Setting Goals

Greg Anderson once said, â€Å"When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life. † Always start with a quoteHe implies that if people set goals in life and have dreams to fulfill their passions, then they are truly living their lives with a meaning. Individuals should set goals in life. Even though setting goals in life is essential, others disagree stating goals only make people become worried because high pressure to achieve them.This is wrong, however, because when creating goals, people are held responsible for them which will increase the chance of completing them. Setting goals in life can help many achieve much more and is essential because it helps people live a better life, become better, and push forward. Setting goals in life helps people live more. When the goals are completed, new found knowledge and abilities let individuals experience more out of the same life event s compared to the previous person they were. For example, a twenty–year-old’s worldview is different compared to when they were ten.They would see life with much more clarity, depth and perspective today than they were in the past. Add specific example Also, goals with specific measures and deadlines ensure people maximize production and experiences during their time here. Another reason dreaming and goal setting is important is because it helps individuals become a better people. Goals help people achieve their highest potential. Without goals, people would live in a way that keeps themselves safe and comfortable every day. avoid indefinite pronouns The familiarity is the enemy of growth.It prevents people from growing. It does not enable people to become the best people they can be. It denies people from tapping into all the potential that lies inside of them. In my goal achievement processes, I have found myself constantly bursting through new grounds and uncovering potential which I did not know existed before. Add a specific example Without these goals, I would be just doing everything normally. It has made me much more self-aware and learn a lot more things about both myself and life, compared to if I did not have those goals.By setting goals, it drives people forward. Goals are a representation of inner desires; desires which motivate people in life. The point when goals are made marks the point when people are most connected with their source of motivation. It is when motivation is at its peak. Having goals serves as a constant reminder of a motivational foundation. They are the fuel which drive individuals forward and keep them going when there are obstacles in the way. Add an example ( Michael Jordan who didn’t make it to first team or a president)Setting goals can do so much in life compared not setting goals. If people were to take some time out to set goals now, it would be guaranteed that they would definitely experience more growth as a person. By spending a few minutes to communicate some aspirations that have been in their mind, they could experience more progress in life a year from now than compared to if they did not. As shown, setting goals is important. It helps people live better lives, become better, and drives people forward. Setting Goals Greg Anderson once said, â€Å"When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life. † Always start with a quoteHe implies that if people set goals in life and have dreams to fulfill their passions, then they are truly living their lives with a meaning. Individuals should set goals in life. Even though setting goals in life is essential, others disagree stating goals only make people become worried because high pressure to achieve them.This is wrong, however, because when creating goals, people are held responsible for them which will increase the chance of completing them. Setting goals in life can help many achieve much more and is essential because it helps people live a better life, become better, and push forward. Setting goals in life helps people live more. When the goals are completed, new found knowledge and abilities let individuals experience more out of the same life event s compared to the previous person they were. For example, a twenty–year-old’s worldview is different compared to when they were ten.They would see life with much more clarity, depth and perspective today than they were in the past. Add specific example Also, goals with specific measures and deadlines ensure people maximize production and experiences during their time here. Another reason dreaming and goal setting is important is because it helps individuals become a better people. Goals help people achieve their highest potential. Without goals, people would live in a way that keeps themselves safe and comfortable every day. avoid indefinite pronouns The familiarity is the enemy of growth.It prevents people from growing. It does not enable people to become the best people they can be. It denies people from tapping into all the potential that lies inside of them. In my goal achievement processes, I have found myself constantly bursting through new grounds and uncovering potential which I did not know existed before. Add a specific example Without these goals, I would be just doing everything normally. It has made me much more self-aware and learn a lot more things about both myself and life, compared to if I did not have those goals.By setting goals, it drives people forward. Goals are a representation of inner desires; desires which motivate people in life. The point when goals are made marks the point when people are most connected with their source of motivation. It is when motivation is at its peak. Having goals serves as a constant reminder of a motivational foundation. They are the fuel which drive individuals forward and keep them going when there are obstacles in the way. Add an example ( Michael Jordan who didn’t make it to first team or a president)Setting goals can do so much in life compared not setting goals. If people were to take some time out to set goals now, it would be guaranteed that they would definitely experience more growth as a person. By spending a few minutes to communicate some aspirations that have been in their mind, they could experience more progress in life a year from now than compared to if they did not. As shown, setting goals is important. It helps people live better lives, become better, and drives people forward.

First Direct Essay

Q1. What is market research? Market research is a systematic inquiring that provides information to guide managerial decisions, more specifically, it is a process of planning, acquiring, analyzing and disseminating relevant data, information and insights to decision makers in ways that mobilize the organization to take appropriate actions, that in turn maximize business performance. In simple research is any organized inquiry carried out to provide information for solving problems. Good research should be purposeful with a clearly defined focus and plausible goals. With defensible, ethical and repeatable procedures and with evidence of objectivity. The reporting of procedures their strengths and weakness should be complete and honest. Thus, Market Research is a process used by a business to find out about its customers and its markets. Q2. Why was it necessary for first direct to understand its market in order to relaunch itself? For any business it is important to understand the market that it targets. It is essential to know about their customers which enable the organization to render better products and services to their customers. It is also important for the organization to concentrate and understand about its competitors. Any organization which lacks in the information about its customers and competitors in the market will fail to match itself in a position in related with the market scenario. According to FIRST DIRECT, it was necessary to understand its market has its customer’s perception had dipped drastically which led the company to be no-longer top-performing bank. Q3. What were the key findings from the market research? How was First Direct able to find this out? What types of market research did it use? After the market research, First Direct understood that certain % of customers had different opinions. The major finding of the research was that, they were two key customer segments with different ideas. The two key customers are existing customers (Highly loyal) and new customers (comparatively less loyal towards the bank). Other findings:- * First Direct should be highly transparent and fair towards their customers. * Organization should not hold any hidden charges (towards the customers). * First Direct should render innovative services. First Direct used various primary research methods. It also focused on secondary market research, Qualitative market research and Quantitative market research to gather the required information. Q4. What has the relaunched involved? What do you see as being the main strength and possible weaknesses of the relaunch? Relaunch involved introducing of new products and it also discontinued some of its existing services. Importantly, First Direct revitalized its brand through brand positioning (placing the product within the overall market) and product development (process of developing a product) and it is also considered in making required changes in marketing mix. It offered 24/7/365 accessibility to its customers and also used various channels to access its services. Banking process was even enabled through phone gadgets. It offered a new â€Å"1st A/C† that combines current a/c and the option of linking savings a/c. It enabled the customers to receive higher rate of interest (savings a/c) and it also introduced various new products in relate with savings a/c. Various promotional methods were taken up by First Direct to reach its customers for rendering the information. Presently, First Direct is now recapturing its distinctive reputation in the banking sector.

Demography and Health Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Demography and Health - Scholarship Essay Example Only a few differences exist where white non Hispanic groups has suicide as one of the top ten causes of death, and another difference is that Homicide and legal intervention is not a top ten cause of death among the white non Hispanic. .. erences exist where white non Hispanic groups has suicide as one of the top ten causes of death, and another difference is that Homicide and legal intervention is not a top ten cause of death among the white non Hispanic. Question 5: In which Hispanic subgroup is the neonatal mortality risk the highest Hispanic subgroups include Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans, the subgroup with the highest neonatal mortality risk is the Puerto Ricans group with a total high of 7.9. Answer: Puerto Ricans Question 6: In which group is the post-neonatal mortality risk the highest: The group with the highest post neonatal mortality risk is the blacks, the blacks have a total high of 6.3, while the Cubans have the lowest post neonatal mortality risk which is 2.0. Answer: blacks Reference: US Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Monthly Vital Statistics Report. Vol 43, No.

PROJECT ECONOMICS AND LAW Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

PROJECT ECONOMICS AND LAW - Coursework Example In the recent past, clients are increasingly looking for project managers that are able to deliver expected results. For this reason, it is vitally important for the managers to learn from past mistakes and strive to maintain a clean record with respect to successful project implementation and management. Among the projects that have been compounded by various challenges in the national history is the Scottish parliament project. This project belonged to the Scottish government and sought to construct a magnificent building to be used by the Scottish parliament. The project was initiated in 1998 and proposed to be completed by the dawn of the new century. However, budgetary concerns and other construction related complexities delayed its timely completion. Seemingly, the project failed dismally to meet the established project indices in light of duration and cost. This had various implications on all stakeholders. It underscored major contractual weaknesses that the country is grappling with. In order to ensure efficiency in the construction industry, these concerns need to be addressed accordingly. It is against this background that this paper provides an in depth report of the mode of failure of the contract, factors that contributed to the failure and the lessons learnt from this. To enhance a harmonic consideration, it begins by profiling the conditions of the project and appraising its effect on liability for failure. It then proceeds to detailing the nature of its failure and specific factors that contributed to this. It then concludes by discussing how the NEC contract could be used to address the experienced challenges. Relative recommendations would offer useful insights regarding how future failures would be avoided. This is at the core of the objectives of project management and thus recommendations would help in preventing future incidences of failure. The

Should All Intangible Assets Be Shown in the Balance Sheet Research Proposal

Should All Intangible Assets Be Shown in the Balance Sheet - Research Proposal Example Accounting, as a profession, also grew in importance as the complications regarding the nature of the business also grew simultaneously. The use of creative accounting by the firm have necessitated a large scale changes to take place within accounting literature to suggest more radical approaches to handling many â€Å" creative accounting† issues of importance. A major offshoot was that intangible assets grew in gross disproportion to tangible assets. Still, despite growing ‘suspect’ irregularities in accounting of intangible assets that emerged from time to time, the world did not place proper regulations in place; one of these missing regulations included presenting clear and proper information of all intangible assets in the balance sheet. In the backdrop of Enron disaster, UK and US has initiated many changed in different accounting practices such as amendments made in IAS 38 however, there is still lot to be done in terms of intangible asset disclosure in ac counting statements as some of the firms are still engaged in practices of evading the inclusion of intangible assets into their balance sheet.... Statement of the Problem Intangible assets are defined as assets with the quality of being identifiable as well as quantifiable apart from the goodwill. Thus most of the financial assets used by the firms, mostly with the intention of leveraging the business, are considered as intangible assets. However the use of intangible assets as one of the critical means of hiding some of the highest importance accounting information with the potential to affect the decision making of investors is on increase as companies, despite tightening regulations and accounting standards is using them to conceal different facts. This has become even more important in the wake of the biggest corporate scandals like Enron and World Com both of which tried to conceal important facts through the reporting of accounting information in more creative way. The use of intangible assets was one of the most important mean used by these firms to hid information. This also creates very interesting ethical questions of the accounting practices being used by the firms. This research will attempt to discuss whether, the scope of the disclosure of the tangible assets in balance sheet should be increased to include all the tangible assets to be reported on the financial statements Literature Review The concept of intangible assets, in itself, is a very important and somewhat different qualities associated to them. (Berry, 2004, 15). Intangible assets hold a very different and somewhat blurred distinction between what comprise of the intellectual capital of the firm i.e. in the form of its human resources, copyrights, patents etc however, on the other hand financial assets are also often

International Terrorism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Terrorism - Assignment Example terrorist groups are bad governance, corrupt politicians, religious sensitivity, lack of security to the common people, generation of funds through illegal activities and planting terror in the hearts of the innocent. The results are disastrous and deadly for all. Article 10 describes the state of Somalia as a state of terror where people are scared even to talk over the phone for long. The Al Shabab, the Islamist militia, has taken full control over Somalia. Innocent people living there are forced to join their groups, harsh punishments are given to those who commit any mistake and their interpretation of Islam is forced upon the residents of Somalia. This is a result of ill governance. Lack of any kind of authority control motivates such terrorist groups to work actively without any fear (Petrou, 2009) Apart from the risky task of migrating to nearby places of Somalia, acquitted people of Somalia are helpless. They are ruled by fear. It becomes difficult for United states to send help to these places because, first of all, it is very expensive, secondly there is not just one group like this; in fact, groups  like them,  can be easily found anywhere in the world where there are poorly functioning governments, and to our disadvantage; the  above  kinds  of  groups  help each other in times of trouble. It is absolutely useless to talk and negotiate with such groups as they refuse to accept the other party’s terms and conditions and blackmail them to fulfill their demands at any cost. However, things can be brought under control by making sure that governments of  all the countries around the world are strong, honest and maintaining law and order in the country ( Petrou, 2009). Sometimes it is due to the corrupt politicians who plan a strategy to create such conditions throughout the country that lead to political violence throughout the country as it happened in Greece and Colombia. In Article 11, we read that in Greece, the terror was spread by a guerrilla

Vatican council 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vatican council 2 - Essay Example O’Malley himself supports the third interpretation and holds that Vatican II marks a great change in the history of the Church. In O’Malley’s opinion, the Council has ushered in decrees â€Å"that marked a real departure from previous Catholic practice.† These include the license to engage in joint prayer with Protestants and attend services in Protestant churches. The Decree on Religious Liberty also put an end to the earlier  Ã¢â‚¬Å"ideal that Catholicism should be established as the official religion of every nation, even the United States.† O’Malley contends that the radical aspect of Vatican Council II is its changing emphasis on the style of the Church. This emphasis is seen in the â€Å"striking shift in language† in the documents of the Council. Departing from the abrupt, authoritarian tone of earlier Councils, Vatican Council II adopts an â€Å"invitational style† which attempts to foster dialogue, respect for conscience, freedom of speech and a spirit of participation. The new â€Å"invitational† style of Vatican II is seen in: the emphasis on partnership and collaboration in relations among church hierarchy and with the laity; the emphasis on the main pastoral ministry being service; openness to change and development; a conciliatory attitude towards all faiths; and the active participation of the entire congregation in the liturgy. O’Malley’s article attempts to support the author’s contention that the Vatican Council II ushers in transformation in the style of the Church. The five points O’Malley cites in order to support his stand are very credible as they mark a change of direction in the Church. However, O’Malley argues that even this change is grounded in the past tradition of the Church. The â€Å"partnership and collaboration† (O’Malley, 2003) which the Council recommends in the relationship of the Church hierarchy is in line with the traditional understanding of the ‘Mystery of the

Aristotle's constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aristotle's constitution - Essay Example (Moore, 1983:144). The constructive forward-thinking characteristics that shaped Athenian democratic government give the modern world its actual derivation of the word democracy. The demesmen or citizens of Athens came together astutely to set up representative power in order to supercede the earlier oligarchic control by the aristocracy. According to the Athenian Constitution the prevailing governing assembly or Ekklesia was comprised of all registered Athenian males over eighteen years of age whose parents were citizens of Athens (Moore, 1983:182). Ephebes, the newly-registered Athenian young adults, were required to undergo military training for a year and serve on patrol as guards for another year prior to attaining to full citizenship (Moore, 1983:184). The councils of decision-makers, with the exception of a few elected officials, as well as the jurors were selected by lot from each of the tribes of the deme. The Council members that drew up the program for the plenary session once for each prytany or term (Moore, 1983:142) were also chosen by lot every year from the citizenry, and the resolutions of the Boule answered to the courts of the people or dikasterion (Moore, 1983:185). Nearly everything was determined by lot, whether it was the office of the King Archon and the Polemarch (Moore, 1983:195) or the free market advisers (Moore, 1983:191), most Athenians were selected for civic duties by chance. The chairman of the Prytanies or the committee of the Boule or Council, who kept the city seal and held the keys to the place where the treasury and public records were stored, was rotated in that office daily and could not serve twice (Moore, 1983:186). Casting lots was the usual means of appointment with two notable exceptions. First, in the religious sphere ten sacred officials in charge of expiation were elected to offer the sacrifices required by the oracles for religious rites. Another ten of these were chosen by lot to oversee the annual rituals (Moore, 1983: 194). Secondly, in the area of the armed services all military leaders were likewise elected officials. Cavalry commanders and military officers were chosen by the Prytany. Ten strategoi or generals, were elected from the whole citizenry and served more generally as a court of chief magistrates (Moore, 1983:142), but these magistrates were always answerable to the electorate as to their conduct in office, and with the vote of the Prytany could be tried in the dikasterion or the public courts for any violations of electoral trust (Moore, 1983:201). The fact that sacred and military offices would have been important elected positions is not surprising in that these responsibilities concern public matters that are of weighty importance in the management and stability of the public well-being. Both require well thought-out choices for competent and worthy individuals in order to guarantee the security of the state, unlike other duties which ought to be representative and inclusive of all citizens, such as jury duty and the day-to-day matters of governance, as well as initial service in the lower ranks of the military. Athenian democracy is not entirely similar to modern concepts of genuine participatory rule by the people. Athens' Constitution, like any modern constitution, set out the design and ideal of the democracy it

All information is in the document, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

All information is in the document, - Essay Example the main features in the film is that is characteristic of an urban setting is the firearms that are used in the action and bloodshed combats in the plot of the film. In a rural Asian setting, the main weapon to combat enemies was the sword. This is what is used in most Asian action traditional movies and the martial arts of Tai Kwando are employed. In this film however, modern firearms with live bullets are used in the action scenes. These are cocked and fired by pulling the trigger which gives the film an all modern aura. Another element of modern setting in the film was depicted with the occupation of Sung Tse-Ho. Ho’s principle job was printing and distributing fake bank notes of the US dollars. The fact that printing in itself was done is a very modern element. Traditionally primitive forms of writing were the only forms of permanently inscribing information on a piece. The bank notes also implied that the main form of exchanging goods and services or for trading was monetary which is different from the traditional barter trading system. In addition to that it depicts the presence banks in the film setting which are only characteristic of modern settings. Very few rural settings have a bank anywhere in the vicinity. This made a great impact in the lives of the dwellers and visitors of the area. They got to enjoy the services associated with banking such as borrowing of loans, keeping money safely in a personal account, saving money through savings accounts that earn interest and the like. T he dwellers and visitors also got job employments that are associated with banks such as being bank tellers, being bank watchmen and women and being cleaners. The younger brother of Ho, Kit, aspired to be a policeman. This is an influence that he got as a dweller of an urban setting. Policemen are a typical feature of an urban setting. They mascaraed the streets in their uniforms with some even holding gins or pistols. These are likely to look cool for a young man

Han and Greek Dbq Essay Example for Free

Han and Greek Dbq Essay The ancient societies of Greece and China each produced a civilization remarkable for its time. Although these civilizations emerged nearly one thousand years apart, their philosophies were completely different, had various forms of governance, and had unique economic classes. First, the thoughts of the numerous Greek philosophers were absolutely different from those of the Chinese philosophers. Chinese philosophers believed that the individual was not as important as the kingdom was as a whole, whereas Greek philosophers consider the individuals as a crucial part of society. As shown in Document 12, the human is miniscule to the landscape around him, showing that the human is only a tiny piece in the civilization. The Greek Discus Thrower portrayed in Document 11, is depicting the view that the individual is the main focus of the society in which one resides. These two documents display how Han China and Classical Greece are different in their philosophies. Classical Greece looks at an individual as a key component in their daily life. Han China however does not look at an individual like the Greeks, but instead as a small piece in the vast kingdom. Confucius believes that by being a good person you are taking part in the government because one does not have take part in the government to be part of society, one must simply do what is right (Document 10). Confucius believes this because he has his own ideals that are separate from the government and as long as people are doing the right thing they are a part of the government. There is no document that portrays the take of a Greek philosopher simply on where an individual stands in the Greek state. This would allow one to know exactly the thoughts of a Greek philosopher and not only a Chinese philosopher. Second, the form of governance displayed by the Chinese civilization varied from that of the Greek civilization. The Greek civilization had developed a new form of government; democracy that contrasted from the bureaucracy in Han China. As shown in Document 7, the Han dynasty stresses a strong central government with many appointed governors to each district its dynasty possesses. However, the Athenian government was based on the people, so they basically governed themselves (Document 5). Also displayed in Document 8, they way the government is set up, anyone who has his own business has business in the government. That way if that person does not have any affairs at all is not involved in the government. Although in Document 6, the way anyone is in government is chosen by the heavens. This directly relates to how these civilization’s forms of governance are completely different. Pericles believes that democracy is the best government system because he displays an array of ways in which the government is of the people, such as â€Å"in settling of private disputes, everyone is equal before law† (Document 4). The Ancient Greece map in Document 1 displays an inaccurate proportion of size to the Han empire map that makes it seem that the Athenians controlled as much territory as the Han, where in reality they only controlled about a twelfth of the land that the Han did. There is no document that portrays a Chinese philosopher that may have his life in danger for the ideas he has. This would allow the reader to know what a Chinese philosopher would think about his place in society if he was questioned in what he believes in (Document 9). Third, the Han and Greek civilizations displayed numerous and unique economic classes that were different from each other. The Chinese economic classes consisted of six divisions whereas the Athenian economic classes consisted of four divisions. As shown in Document 2, there were as many free male citizens as free male non-citizens and about as many free females as slaves. The population distribution of Han China portrayed in Document 3 shows that there were only a few appointed officials along with the emperor, around thirteen times more educated bureaucrats, ten times as many aristocracies as bureaucrats, around 58,500,000 farmers, only 50,000 merchants, and 5,000,000 mean people. This shows how opposite the social classes of Classical Greece and Han Chin are. Aristotle believes that the class and job that a person has must keep that and try to learn that of another because there will be no more distinction between the master and the slave. Aristotle believes this because he is a high class citizen and he does not want to change his class. There is no document that accurately portrays the feelings of a slave on class distinctions. This would allow one to know the desires that a slave would have and why it would be better if he were able to move up in society. In conclusion, the ancient civilizations of Han China and Greece each created a society influential to the time period it flourished in. Although these civilizations emerged nearly one thousand years apart, they had unique economic classes, had various forms of governance, and their philosophies were completely different.

Timber Frame Construction Trends in Irelands Housing

Timber Frame Construction Trends in Irelands Housing Introduction Modern construction comes in many forms, from traditional masonry, to precast concrete, to steel, and in recent times timber frame construction. Timber frame and masonry construction are very similar looking buildings. Over the last thirty years in Ireland the main type used in domestic dwelling was masonry construction which consists of block inner leaf, cavity, insulation and a block outer leaf, externally finished normally with a brick or plaster rendered block. Over the last twelve years timber frame construction has grown to account for nearly forty percent of the market. Timber frame construction consists of an off site engineered building which arrives to site and the pieces are assembled to complete the unit. The external finish is similarly to masonry with brick or plaster rendered block. The reason for chosen this topic is to find why this change occurred. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the Irish housing market over the last number of years, also to find out the reasons for timber frame construction becoming more popular. Aim To find out why the trend of building domestic housing in Ireland has changed from masonry construction to timber frame construction. Objectives To investigate the Irish housing market and find reasons for the trend change from masonry construction to timber frame construction. To examine the reasons why timber frame construction has grown to the level it has over masonry construction. To examine the views of homeowners and property developers towards timber frame construction. Literature Review The primary data will be sourced from RGU database, Internet sites, RGU books and journals. Relevant Irish government reports and websites will also be looked at to gain an unbiased view. Also the views of the construction agencies in Ireland will be explored. Research and methodology The author plans on doing a comparison of the two construction types in order to achieve reasons for the shift in trend. The brief comparison case studies will include cost, time, heat and energy of both types of construction. Questionnaires Questionnaires provided the primary research for this dissertation. The author shall do up one and give it out to relevant homeowners and property developers to gain an insight into their views. By doing this the author will find out the market potential of timber frame construction. Structure of Dissertation Chapter One This chapter explains the title of the dissertation, introduces the motivations and gives a background for the reasons for choosing this topic. The author explains to the reader the aim and objectives of the dissertation and how they are going to be achieved. Chapter Two The literature review will investigate in trend in Irish construction. Current construction agencies reports will be looked to try and gain an insight to the change in trend. The author feels that this will achieve the first objection of this dissertation. Chapter Three This chapter will investigate the two building options with regard to cost, time, heat and energy. This will be done by a number of interviews and case studies. Areas looked at will be construction cost and life cycle costs. Also will include a case study of both types of construction where U-Values and Building Energy Rating will be achieved and assessed to gain an insight into why the trend shifted. The author feels that this will achieve the second objection of this dissertation. Chapter Four This chapter the opinions and views of homeowners and property developers towards timber frame construction and masonry construction are explored by means of a questionnaire. The author feels this will achieve the third objection of the dissertation. Chapter Five In this finally chapter the conclusion provides a brief summary of the finding of the preceding chapters. Literature Review Background Over 70% of home in the developed world are timber frame homes. 60% of Scottish new dwelling are timber frame and over all in the United Kingdom timber frame accounts for 15% of new homes. Ireland is slowly following our neighbours. Over the last ten year Ireland had been experiencing a construction boom. Housing units been completed in 2000 being 49,812 units growing to 62,686 in 2003, peaking in 2006 with 82,980 unit completed. After 2006 the housing market in Ireland started to fall, numbers of units being built in 2007 being 71,356 continuing to fall in 2008 as 48,151 units and continuing to fall in 2009. (Central Statistics Office Ireland 2008) Many housing estates and apartment blocks had been popping up in every city, town and village mainly around the computer belt around the capital city of Ireland Dublin. Then slowly the rest of the country following. In 1992 timber frame construction account for only 5% of the new dwelling market. Since then it has grown to enormous levels to account for 30% of total housing construction nationally (Construction Industry Federation 2009). Typical these building were constructed by masonry construction, this consisted of a 300mm cavity wall with block inner leaf, insulation, cavity and a brick/block outer leaf finished with a plaster render. Over the last seventeen years timber frame construction has shown steady growth. Timber frame construction consists of an off site engineered building which arrives to site and the pieces are assembled to complete the unit. The external finish is similarly to masonry with brick or plaster rendered block. Some industry experts predict that by 2012 it will account for 50% of the new dwelling market. The timber frame industry in Ireland has shown strength and resilience, despite these difficult economic times. When the upturn comes, timber frame construction will be presented with numerous opportunities. (Maurice Buckley, CEO, NSAI National Standards Authority of Ireland.) Reasons for this happening? Energy In Ireland over the last number of years there has been a turn in attitude regarding the environment, which has in some part resulted in changes been implemented by the construction industry with regard to energy conservation. The main topic that has come to the fore on an Irish domestic level is the conservation of fuel and energy consumption. The construction industry has been identified as a considerable part of the national energy bill. Attitudes of developers and homeowner are changing to environmentally friendly buildings. Due to this timber frame construction has seen a steady growth. Timber frame is renewable building option, for every tree cut down two more are planted. The cost of turning the raw product into a building material is conceivably less than traditional methods. Timber is the only sustainable renewable commercially viable building material. The production of concrete produces vast amounts of Carbon Dioxide (C02), which has a negative impact on the environment and contributes significantly to global warming. (Irish Timber Frame Manufacturing Association 2009) Speed As the construction boom grow so did the need for housing and more importantly fast housing. One of the main factors for this turn towards timber frame is speed of construction. The frame of the building can be erected in a number of days which compared to typical masonry building is incredibly faster. This is due to the timber frame been constructed off site in a factory and delivered to site as a planned process of assembly. Masonry on the other hand takes a number of weeks to reach roof level where as timber frame is erected in a number of days. Even in wet weather work can still continue as a scaffolding system is in place around the foundation, where as blocks for masonry construction can only be laid in dry weather. Also with timber frame construction the building is weather proof much faster so internal works can begin much quicker. Also a lot of the slower work for plumbers and electricians such as first fixing is much easily done in a timber frame house. Timber frame has 30% shorter, more predictable construction time than brick and block (UK Timber Frame Association 2009). In masonry construction the use of wet trades in the build causes extra time needed for drying out. Because timber frame is a dry form of construction there is no drying out time which is a saving of a number of weeks. Also because of this there is less lightly a risk of cracking appearing on walls and ceilings for shrinking which can occur in masonry frequently. Cost The cost of a timber frame house is similar to masonry built. Unlike masonry, costs of a timber frame build can be fixed long before the foundations are poured. This is due to most timber frame suppliers also fix the structure. So a fix price for a fixed solution. No rain days for wet trades or no additional costs. This ensures that the additional expenses that spiral as a building progress can be eliminated. (Irish Timber Frame Manufacturing Association 2009). The number of persons need to fix the structure is lower than a masonry build, also with regard to time, time is money so the faster the build the cheaper for the developer and homebuilder. Also the hand over time for a complete dwelling is must faster so this will benefit developers cash flow and profitability. Due to the speed of construction on site security cost or greatly reduced. Flexibility of Layout Because timber frames internal walls being construction out of light weigh partition walls the internal space of a timber frame build is very flexible. Any mistakes in layout of internal walls is easily rectified, where as masonry internal wall would be particularly more difficult to correct. Case Studies Introduction To get real reasons for the trend mover towards timber frame construction and to get a true indication of the cost difference in both timber frame and traditional masonry domestic construction the author looked at two key areas, construction costs and life cycle costs. In relation to construction costs the areas of preliminary costs; plant and equipment costs and site labour costs are looked at in greater detail. Construction Costs Preliminary Costs Every construction project incurs preliminary costs. Preliminary costs are defined as, Costs which are directly involved with the overall completion of a construction project ( Roy Chudley 2002) These costs include items such as site management, insurance for the project, drivers and operatives. On larger sites where site cabins, offices, storerooms, toilets and canteens are required the costs incurred are also referred to as preliminary costs. For each project there is an allowance set aside for preliminary costs. However in relation to timber frame construction these costs are included in the overall timber frame package. This is a result of the majority of the work required for timber frame construction being carried out off site, which in turn makes the budget costs a lot cheaper than traditional masonry. Derek Moore a director with Timberline building contractors Ltd Dublin states, by pre-manufacturing the timber frame off-site, houses are constructed more cost effectively. (Pick a Pro 2009) To back up this point the Irish Timber frame manufactures association states this method of construction is not cheaper particularly if the builder hasnt thought his practices through but because factory fabrication means much greater predictability, better controls and of course, a faster pace (Irish Timber Frame Manufacturing Association 2009). This is not the case for its traditional masonry counterpart as preliminary costs are required as a separate budget, this is due to the fact that all of the work required for traditional masonry is carried out on site. A majority of the preliminary budget for the traditional masonry method includes hire of plant and provision for skips and concrete silos on site etc. Another factor to be taken into consideration is the time period taken to construct a timber frame house, which is significantly lower than that of traditional masonry counterpart. Costs such as site supervision and the need for engineers and the like on site are greatly reduced. Plant and Equipment Costs Plant and equipment costs should be taken in to consideration when dealing with construction costs. Every project requires certain types of equipment and plant to carry out work to a conclusion. According to Colm Kilroy a quantity surveyor with Michael Higgins and associates in Galway, plant and equipment costs are a major part of all construction projects, the utilization of such equipment is vital as a lot of money can be wasted due to bad management and planning on site. He continued to say if plant is required on site for a certain job it is vital that the site is ready for that equipment as once it arrives on site it has to be paid for. (Colm Kilroy 2009) The weather can also plays a part in plant and equipment costs, adverse weather conditions can lead to a lot of equipment being left idle while the cost for having it on the site is still being charged. Obviously the weather conditions cannot be controlled by the project team but in periods of forecasted inclement weather the ordering of plant and materials should be avoided if possible. Site Labour Costs This area of site labour costs greatly differs with both methods of construction. A lot of the factors in relation to cost for the timber frame method of construction are all inclusive of the over timber frame package, the majority of the work to be carried out by specialised labour is completed in the factory and once the timber frame unit leaves for the site their work is finished. This in turn reduces any call back costs, to complement this, the Irish timber frame manufactures association states that, There are lower call back costs; any problems encountered can be eliminated immediately by the timber frame specialists before leaving the factory. (Irish Timber Frame Manufacturing Association 2009) The cost for the labour to rectify these problems is still inclusive of the timber frame package. Traditional masonry construction is in comparison carried out differently with all the construction work associated with traditional masonry been carried out on site and with each individual trade requiring labour to carry out the work. Cost Case Study The author compiled a cost comparison from a construction contractors point of view for the development of a timber frame and masonry domestic dwelling. The house plans used to carry out this comparison were based on a single house within a development of five similar houses, only the major elements of the structures were included in the pricing. for the comparison were obtained from Barry Doyle a quantity surveyor with a Co Carlow company and John O Connell a construction contractor in Co Galway. The timber frame house is more expensive to construct than its masonry counterpart. There is a cost difference of approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬9,000 between both methods to construct a single house taking the main structural elements in to consideration. For the development consisting of five houses where this house is located the total price difference in the construction of the five houses using both methods of construction can be up to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬45,000 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬50,000. The following information shows the reasoning behind the price differences for the important elements of the construction. Timber frame kit This element looks to be very expensive but the majority of materials needed to complete the timber frame house including the labour needed for the construction are included. Concrete raft foundation The price of the raft foundation differs as there is less steel required in the raft for the timber frame house in comparison to the masonry built house, this leads to savings for both the labour and materials. Block work The difference in the price of the block work is due to the inner leaf and the internal walls of the timber frame house been constructed of timber. Roof The timber frame kit incorporates a majority of the roof in the over all package which leads is a massive price difference from the standard roof for the masonry dwelling. Insulation Due to the requirement for more insulation in the timber frame house there is a difference in price over its masonry counterpart. Slabbing As with the insulation due to the amount of timber stud internal partitions and timber inner leaf walls the timber frame dwelling requires more plaster board than the masonry method which increases both the amount of material and labour. Plastering The plastering element differs solely because of the reduced quantity of scratch coat required in the timber frame house. Carpentry The price difference in relation to carpentry is a result of a lot of the timber work coming pre fabricated as part of the timber frame kit, an example being the doors coming pre hung with ironmongery fitted and architrave already attached. Main contractors Profit The main contractors profit has been calculated on the standard percentage being 5%. Life Cycle Costs Introduction Life cycle costs are commonly interpreted as,The operating costs of buildings over the forecast useful life attributed to them (Bruceshaw 2009) These costs include initial capital costs, occupation costs and operating costs. In relation to the building industry and in particular to the traditional masonry and timber frame methods of construction, life cycle costs are essential in deciding which is the overall cost effective method of construction is. In this chapter the author discusses areas such as the running costs and other costs that are involved with both forms of construction. Design Differences and Alterations From an aesthetic point of view timber frame and traditional masonry constructed dwellings when constructed look very similar, however timber frame houses, Allow for more versatile designs than block built houses (Pick a Pro 2009) The question is once the house is constructed how easy is it to carry out modifications to the design. In relation to these alterations Kingspan Century state, Due to the fact the inner leaf of your timber frame house is constructed of solid wood and plasterboard, and not concrete blocks and plaster, extensions and alterations generally have significantly reduced impact on the existing building. (Kingspan Century 2007) To further this statement MBS Timber frame Ltd state, Because the interior of a timber frame house is made of wooden panels and plasterboard, alterations and extensions will not involve the mess and severe disruption of knocking down solid block walls, and all the other trials and tribulations that accompany this type of work. (MBC Timber Frame 2009) Alternatively the block work internal leaf of a masonry house has distinct advantages over is timber frame counterpart. Tasks such as fixing a shelf or curtain rail can be a tricky with the timber frame method, There is no problem doing this in a masonry build home as all the walls are capable of holding shelves, curtain rails etc. it would be a simple matter of drilling the holes in the correct place and screwing your shelf into place (Irish Concrete Federation 2009). In comparison, with a timber frame house, according to John Meehan a carpenter with a Co Galway Company, If you are installing a new kitchen or television unit, you may find that there are no grounds in the wall where you need a fixing. If in this situation if your fixing is put in place without finding a stud, the unit is sure to fall down under pressure. (David Treacy 2009) Property Market and Selling Value Influencing factors in relation to domestic construction include resale value and ease of sale. The traditional masonry constructed process has built up a reputation of been a good seller and a favourite with the Irish public, Galway auctioneer John Gilmore states, Block built houses are easier to sell as people generally go for the trusted method, a lot of people inquiring about timber frame houses are wary and are not easily convinced as to its benefits (Liam Gordon 2009). The view of an Irish timber frame company is that, Auctioneers and estate agents are generally of the opinion that not only is timber frame not an obstacle in selling a home, but on the contrary, is becoming more and more a major selling point. The energy efficiency of timber frame houses is becoming an increasingly valued characteristic. (Kingspan Century 2008) To reiterate this, For mortgage purposes and insurance, most lenders and insurers rank timber frame equally with block work. As far as resale value is concerned, there appears to be no difference at all between the two systems. However some individuals have their own preferences, built up from their own experience or things they have heard about either system. (Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine 2005) Running Costs The timber frame method of domestic construction encounters large savings over its traditional masonry counterpart. These savings result from the timber frame house having an allowance for insulation on both the external and internal walls; this differs considerably from the traditional masonry method where in most cases only the external walls contain insulation. Because timber frame structures are extremely well insulated and have less mass than more traditional forms of construction, significant savings can be made in heating costs. (Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine 2005) A leading Irish timber frame company states, Savings of between 30% and 40% on heating bills are fairly typical. (Devsan Timber Frame Homes 2009) In relation to further savings in the future with timber frame, It is estimated that the heating cost of a timber frame home can be 30% lower than that of a masonry dwelling, and the rapid rise in energy costs these costs look set to increase. Sunday Business Post Newspaper 2007) In conclusion the savings to be made with the timber frame method of domestic construction in relation to heating and energy use are extensive over its masonry counterpart. Time of Construction Introduction From a time to construct perspective the length of time it takes to build and finish both forms of construction differs. The construction of a traditional masonry dwelling has a longer time programme than its timber frame counterpart. The main factors contributing to the difference in construction times include. Programme of works The programme of works for both methods has a time difference of approximately seven weeks from foundation stage to decorating and moving in stage. Derek Moore of Timberline building contractors states, In terms of build speed, timber frame can deliver a significant 30% reduction on traditional construction times, which affect cash flow and reduces local disturbance. (Pick a Pro 2009) The view of another Irish timber frame supplier is the construction time of both methods of construction is even larger depending on the building, Construction time is cut by almost 40% as your timber frame structure is erected on site within days depending on size and complexity of building. (Clark Group 2008) Building Finishes During the stage whereby the timber frame unit is erected the internal first fixing work can commence. This work can proceed inside the house as the masonry skin is being built, in comparison no internal work can commence on the masonry house while the block work element is being constructed. The long drying out period associated with traditional masonry construction is also a disadvantage in comparison to the timber frame method. Apart from the obvious labour saving, timber frame doesnt need any drying-out time, unlike a standard masonry construction, which needs up to 1,500 gallons of water to evaporate before it is dry. (Sunday Tribune 2001) To reiterate this a leading Irish timber frame supplier states, Timber frame aids internal finishes, all walls are straight and plumb, corners are square and true. With timber frame there are less of the wet trades, plasterboard needs only to be skimmed and paint, decorative materials and floor coverings can be applied sooner to dried surfaces. (Castle Timber Frame Homes 2009) Heat Loss in Buildings Introduction For the purpose of this dissertation the author compared the U Value of the external walls of both a timber frame and masonry constructed dwelling, the author also decided to obtain the Building Energy Rating (BER) for both methods of construction so as to make an accurate comparison. Both the U Value calculation and the Building Energy Rating are based on the house plans. With the expertise of Michael Sweeney of Sweeney Energy the U Value and BER calculations were compiled and the results are as follows. U-Value Calculation A U-value is the term given to the measure of heat loss through sections of a building. It measures the rate that heat transmits through a component or structure when there is a difference in air temperature at both sides. U Values are expressed in Watts per metre Kelvin which is the rate of heat transfer in watts through 1m2 of the structure for one unit of temperature difference between the air on the two sides of the structure. (Roy Chudley 2002) U-Value Terms The following are terms associated with the calculation of the U-Value. Thermal Conductivity It is the measure of a materials ability to transmit heat and is expressed as the energy flow in watts per square metre of surface area. (Roy Chudley 2002) Thermal Resistance This is symbolized by the letter R, as representative of a materials thermal resistance achieved by dividing its thickness in metres by its thermal conductivity. (Roy Chudley 2002) Timber Frame U-Value Calculation The above calculations show that a traditional masonry external cavity wall has a U-Value of 0.35 W/m2K in comparison to the timber frame outer wall, which has a U-Value of 0.25 W/m2K. The findings for this particular calculation show that the timber frame domestic construction has a better U-Value than its masonry constructed counterpart. Building Energy Rating (BER) Calculation The author decided to compare the Building Energy Rating of both methods of construction. To achieve this the author availed of the expertise of a qualified BAR assessor who calculated both BER values using the same house plans as used for the U Value Calculations. For the purpose of the reader the author explains some of the terms associated in the Building energy rating procedure. Building Energy Rating Terms The procedure is based on calculating the energy balance for a dwelling, this is the energy required by the dwelling plus any losses, then less the energy gains this is equal to the energy delivered in to the dwelling (Cheveron Training 2009) Delivered Energy, expressed as kWh/year. This corresponds to the energy consumption that would normally appear on the energy bills of the dwelling for the assumed standardisation occupancy and end users considered. (Cheveron Training 2009) Primary Energy, expressed as kWh/year. This includes delivered energy, plus an allowance for energy overhead incurred in extracting, processing and transporting a fuel or other energy carrier to the dwelling. For example, in the case of electricity it takes account of generation efficiency at power stations. (Cheveron Training 2009) The results show that both timber frame and traditional masonry domestic construction have an energy rating of B2 for this house. The B2 rating is acceptable for a building, which incorporates a natural ventilation design. The primary energy value for the timber frame method of construction is lower than its masonry counterpart and indicates that the overhead incurred in extracting, processing and transporting of energy to the dwelling is lower for timber frame method. The comparison of the Co2 emissions results in the timber frame method having lower emissions output and as previously discussed the lower the Co2 emission the better it is for the environment. Finally the timber frame method had a lower delivered energy rating. This shows that the energy consumption on the energy bills of the dwelling are again lower than its masonry counterpart. Developers views regarding the change from masonry to timber frame: To achieve a true indication on the views of the construction industry in regard to both methods of construction and why the trend has moved towards timber frame it was necessary to obtain the views of developers who actually carry out the building works. As part of the author research, many construction agencies were contacted. Philip Mahoney of timber frame manufactures association was contacted and helped with the authors questions. Philip Mahoney of the Timber Frame Manufacturing Association said when asked why the trend has moved from masonry to timber frame. From a developers point of view speed of construction was very important, because a timber frame house can be up and roofed in a matter of days and ready for the follow on trades to move in. for the developer this was a great advantage as they were in and out much quicker and therefore turn cash over. Timber frame would have also have got popular with the self build sector because of the fact that a) quite an education process was carried out by the association and its members, b) the green card also began to come into play as well as timber frame is seen as environmentally friendly which the industry has been promoting. Tom McHugh, Director of Kilcloghans Ltd Galway who have been prominent traditional masonry builders for a number of years said in regards to ease of build we are masonry builders and we build timber frame, we find that it is especially simple to build the timber frame method he went on to say in relation to construction costs timber frame is as economical to build as traditional masonry regarding construction costs in relation to the downturn in the construction industry he stated yes the construction cost for both methods had dropped but both methods still work out in and around the same price. He also stated that they found the main advantages of timber frame to be a drier form of construction as well as the obvious advantages of speed to build and economical to run. From a selling point of view he found timber frame, easier for the reason that they are more economical in terms of energy use. Francis Geraghty Director of Frame to finish building contractors Co Galway stated in terms of ease of construction, the timber frame method depends largely on the type of house the client wants to build as well as the quality of site preparation before the timber frame building reaches the site. He sees the main advantages of the timber frame method for him are the U-Values that can be achieved and also the whole timber frame structure is up and ready for internal work in a matter of days. Colm Kilroy a Quantity S

Sears New Release :: essays research papers

Sears Updates Segment Reporting; Adopts New Accounting Standard Resulting In One-Time Non-Cash Charge Of $520 Million In Second Quarter HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S) announced total domestic store revenues for the five weeks ending April 7, 2001 were $2.56 billion. Comparable domestic store revenues decreased 5.3 percent. Total domestic store revenues decreased 5.1 percent compared with $2.7 billion for the five weeks ending April 8, 2000. "March retail sales fell below expectations, with the slowing economy and colder than anticipated weather having an impact on both our hardlines and softlines businesses," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alan J. Lacy. "Weather-related seasonal apparel and lawn and garden merchandise accounted for over one-third of the comparable store sales decline. Among the better performing businesses was Home Appliances, which continues to gain market share. The Great Indoors format and sporting goods businesses also performed well." Sears, Roebuck and Co. 5 Weeks 9 Weeks 2001 Domestic Store Revenues $2,563,400,000 4,530,800,000 2000 Domestic Store Revenues 2,701,000,000 4,697,600,000 Percent Change (5.1)% (3.6)% Comparable Domestic Stores Percent Change (5.3)% (3.9)% Preliminary Earnings Announcement The company anticipates that earnings per share for the first fiscal quarter of 2001, ended March 31, will be approximately $0.53, versus $0.65 in the first quarter of last year. In the first quarter, the credit business performed in line with expectations, reflecting continued strong portfolio quality. However, operating income from the credit business for the first quarter will be slightly below last year, mainly due to lower revenues. The domestic retail business did not meet the company's expectations in the first quarter due to sales and margin shortfalls resulting from the slowing economy and cooler than expected spring weather in much of the country. Sears Revises Segment Reporting FASB Statement No. 131 prescribes accounting guidance for segment reporting and requires that a company's externally reported segments be consistent with its internal management structure. Consequently, effective for the first quarter of 2001, Sears is modifying its externally reported segments to reflect the company's integrated retail and related services strategy and to align externally reported business segments with changes that have occurred in the company's internal structure over the past several months. The company's four new segments are as follows: - Retail and Related Services -- This segment consists of merchandise sales and related services, including service contracts, delivery and product installation and repair services. It covers all Sears selling channels, including specialty and full-line stores as well as direct-to- customer operations which includes online, catalogs and clubs and services. - Credit and Financial Products -- This segment includes Sears domestic credit business and the company's related financial product offerings. - Sears Canada -- Formerly named the International segment, this segment

Stakeholder :: essays research papers

The purpose of this paper is to identify key stakeholder groups in the Air Force. In addition to identifying these stakeholders groups, this paper will include whom in the Air Force marketing and communications programs might affect. The next paragraph will expound of who the key stakeholder groups are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Key stakeholders for the United States Air Force (USAF) are people in the community, in every town, and every state that make up this country. In addition, other key stakeholders are personnel in congress and even the President of the United States. The United States Air Force’s marketing and communication programs have changed remarkably over the years. Since the birth of the USAF over 55 years ago, the marketing strategy has changed from the draft to the â€Å"Cross into the blue† (Air Force, 2002). In 2002, communication to the public about the United States Air Force was received as the best place to be (Air Force, 2002). â€Å"When you Cross Into the Blue, you realize that everyone counts – that each and every member of the Air Force is in the position to make an impact. The Air Force will work to help you discover where you fit in and how you'll leave your mark. Whether you're in high school ready to join the enlisted ranks and continue your education or in college looking for a career as an officer – we have a variety of exciting and rewarding career paths. But it's up to you to take advantage of them† (Air Force, 2002). The Air Force’s communication program via web site where I retrieved this information continues on and gives listings of career fields that will be right for the stakeholder or consumer feeling excited about being a part of a team and ready to sign-up to cross into the blue. Given the â€Å"new† Air Force communication to the public, the USAF is now marketing education benefits to make people believe by choosing an Air Force career that he or she will have a successful life (Air Force, 2002). For example, the Air Force is relaying that they are dedicated to educational development and will make it easy for a person to build on education throughout his or her career. The Air Force is offering a number of unique academic opportunities and experiences in the Air Force. The public can choose from a variety of colleges, universities, and tech training programs to complete his or her education. Stakeholder :: essays research papers The purpose of this paper is to identify key stakeholder groups in the Air Force. In addition to identifying these stakeholders groups, this paper will include whom in the Air Force marketing and communications programs might affect. The next paragraph will expound of who the key stakeholder groups are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Key stakeholders for the United States Air Force (USAF) are people in the community, in every town, and every state that make up this country. In addition, other key stakeholders are personnel in congress and even the President of the United States. The United States Air Force’s marketing and communication programs have changed remarkably over the years. Since the birth of the USAF over 55 years ago, the marketing strategy has changed from the draft to the â€Å"Cross into the blue† (Air Force, 2002). In 2002, communication to the public about the United States Air Force was received as the best place to be (Air Force, 2002). â€Å"When you Cross Into the Blue, you realize that everyone counts – that each and every member of the Air Force is in the position to make an impact. The Air Force will work to help you discover where you fit in and how you'll leave your mark. Whether you're in high school ready to join the enlisted ranks and continue your education or in college looking for a career as an officer – we have a variety of exciting and rewarding career paths. But it's up to you to take advantage of them† (Air Force, 2002). The Air Force’s communication program via web site where I retrieved this information continues on and gives listings of career fields that will be right for the stakeholder or consumer feeling excited about being a part of a team and ready to sign-up to cross into the blue. Given the â€Å"new† Air Force communication to the public, the USAF is now marketing education benefits to make people believe by choosing an Air Force career that he or she will have a successful life (Air Force, 2002). For example, the Air Force is relaying that they are dedicated to educational development and will make it easy for a person to build on education throughout his or her career. The Air Force is offering a number of unique academic opportunities and experiences in the Air Force. The public can choose from a variety of colleges, universities, and tech training programs to complete his or her education.

Ch 3 Kidwell

CHAPTER 3 THE RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA AND INTEREST RATES How is an increase in the cash rate likely to affect mortgage interest rates? Increases will be announced almost immediately in variable rates. How is an increase in the cash rate likely to affect imports An increase in the cash rate may attract an additional flow in of foreign investment funds which will increase the AUD exchange rate. Foreign goods priced in a currency against which the AUD has appreciated will be cheaper in AUD terms and thus the quantity of the goods sold may will increase.How is an increase in the cash rate likely to affect the exchange rate? An increase in the cash rate may attract an additional inflow of foreign investment funds which will increase the AUD exchange rate (appreciate the currency). 20. Will a drop in the cash rate affect inflation? Explain. Theoretically it will. A drop in the cash rate will stimulate borrowing, investment and economic activity. The increased demand for resources will pu t upward pressure on the prices of resources and may lead to inflation. Answers to in-chapter questions 3. What is likely to happen to the monetary base when (a) Centrelink credits age pension to pensioners’ bank accounts? – increase in money supply, (b) the RBA buys government securities from Australian investors and (c) banks raise funds by an overseas note issue?A – increase in money supply B – increase in money supply C – no change as if the payments are received in forex, then they exchange the currency for AUD already in the money supply. If the payments are received in AUD, then other agents have already exchanged the forex for AUD. 3. Why do the financial markets pay so much attention to the cash rate? The cash rate reflects the monetary policy stance and the influence the RBA is trying to exert on the level of economic activity. It also has a significant impact on consumer and business confidence, willingness to invest and spend and abilit y to service their debt. 3. 4 Describe the likely consequences for GDP growth when the RBA sells CGS to raise funds for the Commonwealth Government A sale of CGS will reduce the supply of money in the economy all other things being equal.This will lead to increased in interest rates as money supply reduces. Higher interest rates reduce the spending power of consumers and business. This results in less spending, investment and a general decline in asset values as spending tightens. Consumers and business are also likely to become more conservative as rates increase. This would then limit GDP growth. It also must be consider for what purpose the funds will be used and this may mitigate the restrictive monetary policy position.

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN TONI MORRISON’S Essay

ABSTRACT: Racial Discrimination is when a person is treated less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin or immigrant status. In The Bluest eye ,Morrison took a different approach to the traditional White-Versus-Black racism. She acknowledged that most people are unaware of the racism that exists within a culture and often the racism that exists within themselves. Morrison’s essay describes a world free of racial hierarchy as dreamscape and unrealistic. Instead of such an imaginary place her works acknowledge cultural divides and the racism that exists within them. The middle class black society and the lower class black society, for example, are quite different from each other and are constantly conflicting .In The Bluest Eye ,Morrison distinguishes these divisions and their tensions through characters like Geraldine, Junior and Maureen Peal, who represent the privileged division of black culture .On the c ontrary,the less privileged division is represented by the MacTeer family and the ‘relentlessly and aggressively ugly’Breedlove family. Tension between the divided African American society is clearly represented by such characterization throughout Morrison’s Novel. African American literature is literature written by, about and sometimes specifically for African Americans, the black settlers in America. When the Africans settled in America, they were treated brutally by the Americans. They used them for their favour and hardly treated them as human beings. They wanted to show their protest so they used literature as the weapon to show their protest. The poet Phillis Wheatley and orator Frederick Douglass  were considered to be the beginners.Toni Morrision, Alice Walker etc followed their footsteps to show their protest. Chloe Anthony Wofford was born on Feb18, 1931,in Lorain, Ohio. She was second oldest of four childern. Her father George Wofford was a welder and her mother Ramah was a Chruch going women and sang in the choir.She took Latin in school and read many great works of European Literature. She was graduated in Lorain high school with honour in 1949.At Howard University, she was major in English and chose the classic for her minor. Since many people could not pronunce her name properly, she chose to cal herself Toni. After graduation in 1953 Toni continued her education at Cornell University. She married Harold Morrison and had two sons. But her married life was unhappy. Morrison went to work for Random House, were she edited works for such authors as Toni Cade Bambara and Gayl Jones. Mothers are almost always absent from the lives of Morrison’s characters ,having abandoned their children, died or simply disappeared .Despite the horrors of dislocation and slavery African American community searches for their Motherland, this was portrayed in the novels of Toni, as the absence of Mothers. The Novel †JAZZ† begins with a recap of Dorca’s murder and violet’s attack on her corpse. The couple that kill and then defaces the young girl seem immediately to be evil and immoral characters, but surprisingly Morrison goes on to flesh them out and to explain, in part ,that violet acts stem from suppressed anguish and disrupted childhoods. Racial discrimination is to treat differently a person or group of people based on their race.Power is a necessary precondition, for it depends on the ability to give or withhold social benefits, facilities, services, opportunities etc, from someone who should be entitled to them and are  denied on the basis of race, colour or national origin. Racial discrimination is when a person is treated less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of their race, colour, descent ,national or ethnic origin or immigrant status. For example, it would be ‘direct discrimination’ if a real estate agent refuses to rent a house to a Person because they are of a particular racial background or skin colour. It is also racial discrimination when there is a rule or policy that is the same for everyone but has an unfair effect on people of a particular race, colour descent , national or ethnic origin or immigrant status. This is called ‘indirect discrimination’. For example, it may be indirect racial discrimination if a company says that employees must not wear hats or other headwear at work, as this is likely to have an unfair effect on people from some racial/ethnic background. THE BLUEST EYE Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest eye, was published in 1970.It tells the story of a young African American girl who believes her incredibly difficult life would be better if only if only she has blue eyes. When society is racist against a person ,the victim can avoid those within society who have become particularly offensive .But when the dear and near ones reject them, there is no escape from the pain, At this time,a person become completely immersed in misery and go insane .This is the fate of Pecola Breedlove . For Pecola, constant abuse by society and her family made her so utterly alone. Her brother runs away from home by encouragement from his mother ,who rejects the family and goes to work for a white family .By working for the white family , she got everything that she wanted and was needed .In doing so, she rejects the needs of her family entirely , not even her own daughter could call her â€Å"mother† instead she forces to call her â€Å"Mrs .Breedlove† , a symbol of the unfamiliarity of the connection that should be  filled with love, but is only filled with hatred and rejection. This increased when Pecola is raped by her father,followed by her mother beating her until the baby dies .This final blow ,the hopelessness of rejection caused by both the internal and external racism, was what drove Pecola insane, and would drive any person to madness ,because the pain that this racism caused is the pain of being alone, a pain which no human can bear. The abuse from racism is never forgotten , it leaves a scar â€Å"the pain may recede after time ,but the scar remains† Pecola Breedlove,a eleven year old little black girl, is plain and homely. By orders of the country, the Macteers take Pecola into their home to temporarily take care of her until the Country finds another home for her. It is here that she meets and becomes best friends with Claudia and Frieda. She is not happy with herself and longs for blue eyes, as they are symbolic of American white beauty. Pecola has a very difficult life growing up, as people torment her for being black and ugly. She is also raped by her father, and eventually becomes pregnant with his baby. However, the baby dies. Her mother treats her coldly, as she believes Pecola is ugly and is ashamed of her. Morrison introduces the adult character Geraldine late in the novel in order to depict the same-race racism as widely spread among the ages. Geraldine’s racism is plainly stated when she warns her son that there are obvious â€Å"difference between coloured people and niggers. Coloured people are neat and quiet; niggers are dirty and loud â€Å"(The Bluest eye). Geraldine is not only warning her son of these differences, but she is also spreading a racial stereotype. Toni uses the symbol, Hollyhock flower as beauty, confidence and strength of the privileged black society. She uses Dandelions as the less privileged black society (i.e.) lower class as ugly, useless, unwanted. As member of the less privileged society, Pecola associates well with the dandelions and believes â€Å"they are pretty†. Pecola sees the beauty in the dandelions that she is actually seeing the beauty in  herself and in her society, while others do not. Geraldine’s cat represents yet another symbol of the privileged society. The cat is â€Å"as clean and quiet as she is†. Geraldine’s son, Junior was neglected by his self-absorbed, cat-loving and nigger-hating mother. Junior revolts against his mother’s racist beliefs by abusing the cat which represents all that is dear to her. Junior feels out of place and drawn towards the black children his mother shuns. Claudia and Frieda give up the money they had been saving and plant Marigold seeds in hopes that if the flowers bloom, Pocola’s baby will live; the Marigolds never bloom. This shows that the younger generation accepts all the people equally. â€Å"Everyone is a child of God and all are created equally†. Racial discrimination is not only the problem of previous generations. Even in this century, one could find the practice of racial discrimination. For instance, the popular dancer Michael Jackson underwent many cosmetics, operations and tolerated pains to show that he too could be on par with white people with white skin.

Is the Panama Canal Sustainable?

The Panama Canal was completed in 1914 by the United States. The 51 mile long route cuts through Panama at the narrowest point between North and South America to connect the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Panama is in Central America between Columbia and Costa Rica. The Panama Canal The canal was built to and save ships from Europe and Africa going the entire way around the bottom tip of South America (the red route on the map), to reach western Asia. The canal cuts through Panama and allows most ships to pass through it so save on cost and time (the green route on the map). By building this canal, shipping has been given an enormous advantage, as ships no longer have to sail around the tip of South America to reach either ocean and sailing time is drastically reduced. Investigating the natural environment The climate in Panama is hot and humid, with a prolonged rainy season (May to January) and a short dry season (January to May). The region's normal daily temperature is 26 degrees Celsius and varies little throughout the year, perhaps 2-3 degrees. During the evening hours, however, the temperatures change more considerably, and can fluctuate as much as 6-10 degrees Celsius. There is a climate graph below showing the climatic conditions in Panama. Climate, rainfall and humidity graphs for Panama This graph shows that the rainy season does last from May to January and month with the highest rainfall in November with 569mm and the lowest rainfall in February with about 40mm of rain. This graph also shows that the average temperature throughout the year is around 26 degrees. There is very little seasonal variation in temperature but there are large seasonal fluctuations in rainfall. The humidity chart shows that the humidity is also high throughout the year, peaking between June and November, but only varying by 9% over the whole year. So between June and November, there is high humidity, high rainfall and on average, only 5 hours of sunshine a day as apposed to the 8 or 9 hours from January to April. A Sketch map of the panama region This map shows the rainforest and where the locks and the reservoirs are located. Man has had to create these reservoirs for the canal to function properly, meaning man has modified the drainage area. In order to make the reservoirs, much of the land has had to be flooded, rainforests and settlements also. This meant that many habitats were destroyed and many animals would have died as a result. Not only this, but substantial amounts of rainforest would have had to have been destroyed, that lay in the canal path and where the afore mentioned reservoirs are, again destroying habitats and killing animals. Along the route of the canal there is a series of 3 sets of locks that lower and raise the ships on their way to and from Atlantic and Pacific oceans. These locks are called the Gatun, Pedro Miguel and the Mira Flores locks. At Gatun there are 2 parallel sets of locks each consisting of 3 flights. This set of locks lift ships a total of 26 metres. The locks are constructed from concrete. More than 1.53 million cubic metres of concrete were used in the construction of the Gatun locks alone. The smallest set of locks along the Panama Canal are at Pedro Miguel and have one flight which raise or lower ships 10 metres. The Mira Flores locks have two flights with a combined lift or decent of 16.5 metres. Investigating the Social Environment Panama City is the largest city in panama. Its metropolitan area contains nearly one third of the nations inhabitants, about 1 million people. From 1980 to 1990 the city's population grew from 386,300 to 413,000. After 1990 the population again grew rapidly, increasing to 688,927. The city cannot cope with such rapid growth and there isn't enough accommodation for the whole population, so shantytowns start appearing, these are clusters of shacks, which the people build themselves. They make their ‘houses' out of anything they can find, corrugated iron, tyres and the like. These shantytowns accommodate only the poorest of the population as the richer citizens can afford the higher house prices in the city. This rapid urbanisation and the development of the shantytowns makes Panama City much more polluted. The shantytowns sprawl out from the City centre and start to intrude on the rainforests, then posing an ecological threat and threatening the sustainability of the Panama Canal. Urbanisation level This graph shows the percentage of urbanisation over the past 15 years and the predicted levels of the next 20 years. According to this graph urbanization is set to increase steadily over the next 25 years. The Panamanian government are moving people into the rainforest to give them a chance to rebuild lives and to escape the mass urbanisation and unhygienic conditions of the shantytowns. This relieves the congestion in the city and gives people new opportunities. Investigating the Economic Environment The Panama Canal is generating a lot of money for the people of Panama; it is not only a strong business and a power source, but a tourist attraction too. Many visitors come to visit the canal and bring a lot of revenue into the area, encouraging businesses to grow and prosper. The ships must pay over 15 hundred dollars to use the canal, so this brings a lot of revenue into the area. The Panama Canal can make the quality of life increase on one hand, but decrease on the other. The Canal brings a lot of revenue into the area although it can divide the social classes. The Canal creates a richer class, which are the people that profit from the canal, who continue to get richer as the canal brings in more and more money and a poorer class, as they have to move into the rainforest and live off the land with little or no money. It could also introduce crime into the area as the canal creates richer areas, with more valuable things in it, and with the poorer people living close by in the shantytowns, it is an open invitation for crime. If the Canal had to close, Panama would economically suffer immensely. Its main source of income would have dried up and the country's wealth would go down dramatically as a result. The shipping companies that use the canal would also suffer incalculably as their ships would have to sail around the tip of South America to reach the eastern world. Panama would have massive problems then with urbanisation, as people would flock to the city in hope of jobs, therefore the shantytowns will rapidly increase in size, posing new problems to the city. The Canal and it's reservoirs supply 700 000 people with fresh water. If the reservoirs cease to operate, then these people's water supply will be cut off. Evaluation If the Panamanian rainforest is cut down too much, the consequences will be dire. The canal will not be able to function properly as there will not be enough water in the reservoirs to sustain the canal. The tree's roots hold together the soil so if the trees are cut down during deforestation, then the soil becomes loose and with the huge amounts of rain that the area receives much of the soil will be washed away, into the reservoirs that feed the canal. If vast amounts of soil wash into the reservoirs then the soil occupies some of the volume of the reservoir, volume that could have been taken up by water. This means that the reservoirs cannot hold as much water as they were designed to hold. As the canal relies solely upon these reservoirs, depletion in the amount of water the reservoir could take would harm the canal's efficiency as every ship that travels through the canal takes with it an immense amount of water so there would not be the water available to work the canal, ultimately ensuring the closure of the waterway. Solutions The water in the lakes has been going down because of deforestation. The government have made a new â€Å"organic law† that allows the government to have the final say for any projects in the watershed zone. Three million dollars is being set aside to combat any environmental plans and satellite imaging is being set up so the government can view the area on a much larger scale and can see the real extent of the damage. This should enable the government to act quickly if they can see a potential threat. The Government must also regulate urbanisation as a spread of Panama City's unplanned, chaotic urbanization into the watershed would spell disaster for the canal, electricity supplies, and clean drinking water. However, the government are not perhaps taking the issue as seriously as they should be. In 1995, the government gave permission for a four-lane road to be built in the lower catchment of the watershed, ploughing straight through the national park. The Panama Canal can be sustainable if the correct precautions are taken to ensure that urbanisation and deforestation do not increase any more, otherwise, they will spiral out of control and the panama canal will have to close, ending many, many businesses in the local area and around the world.

Definition of Cloud Computing Essay

â€Å"What is your definition of cloud computing and how does it impact your business?† Cloud computing has been around for a while. It has been lurking in the ICT industry in smaller forms and companies have generally been using the service internally without realizing it. Only a few years ago, the sudden realization that cloud computing can save an organization massive operational costs came to the fore. Organizations were getting bigger and the cost of doing business was becoming expensive. Organizations that were expanding globally, i.e. beyond their country’s borders were discovering that the infrastructure costs per country varied and in some instances were none-existent as the country did not have the buying power to procure the latest infrastructure. This meant that organizations that had SOE (standard operating environments) and were mandated by policy to conform to specific standards began to find it more difficult to maintain their standards. This in turn meant that compromises would need to be made to security policies and the method in which data was delivered to international clients had to be changed to enable this to happen. So, it was only natural that when cloud computing service providers began an aggressive push for their services, the world breathed a sigh of relief. Here at last was a service that could be delivered virtually anywhere in the world and even more beneficial was the fact that the service could be delivered down to handheld devices such as smartphones and the iPad. In addition to this, cloud computing enabled an organization to maintain its policies seamlessly across multiple sites which may be located in different countries. The entire platform could be used to virtually centralize the data and the policies associated with it. So, exactly what is cloud computing? To the layman, the simplest definition is the storage of data in a virtual cloud with the Internet being used as the backbone to access and work on data. The Cloud The Cloud Data Flow Data Flow For a user who is always on the move, cloud computing makes it easier to access and work on data regardless of the location and it also allows the user to be in touch with his office because cloud computing is not restricted merely to information sharing but also allows for the bridging of the user and his colleagues by way of video conferencing, virtual boardrooms and other features that enable a user to remain connected. From a more technical perspective, the data is stored in data farms that can be made up of SANS, virtualization, security layers and connectivity mediums that allows for the quick access to data. The benefits of cloud computing are no doubt massive but what does this mean for the financial industry? What does this mean for an industry that is built up on a rigid set of information security policies, all with the one objective of protecting customer information and transaction records? For someone such as me, the financial industry is almost akin to the Russian iron curtain. Customer data is jealously guarded and information relating to the financial systems is kept securely under lock and key. Every single user is tasked to ensure that any information coming out of the system is used exactly and only for the purpose it is deemed and destroyed once it has been used. In addition to this, the ICT industry in the finance industry has a massive task on its hands. It is responsible for ensuring that intrusion attempts are detected and arrested on the spot and any data traversing out of the network is secured to the point of destination. Naturally, the ramifications of any breach can be potentially fatal. Breaches of customer data can usually result in: * Customer legal action, i.e. being sued * Non-compliance of central bank regulations can lead to fines * Loss of reputation * Loss of revenue These factors can usually be devastating for any bank. After all, customers expect their personal information to be kept secure when dealing with a bank given that no one likes their financial information splattered across the public boards for the world to see. If an example is sought here, one need only look at the Swiss banks. â€Å"†¦When people worry about their money, they rush it to Switzerland, even when domestic laws forbid it. Switzerland never seems to have any trouble which would adversely affect the value of its currency or the safety of the money entrusted to its bankers (Vicker 3, 4).† This was the general norm until recently in 2009 when the US demanded that the Swiss Bank UBS turn over details of US clients who were suspected of tax evasion, â€Å"†¦fight between U.S. authorities and the Swiss banking giant, UBS, the veil is about to be pierced. UBS agreed on Wednesday to turn over identifying information on 4,450 accounts which the IRS believes hol d undeclared assets belonging to Americans. Those accounts were believed to hold about $18 billion†¦ Accounting Web (08/20/2009 – 08:26).† Ultimately, this defined a new era for Swiss banking because another country had successfully infiltrated the closely guarded secrets of the Swiss banks and managed to demand data be handed over through legal channels. So what does this mean for organizations in the financial sector where security is paramount? Naturally, no financial institution wants to lose control of its data or being in a position where it cannot control the flow of data accurately. It is therefore critical that the decision to move to a cloud based environment be studied carefully while gauging the risks involved and the potential loss of customer information if the system were ever to fail. Therefore, it is my belief that organizations in this sector are highly unlikely to move over entirely to the cloud based system. Federal and central regulations would play a crucial role in the decision as well as the security aspects. For any financial organizations contemplating this move, it would certainly not be done by way of hiring a vendor providing the service and instead the organization would build its own private cloud where it would enforce all the necessary regulations and policies that would ensure the security of the data. It is also prudent to remember that the core applications of financial organizations are generally built around legacy based languages such as COBOL and these cannot be easily migrated to a web based system given that there are transactional processing issues such as response times, etc. that need to be factored. For financial institutions, the change would be far too massive and require an almost complete overhaul of the existing investments in the infrastructure and a change in the central policies. In addition to this, there is always the greater risk of data losses as Goo gle experienced recently which left a few thousand customers without access to their mailboxes and ultimately losing their data. In a cloud based environment, the risks of such occurrences particularly where customer data is concerned are far too great to be reckoned with – even if the ratio is small, that risk cannot be taken. Organizations in the financial sector are dictated on industry expected practices such as data retention periods, backup methodology, archiving, backup security and a whole host of other protocols that need to be followed when dealing with customer data. In an environment such a cloud based one, these methodologies cannot all be applied given that the environment is changed from a more rigid and manageable structure to a more fluid structure. In conclusion, the concept of cloud computing is indeed a fascinating one and offers massive savings for any organization that ventures into it however for industries where customer information security is the key to survival, the prospect of going to a cloud based system unless it were a privately built and controlled one would not induce any encouragement in the financial sector. Nonetheless, it is hoped that in the future, central regulations will be changed to encourage the migration to cloud and with the appropriate security policies and perhaps an improved security structure, this vision may one day be fully embraced by the financial industries around the world. * Vicker, Ray. Those Swiss Money Men. New York: Scribner, 1973. * Accounting Web. Swiss Bank UBS agrees to reveal U.S. secret accountholders, http://bit.ly/iO4bX6, August 20, 2009, 08:26

Operations Management – Core Capabilities

Review core capabilities. Core capabilities are critical issues in operations management. Why are core capabilities an asset? Are there any instances in which a firm’s core capabilities can be a liability rather than an asset?In general, core capabilities are an organization’s key ability that sets it aside from competitors. According to Qfinance, the definition of core capabilities is a key ability or strength that an organization has acquired that differentiates it from others, gives it competitive advantage, and contributes to its long-term success (Qfinance, 2009). Core capabilities are essential to operations management by contributing to an organization preforming its business activities at a higher level of efficiency on a consistent basis, which are critical to their competitive position in its market. An organization can attempt to dominate its field by focusing on their core capabilities.Core capabilities are an asset in operation management through providing an organization the opportunity to produce profits. Resources and core capabilities are the backbone in which an organization can add value through creating and executing strategy in order to earn reasonable returns and accomplish a competitive advantage (MSG, 2013). Resources are contributions to an organization’s operations. These could be employees, financial, technology, or organizational resources. The more valuable, unique, and specialized the resource is, the more likely the organization will achieve it core capabilities. Core capabilities are all about an organization’s ability to incorporate its resources in an attempt to utilize them more effective and efficiently, as well as distinguish itself from its rivals, which ultimately leads to a competitive advantage.Once established, core capabilities allow an organization to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. However, there are some drawbacks with core capabilities. One factor regarding core capabilities th at could lead to a liability rather than an asset is that core capabilities cannot stay the same over time. An organization would need to adjust its core capabilities in order to adapt to market changes and the environment. Core capabilities  are unique sets of skills that confers competitive advantages to a firm, in which rivals firms cannot easily duplicate them (Swink, Melnyk, Cooper, & Hartley, 2013). If an organization’s core capabilities are stagnant over time, then they won’t be able to get ahead of the competition and stay ahead.