Portrayal of Australian Mining Towns Essay Example for Free

Portrayal of Australian Mining Towns Essay Arthur Boyd and Oodgeroo, formally known as Kath Walker, both effectively depict their own view of Australia through the painting â€Å"The Mining Town† and the poem â€Å"The Time Is Running Out. † They each present slightly differing interpretations of the country based upon their altered perspectives and context. Arthur Boyd presents a vivid and vibrant life of an Australian mining town of 1920 through his painting while Kath Walker aggressively portrays an outraged view of what Australia has become violently outlining the damages caused by European settlement. In Kath Walkers poem â€Å"time is running out† she uses a passionate and forceful tone allowing it to illustrate an Aboriginal perspective of the mining town, which effectively portrays her view of Australia. â€Å"The miner rapes the heart of the earth† the use of the word â€Å"rape,† describes a traumatic and violent action. Kath Walker uses this aggressive quote to start her poem essentially stating the miners are ruining the natural part of Australia. She then proceeds to say â€Å" With this violent spade† meaning the spade the miners are using is killing the earth. â€Å" Stealing, bolting her black blood. † The use of a metaphor in this quote depicts the miner taking the black coal from the earth. She then personifies the earth to exemplify that the Europeans are destroying the natural beauty of Australia â€Å"for the sake of the greedy trade. † Kath Walker demonstrates her disappointment throughout the poem in the European culture of Australia and is horrified by what the country has become. She effectively conveys her view of Australia. In the second part of Kath Walkers poem she proceeds to use a patriotic and again a violent tone to portray her view of Australia. She challenges upon all Aborigines to take a stand against the violent nature on the earth caused by the foreigners. The repetition of â€Å"violence† â€Å"he knows violence† â€Å"will be violently written† â€Å"make the violent miner feel† exaggerates her perspective of Australia by portraying Australia as a terrible violent country. Throughout her poem she over exaggerates the terrible wok of the miners and at the end of her poem she hypocritically gives a violent message of retaliation against the miners â€Å"to defend their timeless land. † â€Å"Come gentle black man† she creatively changes the audience’s state of mind by showing that the aborigines are the victims and are innocent. Kath allows the audience to feel her frustration with the use of her aggressive tone and adjectives essentially providing the audience with not only Kath’s view of Australia but also the whole Aboriginal community. It is because of Kaths poetic devices and techniques which allows her to present her perspective of Australia from an Aboriginal point of view. Her aggressive and serious tone, shows her passion and love for the nature of the country. She also spreads a message of violence of retaliation and revenge on the European miners who are destroying nature in Australia all for â€Å"the filthy dollar. † Therefore I think that the poem most effectively conveys a view of Australia rather than the photo.

Human Resources Policies Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Policies Essay Armstrong, (2006) defined Human Resource policies as continuing guidelines on the approach the organization intends to adopt in managing its people. In addition, it can also be defined as the philosophies and values of the organization on how people should be treated, and from these are derived the principles upon which managers are expected to act when dealing with Human Resource matters. Human Resource policies therefore serve as reference points when employment practices are being developed, and when decisions are being made about people. Mullins, (2005) highlighted that Human Resource Management must be committed to creating a working environment free from discrimination and where all employees are treated equally with dignity, courtesy and respect. This can be done by putting into place Human Resource policies that shows how people should be treated, and from these are derived the principles upon which managers are expected to act when dealing with Human Resource matters. The most common areas in which specific Human Resource policies exist are HIV and AIDS, discipline, employee development, employee relations, recruitment and selection, equal opportunity, grievances, health and safety, managing diversity, promotion, redundancy, reward, sexual harassment, substance abuse and work life balance and e-mails and the internet. Cole (1997) argued that this employment equity policy helps in preventing discrimination and promoting equality in the workplace. The equal opportunity policy should spell out the organization’s determination to give equal opportunities to all, irrespective of sex, race, creed, disability, age or marital status. The policy should also deal with the extent to which the organization wants to take affirmative action to redress imbalances between numbers employed according to sex or race, or to differences in the levels of qualifications and skills they have achieved. According to the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01),Section 5 states that no employer shall discriminate any employee or prospective employee on grounds of race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed, gender, pregnancy, HIV/AIDS status or subject to the Disabled Persons Act (Chapter 17:01). Every manager must take steps to promote equal opportunity in the workplace by eliminating unfair discrimination in any employment policy or practice within their sphere of authority. All forms of unfair discrimination, whether direct or indirect, are prohibited and it is the responsibility of all employees to inform themselves about and refrain from perpetrating unfair discrimination. The sexual harassment policy is another policy which aims at preventing and managing sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; or is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such an individual. The company must prohibit inappropriate conduct that is sexual in nature at work, on company business, or at company sponsored events. This can be done by prohibiting comments, jokes, or degrading language or behavior that is sexual in nature, sexually suggestive objects, books, magazines, photographs, cartoons, pictures, calendars, posters or electronic communications and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, or any sexual touching this is according to Armstrong (2006). Sexual harassment is prohibited whether it’s between members of the opposite sex or members of the same sex. All managers have a key responsibility in establishing and maintaining a workplace free from personal harassment and they are directly responsible for the conduct of their staff. Sexual harassment is regarded as gross industrial misconduct and if proved makes the individual liable for instant dismissal. Less severe penalties may be reserved for minor cases but there will always be a warning that repetition will result in dismissal. Therefore all employees are expected to comply with this policy and that it is the pers onal responsibility of each employee to ensure that inappropriate conduct does not occur, as stated by Armstrong (2010). Safety policies should reflect the employers commitment to safety and health at work and should indicate what standards of behavior are to be aimed for in safety and health welfare matters. The policy statement should be drawn to the attention of all employees. In practice this is achieved by issuing a safety policy document to all employees via their pay packets, or by issuing company handbooks which include details of the policy. The important point is that the employer should be able to show that he has done more than just pin up a notice in various parts of his premises, this is postulated by Mullins (2005). The HIV/Aids policy is also used and its purpose is to provide guidance on managing departmental responses to HIV/AIDS in a manner that complies with the National Aids Policy and applicable laws, eliminates unfair discrimination and enables the harnessing of each person’s full potential. Employees who know that they are infected with HIV will not be obliged to disclose the fact to the company, but if they do, the fact will remain completely confidential. There must be no discrimination against anyone with or at risk of acquiring AIDS. In addition, employees infected by HIV or suffering from AIDS must be treated no differently from anyone else suffering a severe illness. All human resources processes and practices should promote an affirming non-discriminatory environment that fosters respect for the dignity of all while ensuring the maximum productivity of each employee regardless of HIV/AIDS status. This will be done through a regular review of all human resources practices and processes to eliminate existing or potential direct and indirect discrimination on the ground of HIV/AIDS. A prospective employee will not be required to disclose his or her HIV/AIDS status, there shall be no pre-employment HIV/AIDS testing in respect of a prospective employee and both permanent and contract employees are not obliged to disclose their HIV/AIDS status, as subject to Labour Relations Act (chapter 28:01). Recruitment and selection policies are also used to ensure a work environment that is anti discriminatory, democratic, respectful of rights, mindful of dignity and legally sound or legitimate. The Human resource department must be committed to utilise recruitment and selection practices that are based on merit, equity, objectivity, fairness and the need to redress the imbalances of the past so as to achieve a department that is broadly representative. According to Storey (1995), the recruitment process should reflect the department’s employment equity values and goals. Moreover, all phases of the recruitment process must support the recruitment of suitably qualified men and women from diverse racial and other backgrounds with a view to giving them an opportunity to serve all the people with excellence and responsiveness. Considerations of affirmative action will inform the entire recruitment process. The policy on age and employment should take into account that age is a poor predictor of job performance. It is misleading to equate physical and mental ability with age. More of the population are living active, healthy lives as they get older. Therefore the policy should define the approach the organization adopts to engaging, promoting and training older employees. It should emphasize that the only criterion for selection or promotion should be ability to do the job; and for training, the belief that the employee will benefit, irrespective of age. The policy should also state that age requirements should not be set out in external or internal job advertisements. Armstrong (2006). Diversity management policy is a concept that recognizes the benefits to be gained from differences. A policy on managing diversity recognizes that there are differences among employees and that these differences, if properly managed, will enable work to be done more efficiently and effectively. This concept does not focus exclusively on issues of discrimination but instead concentrates on recognizing the differences between people. Maund (2001) express it, the concept of managing diversity is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everyone will feel valued, where their talents are fully utilized and in which organizational goals are met. The diversity management policy must acknowledge cultural and individual differences in the workplace, state that the organization values the different qualities that people bring to their jobs, emphasize the need to eliminate bias in such areas as selection, promotion, performance asse ssment, pay and learning opportunities and focus attention on individual differences rather than group differences. Mathis, (2003) is of the view that the disciplinary policy should state that employees have the right to know what is expected of them and what could happen if they infringe the organization’s rules. It would also make the point that, in handling disciplinary cases, the organization will treat employees in accordance with the principles of natural justice. It must be the policy of the company that employees should be given a fair hearing by their immediate supervisor or manager concerning any grievances they may wish to raise, have the right to appeal to a more senior manager against a decision made by their immediate supervisor or manager and have the right to be accompanied by a representative of their own choice when raising a grievance or appealing against a decision. Cole, (1997) highlighted that the reward policy must cover matters as providing an equitable pay system, equal pay for work of equal value, paying for performance, competence, skill or contribution, sharing in the success of the organization and the relationship between levels of pay in the organization and market rates. There must not be discrimination of employees in pay levels. This will encourage the optimum productivity from employees and ensures high level of quality output. A performance management system must be put in place so as to pay employees according to their performance and efforts. Armstrong (2006) is of the opinion that job evaluation must also be done in a fairly and equitable manner so as to have a free work environment. In conclusion, companies must be committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. Human Resource policies must prohibit discrimination and harassment in the workplace, whether committed by or against managers, co-workers, customers, vendors, or visitors. Employees must work and develop in an environment that is anti-discriminatory, democratic, respectful of rights, mindful of dignity, legally sound and productive. Workplace discrimination or harassment based on an employee’s race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age status, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law, must not be tolerated. REFERENCES Armstrong, M. (2006) Strategic Human Resource Management, (3rd Ed), London: Kogan. Armstrong, M. (2006) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, (10th Ed), London: Kogan. Cole G.A. (1997), Personnel Management, Theory and Practice, London: Continuum. Labour Relations Act Regulations (1998), HIV and AIDS, Government Printers: Zimbabwe. Maund, L. (2001), An Introduction to Human Resource Management Theory And Practice, New York: Palgrave. Mullins, L. J. (2005), Management and Organizational Behavior, England: Prentice Hall. Storey, J.(1995), Human Resource Management: A critical text, London: Routledge.

Diversity and Structure of the Construction Industry

Diversity and Structure of the Construction Industry 1.1 Introduction: This chapter illustrates how unique, huge, diverse and enormously complex is the construction industry. This industry generally constitutes of enterprises and professionals whose primary objective is to build communities, roads, schools, homes, business, hospitals and including its maintenance. The construction process consists of many activities, right from the onset of the project design and right through its implementation, maintenance, refurbishment, and goes up to the eventual disposal of its buildings or in other words, the whole life cycle of the project. This industry therefore require a wide range of suppliers, contractors and including manufacturers of materials and components to carry out its activities. The industry had changed a lot in its complexity over time, but the objective of the industry remains basically the same as it was 100 years ago. However, the construction industry has a unique structure; with very few large establishments that dominate the infrastructure by carrying out works, that produces the majority of the turnover of this industry on a whole. Sears et al. 2008, p.2 state that contractors who vary widely in size and speciality accomplish the construction works. Some contractors choose to concentrate on a particular task or aspect of the construction project and are therefore referred to as specialty contractors. Others assume broader responsibility for a comprehensive work package and are referred to as main contractor. Due to the diversity present in the industry, the industry is fragmented which is a reality, the reason might be due to the adversarial short-term relationships which causes dissatisfaction within the industry and is therefore a project focused relationship. Moreover, lack of effective communication and implementation may also contribute to the fragmentation of the industry as it leads to significant negative impacts, low productivity, cost and time overruns and finally end up in conflicts and disputes. The industry also now faces new levels of complexity as it moves forward trying to keep pace with the increasing energy, material and labour costs which are to a great extend mitigated by the other industries by adopting the new technologies especially communication and information technology and also advanced management strategies. 1.2 Overview: The industry is considered to be one of the major economic sectors, which contributes a lot to the gross domestic product of the nation in respect to other industries. Cooke, and Williams, 2009, on p.3 states that the annual output of the UK construction industry is approximately  £114 billion, which represents almost 9% of gross domestic product. This industry also underpins the remaining sectors of the economy by providing the essential infrastructure and facilities on which all sectors of the economy depend. According to Potts, 2008, on p.3, this construction sector with 11.8 million operatives directly employed makes it Europes largest industrial employer accounting for 7% of total employment and 28% of industrial employment in the EU. There was also a report of the government policies, which was published by BIS (Department for Business Innovation and Skills business group sector document), stating that the UK construction industry consists of over 250,000 firms employing 2.1 million people in a multitude of roles. The sector is defined as one which embraces the construction materials and products; suppliers and producers; building services manufacturers, providers and installers; contractors, sub-contractors, professionals, advisors and construction clients and those organisations that are relevant to the design, build, operation and refurbishment of buildings. However, construction industry is very different from other manufacturing industries and therefore difficult to achieve similar performance, mainly due to its degree of uniqueness in its use, in the size, its location and complexity due to the varied non-uniform working conditions from one project to another. Therefore, it appears to be underperforming when compared to many other industries. Jones, Saad, 2003, on p.12 state that, the diversity of the construction and the variability in the production process has to be reorganised with each new construction project. For each project, a series of decisions has to be taken which take into account the clients specific requirements and the context in which the tasks are to be executed. This can make project outcomes difficult to predict and can result in short and often adversarial relationships. Cox, Townsend, 1998, on p.21 states that the productivity, value for money, and overall client satisfaction in the construction industry are fairly low compared to other industrial sectors. The factors being: low and discontinuous demand; frequent changes in specification; inappropriate (contractor and client) selection criteria; inappropriate allocation of risk; poor quality; inefficient methods of construction; poor management; inadequate investment; an adversarial culture; and a fragmented industry structure. In order to improve the performance of this industry, government had taken initiatives and had produced many reports but had not made any impact. 1.3 Reports and recommendations: The publication of major notable reports namely Lathams Report Constructing the Team (1994) and two Egan Reports Rethinking Construction (1998) and Accelerating Change (2002) produced a considerable impact in UKs construction industry and started changing its working culture. Constructing the Team by Sir Michael Latham was published in July 1994, the key issues as summarised by Holroyd, 2003, on p.39 are as follows: Clients have a role in promoting good design which provides value for money Clients should select the most appropriate procurement route on the basis of the type of project Effective design is crucial A modern contract should include: A specific duty for all parties to deal with each other Firm duties of teamwork so all can share in success A clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of all parties Easily understood language with guidance notes A choice of risk allocation Avoid variations if it is required, price it in advance Ensure fair, prompt and secure payment to all parties Avoid conflict on site and disputes if any to be resolved speedily When selecting suppliers or tenderers, consideration should be given to: Quality as well as price A lead manager Sensible tender lists No burdensome qualification procedures Value for money Cost in use Factors which determine performance include: Adequacy of safety consideration Ability of operatives Improved training Relevant professional education Adequate RD, which is properly funded Teamwork on site depends on fair treatment for all parties The liability for defects post-completion should be properly addressed Rethinking Construction by Sir John Egan delivered the report in July 1998 for the success of the construction industry. He opined that while UK construction at its best is excellent, substantial improvements can be made, and it is vital that they are made. The key issues of this report as summarised by Holroyd, 2003, on p.40 are as follows: The UK construction industry needs to improve there should be: Less fragmentation Increased profitability More capital investment More investment in RD More and better training Differentiation between price and cost Set targets for improvement and give commitment to the needs of the customer, to quality, and to people the team and the process should be integrated around the product, and management should be committed to improvement throughout the organisation The construction process should be improved by: More process repetition on projects Integrating all team members to use their skills to deliver value to the client Focus on the end product how best to achieve the desired result Continuous product improvement Implement projects correctly, suiting the site and the customer Partnering through the supply chain Once improvement starts, maintain it Improvement could be accomplished by developing a better culture in the industry: Providing decent working conditions More and better training Produce designs which considers the projects end use Standardise components where possible Improve regulatory controls Implement long term relationships The National audit office report (2001) Modernising Construction as stated by Cooke, Williams, 2009, on p.11 that a major contributory factor to the poor performance of this industry was the adversarial relationships that existed between the construction firms, consultants and clients and between contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. The report also identified that government departments and agencies to ensure collaboration, integration and value for monies in the procurement of construction services. Further, it also suggested that the entire supply chain be integrated and that risk and value must be managed in order to reduce accidents, drive out waste and improve buildability. McGeorge and Palmer 2002 on p.54 cite CIRIAs definition of buildability as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"the extent to which the design of the building facilitates ease of construction, subject to the overall requirements for the completed building. These reports produced during the various periods had contributed a lot to the growth of the construction industry. Since these reports were published, a changed performance could be clearly noticed in the activities of this industry. The findings of the report had tried to build up a challenge in the construction industry to procure projects that could achieve best value and also help in understanding the balance between quality and whole-life cost of the project. Many more studies on the performance of the construction industry were also conducted subsequently, which had identified the areas of strength and weakness of the construction industry. According to Jones, Saad, 2003, on p.2, the strength of the industry includes its flexibility and adaptability and its persistent weakness include its fragmented structure and project processes and its adversarial relationships. Furthermore, deficiencies in its performance in relation to customer focus, learning and leadership were revealed when benchmarked against other industries. 1.4 Material use: The construction industry is considered one of the major consumers of natural resources mainly the virgin materials from its surrounding environment. This will give rise to many environmental issues, which are unsustainable such as depleting natural resources, diminishing the earths biodiversity, and even cause extinction of habitat if we continue the present rate of consumption. As stated by Kelley et al. on p.298 that materials used in buildings account for some 40% of natural resource use, 30% of CO2 emissions and 40% of waste. However, the environmental issues would certainly create a vital impact on the society and hence this industry should take earnest attempt to develop a strategy to provide low carbon solutions by way of minimising its carbon footprint. In addition, the projects Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) that voluntarily decides to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment and along with its procurement policy, could contribute to the environmental success. Built environment: The paper presented by Natural Building Technologies, have quoted One Planet Living material of BioRegional and the World Wide Fund for Nature; have shown that if everyone in the world-consumed resources at the same rate that of UK, it would take the equivalent of three planets now to sustain this consumption. Hence, UK and the other western nations urgently need to take radical measures in order to reduce this present rate of consumption of resources. As we are aware that this planet has only a finite quantity of resources and therefore we in the construction industry should have a moral responsibility to ensure that industry is resourced using sustainable techniques. More over the construction industry should also insist on an environmental management system (EMS) accreditation for every project, which could help in continually, improving its environmental performance. An internal EMS audit if periodically conducted would help in checking the effectiveness and delivery capability o f the management system. The strategy paper of the UK Government, Building a Better Quality of Life: A Strategy for more Sustainable Construction by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (2000 b) as summarised by Kelly et al. 2002 on p.296 recognises the importance of sustainable construction and had challenged the construction industry to provide built assets which: Cause minimum damage to natural and social environments Minimise the use of resources Enhance the quality of life Will be acceptable to future generations 1.6 Needs: The working pattern of the society is changing quite fast and construction industry is known for adapting to change at a faster pace than other industries. Nowadays many people tend to work from home since jobs functions can be remotely performed and is quite feasible. The benefit from working at home helps in the reduction of transport movements, thereby considerably reducing pollution and traffic congestion especially during the peak hours. It is an eco-friendly option and is to be encouraged. Hence, this working culture would require housing to provide a higher quality of life and greater flexibility of adaptable living and space requirements. Therefore, in majority of existing homes, a need for up gradation would be necessary and a lot more of new homes constructed to accommodate this new culture in the coming years; for which a huge quantity of materials are required by the industry. This results in a heavy material flow. In addition, while designing a sustainable project, selec tion of materials should be made based on locally and easily available material, in order to reduce the embedded energy cost of transportation. This option would also decrease the carbon footprint of the project. 1.7 Regulations: A government publication by energy saving trust on the Code for Sustainable Homes New build housing (Relevant to: England and Wales), states that the government intends that all new build homes should be zero carbon by the year 2016. Code level 3 is proposed to become the new standards for Building Regulations in England in 2010 and by 2050; the nations entire housing stock will be virtually zero carbon. Clients, who desire to increase value of their project, could insist on the use of sustainable materials in order to acquire higher sustainability rating as mentioned in the BREEAMs code for sustainable homes. These regulations create a lot of pressure on the project management team if a proper supply chain management technique is not available.. As mentioned in the Code for Sustainable Homes (Annex B Category 3, Materials on p.37), the supply chain management and material stewardship are essential elements of responsible sourcing. Hence, the supply chain manager is to consider the consequence and impacts of using materials by analysing its life cycle (right from the point it was mined or harvested,through manufacture and processing of the material, including its use, reuse and disposed off as waste with no further value), before the material is actually used in the project. However, all timber used in the project should be 100% legally sourced and 80% for all other assessed materials. 1.8 Sustainable sourcing code: For the London 2012 games, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) had prepared a Sustainable Sourcing Code in consultation with industry leaders, sponsors and non-governmental organisations. It had been reviewing how its sponsorship and procurement activity could achieve the highest possible standards to ensure that the goods and services it procures comply with this code in meeting the sustainability objectives for the 2012 games. This code could be used as a benchmark in the preparation of a similar code of practice by the construction industry. The four core principles of the LOGOs Sustainable Sourcing Code and supporting guidelines on packaging and carbon emissions of products and services originally published in November 2007 and updated in December 2009 are as shown below: Responsible sourcing: Labour practices Health and Safety Diversity and inclusion Animal welfare and Testing Animal and plant products Timber and timber products Use of secondary products materials: Reducing waste Recycled content Packaging Waste electrical and electronic equipment Minimising embodied impacts: Environmental management Supply of products Transport Low carbon Games Healthy materials: Restricted substances and materials Heavy metals and brominated fire retardants 1.9 Controlling material resources: A material at site is money and is to be prudently handled. The cost of materials constitutes a major portion of the project cost. March 2009, p.139 states that the value of the materials incorporated into a building represent anything from 40 to 60 per cent of the final cost. Therefore, control of materials at site is a crucial element. Materials are not be wasted or lost. For proper control an effective communication between all involved for the project success namely the planning department, purchasing department, the site and the supplier is important. Responsibilities are to be clearly defined especially in buying of materials within the estimated amount since efficient buying results in savings, which in turn contributes to the profitability of the contract. Similarly hoarding of materials at site should be discouraged by initiating just in time delivery, but care is to be taken in the selection of material supplier so that the availability of bulk materials is ensured. Therefo re, materials management in construction projects is essential for its success. As Cooke and Williams 2009 on p.401 states that an essential component of materials management begins with site layout and planning. Designated areas must be allowed for material storage in order to reduce waste and damage to materials. Excessive stock of materials is a problem need to be controlled. March 2009, p.139 enumerates the reasons as to why excessive stock is to be controlled; Excessive stocks take up capital which could be better used Takes up space and absorb further capital for protection against weather Likely to be damaged resulting in unnecessary expenditure and possible delay incurred in replacement May be necessary to double handle stock to elsewhere on the site and missing the opportunity to have just in time delivery Site efficiency can be increased by effective material handling and result in costly waste reduced. Every project worth more than  £250 000 effective from April 2008 should have a Site waste management plan (SWMP), without which it would be a serious criminal offence as mentioned by Cooke and Williams 2009 on p.403 quoting The Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005 (Section 54 of Part 5). 1.10 Whole-life thinking: In addition, the construction industry need to consider the aspect of whole life costing during the procurement as the project not only consumes sustainable resources, but also generates waste in construction and demolition activities. The procurement of materials for the industry is strongly affected by environmental issues. Greater use of modern methods of construction and off-site prefabrication could be a solution in reducing the total amount of waste generated at site. Hence, the construction industry should strive to develop and implement the new paradigm of the triple bottom line namely environmental, social and economic sustainability. Green building is an innovative technology and is good to be adopted by construction industry. This approach creates a positive environmental, social and economical impact over the entire life cycle of the project. It is a holistic approach of design and considers its impact on the wider environment and community around it. This technology procures homes, which are durable, save energy, reduce waste and pollution, and promote health and well-being. 1.11 Procurement methods: One of the main problems in this industry says Cooke Williams, 2009, on p.4, is that it separates design from production far greater than other industries and is still common despite the deficiencies of traditional procurement and the benefits offered by the newer and more flexible approaches. In traditional method of procurement, the design stage is separated from production by a tendering period. McGeorge and Palmer, 2002 on p.54, also support this view and quote by comparison with other industries the separation of the process of design and construction is unique to the construction industry. Construction industry provides successful projects, the outcome of which is increased efficiency, greater borrowing capacity and payback long-term worth. The business objectives should always drive the selection of an appropriate procurement strategy, so as to procure a project to the complete satisfaction of the client. The procurement strategy so selected would depend on many factors; namely the client, the risk profile of the client, the cost certainty needed, accountability, flexibility, the type of project, time, funding, market condition, the industries capacity and capability. 1.11.1 Projects priorities: Moreover the factors that are to be considered while analysing a business objectives requirements and their relative priorities as pointed out by Kelly et al., 2002 on p.178 are as listed below: Factors outside the control of the project team Client resources Project characteristics Ability to make changes Risk management Cost issues Timing Quality and performance The choice of the strategy should ensure that control is maintained over those factors that are important to the clients perspective of the project. 1.11.2 Procurement strategy: The authors also state that the choice of the strategy should ensure that control is maintained over those factors that are of most importance to the client. After a selection is made, a strategic brief will need to be produced defining the clients project and the parameters within which the project must be realised to take the project to a success. Often less importance is imparted to the projects objectives as compared to the primary criteria of time, quality and cost. These three primary parameters form the key criteria in the selection mechanism and are interdependent of each other. Therefore, procurement strategies adopted for the project would not be able to deliver all of them as high priority. For example, fast-track solutions for a project deliver speed and time certainty, whereas the other criteria such as cost certainty and quality may be less achievable. Similarly, in projects where quality or costs are considered to be of top priority, then the other criteria are affected. Hence, if a high priority is imparted in defining the project and especially linking of the prioritisation of objectives to the business case, greater then are the chances of a successful procurement of the project to the entire satisfaction of the client. However, from the clients perspective of a project, time, quality, cost and functionality are important criteria for the success of a project. The client generally prefers the highest quality at the lowest cost and the project being completed in the shortest possible time. As earlier mentioned it is not possible to attain all these parameters together for a given project. Depending upon the clients business objectives, a suitable selection of the procurement strategy should be chosen. 1.11.3 Procurement option: If according to the client, a signature building is required for the project, then a traditional or design-bid-build strategy is an appropriate option for the project. For this project, quality would be very essential but this procurement technique adopts a sequential nature of activities, and therefore has no parallel working activity, which means that, construction could actually begin only after the design is completed as fully as possible. Hence is not suitable option for any fast track projects. However, this option fairly provides with cost certainty and time predicted. The delay experienced in completion of the project might be because considerable time is allowed for the design to take a full shape and thereafter in the preparation of detailed brief and also in the tendering procedures required to be completed before the start of the work. Therefore, an early start of the project would not be possible until the letter of intend is issued, which in turn have a knock on effect on the overall cost of the project (price escalation, inflation etc.). Sometimes the client might go in for a functional building where cost implication is to be the lowest and had to be completed before a fixed date. Here in order to meet the business objectives, a design-build procurement technique is quite appropriate, since early certainty of the overall contract price could be obtained. Moreover, as this strategy facilitates overlapping of design and construction, a faster start on site is possible resulting in shorter project duration with greater certainty of meeting the targeted date. Hence, this option is quite suitable for fast track projects but is not suitable for any complex infrastructural projects and also in projects wherein the clients brief is uncertain or inadequate. Alternatively, the client would require procuring a huge and complex infrastructural project with an emphasis on the targeted date of completion. Considering the clients business objective, the appropriate procurement route would be construction management, which is best-suited option for fast track and complex construction projects. In this procurement route, the construction work is divided into several packages, which are tendered separately to different experienced and qualified contractors. Hence, in this procurement method design, tendering and construction over lap thereby reducing the overall time of the project whereas there could be price uncertainty until the last package of the work had been awarded to a contractor. Due to the speed in completion, quality of the work would probably be effected and therefore a total quality management team would be required to ensure the quality of work during its progress. Therefore, this procurement route is not suitable for inexperience d clients and for those clients trying to transfer risk to the contractor. Therefore, the procurement strategy developed should strike a balance between risks that could cause an impact on the clients business and the projects objectives. Some projects could adopt more than one procurement option for the successful completion of the project as per the clients perspective. Traditional approach may be used in the construction of the shell and core, whereas construction management would be used for the final works. The choices made might differ between clients of various projects depending upon their knowledge and experience of the industry. The scale and diversity of those involved in this industry is too enormous and hence this contributes to enormous pressures on the project teams, to ensure that the project completion is on time, budget and quality. 1.12 Risk: The diversity of those involved in the industry namely design engineers, architects, consultants, main and subcontractors, suppliers and constructional managers is huge. However, all those who are involved in this industry throughout the world strive together to establish a strategic framework to meet the budgetary and scheduling goals of the project. Time is one of the critical factors in construction industry, which has significant legal consequences. The client sets up rigid start and finishes dates for the project and if the contractor must comply with this period, barring any delay caused due to natural calamities, or lose money by paying the liquidated damages as laid down in the contract document. During the construction process delay in receiving of materials, equipments and services may erode profits. For a successful completion of a project, lot depends on the quality of the subcontractors and suppliers. Therefore, construction organisations should ensure that an appropriate subcontractor is selected. The subcontractors selection process involves many important factors including the evaluation of their capacity and also in performing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. The risk faced in construction industry is different from that of other industries. This is quite evident while analysing the difference between manufacturing risks and construction risks as indicated by Benton and McHenry 2010, on p.2 as shown below: Risk versus reward for the manufacturing sector Risk versus reward for the construction sector In construction industry, the potential for committing mistakes is high and facing problems is magnified by the poor interrelationship that exists between all the entities involved namely, the client, architect, consultant, project manager, contractors and suppliers. The risks, if not mitigated in time, would prove disastrous and hence, recommended to be avoided at an early stage. Construction risks as mentioned by Benton and McHenry 2010, on p.3 are as narrated below: Internal financial problems Working capital problems Slow payment from the client Inferior plans and specifications Inadequate technical capabilities Insufficient information technology Lack of communication between the entities Productivity inefficiencies Work quality problems Work method problems Delivery reliability problems Bulk materials quality problems Another notable difference between the manufacturing and construction industry is the probability of failure while considering the labour element. This can be clearly understood if an improvement curve technique is performed as explained by Benton and McHenry 2010, on p.4 and p.5 for both industries, the figures of which are as shown below: Probability of failure for the manufacturing industry Probability of failure for the construction industry The improvement curve is exponential and depicts a constant-percentage reduction of labour, which means that, the workers learn how to do their job better as they produce more and more units at a lower production cost. This advantage is accomplished due to the impact of cumulative learning by experience, which is possible in the manufacturing industry. Now considering the construction industry, which is constantly changing its complexity over time, we can observ

Emerging Technologies Essays -- Digital Gadgets, Personal Information

During the 21st century the world has witnessed massive developments in technology. Almost every person is familiar with the use of digital gadgets for communication, socialization and data storage among other services (Freedman 02). The inventions of electronic devices that can be used to store, send, receive and access any information are results of advancements in technology. These developments belong to the information and communications category. Many people in today’s world make the mistake of thinking that the technological advancements that are happening right now are the only technologic advancements evolving in the world. However when it comes down to it, people have been experiencing technological advancements as early as the Neolithic period, impacting almost every aspect of life. These ancient technologies have come to be overtaken by time, as there are new ones which seem to be more efficient in accomplishing similar tasks. Emerging technologies can be said to be innovations and advancements that can be witnessed in different sectors of technology (Zelkowitz 6). Most up-coming technologies have brought synchronization of the previous developments, making them work together in achieving a similar goal. A good example of this is how video, data and telephonic technologies have now been made to work together in achieving the same goal of effective communication (Zelkowitz 12). All of these technologies used to exist completely by them self, but not anymore. Scientists developed different social services that connect people together in a form of social media. Examples of these applications include; Twitter; Facebook, Vine, and Instagram among many others. As much as these new technologies have brought efficiency and a... ...ormation, and we cannot just do away with emerging technologies just because of critics. We need to accept that everything has its share of merits and demerits, and move on. All we need is looking for means of preserving our cultures and history as well as basic education whether there are emerging technologies or not. Works cited Freedman, C. D. The Extension of the Criminal Law to Protecting Confidential Commercial Information: Comments on the Issues and the Cyber-Context. (August 01, 2013). International Review of Law, Computers & Technology, 13, 2, 147-162. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13600869955116#.UdhxNezkU1I Gopnik, Adam. â€Å"The Information: A Critic at Large.† The New Yorker 14 Feb. 2011: 124+. ProQuest. Web. 31 October 2011. Zelkowitz, Marvin V..Vol.73 Advances in Technology: Emerging Technologies. Amsterdam [u.a.: Elsevier, 2013. Print.

Indigenous Health Case Study Essay example -- Healthcare Culture

Introduction Health is known as a state where an individual is socially, mentally and emotionally stable without the presence of any illness, disease or infirmity (Carson, 2007). Jenny, an indigenous woman is 34 weeks pregnant, she has been complaining about her abdominal pains and after seeing the flying doctor, she was asked to fly back with him as she might be in an early labour. Jenny is concerned about her family; she wonders how they will manage without her. Her mother-in-law lives with her sister-in-law and she wonders if she will be able to come and help as her mother has a diabetic leg ulcer and needs treatment so cannot travel. This essay will discuss about the health issues before colonization and after colonization, Jenny’s situation and how she faces the culture clash and dispossession, it will also look at the models of health and theories and how that affects Jenny’s life. Culture clash and indigenous dispossession at the time of colonization. Culture clash is how people behave, whether or not people recognise each other as human beings and if they share what they believe, have similar values and beliefs (Eckermann, Dowd, Chong, Nixon, Gray, & Johnson, 2006). The process of colonization is when a nation imposes itself economically, politically and socially upon another nation (Germov, 2009). People belong to different cultures; every culture has its own customs and beliefs that everyone has to follow. Culture clash can occur when people look at different cultures as not to be a part of their culture and different people as not their people (Eckermann et al., 2006). Cultural customs and beliefs are influenced by the socio-economic status, political and natural environment (Crisp & Taylor, 2009). Modern medicati... ...udy. Rheumatology , 42 (11), 1287-1294. Crisp, J., & Taylor, C. (2009). Potter & Perry's fundamentals of nursing (3rd ed.). NSW: Elsevier. Davis, B. M. (2006). How to teach students who don't lool like you; culturally relevant teaching strategies. In Culturally relevant teaching strategies (p. p.3). London: Sage publication, LTD. Eckermann, A.-K., Dowd, T., Chong, E., Nixon, L., Gray, R., & Johnson, S. (2006). Binan Goonj: Bridging cultures in Aboriginal Health (3rd ed.). NSW: Churchill Livingstone. Germov, J. (2009). Second opinion: An introduction to health sociology (4th ed.). Victoria: Oxford university. Gustafson, D. L. (2005). Transcultural nursing theory from a critical cultural perspective. Advances in Nursing Science , 28 (1), 2-16. Keleher, H., & MacDougall, C. (2009). Understanding health;A determinants approach (2nd ed.). Sydney: Oxford university.

Lt. Colonel Jay R. Jensens six Years In Hell :: essays research papers

Lt. Colonel Jay R. Jensen's "Six Years In Hell" The book I have chosen to read for this review is one entitled "SIX YEARS IN HELL." It is a book written by one Lt. Colonel Jay R. Jensen in a first person manor. He was a military pilot who flew over Vietnam and was captured and taken as a POW. This book covers his time in the military before hand describing the daily procedures etc. of his military life. The author graduated from Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah in 1949. He then joined The Utah Air National Guard during the Korean war. Mr. Jensen was on active duty for 20 months, after which he attended Brigham Young University. He graduated with a B.S. degree in Accounting and majors in Banking and Finance. After college he obtained the rank of cadet Colonel in the Air Force ROTC. Lt. Colonel Jensen was well decorated after his retirement in 1978 that concluded 28 years of service. His decorations included: Two Silver Stars, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V for Valor, Air Medal, two Purple Hearts, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two Oak Leaf Clusters, POW Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Service Medal with 14 Bronze Campaign Medals, Air Force Longevity Award (for over 24 years), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Hour Glass Device (for 20 years), Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Vietnam Cross for Gallantry with Device, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. All these decorations and the time spent in the military I believe more than present his qualifications for writing this book. This book that he was so qualified to write I must bend to say was rather well written. The author took time to explain everything individually and even those things that seem quite trivial were given careful explanation. If there was something that the author felt was not apparent or was not to be taken at face value he footnoted it at the bottom of the page. These footnotes were especially helpful for those of us readers who may not be that "militarily inclined." I particularly enjoyed the story of Roscoe the base's mascot which was probably one of the longest examples of footnoting throughout the book. The book is written from the perspective of the author at the time he experienced it. The descriptions are so well written that one can almost see or relate to what is being described, but as time progresses you can tell the author's moods change as the mode of descriptions differs.

One child policy of China Essay

The issue of population growth has been one of the major problems faced by world over past century. The exponential population growth, popularly termed as population explosion, has led to unprecedented rise in human population, which has numerically grown by over 4 billion to 6 billion in the last hundred years itself. This enormous growth in human numbers has spawned social and economical problems of severe complexity, especially considering the fact that most of this growth has happened in economically underdeveloped countries of Asian and African region, particularly India and China, both of whom have seen their population growing past a billion mark. Supporting such huge number of ever rising population is indeed a challenge for any country, as natural resources threaten to run short, and economic privations become a general norm. Under such circumstances, population control becomes a necessary government objective, the validity, importance and meaningfulness of which are undisputable from environmental, economic and social angels. However, population control policies have always generated controversies from humanitarian and ethical viewpoints, the most noted example of them being the population control policy of People’s Republic of China that restricts couples to having just one child (Xue, 1996). Although highly effective under China’s strict state policies, it is indeed an extreme measure that has invited criticism from all over the world because for its forceful rather than coercive implications. Issues involved As stated earlier, unchecked rise in population is indeed an invitation to complex and unmanageable problems that no nation state can handle irrespective of its size and resources. However, the issues involved with China’s one child policy are very complicated and affect some basic concepts of right to life and existence China launched its aggressive family planning scheme in mid of 1970s when suddenly its policy makers realized the dangers of a rapidly growing population that had reached one billion mark by 1980s (Smith, 1991). In the previous two decades the government had failed to take in cognizance of growing population due to stability and improvement economic conditions, availability of medical facilities, medicines and drop in child mortality. More ominously, as demographers realized, the rapid growth of population in previous decades implied that by 1980 more than half the population was approaching marriage age, which meant that even under decreasing fertility rate, the Chinese population would reach 1. 4 billion by end of the century (White, 2003). This realization launched Chinese policy makers and government in a frenetic attempt to implement some of the strictest population measures that included a one-child policy per couple to contain the population under 1. 2 billion (Richards, 1996). This draconian measure was explained and justified from various social and economical angels, one of which was arguable shortage of cultivable land (Smith, 1991). As government argued, the cultivable land per person had come down from . 20 hectare in 1949 to . 10 hectare in 1980 due to almost doubling of population in the same period and hence the ensuing crisis demanded critical measures (ibid). Moreover the state infrastructure and its capacity to support such large population, provide adequate medical and educational facilities and ensure jobs for it would become increasingly difficult. As claimed by supporters of the one child policy, the policy was merely concerned with providing economic incentives and preferential treatment to families with one child such as paid pregnancy leave, lucrative salary bonus, and state sponsored or free educational and medical facilities, facilities that families with more than one child lack. Further disincentives created for larger families include financial penalty on birth of second and third child that are respectively 20 and 30 percent of the annual income of the family (Richards, 1996). The policy was tooth and nail opposed by a large proportion of Chinese people, and especially by those in rural areas but government decided to continue with it seeing its possible benefit in controlling the population question. One of the main problems disturbing Chinese leaders was China’s low GNP and very simple calculations showed them that to increase GNP in the longer run, they required to reduce or contain the number of people, which was the easy way against the hard route that involved working towards increasing the economic output (Feng, 1996). Containing population growth was presented was the single panacea that could increase per capita income, help achieve modernization plans, give impetus to the economy and solve the problem of additional resource requirements that rising population presented (Feng, 1996). The one child policy is considered officially successful and instrumental in significantly reducing birth rates, fertility rates, growth rates and death rates and its expected that soon the population would began to decline at a faster rate as children born after the implementation of the policy would have less desire to have a family of more than one child (Richards). Also to wash off its hand from the negative effect of the policy, such as increased number of female feticide, and suicides among Chinese females, the government insistently attributed them to backward and obsolete Chinese culture and customs. Conclusion Despite the claims of the supporters and the official government, it cannot be denied that the very concept of the one child policy involves flagrant violations of the rights to live, procreate and live socially. In its zeal to implement the policy, Chinese authorities permitted such extreme measures as forcible abortions and sterilization, which were openly illegal in every humanitarian statute (Xue and Xiaokang, 1996). By making childbearing an illegal act, the government forcibly tried to change the demographic dynamics with dangerous social consequences that threatens to create a mundane and homogenous society bereft of any relation except parents and in-laws. Also the one child policy triggered a large number of female-infanticide that threatened to dangerously alter male-female sex ratio in China. Of course the most cruel fate was reserved for those who were born outside this policy, that is the second and third child of the family who were denied any state support and facility in a perfectly state controlled society. In the wake of an economically prospering and comparatively stabilized China, it’s the call of the hour for Chinese government to finally abandon and bury its anti-people one child policy and work on creation of a more informed society.