle to be good. The main focus of the paper is the religion Taoism. Taoism came from China as the country had a long history of formation. Taoism became an important part of the history of China though the origin of Taoism is hard to distinguish as it came from complicated roots and Chinese religions mixed as interactions happened. Other religions in China are Confucianism, Buddhism and popular religion. These religions flourished and interact with one another and cultural and traditional mixtures occur resulting to the Chinese religion. Taoism in particular cannot be distinguished easily as it encompasses almost everything about life. Its existence can be com pared to water that composes all bodies of water and even clouds and rain. The discovery of the ultimate purpose is not the same for everybody as pathways are different in that religion as the prominent quality is compared to water that never flows in the same way again. ... Taoism can also be analyzed based on its etymology. The religion comes from the word tao which means road or path as the same term was also used by non-Taoist people. Tao became prominent in Chinese philosophy as their beliefs tend to shape a method or technique and norms of conduct. The term tao first appeared as a philosophical word in the book Analects of the Confucians. They consider tao as the method of behavior for both individual and nation as they pertain to the term as a principle. For the Taoists, the term is not just a principle, it is substance in actuality. Chuang Tzu gave an explanation on the tao and belief of Taoists. According to him, tao is not a substance or a thing only but tao is the sum total of all existence including wastes as a questioner clarified his claim. The main concern of Taoism is the balance of forces which is constant and inseparable that the human mind cannot comprehend its existence. The belief states that humans are indivisible and parts of the o neness as the age of humanity is the same as the age of the sky and earth. As tao is considered as both method and entity, the question arose regarding the purpose of the method. The positive action has no basis in tao. In terms of morals, tao advocates relativity as right and wrong can pertain to the same object depending on the point-of-view. The advice for Taoist practitioners tends to be selfless and let the natural course maneuver the lives of the faithful. They follow the rhythms of nature and environment. Such characteristic of Taoism is called contemplative Taoism which is complemented by the so-called purposive Taoism. As the contemplative Taoism allows calmness for the practitioner, the purposive

Visiting Bestbuy or Futureshop Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visiting Bestbuy or Futureshop - Term Paper Example To maintain a good image, both to the customers and shareholders, a proper and good customer service should be enhanced. It also helps increase the profit margins because, in marketing, a good publicity would mean more customers visiting the retail outlet. The poor customer service was clearly exhibited by the longer and slower queues and the larger number of frustrated customers that left the enterprise. Less information was being offered by the store staffers, much to the dissatisfaction of the customers who came in with the aim of picking up their merchandise. Loss of customers: loss of customer is one of the obvious consequences of the problem. It is created by the negative feelings developed by customers as a result of the actions of most of the employees, in blue shirts, mandated to assist them while making their purchases. Most of these customers ending up with lots of frustration would consider other retail outlets who would offer similar services, but with better customer service. Reduction in the profit margins: Once the retail outlets loose the customers, less of their goods would be sold. This reduces the turnover of the business and, as a result, the profits obtained from the sale of such goods and services. Obsolete inventory: Loss of business customers would lead to the creation of a non-moving stock rendering most of the products obsolete. As with most of the electronic products; newer inventions are created more often and so when quite a number of the corresponding products are not sold in good time, they are rendered obsolete and results into more losses. Obsolete inventory, on the other hand, is always a warning sign to most would be investors, and in most cases bring to the fore poor inventory management. Other factors of importance too, that would lead to the failure of the store would be their layouts and selling policies. Instead of stocking a lot of

Otto von Bismarck as a statesman Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Otto von Bismarck as a statesman - Term Paper Example In 1838, he resigned from his job because of boredom. In 1847, he got married to Johanna von Puttkamer; this was a turning point in his life because of the enormous support he received from Puttkamer. During the same period he embraced Christian tradition of the Lutheranism and began his service in the Prussian legislature; in 1847, he was elected into the Prussian parliament. In his tenure in the parliament, he opposed the liberal movement and campaigned for the unification of Germany under the support of Prussia. He also protected the rights of the Junkers (his elite social class). He served as a Prussian minister in the German government at Frankfurt between 1851 and 1859. He also served as an ambassador to Paris in 1862 and to St. Petersburg between 1859 and 1862. In both services he acquired more insight and experience that would partially establish his subsequent policies (The Questia.com 1).it is up to today debated whether Bismarck had a master plan to expand the north German confederation of 1866 to include the remaining independent German states into one country or maybe he just wanted to expand the power of the kingdom of Prussia .many reaction to Danish and other neighboring country provided foci for German unity Bismarck was an opportunist and good diplomat than a master planner. Political discontent and democratic liberalism were spreading through the parliaments and streets of Europe and people like Bismarck staunchly opposed to democratic liberalism were staunchly opposed to democratic liberalism were to work very hard to stay afloat. Bismarck did it by being pragmatist instead of idealist. He opposed any concession to the liberals and expressed contempt for the king’s willingness to bargain with revolutionaries. He was the best into taking advantage of his opportunities and leading them in the right way always. He was the main factor in unification of Germany. Otto von Bismarck was a very conservative political leader Germany has ever ha d. Wars with Austria and France He was appointed as a premier in 1862 by William I in order to securely adopt the Prussian program for the king’s army; the program was overwhelmingly rejected in the parliament. Bismarck’s main purpose was to drive out Austria from the German Confederation. He provoked the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 by accusing Austria of violation of the Gastein treaty. Austria was defeated and Germany reorganized into the North German Confederation under the Prussian leadership; Austria was not included. He also provoked the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and he was able to obtain Lorraine and Alsace from France (The Questia.com 1). Alignments and Alliances Bismarck had full control of the domestic and foreign affairs. For the consolidation of the empire, he aimed at gaining the friendship of Austria, maintain British friendship by avoiding colonial or naval rivalry and isolate France through diplomacy. Thus, in 1872, he created the Three Emperorâ⠂¬â„¢s League (Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Germany). A rift in the Russo-German relations led to a Dual Alliance with Austria and the Dual Alliance became a Triple Alliance when Italy joined in 1882. The Reinsurance Treaty of 1887 revived Germany relationship with Russia (The Questia.com 1) how strong the nationalism. Bismarck knew very well that the alliances that war could accomplish his goals. How Bismarck dealt with Austria shows his commitment to maintaining boundaries based on political and

GAAP VS IFRS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GAAP VS IFRS - Essay Example The United States corporations will benefits by converting from GAAP to IFRS. One, IFRS allows extra flexibility than United States GAAP, and because stock option and bonus schemes normally offer managers incentives to enhance earnings, this flexibility will probably be utilized to enhance the income of U.S corporations more frequently than it will be employed to lessen earnings. Two, converting to IFRS from GAAP will give the corporations in America more responsibility in the area of asset valuation as a complete discretion that is also likely to enhance the earnings of U.S corporations. Finally, in the field of research and development costs and the associated field of homegrown intangible asset valuation, IFRS is more liberal than GAAP. IFRS permits only development costs to be integrated in the assets of the corporations, thus, not expensed against earnings (Ciesielski, 2008). Question 2 One, Acquired intangible assets under GAAP are identified at fair value. In contrast, under I FRS, it is solely identified if the asset has measured dependability and will have an imminent economic gain. Here, IFRS will be the most beneficial method to financial statement users. ... Here, IFRS is the most beneficial method. Finally, The conditions for revenue recognition and revenue under IFRS and GAAP are somewhat dissimilar. GAAP gives extra specified guidance than IFRS (Ciesielski, 2008). Therefore, GAAP is the most beneficial method to financial statement users in this case. Question 3 One, there are a number of unknown risks that United States corporations will encounter. These unknown risks are also not predictable to experts. Two, IFRS offers little guidance on specified application and interpretation of the standards. This definite difference from existing practice will require corporations in United States to employ additional judgment in understanding specific standards and their purpose to the business activities of the corporations. Finally, even if the duration experienced by external auditors remains unchanged, more expert senior personnel may be needed to assess the corporations’ management application of verdict, thus, affecting the levera ge of audit engagements and staffing mix. Three techniques may be used to overcome these obstacles. One, there should be consistent and comprehensive accounting standards that communicate economic reality to a corporation. Two, a corporation should have sufficient corporate governance practices which will guarantee suitable internal controls and adequate execution of accounting standards. Finally, there should be effective and efficient audits which will allow external dependability to the information prepared by a corporation following referred standards (Ciesielski, 2008). Question 4 Two long-term conversion issues on accounting for leases by the lessees are leasehold improvements and percentage rent. Leasehold improvements are lastingly fixed

A report on how current provision Essay Example for Free

A report on how current provision Essay Each one of the early years educators has played an important role in setting the foundations that is the basis of the main curriculums and foundation frameworks in schools today. Maria Montessori believed in independence in nurseries and that children should be taught to use their senses first rather than just educating their intellect with subjects such as maths and science. These of course came later in the childrens education but the main focus within her nurseries was to develop observational skills through the environment and learning outdoors, and to provide the children with carefully organised preparatory activities rather than repetition as a means of developing competence in skills. Montessori believed children should be encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, enabling them to become more independent. The teaching practices of Maria Montessori have been highly influential on current practice as many specialised Montessori nurseries are currently running up and down the country. They promote her curriculum of independency and use many of her approaches to practice such as the idea that the childs freedom, dignity and independence are of paramount importance. In a typical Montessori nursery there is a general atmosphere of children doing things for themselves carefully and competently carrying furniture, setting tables, pouring drinks, washing their hands and following activities which absorb and interest them. This is, in some ways, a very different method to the practices used in government run nurseries etc. as they follow a more standard curriculum where reading and writing are encouraged more formally and learning plans set out at an early age. Some of this practice is reflected within my current placement through the childrens play such as tidying away independently at the end of activities and being responsible for making sure toys are put away before a new activity is begun. In my placement, when the children are told it is tidy up time they know they need to put everything away and must help clear up until the room is tidy. The practitioners join in with the tidying but do not do it for the children, so they are leading by example but are still allowing the children to think for themselves and take responsibility for putting away their own play equipment. During snack time I have also witnessed the children carrying their own chairs through if they are a few chairs short in the hall. This gives the children a sense of independence and is also a good way of developing their gross motor skills and co-ordination. In the key stage 1 classes children are encouraged to pour their own drinks and are given small jobs such as handing out the lunchboxes and folders at lunchtime and the end of the day. These are just a few ways that the children are encouraged to be independent within the school day as well as managing their own hygiene and dressing/undressing independently for a physical education activity. Part of the stepping stones within the foundation stage state that children should be encouraged to dress and undress independently and select and use activities and resources independently, which is exactly what I have witnessed in my previous and current placements. The birth to three matters framework has a similar view on independency as the emotional well-being guidelines for a child focuses on developing healthy independence e. g.activities which provide small steps to be achieved will support all children, including those with disabilities, thus reducing frustration and supporting them to become independent. These clear guidelines from the various frameworks and curriculums undoubtedly show the positive effect Maria Montessori has had on current practice, and that her theories have been widely acknowledged within teaching practice today. Rudolf Steiner set up the Waldorf schools where the main consideration is around practical activities that develop the mind and the imagination. The types of activities that Steiner introduced in his schools were things such as knitting, weaving, playing a musical instrument, woodcarving and painting. These are very much practical based activities and many are still carried on in schools today such as learning to play an instrument. This is seen as an important activity for children in the early years and lessons and clubs for this are seen as mainstream activities. Steiner believed that education should be designed to suit the changing needs of a child as they develop mentally, physically and emotionally. This can be seen in the current practices and provisions as there are different levels and stages of which a child can progress through at their own pace, such as the stepping stones in the birth to three matters and foundation stage curriculum. Each individual child is encouraged within their own abilities to progress with their education and onto the next levels of development and learning within todays practices, and Steiners approach has therefore been influential on many areas of the early years education. His ideas on allowing children to be taught by the same teacher for up to seven years have been adopted in some ways by secondary schools as a class is given the same form tutor for up to five years and then another for two years if they progress to higher education. He believed this was an effective way of giving children stability within schools, and the tutors would almost be like main carers for the children until they left school. Friedrich Froebels kindergarten is the modern day nursery, playgroup or parent and toddlers group. He wanted parents to be fully involved with their childrens learning and play an active role in their childs educational development. This was an important feature of Froebels vision and can be seen in current practices through parent/teacher evenings and the various reports and progress write ups that are sent home to parents from early years settings. The placement I am currently with send home termly reports explaining to parents and carers how their child is doing with regards to education and also to their social, emotional and physical well-being. Froebel believed the role of the mother was to recognise their childs capacity for learning and wanted to encourage the parents to support the children with this, and as you can see from the current approaches to this in early years settings his work has helped to develop the understanding of the importance of the role of a childs family in their learning and nurturing. This is now very much reflected in the governments recent every parent matters agenda. He also believed children learn through structured play at their readiness, in an organised and prepared learning environment. This is similar to the guidelines of the curriculums and frameworks we use today as children are taught through structured activities that are carried out in stimulating environments. The fact that activities and play is structured benefits the teachers immensely as they will always have a clear view of what they need to be teaching the children, and when and where they should be learning specific things. They are also able to plan the day effectively and help each child reach their early learning goals. Structured play benefits the children as they need routine so they know what their day will consist of, and are also able to develop their independent learning skills within a structured, focused and supportive environment. If a childs day has routine or structure to it they are able to feel in control of themselves as they will always know what they are going to be doing, and how much time they have for certain activities. The special materials that Froebel developed to assist his activities were things such as shaped wooden bricks and balls, with which he had a linking set of theories. These types of play resources are used throughout early years settings today. The foundation stage framework states that well planned play is a key way in which children learn with enjoyment and challenge. This clearly shows that Froebel and Isaacss theories have been influential towards current practice and benefit children and teachers through the education policies. I have seen these benefits first hand within my placement. The teachers have the opportunity to plan their lessons and the activities ahead and so are able to plan time for their own personal work and preparation for other lessons into the day, and can inform the children exactly what they will be doing that day, thus giving them a clear, structured routine they can easily follow. Children are able to choose freely within play activities yet each play resource is chosen carefully and all of them can relate to either a certain topic they are doing ect.so the childrens learning of a certain subject can be carried on through their play. The foundation stage curriculum states that well planned play, both indoors and outdoors, is a key way in which young children learn with enjoyment and challenge. Froebels theories have, from this example, been the basis of many of the curriculums ideas on play, and making it structured also allows the teachers to plan and resource a challenging environment that will extend the childrens learning. The curriculum also states that practitioners should be supporting childrens learning through planned play activities, extending and supporting childrens spontaneous play and extending and developing childrens language and communication in their play. Many of these requirements would not be possible if play was not planned or structured, as practitioners would not know what resources the children would be using during the day, and so would not be able to make assessments effectively or develop and extend the childrens learning to their full potential. Froebels theories and early years work mean practitioners and children can benefit from play immensely. Children; in all areas of their development, and practitioners; as it enables them to focus their assessments thus informing future planning to better meet the needs of the children. Margaret McMillan was another early years educator who has inspired and influenced many of the current provisions and practices used today. Her main emphasis was on fresh air, exercise and nourishment, and still influences some aspects of current English nursery practice. Many early years settings regard outdoor play as an important aspect of a childs learning, and gardens and play areas are available for the children at either frequent intervals throughout the day, for a substantial amount of time (as can be seen in the placement I am currently at), or constant access is given. McMillan recognised that imagination is good for society as a whole, an idea that is seen in the educational reforms of the 20th century, and can be clearly seen in the practices within her nurseries today. She believed that children are active learners, meaning they learn whilst doing something (usually playing), a concept that has been brought into current practices as practical activities that involve moving about or using some kind of resource, and especially general play, is now much more emphasised in early years settings than it previously was. Rudolph Steiner also believed that practical play activities were a good developer of the imagination. His Waldorf schools concentrated on activities such as wood-work, knitting and playing musical instruments, which are now mainstream subjects in secondary and primary schools e. g. design technology, which covers all creative areas, and music. Children can develop their creativity, imagination and emotional development through music as well as many other areas of personal learning. Teachers are able to apply their own skills in these creative areas and demonstrate to the children how they can achieve what they are aiming for. By seeing their teachers own personal skill first hand the children will be able to respect and learn from practitioners in a more understanding way. Susan Isaacs was also a believer that play is central to learning, and also that parents/carers are seen as partners, working with teachers and their child to develop and support their childs abilities. This is similar to Froebels theories on parent/teacher relationships in the way that he saw parents as the main educators of young children. This concept is still clearly seen in the practices of early years settings as parents are encouraged to be involved in every aspect of a childs learning, and have the opportunity to work with the teacher in developing their childs abilities. This benefits the children and the parents as both can create a bond with each other through the education of the child, and the parent will be able to understand more fully how their child learns best and how to encourage and support them if they are struggling. Play is still seen as central to learning and parents/carers are seen as partners in helping their child progress through the stepping stones. In my current placement children are given ample time throughout the day to have free play and choose to do whatever interests them. The day is structured (as Froebel believed it should be) so they still have time set aside for number work and writing activities, but are not pushed to complete the more intellectual side of the work as play and active learning are the most emphasised activities throughout the childrens day. This benefits the child in the way that they will have a break from concentrating on the more intellectual side of things and be able to relax, whilst still learning through structured play and various activities. Having the ability to choose will keep them interested in learning about writing and reading as they will feel they are not being forced to learn about them. Friedrich Froebel introduced the idea of structured play and fully involving parents with their childrens learning. His work has been extensively influential on current practice in early years settings today as the basic framework and curriculums that guide children through their learning are based around his ideas about how children should be working with their parents and how carers should be involved in all aspects of their childs learning and development through school, and how children should learn at their own pace and be guided instead of pushed towards their learning goals. The national curriculum states that teachers are required to report  annually to parents on pupils progress through their learning goals. Parents also have a say in whether their children are included in religious education classes and sex education, and are given the right to withdraw their children from it or go to the classes with their children to guide them through it. Secondary and primary schools send home letters to parents informing them when classes such as these will be taking place, and permission slips are enclosed so the school know which children can take part in the classes and which cannot. My current placement sends home a daily report on each child so the parents can see their childs routine for the day including what they played with, how long they slept for, what and how much they ate during the day and generally how they got on. This gives the parents a clear understanding of how their child is getting on in the nursery and allows them to give feedback to the practitioners so they can work together to ensure the child is reaching their full potential in all areas of development. This clearly shows that Froebels ideology of parents being involved in childrens learning has been taken into early years settings today and has had a positive effect on current learning and the guidelines in the curriculum. Parent and toddler groups are also a popular class for parents to attend when their children are young. They allow parents to be fully involved with their childs play, and as children learn most substantially through play this gives the parents a better insight as to how their children learn and what stimulates them most effectively. They can then use this knowledge to help progress their childs learning at home. The foundation stage has the same principles as the national curriculum in the way that parents are encouraged to become involved with their childs learning throughout and to work with the practitioners to extend the childrens learning both in the classroom and at home. According to the foundation stage curriculum, when parents and practitioners work together in early years settings the results have a positive impact on the childs development and learning, therefore each setting should seek to develop an effective partnership with parents. This was one of Froebels main theories  within early years and so current practice has clearly been influenced by this and has expanded on his views to make sure parents, practitioners and children can benefit from his work. Practitioners can listen to any concerns parents have over their childs development and then work with them to find an appropriate solution to the problem. Froebel also recognised the importance of specific training for early childhood teachers. He believed that early years teachers needed more focused training as the early stages of a childs development and education formed the basis of their personalities and eagerness to learn in the future. This may have some contribution to the fact that early years practitioners must undergo specific training in order to become qualified to work in early years settings, such as NNEBs, NVQs and BTECs. My opinion of Froebels work and the research I have done on his theories is that his work has been the most influential on current practice due to the fact that most of his work has been combined with, and been the main basis for many of the guidelines in the curriculums and frameworks used in early years today. The emphasis on active learning is well established within early years settings, but combined with the current guidance from central government upon meeting targets, it is indicated by the inspection of early years settings that play-based learning is not a priority, though the training of practitioners, which Froebel believed was essential, has received considerable attention in recent years, and current practice is now trying to catch up with the ideas Froebel proposed. The role of the mother in childrens learning is not as Froebel expounded due to mothers of young children being encouraged to work rather than stay at home. Teaching and nurturing children in the home is regarded as less effective or desirable than education in more formal, out of home settings, though the parents as partners scheme initiated by the government throughout the curriculums gives parents and practitioners a way of communicating and working together to help the child, so in this way I think his ideas on parents being involved in childrens learning has been responsible for this being put into practice. Friedrich Froebels theories have, in my opinion, been the most influential on early years practitioners, and their approach to practice is guided by many of his ideas and concepts on how children should be learning. His work surrounding the kindergarten (the first form of modern day nursery) produced the framework and theories that practitioners work with and expand on in current practice and so in my opinion his work has had the most effective influence on todays early years educators and their practice, and this evidence suggests his work will continue to be explored and expanded on within the curriculums and frameworks for years to come. Bibliography†¢Bruce T learning through play: babies, toddlers and the foundation years, (2201), Hoddler and Stoughton†¢Tassoni P, BTEC early years (2nd edition), (2006) Heinemann†¢Bruce T, Time to play in early childhood education (1991), Hoddler and Stoughton.

The tragedy of Antigone Essay Example for Free

The tragedy of Antigone Essay The tragedy of Antigone is the culmination of Sophocles’ line of troubles for the Oedipan line, beginning with the unmasking of the King’s tragic secret. The last tale of the doomed Theban family, however, was different from the other two stories; here, the main theme was not the unfolding of tragedy as willed by fate, but a defiant challenge to mortal pride. Antigone faced Creon to challenge the dishonorable sentence to her brother, and also to unmask the pride by which the Theban King defied the gods. Dante’s Divine Comedy follows a similar theme: driven by the despair of wrath and pride, the poet-pilgrim is led by the spirit of Virgil through the recesses of his soul to see first-hand the ugliness of sin and pride that moves his despair. Through analysis of the two stories, it will be revealed that they share similar devices in narrative, and a common theme: Mortal Pride blinds its owner, turns it against those he holds dear, and offends the Divine. The first recognizable similarity between the two stories lies in the role of the women in unmasking the folly of mortal pride. Antigone begins in the aftermath of a great battle and the decision of the Theban King, Creon, to disgrace the dead of the besieged and withhold the honor of proper burial. Antigone represented divine admonition and retribution, in her defiance of the law forbidding the burial (Watling, 1959, p. 125). The purpose was two-fold: one was to give redeem the lost honor of her brother, who was one of the doomed, and the other to dare the King to do his worst and in so doing, and thus expose the extent of his folly. The heroine of Dante’s Divine Comedy is Beatrice, who, seeing the despair and error that Dante found himself in, sent for the ancient writer Virgil to guide him through Inferno into the gates of Paradise (Ciardi, 1960, pp. 28-30). This journey through the bowels of Inferno represents the soul’s examination of self, revealing that at the center of the blackness of his despair was sin, and at the core of that was pride. Beatrice is fulfilling the same two-fold purpose that Antigone bore for herself: she wished to redeem Dante, by exposing the folly of his own pride. The devices of both stories are also similar in their approach to curbing mortal pride: initially there is the advice of Reason, and then the chastisement by the Divine. King Creon is approached by his son, Haemon, in the hopes in him seeing the error of his ways (Watling, 1959, pp. 143-147). His careful admonition of speaking for Creon’s benefit and that he could still admit to his mistake, is similar in Virgil’s firm but gentle handling of Dante, as the latter is led through the depths of Hell and the scourges of Purgatory. Mortal pride, in both stories, has blinded too much the protagonist; Creon would not heed to the warnings of his son, and would even trade barbs with the blind prophet Teiresias (Watling, 1959, p. 154). Similarly, throughout Dante’s journey through the nightmarish landscape of the Inferno, he could see tormented souls who are too blinded by their pride to realize the gravity of their sins and its consequences. One memorable scene is in Inferno’s Canto VII, where, in the dregs of a swamp, the souls who were wrathful in their lives continue to tear each apart even in Hell. There is also Vanni Fucci’s defiant cry to God in Canto XXV of Inferno, in the midst of his torment from vipers (Ciardi, 1960, pp. 75, 213). Even Dante himself, later in Purgatorio’s Canto XIII, admits of continuing lapse to pride, despite the horrors he had to face in Inferno (Ciardi, 1960, pp. 143-144). Mortal pride, however, eventually shrinks before the glare of Divine wrath, the second and more effective narrative device used to quelling the former. Teiresias, having been rebuffed in his gentle words of advice to Creon, reveals the extent of Heaven’s curse. His final barb at the King (â€Å"Let us leave him to vent his anger on younger ears/Or school his mind and tongue to a milder mood†) exposes Creon’s fury for what it is: nothing before the eyes of the Divine (Watling, 1959, pp. 154-155). Beatrice, in a similar office, released righteous fury upon a Dante that seemed to have gotten off easy in Hell and Purgatory—incidentally at the same time that Virgil finally leaves him. Dante, suddenly naked before Divine Wrath, swoons in grief and guilt (Ciardi, 1959, pp. 304-307, 310-313). Thus, the two stories share the same lesson: Pride that is defiant before the Law of the Divine eventually is humbled against Righteous Wrath. Thus is Antigone the same with the Divine Comedy. Through the device of Reason (Haemon in the former, Virgil in the latter), the Divine sought to redeem the soul caught in the despair of pride. The act of pride is exposed for its absurdity, and the sinner shrinks before the realization of the extent of his error. Pride, that it may be scourged from its wielder, is then met with the punishment of the Divine. Creon faced it in the multiple tragedies of son, mother and would-be daughter-in-law. Dante, though, could not yet suffer this burden as he was still alive (though Beatrice’s denunciations would have sufficed), but he could at least see it from the Proud preparing themselves in Purgatorio, as was illustrated in Canto X (Ciardi, 1960, p. 115-117). The sins of Mortal Pride are not thrust upon Man by fate, but it is taken up by choice. It is a grotesque thing that blinds its possessor and thus in turn possesses him. Only by seeing clearly how small, insignificant, and foolish it is and how it hurts those held dear, can it be overthrown and the soul thus redeemed.

The Industrialised Building System

The Industrialised Building System This chapter will explain in details and provide the literature review of Industrialised Building System (IBS). Besides that, it will also cover the literature review of building system. Usually, the contents of this chapter are including definitions of IBS, history of IBS in public housing, types of IBS, benefits and barriers of using IBS in public housing, classification of IBS, characteristic of IBS, IBS Roadmap 2003-2010 and IBS scoring system. 2.1 Definitions of IBS Until the present time there has been no single commonly-approved definition of IBS. IBS can be different industry players to define different things. However, there are difference resources to define the several definitions that reflected the concept of IBS which widely accepted by the construction industry. According to CIDB Malaysia (2001) defines IBS as a construction technique in which components are manufactured in a controlled environment (on or off site), transported, positioned and assembled into a structure with minimal additional site works. As such, components that are being prefabricated in a controlled environment on site are also considered as IBS. While there are numerous descriptions of the IBS concept by local researchers, all of the definitions stressed on prefabrication and mass production. In other definition by Warswaski (1999), the IBS can be defined in which all building such as walls, slabs, beams, columns and staircases are mass produced either in factory or at site factory under strict quality control and minimal wet site activities. Industrialisation process is an investment in equipment, facilities and technology with the objective of maximising production output, minimizing labour resource and improving quality while a building system is defined as a set 10 of interconnected element that joint together to enable the designated performance of a building. Based on Lessing et al (2005) explained IBS as an integrated manufacturing and construction process with well planned organization for efficient management, preparation and control over resources used, activities and results supported by the used of highly developed components. Rahman et al (2006) defined IBS as a construction system that is built using pre-fabricated components. The manufacturing of the components is systematically done using machine, formworks and other forms of mechanical equipment. The components are manufactured offsite and once completed will be delivered to construction sites for assembly and erection. 2.2 History of IBS in public housing IBS in Malaysia has began in early 1960s when Ministry of Housing and Local Government of Malaysia visited several European countries, at the same time evaluates their housing development program. (Thanoon et al, 2003). In the year 1964 and after their successful visit, the Government had launched pilot project on using IBS to speed up the delivery time and built affordable and quality houses. The first pilot project was constructed at Jalan Pekeliling in Kuala Lumpur and about 22.7 acres of land was dedicated to the project comprising four blocks of 4-storey flats and seven blocks of 17-storey flats and comprising total about 3,000 units of low cost flats for the low and median income group and 40 units of shop lots. This public housing project was undertaken by Gammon/ Larsen Nielsen and this project are using the Danish System of large panels in a industrialised prefabricated system. The construction for public housing project was complete from 1966 until 1968 (around total 27 months) including the time taken in the construction of the around RM 2.5 million casting yard at Jalan Damansara (Thanoon et al, 2003). In 1965, the Government of Malaysia launched a second project, is a three blocks of 18-storey flats and six blocks of 17-storey flats and comprising total about 3,699 units and 66 units of shop lots along at Jalan Rifle Range in Penang. The public housing project was awarded to Hochtief/ Chee Seng and this project are using French Estoit System (Din, 1984). This public housing project was complete within 27 months. If we are reference to the two pilot projects, a performance comparison between the IBS and the conventional system has been carried in terms of cost, productivity, quality, and time. According to the research, the first pilot project incurred 8.1% higher costs than a similar building and using conventional construction method, while the second pilot project was lower. In term of total construction speed, both of the public housing project required total 27 months to complete the whole project, inclusive of time required to set up the recasting factories. The total quality of building finishes was also found to be better than the using conventional construction method. Another earliest using IBS in public housing project was at Taman Tun Sardon in Penang. These using IBS in public housing project total all about 1,000 units of 5-storey walk up flat and this project are using IBS precast component and system. The IBS precast component and system in the housing project was designed to the low cost housing by British Research Establishment and especially for the low and median income group. According to the research of Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) 2006, almost at the same time at Edmonton in North London, there are using similar system was constructed and total amount about 20,000 BRECAST dwellings were constructed throughout UK from 1964 until 1974. The total all building design was very basic and quite simple and not considering the aspect of serviceability such as the local or user needs to have wet toilet and bathroom (Rahman and Omar, 2006). According to the CIDB (2006), many constructions in the following years using precast wall panel system. Low cost high rise residential building is one of the processes to observe that IBS was engage at first place in the construction to overcome the increasing demand for public housing needs. For all that, in the earlier stage was never sustained for the industrialisation of construction. Failure of early closed fabricated system made the industry afraid of changing their construction method. The information was based on the CIDB (2005), using IBS in construction were also found not be so suitable with Malaysia climate and social practices especially for the foreign systems that were introduced during the late 60s and 70s. Introduced than in the market were constantly being newer and better technologies. Based on CIDB (2005), identified to be more suitable to be used in our tropical climate is the wet joint systems and it was also better to using in the bathroom types which were relatively wetter than those in the Europe. Another about 1200 units of housing using prefabrication technology were is launched by the Penang State Government in 1978. After two years later, the Ministry of Defense to be build around 2800 units of living quarters and adopted large prefabricated panel construction system in Lumut Naval Base (Trikha and Ali, 2004). Increase the using of precast concrete system in high rise residential building during the 90s; this is because total demand for the new township has seen to increase. According to the research, Perbadaan Kemajuan Negari Selangor (PKNS) as a state Government development agency acquired precast concrete technology from Praton Haus International based on Germany to build low cost houses and high cost bungalows between 1981 and 1993 for the new townships in Selangor (Hassim et al, 2009 and National IBS Survey, 2003). It was recorded then; total around 52,000 housing units was constructed and using Praton Haus system. In this booming period of Malaysia construction 1994 to 1997, hybrid IBS application used in many national iconic landmarks such as Petronas Twin Towers (steel beams and steel decking for the floor system). In Malaysian construction industry, the use of IBS as a method of construction is evolving. Nowadays, more local manufacturers have established themselves in the market. Many had acquired enough knowledge through technology transfer to build up own capacity in IBS technologies and this research are base on PKNS Engineering, and Setia Precast and Global Globe. The current stage of IBS used in Malaysia housing projects can be classified into four categories such as large panel systems, steel frame, precast frame and formwork system. It was reported that at least 21 manufactures and suppliers of IBS are actively promoting their systems in Malaysia. IBS move to the next step of the development through the establishment of IBS Centre at Jalan Chan Sow Lin, Cheras in Kuala Lumpur. Using IBS in the construction is to improve the total performance and quality in construction, as well as to minimize the unskilled foreign labour in the construction market. 2.3 Classification of Building System There are four types of building system currently available in Malaysias building system classification and this are according to Badir Razali (1998). The building system can be namely as a Conventional Column-beam- slab frame system with timber and plywood; Cast in-situ system with steel or aluminium as formwork; the Composite building system and Prefabricated system and this four types of building system is shown as below. Each building system is represented by its respective construction method which is further characterised by its construction technology, functional and geometrical configuration. There from the four systems, are identified as IBS excluding conventional building system. Building System Conventional Column-beam- slab frame system with timber and plywood. Cast in-situ system with steel or aluminium as formwork. Composite building system Prefabricated system Table Form Tunnel Form Panel system Frame system Box system Flow Chart 1: Type of building system in Malaysia. 2.3.1 Conventional Construction Method Conventional construction method is defined as components of the building that are prefabricated on site through the processes of timber or plywood formwork installation, steel reinforcement, and cast in-situ. This construction method is mostly built of reinforced concrete frames for conventional building. Using the wooden formwork mainly is for the traditional construction method and need take some time to construct the formwork before concreting. This construction method is much more costly for construction which is need includes total labour requirement, raw material, transportation and very importance once is low speed of construction. 2.3.2 Cast In-Situ Construction Method This cast in-situ construction method is more suitable for a country where the unskilled labour is limited. There construction method is not a using heavy machinery or high technology involved. The system is technically and applicable to almost all types of building design. The formwork is used as a mould where wet concrete is poured into a temporary system. The temporary system also acts as a temporary support for the structures. The main objective of a cast in-situ construction method is to weed out and reduce the using traditional site-based trades like traditional timber formwork, brickwork, plastering and to reduce foreign workers requirement. A carefully planned in-situ work can maximise the productivity, speed and accuracy of prefabricated construction. Cast in-situ method uses lightweight prefabricated formwork made of steel or fibreglass or aluminium that is easily erected and dismantled. The steel reinforcement is placed within the formwork after finishes construct the formwork. After placing the reinforcement they are being erected and concrete is poured into the mould. When the concrete is set and according to the required strength, the moulds are dismantled. The workers can be easily trained to erect the moulds and set the steel reinforcement. These construction methods are required limited labour and it will reduce the total labour need. Its advantages over the conventional construction method in clude, low skill requirement, speedy construction, low building maintenance, durable structure and less construction cost. 2.3.3 Composite Construction Method The main objectives of composite construction method or call partially prefabricated are to improve quality of components, reduce construction cost, and shorten total all construction time. It is used to describe a manufacturing or production strategy that selectively uses some industrialising aspects, while avoiding or postponing the use of others. The concept of composite construction method is derived from the composite nature of full industrialisation. The prefabricated construction method is combined in such a manner that the features applied could be prominently demonstrated, especially composing various works such as temporary facilities, building frames, building finishes, and equipments. 2.3.4 Prefabricated Construction Method In this prefabricated construction method, all structural elements can be standardised are prefabricated in the factory. Usually, this construction method would involve the assembly of precast elements such as floor slabs, in-filled walls, bathrooms, staircases, and etc. into place for incorporation into the main units, columns and beams. This method of construction will increase the productivity of the industry and it will reduce the amount of site labour involved in building operations. Precast building systems can overall reduce the duration of a project if certain conditions are met. The last three construction methods (from the flow chart 1) are considered as a non conventional construction methods. These types of construction are specifically aimed at increasing performance of construction. Through the use of better construction machinery, equipment, technology and materials and it will increase the productivity and total quality of work. 2.4 Classification of IBS and Apply to Public Housing According to Badir et al. (1998), IBS can be classified according to several aspects:- Classification according to structural system. Classification according to material. Classification according to relative weight of components. 2.4.1 Classification According to Structural System According to Abraham Warszawski (1999), IBS can be classified according structural systematic aspects. IBS can be classifies into three categories as:- Frame System. Panel system. Boxes system. Figure 1, 2, and 3 shows the concept of the system as classified above. Figure 2: Panel System Figure 3: Box System Figure : Frame System 2.4.1.1 Frame System According to Badir (1998), linear and frame system is system that use main structure such as column and beam where columns and beams support all the building weight. The walls need to be light and easy to install and concrete panels are introduces as flooring element. 2.4.1.2 Panel System According to Badir (1998), in panel system, loads are distributed through large floor and wall panels where walls support the building weight. This system is applicable to buildings which functionally require a large number of walls such as apartment house, hotel and hospital. This system is not applicable to buildings with large spans or many stories. 2.4.1.3 Box System According to Badir (1998), the rectangular or three dimensional systems or boxes system include those systems that employ three dimensional modules or boxes for fabrication of habitable units that is capable of withstanding load from various directions due to their internal stability. 2.4.2 Classification According to Material 2.4.2.1 Timber The timber have a two types of prefabrication which is ready-cut plus shop fabrication of joints this mostly for the columns and beams and another is structural panels where there are only for walls and floors without columns and beams. 2.4.2.2 Brick and Block work Laying of brick or block work are carried out in a mass at factory and transported to site or on site construction. Besides the, building are under construction in the form of panel and then erected. 2.4.2.3 Steel Steel construction essentially contains factors of prefabrication which is one of the criteria of IBS. Elements are jointed by welding, riveting or bolting on site. The large proportion of the strength to the weight allows a long-span or high-rise building. 2.4.2.4 Reinforced Concrete There are two basic directions in development of reinforced concrete IBS component which is panelised components such as walls and floors and precast frame members such as columns and beams. The characteristic of reinforced concrete has high degree of availability, low material cost, durability, and fire resistance. Jointing at site is the key issue of this system. 2.4.3 Classification According to Relative Weight of Component The IBS components can be classified according to their relative weight as show in Table 1 below. Relative to weight of component should be used as a basic for building classification due to the factor of weight has significant impact on the transportability of components and has influence on the production method of the components and their erection method on site. No General System System Production Material 1 Frame System Light weight frame Wood, light gage metals Medium light weight frame Metal, reinforced plastics, laminated wood Heavy weight frame Heavy steel, concrete 2 Panel system Light and medium weight panel Wood frame, metal frame and composite material Heavy weight panel (factory produced) Concrete Heavy weight panel (tilt up-produced on site) Concrete 3 Box system (modules) Medium weight box (mobile) Wood frame, light gage metal, composite Medium weight box (sectional) Wood frame, light gage metal, composite Heavy weight box (factory produced) Concrete Heavy box (tunnel produced on site) Concrete Table 1: Building system classification according to relative weight of component. (Majzub, 1977) According to CIDB (2003), the IBS is a construction process that using techniques, products, components, or building system which involve prefabricated components and on-site installation. Base on the structure aspects of the system, IBS can be identified into five major groups:- Precast Concrete Framing, Panel and Box Systems Precast concrete elements are the most common type in this area. There are precast concrete for columns, beams, slabs, walls, lightweight precast concrete, and permanent concrete formwork. This all item are consider using precast method. Besides that, it is also consist of 3D components such as balconies, staircases, toilets, lift chamber, refuse chambers and etc. This precast method is more famous for the construction industry, especially for the public housing when construct using the IBS. Using this method can saving the total construction time if compare to the using conventional method. Figure 4: Precast concrete wall Steel Formwork Systems This is the system formwork which designed by manufacturer to replace a conventional timber formwork. It can be described as a mould which the wet concrete can be poured into the mould and form the required shape. These steel formworks systems are subjected to structural quality control and generally involve site casting. So, this type of IBS method is considered as the low level or least prefabrication in the construction industry. However, this steel formwork systems does offer fast construction and construction time saving and at the same time will provide high quality of finishes with less site labour and material requirement. These steel formwork systems will include table forms, tunnel forms, tilt-up systems, beam and columns moulding forms and permanent steel formworks like metal decks and etc. This steel formwork system also one of the famous system used by the contractor during the construction. Figure 5: Steel formwork system Steel Framing Systems These steel framing systems have always been the popular choice and used extensively in the fast track construction projects and this system commonly used with precast concrete slabs, steel columns and beams. Current stage of development in this type of IBS includes the increased usage of light steel trusses. It is consisting of cost-effective profiled cold-formed channels and steel portal frame systems as alternatives to the heavier traditional hot-rolled sections. Nowadays, this method are more useful for the housing project, especially apply for the steel roof trusses (show as below figure 6). This is because the timber roof trusses need the labour to take some time to construct it and lastly need the anti-termite for the timber roof trusses. Figure 6: Steel roof trusses Prefabricated Timber Framing Systems. These prefabricated timber framing systems is using the timber in the construction industry for construct building. Usually the timber framing system are consists of timber building frames and timber roof trusses (show as below figure 7). While the steel framing systems have been the more popular choice on construction industry, but the timber roof truss system also have its own market where it is offering interesting designs from simple dwelling units to buildings requiring high aesthetical values such as chalets for resorts. This prefabricated timber framing system we can see in the traditional building. Figure 7: Prefabricated timber framing system for double storey house Block Work Systems. By using this effective alternative system, the tedious and time-consuming traditional brick laying tasks are greatly simplified. The construction method of using conventional bricks has been revolutionized by the development and usage of interlocking concrete masonry units (CMU) and lightweight concrete blocks and etc. This is one of the more useful methods to construct the low cost public housing project. Figure 8: Lightweight concrete blocks are used for wall construction Characteristics of IBS for public housing According to Warszawski (1999), the main features of an IBS are as follows:- As many of the building elements are prefabricated off site, at a central facility, where specialized equipment and organization can be established for this purpose. The various building works are incorporated into large prefabricated assemblies with minimum erection, jointing and finishing work onsite. Materials and component handling onsite is extensively mechanized; in concrete work, large standard steel forms, ready-mixed concrete, and concrete pumps are used. Design, production, and erection onsite are strongly interrelated. They must be viewed therefore as parts of an integrated process which has to be planned and coordinated accordingly. According to CIDB (2001), IBS has its own characteristics which are differ itself from conventional method. There characteristics of IBS are as follows:- Industrial production of components though prefabrication; or highly mechanized in situ processes. Reduced labour during prefabrication of components and site works. Modern design and manufacturing methods which has the involvement of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). Systematic Quality Control such as ISO 9000 principles. Open Building concept where it is permitting hybrid applications, adaptable to standardization and Modular Coordination (MC). Advantages of IBS for public housing There are many advantages of implementing IBS. According to CIDB (2003), compares to conventional construction method. Following are brief descriptions on a number of advantages where using IBS for the public housing:- Advantages Description Less total construction time. Using IBS will making the construction process faster. Because casting of precast element at factory and foundation work at site can occur simultaneously and work at site is only the erection of IBS components. So, the project can complete much earlier that using conventional method and handover to the owners. Cost saving. Faster to the turnover of working capital and also save in the lifecycle costs of the finished buildings. The formwork of IBS components are made of steel, aluminums or other materials that allows for repetitive use and this leads to considerable cost savings. Using IBS will reduce the construction wastage and increasing the cost saving. Saving in labour. Because the IBS components are produced in factory and higher degree of using machine so the use of labour will be reduced and lead to saving in labour cost. According to Abraham Warszawski (1999), the labour savings in prefabricated elements may amount to about 80% of their conventional requirement. So, will reduced the total foreign workers need in the construction industry. Less labour at site. Using IBS will reduce the construction process at site and consequently reduce the number of labour required at site. Using the IBS will saving of the labour in the masonry, plastering, formwork, tiling and pipe laying such as electrical and water supply at site. Optimised use of materials. Using machine during the production of IBS components lead to higher degree of precision and accuracy in the production and consequently reduce material wastage. So, the wastage at site will be reduced if using the IBS. High quality and better finishes. Quality control is an ever-increasing requirement in all construction. Due to the careful selection of materials and use advanced technology, so the IBS components will provide higher quality and better finishes. Better quality control since production in factory is under sheltered environment. Better quality will reduce the maintenance expenses because prefabricated components require less repair and preventive maintenance. Construction operation less affected by weather. The effects of weather on construction operation are less due to the fabrication of IBS components is done in factory while at site is only erection of the components. Faster project completion due to rapid all weather construction. Flexibility. Different systems may produce their own unique prefabrication construction methods. IBS will provide more flexibility in the design of precast element. Increase site safety and neatness. This method will lead to the neater site condition and increase safety. Using IBS components leads to less construction process especially for the wet work at site. Disadvantages of IBS for public housing Although there are a lot of advantages of IBS, however there are limitations for this system to be use too. Nothing in this world is perfect, so as using IBS. Disadvantages of IBS are as follows:- Advantages Description High initial capital cost. The initial capital cost of IBS is usually higher that conventional method. The initial cost is including the cost of constructing the factory, casting beds and support machinery. This method only can be achieved when undertaking large demand for public is housing projects. Problem of joints. These method are very sensitive to the errors and sloppy work. This joint problem will be the water leakage and is often the major problem in building constructed where using IBS. This problem is clearer in Malaysia where raining occur rapidly throughout the year. Sophisticated plants and skilled operators. The prefabrication system relies heavily on sophisticated plants, which have to be well coordinated and maintained by skilled operators. Breakdown in any one section would hold-up the entire production line. Site accessibility. Site accessibility is one of the most important factors of the implementation of IBS. IBS requires adequate site accessibility to transport IBS components from factory to the site. According to Abraham Warszawski (1999), the transportations cost of prefabricated elements from plant to their construction site, amount to 3% to 5% of their total cost for distances not exceeding 50km to 100km. Large working area. Building construction using IBS requires a large working area for the factory, trailers, tower-cranes and storage for the IBS components. Most construction sites especially in cities are often congested and unable to provide the area required. Hence, prefabrication is at disadvantage when asked to complete for work at locations far from the fabrication yard. Table 2 shows as the relative advantages and disadvantages of industrialization under various conditions. Table 2: Relative advantages and disadvantage of industrialization under various conditions. IBS Roadmap 2003-2010 Prefabricated construction in Malaysia started way back almost fourth years ago with the completion of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Public Housing Estate or commonly known as the Pekeliling Flats. No proper plan was formulated by the government for the industrialisation of construction and until the inception of the IBS Roadmap 2003-2010. This is a master plan to facilitate the transformation the Malaysian construction sector was formulated with inputs from industry and endorsed by the Cabinet back in October 2003. Known as the Industrialised Building System (IBS) Roadmap 2003-2010, the master plan is based on the 5-M Strategy (Manpower, Materials-Components-Machines, Management-Processes-Methods, Monetary economic and financial and Marketing promotion) with the target of having an industrialised construction industry as well as achieving Open Building by the year 2010. The transformation of the construction sector is crucial in ensuring the successful achievement of Vision 2020. The objectives of IBS Roadmaps 2003-2010 are:- To reduce the percentages of foreign workers from the current stage is 75% to 55% in 2005, 25% for 2007 and 15% for 2009. Increasing the percentages of using IBS for the Government Building Project from the 30% to 50% for 2006 and 70% for 2008. To increasing the quality, productivity, safety and competitiveness in the construction sector. To reduce the total percentages of foreign workers especially involved in wet trades. Using modular co-ordination (MC) based on MS 1064 through Undang-undang Kecil Bangunan Seragam (UKB

Essay --

The term ‘market failure’ refers to the quantity of products required by consumers not being equal to the quantity supplied by the suppliers; this could mean that the quantity of products demanded are too high and there is a lack of supplies or that quantity of products demanded are too low and there is a surplus in supplies. The Government in this case plays a significant role in order to control the fluctuation of quantity demanded and supplied in many ways in relation to public goods, merit goods, externalities and imperfect competition. Public goods are provided by the Government, for example street lights. They are non-excludability goods because it cannot be provided to only those who pay for it through taxes so those who have no paid for this can still benefit from this good. If public goods like the street light were left for us to pay individually (like a private good that can only be used if paid for) there would be less public goods available. The Governments role in this department is to make sure a suitable level of public goods is provided. The government intervenes in this by taxing workers, organisations and consumers which result in public revenue. Public revenue can then be used on public goods to ensure enough of it is provided. Another example of a public good is public parks and the fire department that the government provide. Merit goods are different compared to Public goods; they are goods that the government need to interfere in as it would be under-consumed if they did not. They are provided both by public and private sectors. Education and the National Health Service (NHS) are Merit goods. If education was left for us to fully pay for it, then there would be less educated people due to the lack of fina... ... in supplies meets the demand. The increase in supplies was encouraged by offering high wages and salaries to farmers so this overall improved their income. This policy still present today works as agricultural workers being financed mainly through the CAP’s single farm payment which is given yearly to aid the farmer’s work. It now also includes care for environmental pollution, animal welfare and biodiversity. Farmers now being paid through the Single Payment Scheme have set rules they must achieve in order to receive the payment. Farmers gaining the payment have the option to produce any goods on their land however they must also keep their land in good condition and maintain this condition. If the farmer fails to do so, the payment they regularly gain will be lower. In relation to their condition of their land, animal welfare and the environment must be valued.

Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuels Essay -- Environment Pollution Es

Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels cause pollution, smog, and the greenhouse effect. Fossil fuels really do negatively impact our environment, especially when it comes to global warming, Although there is controversy over whether or not fossil fuels are causing the planet to warm, or whether it is warming naturally, there is significant research that supports the former hypothesis. When fossil fuels are burned, they emit different levels of carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels has increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by a staggering twenty- five percent. It has also been implied that fossil fuels are associated with increased levels of nitrous oxide and methane, although they are not the main sources of these gasses. Carbon dioxide is a gas that traps heat in our atmosphere, and helps keep the planet at livable temperature. However, climatologists are now predicting that if the levels of carbon dioxide continue to increase, the temperature will rise and a number of different impacts can or will occur (Union). Among the many possible impacts of global warming, are more extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and the melting of glaciers. However, while researching, I stumbled upon a site that showed possible impacts, and where they would be most likely to occur. The key to the map had two different categories, â€Å"Harbingers†, and â€Å"Fingerprints†. Harbingers are â€Å"events that fores...

Elian Gonzalez :: essays research papers

The swarms of rumors and tons of media coverage form a shaded cloud around one boy, his name Elian Gonzalez. Elian has been crowded by cameras , flashes and political leaders all poking at his future. I believe that Elian should go home to Cuba where he could live peacefully out of the American media's blood hound reporters camera flashes and editorials. Elian's father and his family should be able to come to terms and decide on the fate of this young child. He is just being used as a puppet in the political war between Castro's Communism and Clinton's Democracy.I wish that the people of Miami would realize that Elian should not be given special rights to gain entrance to America. Since I have been to Cuba I am sure that there are many other people that would like to be able to travel and stay in America. That is not possible for them they are not cute enough or the center of a political debate therefore , Elian should be sent back to prove that he is a normal citizen and that every one in society is an equal.This debate over his location has gone much to far. The boy was taken out by force because the Miami residents would not give him up with out a fight. There were riots in the streets where senseless behavior the smashing cars and destruction throughout the streets of Little Havana. What does this solve? Nothing only people's valuables being destroyed which has nothing to do with the fight for Elian. That is exactly what it is no longer a peaceful discussion but a verbal and physical fight to decide this child's life.If this boy who is almost looked upon as a so called gift from god had been dealt with like every other illegal immigrant he would be merely sent back across the ocean he came across back to his native home of Cuba.