National Sports Day in Qatar - Extent to Which the Event Is Attended, Research Proposal

Essays on National Sports Day in Qatar - Extent to Which the Event Is Attended, the Interests, Likes, and Dislikes of Participants Research Proposal The paper â€Å"National Sports Day in Qatar - Extent to Which the Event Is Attended, the Interests, Likes, and Dislikes of Participants† is an  intriguing version research proposal on marketing. The report is about the National sports day in Qatar since Qatar is the sports capital of the world. The report looks into the various ways that the government can undertake to ensure that every Qatari participates and is proud of the National sports day. The report also looks at the various environmental factors affecting the sports day. The Qatar government seeks to be the sports capital and would like more Qatari people involved in sports and fitness. The report also targets to increase the number of people engaged in sports with regard to the ever-increasing population in Qatar. The report also looks at other competitive activities that people engage in other than sports, and their advantages and limitations.The management decision problem is how to increase the level of partici pation in the National sports day programs among young adults between the ages of 19 and 25. The marketing research problem is how to create and increase awareness of the national sports day through aggressive advertising and conducting online surveys in schools and malls among teenagers and gather information concerning youth interests aimed at reaching out to the target audience and increasing the attendance of the sports day.Information to be gathered using primary research:The population of the participants aged between 19 and 25 in the national sports day.The extent to which the national sports day is attended and prioritized by the population.The interests of participation by the population in the event.The likes and dislikes of the sports day by the participants and population in the country.The level or extent of awareness by the population about the event.The level of participation or engagement in the event.The views and opinions of the population regarding the sports day. The frequency of participation by the population of the national sports day.  The method of primary research that I recommend using is Questionnaires. This is because they give the respondent complete freedom of response and permit a greater depth of response (Fowler, 2009). They are also easier to administer and simple to formulate. Also, the respondent’s responses may give an insight into his or her feelings, background, hidden motives, interest and decisions (Zikmund, 2003).The research processAfter identifying the problem, questionnaires are formulated in short; easy and simple words and the objectives to be accomplished are included in the questionnaires.The items and pages in a questionnaire are numbered and brief and clear instruction is included.Information to be obtained from the questionnaire is analyzed and items stated as positively as possible.The layout of the questionnaire is organized in such a way that it is easy to complete.The questionnaire is unbiased an d arranged in a logical order.A sample selection of the population is done and given the questionnaires to fill out in a stipulated time duration.The questionnaires are collected later and an analysis is made to report the findings gathered from the population sample and implement the findings.In most cases, a follow-up letter is sent after a questionnaire has been given out to request the subjects to respond to the questionnaire on a specific deadline date (Saunders, 2003).

Sonnet 104 Free Essays

Essay: Sonnet 104 Sonnet 104 is one of 154 sonnets written by the English poet William Shakespeare. It’s a member of the Fair Youth sequence, in which the poet expresses his love towards a fair friend. Each stanza expresses Shakespeare’s relationship with his beloved. We will write a custom essay sample on Sonnet 104 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The sonnet deals with the destructive forces of time as humans grow older and makes a commentary on the process of aging. In the first quatrain, the poet focuses on his beloved, exploring the theme of beauty and aging. The very beginning of the quatrain begins with â€Å"To me†, and in the second line, ends with â€Å"eye I eyed. These two phrases signified that what he was writing was from his own perspective. The poet did not consider the opinion of the reader and later in the quatrain, continues this theme when he states, â€Å"Such seems† in the third line. This quatrain was a commentary on the beauty of his beloved friend. The poet acknowledges that this is his perspective; yet he does not acknowledge the perspective of anyone else. These lines also discuss that his beloved friend is as beautiful as when they first met and that his opinion of beauty is not judged upon the reader. In the second quatrain, the poet focuses on time passing the significance of evolution. This theme progresses with the continual mentioning of seasons. The poet wants to emphasize the three years that have passed. The natural cycle between seasons emphasizes the time passing. â€Å"Summers pride† gives way to â€Å"winters cold†, â€Å"beauteous springs† give way to â€Å"yellow autumn†, and April perfumes make way to the â€Å"hot Junes burnd†. This is not only a commentary on how much time has passed, but also a commentary on how beauty can fade. As stated in the phrases listed above, the changes in seasons always lead to a different landscape. With this evolution, it is only natural that beauty fades. However, the poet makes is blatantly clear in the eighth line that his beloved never changes. This last line of the quatrain shows that his beloved is a fresh beauty. The use of the words â€Å"green† and â€Å"fresh† signify his beloved’s youthfulness and prove that he has defied nature. This breaking of the cycle proves to be a powerful use of language and diction. In the third quatrain, the poet recognizes that his beliefs are unnatural, and creates a shift in the sonnet. The ninth line instigates the shift once the poet writes, â€Å"Ah, yet†. This sign tone and shift in perception help him come to a realization. This recognition proves that the poet is fooling himself about his friend’s beauty. The â€Å"dial-hand† mentioned in the ninth line signifies that even though his beloved friend is actually aging, he only sees him to be beautiful. This metaphor is a perfect representation of his perception of beauty. As the quatrain continues he explains that his eye deceives him of reality. Like a clock hand moves slowly, he slowly recognizes reality. In conclusion, sonnet 104 is a commentary on the poet’s perception versus reality. The poet ends the sonnet by announcing that no one, after he and his beloved die, could ever understand what beauty really is. The height of beauty was when his fair friend lived. Beauty was and will always be understood as a part of his writing. Though his friend may not be living, his beauty still lies within the poet’s literature. How to cite Sonnet 104, Essay examples

Importance of Decision Making Of a Company-Free-Sample for Students

Questions: 1.How much of the information which he had gathered was really relevant to the Decision? 2.What was the best approach to assessing the Economic worth of the proposal? 3.Cash was particularly limited this year and acceptance of this project could mean that other projects would have to be deferred. How should this be taken into consideration? 4.How should the Strategic factors be assessed? Answers: Introduction George Panios is appointed as the finance manager of the Delphi Cones and Tubes Plc and has been entrusted with 24 hours to ascertain the profit projections of the accountant and needs to recommend a plan within 24 hours. Various discussions from the meeting needs to be taken into consideration for the purpose of decision making. Since, it is a machine it needs to be studied from the perspective of the life span and useful year. It is clearly mentioned that the machine can raise only 20,000 at the end of the period. Further, the opening stock in the initial year will be acquired at the same time with the machine. The details says that the depreciation of the machine will be done over six years on the straight line basis. 1.The new machine namely Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) milling machine has a capital cost of 2, 40,000. The company needs to consider a lot of important issues before making such a huge investment. The investment in this new machine and the project to be undertaken has a lot of factors that need to be considered such as the alternate use of machinery, its expected useful life, availability of parts of such machinery etc. The information gathered by Mr. George is scattered although most of the information is relevant. The relevant information can be summed up in following points: The initial capital cost for purchasing the new machinery will be 2,40,000. The machinery is not useable for any other project. At the end of the project, it is estimated to realize only 20,000. The machine is to be depreciated as per straight line basis method in six years. Fixed overheads are known. The additional expenses on advertising and publicity are known if the new machinery is put to use in the new project (Porter Norton, 2014). Further, the launch of the new project will reduce the sale of another project by 60,000 annually. Apart from the information above, other information is also available which includes the rate of return, a recommendation from the chief manager, the margins expected for net profit and gross profit, etc. The information available with Mr. George is material but at the same time, the projections given by the accountant seem unrealistic. The reason is that the flow of sales in the 4th year has been shown as falling drastically. Moreover, the expenses also are showing a dissimilar trend in the year after 1st year. Mr. George is advised to compile all the information himself in order to analyze the profitability and the production capacity of the new machine and new project. This will help in proving concrete information and aims to provide to provide better information that will aid in the process of decision making (Porter Norton, 2014). 2.The company used discounted payback method to assess the economic worth of the proposal. Although, it is a good method to know that when the company will be able to recover the amount that has been invested by the company in the new proposal. The discounted payback period method does not include non-financial factors like employees honesty and punctuality. Such factors play an important role and hence, needs to be ascertained properly. But, there are few inherent limitations of payback methods due to which it cannot be solely taken as the only approach to economic worth assessment. These limitations should also be kept in mind by the management while assessing the product viability. The management should use these methods in combination with traditional methods of measuring project profitability (Davies Crawford, 2012). Using the method in combination will provide a better result and deriving at a conclusion will be easier. The limitations are that it does not take into consideration time value of money while taking into accounts the inflows and outflows of the upcoming years. Further, this method does not consider the cash inflows that are estimated after the payback period and hence this method does not accurately calculate the overall profitability of the proposal (Brigham Daves, 2012). Hence, the payback method should be used in combination with other methods of appraisal such as IRR, NPV, Profitability Index, etc. as also suggested by Mr. George. This method is more worthy and a modern day technique which gives us a new prospect at looking at the product. The product is to be analyzed at all prospects like profitability, break-even, the age of the product, scrap value and payback period (Peirson et. al, 2015). The other discounted cash flow methods should also be used in combination with payback method due to its following merits The discounted cash flow methods consider the time value of money while calculating the profitability of a proposal. This is a very important thing to consider because the inflows and outflows of cash during the tenure of the project cannot bear the same value of money as it bears today (Williams, 2012). Hence, the cash flows should be brought to the present value first so that they can be compared with the capital investments being done at the initial stage of the project. This can be done using the discounted cash flow techniques only (Petty et. al, 2012). These methods help in making comparisons easy among the different projects which are dissimilar with regard to time period, cash inflows, initial investment, etc. These methods help in quick and easy decision making. These methods are important in analyzing the project and find out the project feasibility. This method is latest and up to date techniques. These methods do not assume traditional methodology (Needles Powers, 2013). Hence modern day managers prefer these over old methods. 3.The product has a 4-year life so we have to analyze whether the cash outflow on the machine is able to generate some profit over its lifespan. The accountant has not considered the scrap the product shall arise after the end of 4 years. The product life has been taken at 4 years and the depreciation calculation shall be revised and calculated as below: New depreciation: 240-20 / 4 = 55 It will increase the depreciation by 15 which has been incorporated in the chart shown below. Also, fixed overheads have already been expensed and it shall in the case be incurred even if the product is not purchased, hence it shall be ignored i.e. 20% of total labor costs every year which has been included in other production expenses. This cost should not be included again in the product expenses as these are incurred for the new product (Northington, 2011). The accountant has also not considered the scrap value of 20,000 and annual benefits of 16000 . Both the scrap value and the annual benefits have been included in the profit loss statement. We have below incorporated all the financial changes in the arrived profits of four years. These recommendations have been added or deducted as per its treatment. Profit Loss Statement (revised) Particulars 2018 2019 2020 2021 Profit (96) (48) 72 (16) Less: Depreciation 15 15 15 15 Add: Fixed Overheads 20% 16 24 24 16 Add: Scrap Sale 20 Add: Cash Benefits 16 16 16 16 Less: Rate of Return 10% 24 24 24 24 Total (83) (47) 73 (23) The product figures have revealed that there are continuous losses even after the changes have been made the organization. The loss means that the management should not take up the project. The project is not able to produce profits even after reviewing and revising the figures. Hence it is clearly evident that project is loss making project (Brigham Ehrhardt, 2011). The opportunity cost of losing sales of another product shall further increase the loss of the product, so the product should not be purchased. The company is also facing a cash crunch in their company financials so it is more important for the company to preserve its cash reserve. The company shall have to pay interest on the loan which is to be taken to purchase the product. The company can save on these interest payments, which shall not be paid if the loan is not taken. The suggestion to the company is that the product should not be purchased as it is a loss making venture. The cash availability can be increased by utilizing the available resources in the organization. The cash has been carefully spent and should be preserved. The tax payments also require cash so its availability should be kept well in advance. The management has to cut down its cash expenses and increase cash revenues in the company (Correia et. al, 2005). Cash has multi-dimensional users in the organization for entire payments and capital expenditure. Before setting up the strategy of the organization, the goals, external environment, available resources, and organizational structure and history should be understood and accordingly be strategies should be developed. These are the most important factors to be kept in mind by the strategy makers. These factors are primarily important for the success of the organization in long term (Brealey et. al, 2011). The strategic factors should be based on the whether the opportunity cost of product or project was undertaken is able to be covered by the product or project revenues. The strategy of the top management should be both short term and long term oriented so that both profits and break even may be achieved (Brealey et. al, 2015). Initially, the product/project should be able to cover its cost i.e. break even (cost= revenue) and gradually the product/project should gain profits. The strategy factors should be carefully able to judge the life of the product/project which afterward shall be scrapped. The organization should see whether taking up the new venture effects its existing capacity is utilized or whether existing capacity is to be released. Hence the strategy of the organization is to be maximizing its profits at lowest costs. The cost benefits analysis is also one of the strategy factors to be kept in mind (Parrino et. al, 2012). The organization shall be able to gain the minimum risk-free rate which is available in form of treasury or government bond rates. In case the project is able to earn risk-free rate, the project can be undertaken (Shah, 2013). The project is to be analyzed on the basis of NPV criteria which say that the yearly revenues can be discounted at a predetermined rate and it should be matched with probable initial outflow and in case the result is positive the project is viable and can be pursued further Conclusion From the above report, it is evident that the project needs to be evaluated on the basis of the NPV criteria because there are various advantages associated with the project. The major benefit that can be attained is that the yearly revenue can be discounted. Ratio analysis should also be done while considering strategic factors. Ratios such as current ratio, net profit ratio, gross profit ratio, interest coverage ratio, debt service ratio etc should be calculated and taken into consideration while assessing the profitability of the new venture in its entire tenure. Therefore, the decision making should not be done considering a single factor and must be done with the aid of various factors. In the above case, NPV is selected to attain the result and in this scenario, if the result is positive then the project is viable and can be pursued further. References Brealey, R. A, Myers, S. A Marcus, A. J., 2015. Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 8th ed. Australia: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Brealey, R, Myers, S Allen, F 2011, Principles of corporate finance, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Brigham, E. Daves, P 2012, Intermediate Financial Management , USA: Cengage Brigham, E.F. Ehrhardt, M.C 2011, Financial Management: Theory and Practice, USA: Cengage Learning. Correia, C, Mayall, P, O'Grady, B Pang, J 2005, Corporate Financial Management, 2nd ed. Perth: Skystone Investments Pty Ltd. Davies, T Crawford, I 2012, Financial accounting, Harlow, England: Pearson. Needles, B.E. Powers, M 2013, Principles of Financial Accounting, Financial Accounting Series: Cengage Learning. Northington, S 2011, Finance, New York, NY: Ferguson's. Parrino, R, Kidwell, D Bates, T 2012, Fundamentals of corporate finance, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Peirson, G, Brown, R., Easton, S, Howard, P Pinder, S 2015, Business Finance, 12th ed., North Ryde: McGraw-Hill Australia. Petty, J. W, Titman, S., Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D., Burrow, M Nguyen, H., 2012, Financial Management: Principles and Applications, 6th ed., Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Porter, G Norton, C 2014, Financial Accounting: The Impact on Decision Maker, Texas: Cengage Learning Shah, P 2013, Financial Accounting, London: Oxford University Press Williams, J 2012, Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Riordan Manufacturing Essay Example

Riordan Manufacturing Essay Riordan Manufacturing has production plants located in Albany, GA, Pontiac, MI, and their overseas plant in Hangzhouz, China. Each location is responsible for different production lines and inventory. The Research and Development department is located in San Jose, CA, Riordans headquarters. Riordan Manufacturings Vice President (VP) of Operations has a service request for an implementation of a Manufacturing Resource Plan (MRP) among Riordans three plants into one system. This request will make it easier to maintain the inventory of raw materials and inished products (Apollo Group, Inc. 2013). An MRP will improve the current computer systems. The VP of Operations, Mark Neitzel, made a request for the system. The system includes Inventor Oversight, which is broken into two components: The Inventory PC and the Customer Shipping and Billing. The further breakdown of the system needs to track all incoming raw materials, the manufacturing of product followed by product inventory, the ship ping of all products to clients, and the billing of clients. The system is broken down into workflows performed daily by each plant. Incoming raw materials workflow. 1. The Supply truck arrives at Receiving Dock with raw materials 2. The Dock Supervisor compares shipping documents against scheduled incoming orders 3. Once orders are concurred, the receiving team unloads truck and moves raw materials into the factory. 4. At the end of the day, the Dock Supervisor gives the log of all received materials to the Receiving Clerk. 5. The Receiving Clerk enters the nformation into the Inventory PC: the type of raw materials, vendor, and quantity. Manufacturing/Product inventory workflow. 1. The Manufacturing Staff completes inventory usage form indicating the type and quantity of raw materials used for manufacturing and assembly 2. The Inventory Clerk enters the information from the usage form into the PC. 3. After manufacturing is complete, manufacturing staff fills out inventory form. 4. Inventory clerk enters the forms information into the PC along with Bill of Materials (80M). Product shipping workflow. Orders from customers arrive by phone, fax, or sales staff and are recorded onto sales order forms. 2. The Sales Orders information from forms are entered into Customer Shipping and Billing System. 3. The Shipping Staff load trucks with products specified by the shipping document generated daily by the Customer Shipping and Billing System (Bill of Materials-BOM) (ADempiere, 2011). 4. Inventory clerk updates the Sipping Documents into the Inventory PC based on the shipping documents. Riordan Manufacturing By makemoves2014 We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Major General Joseph Hooker in the Civil War

Major General Joseph Hooker in the Civil War Born November 13, 1814, at Hadley, MA, Joseph Hooker was the son of local store owner Joseph Hooker and Mary Seymour Hooker. Raised locally, his family came from old New England stock and his grandfather had served as a captain during the American Revolution. After receiving his early education at Hopkins Academy, he decided to pursue a military career. With the assistance of his mother and his teacher, Hooker was able to gain the attention of Representative George Grennell who provided an appointment to the United State Military Academy. Arriving at West Point in 1833, Hookers classmates included Braxton Bragg, Jubal A. Early, John Sedgwick, and John C. Pemberton. Advancing through the curriculum, he proved an average student and graduated four years later ranked 29th in a class of 50. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st US Artillery, he was sent to Florida to fight in the Second Seminole War. While there, the regiment took part in several minor engagements and had to endure challenges from the climate and environment. Mexico With the beginning of the Mexican-American War in 1846, Hooker was assigned to the staff of Brigadier General Zachary Taylor. Taking part in the invasion of northeast Mexico, he received a brevet promotion to captain for his performance at the Battle of Monterrey. Transferred to the army of Major General Winfield Scott, he took part in the siege of Veracruz and the campaign against Mexico City. Again serving as a staff officer, he consistently displayed coolness under fire. In the course of the advance, he received additional brevet promotions to major and lieutenant colonel. A handsome young officer, Hooker began to develop a reputation as a ladies man while in Mexico and was often referred to as the Handsome Captain by the locals. Between the Wars In the months after the war, Hooker had a falling out with Scott. This was the result of Hooker supporting Major General Gideon Pillow against Scott at the formers court-martial. The case saw Pillow accused of insubordination following refusal to revise exaggerated after-action reports and then sending letters to the New Orleans Delta. As Scott was the US Armys senior general, Hookers actions had long-term negative consequences for his career and he left the service in 1853. Settling in Sonoma, CA, he began working as a developer and farmer. Overseeing 550-acre farm, Hooker grew cordwood with limited success. Increasingly unhappy with these pursuits, Hooker turned to drinking and gambling. He also tried his hand at politics but was defeated in an attempt to run for the state legislature. Tired of civilian life, Hooker applied to Secretary of War John B. Floyd in 1858 and asked to be reinstated as a lieutenant colonel. This request was denied and his military activities were limited to a colonelcy in the California militia. An outlet for his military aspirations, he oversaw its first encampment in Yuba County. The Civil War Begins With the outbreak of the Civil War, Hooker found himself lacking the money to travel east. Staked by a friend, he made the trip and immediately offered his services to the Union. His initial efforts were rebuffed and he was forced to watch the First Battle of Bull Run as a spectator. In the wake of the defeat, he wrote an impassioned letter to President Abraham Lincoln and was appointed as a brigadier general of volunteers in August 1861. Quickly moving from brigade to division command, he aided Major General George B. McClellan in organizing the new Army of the Potomac. With the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign in early 1862, he commanded the 2nd Division, III Corps. Advancing up the Peninsula, Hookers division took part in the Siege of Yorktown in April and May. During the siege, he earned a reputation for looking after his men and seeing to their welfare. Performing well at the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, Hooker was promoted to major general effective that date though he felt slighted by his superiors after action report.   Fighting Joe It was during his time on the Peninsula that Hooker earned the nickname Fighting Joe. Disliked by Hooker who thought it made him sound like a common bandit, the name was the result of a typographical error in a Northern newspaper. Despite the Union reverses during the Seven Days Battles in June and July, Hooker continued shine on the battlefield. Transferred north to Major General John Popes Army of Virginia, his men took part in the Union defeat at Second Manassas in late August. On September 6, he was given command of III Corps, which was redesignated I Corps six days later. As General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia moved north into Maryland, it was pursued by Union troops under McClellan. Hooker first led his corps in battle on September 14 when it fought well at South Mountain. Three days later, his men opened the fighting at the Battle of Antietam and engaged Confederate troops under Major General Thomas Stonewall Jackson. In the course of the fighting, Hooker was wounded in the foot and had to be taken from the field. Recovering from his wound, he returned to the army to find that Major General Ambrose Burnside had replaced McClellan. Given command of a Grand Division consisting of III and V Corps, his men took heavy losses that December at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Long a vocal critic of his superiors, Hooker relentlessly attacked Burnside in the press and in the wake of the latters failed Mud March in January 1863 these intensified. Though Burnside intended to remove his adversary, he was prevented from doing so when he himself was relieved by Lincoln on January 26. In Command To replace Burnside, Lincoln turned to Hooker due to his reputation for aggressive fighting and chose to overlook the generals history of outspokenness and hard living. Assuming command of the Army of the Potomac, Hooker worked tirelessly to improve the conditions for his men and improve morale. These were largely successful and he was well-liked by his soldiers. Hookers plan for the spring called for a large-scale cavalry raid to disrupt the Confederate supply lines while he took the army on a sweeping flanking march to strike Lees position at Fredericksburg in the rear. While the cavalry raid was largely a failure, Hooker succeeded in surprising Lee and gained an early advantage in the Battle of Chancellorsville. Though successful, Hooker began to lose his nerve as the battle continued and assumed an increasingly defensive posture. Taken in the flank by an audacious attack by Jackson on May 2, Hooker was forced back. The next day, at the height of the fighting, he was injured when the pillar he was leaning against was struck by a cannonball. Initially knocked unconscious, he was incapacitated most of the day but refused to cede command. Recovering, he was compelled to retreat back across the Rappahannock River. Having defeated Hooker, Lee began moving north to invade Pennsylvania. Directed to screen Washington and Baltimore, Hooker followed though he first suggested a strike on Richmond. Moving north, he got into a dispute over defensive arrangements at Harpers Ferry with Washington and impulsively offered his resignation in protest. Having increasingly lost confidence in Hooker, Lincoln accepted and appointed Major General George G. Meade to replace him. Meade would lead the army to victory at Gettysburg a few days later. Goes West In the wake of Gettysburg, Hooker was transferred west to the Army of the Cumberland along with the XI and XII Corps. Serving under Major General Ulysses S. Grant, he quickly regained his reputation as an effective commander at the Battle of Chattanooga. During these operations, his men won the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 23 and took part in the larger fighting two days later. In April 1864, XI and XII Corps were consolidated into XX Corps under Hookers command. Serving in the Army of the Cumberland, XX Corps performed well during Major General William T. Shermans drive against Atlanta. On July 22, the commander of the Army of the Tennessee, Major General James McPherson, was killed at the Battle of Atlanta and replaced by Major General Oliver O. Howard. This incensed Hooker as he was senior and blamed Howard for the defeat at Chancellorsville. Appeals to Sherman were in vain and Hooker asked to be relieved. Departing Georgia, he was given command of the Northern Department for the remainder of the war. Later Life Following the war, Hooker remained in the army. He retired in 1868 as a major general after suffering a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. After spending much of his retired life around New York City, he died on October 31, 1879, while visiting Garden City, NY. He was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in his wifes, Olivia Groesbeck, hometown of Cincinnati, OH. Though known for his hard drinking and wild lifestyle, the magnitude of Hookers personal escapades is a subject of much debate among his biographers.

Biography of Elijah McCoy, American Inventor

Biography of Elijah McCoy, American Inventor Elijah McCoy (May 2, 1844–October 10, 1929) was an African-American inventor who received more than 50 patents for his inventions during his lifetime. His most famous invention was a cup that fed lubricating oil to machine bearings through a small tube. Machinists and engineers who wanted genuine McCoy lubricators might have used the expression the real McCoy- a term meaning the real deal or the genuine article. Fast Facts: Elijah McCoy Known For: McCoy was an African-American inventor who improved steam engine technology by designing an automatic lubricator.Born: May 2, 1844 in Colchester, Ontario, CanadaParents: George and Mildred McCoyDied: October 10, 1929 in Detroit, MichiganAwards and Honors: National Inventors Hall of FameSpouse(s): Ann Elizabeth Stewart (m. 1868-1872), Mary Eleanor Delaney (m.1873-1922) Early Life Elijah McCoy was born on May 2, 1844, in Colchester, Ontario, Canada. His parents- George and Mildred McCoy- were former slaves who had fled Kentucky for Canada on the Underground Railroad. George McCoy enlisted in the British forces, and in return, he was awarded 160 acres of land for his service. When Elijah was 3, his family moved back to the U.S. and settled in Detroit, Michigan. They later moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan, where George opened a tobacco business. Elijah had 11 brothers and sisters. Even as a young child, he enjoyed playing with tools and machines and experimenting with different ways to fix and improve them. Career At the age of 15, McCoy left the United States for a mechanical engineering apprenticeship in Edinburgh, Scotland. After becoming certified, he returned to Michigan to pursue a position in his field. However, McCoy- like other African-Americans at the time- faced racial discrimination that prevented him from earning a position appropriate to his level of education. The only job he could find was that of a locomotive fireman and oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad. The fireman on a train was responsible for fueling the steam engine and the ​oiler lubricated the engines moving parts as well as the trains axles and bearings. Because of his training, McCoy was able to identify and solve the problems of engine lubrication and overheating. At that time, trains needed to periodically stop and be lubricated to prevent overheating. McCoy developed a lubricator for steam engines that did not require the train to stop. His automatic lubricator used steam pressure to pump oil wherever it was needed. McCoy received a patent for this invention in 1872, the first of many he would receive for his improvements to steam engine lubricators. These advancements improved transit by allowing trains to travel farther without pausing for maintenance and re-oiling. McCoys device not only improved train systems; versions of the lubricator eventually appeared in oil-drilling and mining equipment and construction and factory tools. According to the patent, it did so by provid[ing] for the continuous flow of oil on the gears and other moving parts of a machine in order to keep it lubricated properly and continuous and thereby do away with the necessity of shutting down the machine periodically. As a result, the lubricator improved efficiency in a variety of fields. In 1868, Elijah McCoy married Ann Elizabeth Stewart, who died four years later. A year later, McCoy married his second wife, Mary Eleanora Delaney. The couple had no children. McCoy continued to improve upon his automatic lubricator design and make designs for new devices. Railroad and shipping lines began using McCoy’s new lubricators and the Michigan Central Railroad promoted him to an instructor in the use of his new inventions. Later, McCoy became a consultant to the railroad industry on patent matters. McCoy also obtained patents for some of his other inventions, including an ironing board and a lawn sprinkler, which he had designed to reduce the work involved in his household tasks. In 1922, McCoy and his wife Mary were in a car accident. Mary later died from her injuries, and McCoy experienced severe health problems for the rest of his life, complicating his professional obligations. The Real McCoy The expression the real McCoy- meaning the real thing (not a fake or inferior copy)- is a popular idiom among English-speakers. Its exact etymology is unknown. Some scholars believe it comes from the Scottish the real McKay, which first appeared in a poem in 1856. Others believe the expression was first used by railroad engineers looking for the real McCoy system, i.e. a lubricator equipped with Elijah McCoys automatic drip cup rather than a poor knockoff. Whatever the true etymology, the expression has been associated with McCoy for some time. In 2006, Andrew Moodie developed a play based on the inventors life called The Real McCoy. Death In 1920, McCoy opened his own company, the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company, to produce his products himself rather than licensing his designs to existing companies (many of the products he designed did not feature his name). Unfortunately, McCoy suffered in his later years, enduring a financial, mental, and physical breakdown that landed him in the hospital. He died on October 10, 1929, from senile dementia caused by hypertension after spending a year in the Eloise Infirmary in Michigan. McCoy was buried in Detroit Memorial Park East in Warren, Michigan. Legacy McCoy was widely admired for his ingenuity and accomplishments, especially in the African-American community. Booker T. Washington- an African-American educator and leader- cited McCoy in his Story of the Negro as the African-American inventor with the greatest number of patents. In 2001, McCoy was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. A historical marker stands outside his old workshop in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Detroit was named in his honor. Sources Asante, Molefi Kete.  100 Greatest African Americans: a Biographical Encyclopedia. Prometheus Books, 2002.Sluby, Patricia Carter.  The Inventive Spirit of African Americans: Patented Ingenuity. Praeger, 2008.Towle, Wendy, and Wil Clay.  The Real McCoy: the Life of an African-American Inventor. Scholastic, 1995.

Managing across Cultures individual report Essay

Managing across Cultures individual report - Essay Example As a result of its influence, culture management across organizations has started getting importance in business terms and is currently the one of the most evaluated subject for business analysts researchers and. In the present study culture will be studied with respect to its various dimensions researched by known people. Few of the organizational behaviour and cultural theories will also be discussed in detail Critical analysis of theory and research Culture plays a major role in characterizing the environmental context in which firms operate and decide, chose strategies and structures. A culture essentially consists of the expectations, experiences, philosophies and values ingrained and the elemental brinks which holds an organization or an association together (Bennett, Aston and Colquhoun, 2000). In broader terms organizational culture comprises of visions, norms, working languages, systems, beliefs, symbols and habits. Since individuals work together in an organization as a tea m with a common goal of completing the job, the culture created in a firm will help the team members in understanding each other more successfully (Olsonand Kroeger, 2001). Hofstede defines culture as â€Å"the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others† (Hofstede et al., 1990). ... ee individuals are integrated with groups Masculinity and Femininity (MAS) - Masculinity represents society’s preference towards heroism, achievement, assertiveness as well as material rewards. On the other hand, Femininity refers preferring modesty, cooperation and care for underprivileged and weak and improving quality of life. Society is both competitive and consensus oriented (Hofstede and McCrae, 2004). Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) - it is the tolerance of a society towards ambiguity and uncertainty. It expresses the tendency of feeling uncomfortable with risks and unexpected changes. countries showing strong UI have rigid belief codes while weak UI society have more tranquil attitudes where practice is given more preference than principles Long term and Short term orientation- long term orientation refers to the society and their individual’s explore for virtues. On the other hand, short term orientation refers to preference for absolute truth. They are normative t hinkers and exhibit respect for traditions. Another model of cultural dimensions was given by Trompenaars. He classified cultures according to a mix of value and behavioral patterns. The research was particularly focused on business executives. Seven value orientations were evaluated. The seven dimensions were particularism versus universalism, individualism versus communitarians, emotional versus neutral, specific versus diffuse, ascription versus achievement, nature-human relationship and nature-time relationship. Trompennar’s work primarily focuses on sociology and includes two measurements for attitudes which were environment and time. Researchers have divided Trompennars theory into two different aspects. There are three ways to handle cultural problems and five individual dimensions. Edward

Digital investigation in the organization Essay - 2

Digital investigation in the organization - Essay Example Many organizations are in a position to benefit more if they have the ability to gather and preserve digital evidence before an incident occurs and not after the incident has occurred(Robert, 2004). The digital investigation for law enforcement yields digital evidence, the evidence however may involve the use of enhanced system and staff monitoring, physical and procedural ways of securing data to a standard to be accepted as evidence and considered admissible. It also involves technical and appropriate legal advice to staff and employees(Peter, 2003). The law enforcement perspective of the digital forensic investigation tends to disregard what happens to the object or the device before the decision is made whether to be accepted as evidence or not. In this context the evidence required is presented by the digital forensic investigation or not presented and therefore the suspect can neither be charged nor prosecuted. This investigation begins when a crime is committed and the investi gator avails himself to the crime scene(Robert, 2004). However in the business context the investigation is done on a continuous basis in the form of emails, portable computers, logfiles, and telephone and network traffics among others. Since it is a continuous process, the evidence may be collected before a crime and the evidence used to the benefit of the organization(Robert, 2004). In the recent technological environment the digital investigations are mainly done by the computer forensics analyst.

Decriminalizing Prostitution Essay Example for Free

Decriminalizing Prostitution Essay The oldest profession in the world, also known as, prostitution is one of the most controversial debates that many people have. Should it be legal, should it be illegal, are the women just selling their bodies because they have low self-esteem? Well, let’s discuss the pros and cons to decriminalizing prostitution. Where brothels are present and their outcome of business. Let’s focus on the positive side of decriminalizing prostitution, as mentioned one of the pros would be that it can be an economic means to a person in need of financial assistance. Just like every other job prostitution is a way of making a living, you have supply and demand, just as a cable man will come to your house and fix your T. V. a prostitute will give that companion to the person needing it. A second pro would be that it can minimize human trafficking, usually when something is illegal or inaccessible we want it more, making any means necessary to achieve it, this is true for human traffickers that sell humans for various reasons, mainly sex. If we can already make humans readily available for intimate reasons than we can naturally see trafficking coming to a halt. Another pro I can see with decriminalizing prostitution is reduction in violence within the prostitute community. Many prostitutes are raped, abused, and murdered. If we were to help protect these workers then maybe they would be less afraid to seek help from the police and the police would better protect them. Because prostitution is illegal many prostitutes that are raped or otherwise abused aren’t going to the police for fear that they will be arrested. The final pro is if we decriminalize prostitution then both the Johns and the prostitutes would have to get monthly checks for AIDS/HIV and all other STD’s. Enforcing this might ensure that we are putting an end to spreading diseases across the nation. We have discussed some pros now let’s discuss some cons, I can’t see many cons with decriminalizing prostitution but one of them would be the moral aspect of it. I can see how many crimes against these women would become a problem within society. Prostitution is seen as wrong and immoral, so I am not sure if a sex work professional would ever be seen as a the same as a teacher, CEO, or banker. The last con I can see is that the drug industry would sky rocket, as more and more prostitutes are trading sexual favors for drugs, I can see that drugs would now be spread more vastly across the plains. Just as corrupt as any company could be, prostitution and drugs are commonly known to be a hand in hand occurrence. This could become a problem in the future for police officials to get a hold of if taken out of control and not monitored correctly. In the United States there is only one state where prostitution is legal, which is Nevada. There are only 17 counties in Nevada that allow brothels in their counties, any county that exceeds 400,000 residents are not allowed to have a brothel. While it is a high paying profession and due to the recession it has seen its bad days, prostitution in Nevada is still a very popular and highly sought out job because of its high pay day. The working girls in a brothel have to be tested once a week for STD’s such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, and once a month for AIDS and HIV. They must also use a condom for ALL transactions and report their tax earnings to the county, so basically the county is their pimp. At the end of the day whether it is moral or not, it is the choice of the men and women who are choosing to sell themselves for money. We should not judge those who chose that profession as a means of making ends meet. Many people do what they have to do to provide for themselves and their families. There are prostitutes who do it solely for the money, some to upkeep their drug habits and some because they just plainly like sex.

Is Affirmative Action Fair? Essay -- Law Government Equality Papers

Is Affirmative Action Fair? A black student has been waiting for that letter of acceptance from the college of her choice. She receives that letter and gets in. At the same time a female white student is also waiting for her letter of acceptance from that same college. The white student receives a rejection letter even though she had higher test scores and a better GPA than the black student. Was this fair to the students? Was it the best outcome for the country in the long run? Many minority students are accepted into colleges and law schools due to their race while at the same time white students are rejected because colleges have to make room for these minorities. The question many colleges are facing now is whether race should be considered in college admissions. Is affirmative action necessary anymore and is it fair to all students? What is its long-term impact on American and world society? Liberals say, â€Å"Yes affirmative action is a fair path and a path that still needs to be taken if our society is going to move forward.† Conservatives argue that affirmative action is reverse discrimination against white students and that widespread use of affirmative action in colleges is creating an un-level playing field. The liberal’s logical argument is based on the assumption that race is already an issue in college admissions and that historically there has been a lack of opportunity for minorities, especially African Americans. From this perspective, Liberals want to use race-based admission standards as a way to redress historical and contemporary biases against certain groups and cultures. To Liberals there are biases built into university admissions that favor white, middle class, suburban students. The ver... ...com/site/pros_cons/affaction/affaction.html (22 April 2002) Tien, Chang-Lin. â€Å"In Defense of Affirmative Action.† USA Today (Magazine). 126.2630 (November 1997): 58-61. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A20004051. Thernstrom, Stephan. "The Scandal of the Law Schools. (Legacy of affirmative action)" Commentary. 104.6 (December 1997): 27-32. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A20078580. Thernstrom, Stephan, & Thernstrom, Abigail. â€Å"Racial Preferences: What we Know Now.† Commentary. 107.2 (February 1999): 44. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A53914152 Wright, Scott W. â€Å"Texas Ruling may Dismantle Affirmative Action.† Black Issues in Higher Education. 13.3 (April 4, 1996): 8-10. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A18327446.

Marxism as an Alternative theory

The contrasting social divide of 19th century Europe was one of the principle-instigating factor that inspired Karl Marx and Frederick Engels to come with Communist Manifesto in 1848. It called upon the working classes to declare war upon the bourgeoisie. In the opinion of Marx, capitalism with its inherent tendency to favor property accumulation, market system and wage labor system had always worked in promoting the clout and wealth of aristocracy while working to weaken the peasants class and sending them to the levels of subservience and just subsistence (Freedman, 1990, 1).The philosophy was a major intellectual achievement of Marxism as it described the ills and problems affecting the society not in terms of faulty ideology and philosophy but in the   terms of economic forces of capitalist development (Aune, 1994, 17). As Freedman (1990, 2) states, Marx viewed the major conflicts and events of world not as consequences of ethnic, lingual or religious factors but purely through economic perspectives. He argued that capitalism and its resultant class system have been the main instrumental factors in creating the present structure of human society and behavior.  Marxism attempts to correlate the entire progress and evolution of human civilization with Marx’s staunch view that economic factors have determined the history of humanity. It attempts to understand the origin, functioning and structure of all the social institutions on economic models and assumes that once this knowledge is gained, it can be employed to recreate the social order that is beneficial for every member of society, while eliminating the ills of poverty, inequality and class distinctions (ibid).Marxism also views state (government) as an instrument of the ruling class that works to protect the interests of the economically prosperous segments at the cost of the working population (Freedman, 1990, 2). The premises of this argument lies in the fact that typically every state is in fluenced heavily by the rich and wealthy section of society and as such its policies are inherently oriented towards safeguarding these affluent sections. The working-lower class is just treated as a tool to further the riches of this affluent section, while providing them with bare facilities that are hardly sufficient to maintain their existence.School and churches are also viewed as extending arms of the same system that continuously works to maintain, and in fact, promote the social divide. Thus nation and state are essentially nothing but exploiters of working population. As a consequence, terms like patriotism and nationalism hold no meaning to the oppressed working society, which is made to work not the for the benefit of the nation but for the few and selected elite group of people that in their limited numbers represent an entire nation.A careful study of Marxism reveals following three major elements that define the structure of the world of Marx (Heilbroner, 1980, 21).Mat erialist approach to History: The historical analysis of activities of people’s activities that creates conditions of subsequent class emergence and struggle of present times.General view of capitalism: Capitalism, and the economic forces that are the root of entire social divideCommitment to socialism: It envisions a future where every man is able to create a just world through his own efforts and commitment.Marxism, in its zealous criticism of the capitalist system, pronounced the immanent end through of capitalistic society through t its own contradictions and an eventual sweep over of the world by socialist forces. However capitalism has survived and contrary to Marx’s vision, it has become mainstay of democratic and developed world, whereas Marxism holds it appeal for the poor and oppressed classes in underdeveloped countries (Freedman, 1990, 2)Mainstream Political theoriesThe mainstream political theories have evolved from Machiavellian concepts to one that is fo cused on a welfare state that is founded around the concepts of participative democracy and social justice (Young, 1998, 479). As listed by Young (ibid) the mainstream political theories, developed consciously over last 25 years, although with inputs spanning over past hundred and fifty years, areSocial justice and welfare rights theory: Unlike Marxist theory of handing over the reins of government to workers, the social justice and welfare rights theory attempts to strike a cord of balance among different economic classes with their commitment to social equality and economic justice. One of major themes running through this theory is egalitarian distribution of resources to people who have been deprived of them, it doesn’t attempts forced equality among all classes of society.  Democratic theory: Also labeled as participative democratic theory, it lays emphasis on a concept of democracy that proceeds through age long ideals of democracy that proceed through active discussi on, participation and decision making by citizen, against the emerging plebiscite and inter-group pluralist concepts of the democratic mode (Pateman, 1970). The theory aims to achieve the goal of social equality through democratic participation that both helps as well as promotes social equality. The thrust of the theory is that a democracy that only provides voting rights to people for representatives who rule them remotely lacks the element of a real democracy. Instead the democratic set up should be made to incorporate citizen’s participation at every stage of the governance and decision making process. This in turns demands providing all the citizens with sufficient levels of education and economic and social uplifting whereby they are able to appreciate and exercise their democratic rights.Feminist political theory: It is a major emergent trend in the mainstream political theories, and one that brings in the question of female participation, as a separate entity, in the working of democracy. It helps in to integrate the elements of family relations, sexual biases, and gendered related discrimination in the political question.Marxism as an alternative theoryAs noted above, the essential philosophy Marxism lies in defining all the historical and social events in terms of manipulation of resources by capitalist forces that worked in depriving a majority of population from basic means of living. Marxist approach viewed social structure in terms of non-owning workers and non-working owners that was the root cause of every social and political evil. Marx defined all the events in form of ‘class struggle’ and placed supreme faith in human will (Freedman, 1990, 6).Marxism views human beings capable of molding their own destinies, creating their own world, and change the entire structure of a oppressive society to one where every one holds same dignity and right to a provisioned life. However its more than hundred years to Marx’s momento us work Das Capital that predicted downfall of bourgeois and capitalist system, an event which completely failed to materialize (Wolfe, 1985, 317). It points out to some considerable short sighting or inappropriate reading by Marx of the nature of interaction of social and economic forces.Marx, in predicting the immanent downfall of the existing capitalist system through popular revolution and protests by bourgeoisie, had given a sweeping and generalizing theory that was supposed to take into every possible factor and consequence of historical, social and human events. The theories of Ricardo, Hegel and Smith that Marx used to develop his own general explanation of all events were relatively semi –developed and in the transitory phase (Freedman, 1990, 126) and as could provide a very weak base to the daring presumptions and foresights that Marxism professed boldly.The theory failed to take into account the results of people’s will to act outside the boundaries that it imposed. It was, in a sense then, technically incapable to address issues emanating from this scenario, a flaw that later on emerged as a major shortcoming of the entire Marxist model.Marxism always stands in direct contrast to critical theory that was developed by Max Horkheimer in 1937 (Therborn, 1996). It was mean to be a critique of the theory of political economy and provide replacement of materialism embedded in the Marxist approach (ibid). Critical theory rejected the principles of division of labor and believes in social advances through meaningful and coordinated interaction among various classes, as against the Marxist approach of inherent and inevitable class struggle that has shaped up historyHistorical MaterialismIn the Marxist philosophical approach, history is a study in the development and evolution of the capitalist system. In the opinion of Marx the consciousness of a man is the product of his social being which defines the legal and political superstructures (Heil broner, 1980, 62). The materialism of Marxism differed sharply from idealism contained in the other approaches that saw history as product of different beliefs and approaches. Marx clearly stated that history is the product of labor, efforts and determination of countless men and women who worked to improve their material conditions in a material environment.Primarily what it signifies is that entire history of world is composed of forces of economics and compulsions of existence through limited resources. The thought processes and ideas that have been assumed to shape history, in Marxist ideology, were themselves product of the materialistic conditions (Heilbroner, 1980, 63). Marxism further takes the concept of materialism and intertwines it with class structure to lay the foundation of theory of class struggle that is presented as a direct consequence of material forces in operation.Although the historical materialistic view point of Marxist philosophy had been validated in defin ing some of the major events of history, however its broad generalization of economic activities has brought it under criticism from many theorists. Whereas Marxist ideology attempts to focus not primarily but only on economic factors, it has been perceived that even economic factors themselves are affected by social, political and religious factors (Heilbroner, 1980, 64).Marxism in context of USAAs a political and social theory Marxism has traditionally failed materialize in the USA. This is because the socialist theory of Marxism conflicts with the principles and ideals of democracy. Although it is true that true socialism as envisioned by Marx was never practiced anywhere, but the fact remains that within the scope of political models of Marxism there are ample opportunities for a political system to become authoritarian, culminating in kind of dictatorship that was hallmark of socialist USSR government (Geras, 1994). This is to say, the socialist structure proposed by Marxism is seriously vulnerable to deformation by individuals with such designs.However, within the framework of classical Marxism also democratic ideas have not found much support. Essentially Marxism advocates liberation and rule of workers, which has to occur independent of any form of government (ibid). Therefore it is indeed successful in outlining the process of social and political change but falters on the final form of governance that opens the doors for ambiguity, deformation and misinterpretation. This severely limits the democratic angle of Marxism.Further, with its sole emphasis on workers right and class struggle between proletariat and the bourgeois, Marxist ideology aims to create a society that lacks economic incentives to evolve and move ahead. In its aim to bring marginalized sections of society in the center, the model threatens to create a new section of marginalized. These inherent ideological differences with free, democratic and progressive ideals that USA has cherishe d since its independence define the incongruity of Marxism in the USA’s political, social and economic atmosphere.ReferenceAune JA ,1994,   Rhetoric and Marxis, Westview Press, Boulder, COFreedman, R, 1990, The Marxist System: Economic, Political, and Social Perspectives.Chatham House Publishers, Chatham, NJ.Heilbroner, RL, 1980,   Marxism, for and Against,W. W. Norton. New York. Young, IM,   1998, A New Handbook of Political Science. Edit, Robert E. Goodin – editor, Hans-Dieter Klingeman, Oxford University Press. Oxford.Geras, N. 1994. Democracy and the Ends of Marxism. New Left Review Volume: a. Issue: 203.PATEMAN, C. 1970. Participation and Democratic Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressWolfe, BD,1985,   Marxism, One Hundred Years in the Life of a Doctrine. Westview Boulder, CO.Therborn, G, Dialectics of Modernity, 1996, On Critical Theory and the Legacy of Twentieth-Century Marxism, New Left Review. Volume: a. Issue: 215.

Analysis of The Scarlet Letter Ch

Nathaniel Hawthorne expresses Hester Prune's self-perception by using the concept of physiognomy, the notion that the outer appearance of a person reflects his or her Inner qualities. One of the common methods through which people display their beliefs and emotions is the manner In which they present themselves to society. Hester displays her beliefs about her own character through her choice of clothing. Hawthorne also uses clothing In order to depict Hester Implementation of self enmeshment, which is a result of her negative self-perception.She alms to express that her appearance has become so unattractive as a result of her sin. In other words, her the unbecoming state of her heart which has become Impure Is reflected In her clothing made of â€Å"the coarsest materials† with colors of â€Å"the most somber hue. † The most eye-catching article of her outfit, the scarlet letter, also greatly contributes to the physical display of her sin. Purposely reminding the peopl e and herself about that which she is guilty of is how Hester punishes herself mutinously.Her self punishment involved not only wearing â€Å"plain† clothing, but also practicing asceticism in order to prevent her from experiencing any form of enjoyment. When Hester â€Å"devoted[sees] so many hours† to sewing â€Å"coarse garments† she is limiting herself from reaching her true potential of artistic talent. The coarse garments are symbolic of the bland dull distractions she turns to in order to restrict herself from working on that which she is truly passionate about, in other words, to refrain from creating beautiful and arabesque articles of clothing.Initially one would find Hester adornment of Pearl ironic in regards to her decision to live simply without any form of enjoyment. However, after closer inspection, it can be inferred from the diction within the text that this might be another form of self punishment. Hester makes beautiful clothing for her daugh ter Pearl to wear, however this is not for the sake of her passion to create elaborately designed needle-work. The fact that Hawthorne chose to introduce Pearl's attire in this specific paragraph nits that there is a relation between Hester self punishment and the reason behind why she adorns her daughter.The implied â€Å"deeper meaning† refers to the same reason why Hester wears plain clothing. Pearl's beautiful clothing makes her stand out when seen in the community, and the color and fancy design of the cloth reminds both Hester and the people of the scarlet letter. Thus, Hester uses Pearl's attire as a way to punish herself; the clothing will never allow her nor society to forget what she did. Even today, clothing Is one of the mall WAP through which people express themselves.It Is also a way through which they reward themselves. The opposite of this case Is seen in chapter 5 of The Scarlet Letter; Hawthorne uses clothing to depict how Hester displays negative self-perce ption. She believes that she must atone for elaborate embroidery. She also uses clothing as a form of self punishment when she dresses her daughter, as it will serve as a constant reminder of her scarlet letter and of the fact that she is forever labeled as an adulteress.

To Kill A Mockingbird Essays (520 words) - To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird Essays (520 words) - To Kill A Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is an ageless classic that takes place during the 1930s. In the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, there was a deadly racial attitude towards the people who were different then the general public. In a town of tunnel vision and hatred, Atticus and Scout stood out with open minds. Atticus was the anchor of reason in Maycomb. He understood many people in town and taught his children how to understand other people's feeling as well. Atticus believed that if you knew what someone had been through, then you would understand them better. Atticus also made Jem and Scout realize that no one is pure evil; meaning that if you look hard enough, you would find that there is good in every person you meet. Mrs. Dubose, who was perceived as an "old witch" by Jem and Scout, showed great bravery in her fight against drug addiction. Atticus believed Jem would change his opinions of Mrs. Dubose if he spends some time with her. Only after Mrs. Dubose's death did Jem begin to perceive Mrs. Dubose the same way his father did. Likewise Atticus defended Tom Robinson when no other lawyer would. He was one of the few respectable people who were not blinded by the racial injustice Tom Robinson faced. Not only did Atticus defend Tom in the courthouse, he defended him at jail on one occa sion too. It happened when an angry mob was trying to kill Tom Robinson, but Atticus risked his life to save him from that mob. If only the people of Maycomb were willing to listen to Atticus' wise advice, then the town would be free of racism. Scout, symbolizing the leaders of tomorrow, began to see how other people perceived things. She started to understand the meaning of "to kill a mockingbird." At first Scout couldn't comprehend what Atticus meant when he said, "It was a sin to kill a mockingbird." As the novel progressed, Scout begun to realize how people contributed to the community without harming others. For example when Boo Radley (the shy neighbor who never went outside) killed Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout, the sheriff of Maycomb County tried to cover it up. Heck Tate, who was the sheriff, believed that "...taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight" (279) was a sin. Tate reasoned that Boo would have hated being praised a hero by the townspeople because he was so shy. Because she had a child-like innocence and believed that racism is wrong, she could have been the perfect role model for people of all ages. Atticus and Scout, the few people in Maycomb who had enough senses to see the injustice of discrimination. Some people may ask how a whole town could be consumed by hatred. But even today our world continues to deal with racism. If people like Atticus and Scout did not exist in our world, then mankind would be in forever war until we completely destroy each other.

A Case Study About Healthcare Leadership

A Case Study About Healthcare Leadership Effective leadership is essential in health care organisations as in other organisations. It is necessary for driving innovation, effective patient care, patient safety, improving working within clinical teams, sorting out issues within emergency context and other aspects necessary for effective and efficient running of healthcare organisations. Transformational leadership has often been prescribed as the ‘gold standard’ of healthcare leadership(Gopee and Galloway 2009).This essay sets out to: briefly discuss the concept of leadership; highlight why leadership is important in healthcare; make a distinction between the closely-related concepts of leadership and management; briefly highlight how power relates to leadership; describe some leadership approaches applicable within the context of healthcare organisations; describe leadership styles visible in healthcare; present a case study set in a teaching hospital practice setting in Africa ; critically assess the leadersh ip approaches operating within the setting and its effect on organisational performance ;and make recommendations on improving leadership practice within the specified setting. What is leadership? Leadership can be defined as â€Å"the ability of an individual to influence a group of people to achieve a goal(Bryman 1992).It is also noted that ‘leadership can have four possible meanings, namely: the activity of leading; the body of people who lead a group; the status of the leader; and the ability to lead'(Gopee and Galloway 2009). Kouzes and Posner (2007) suggest some characteristics of an effective leader namely to: be more effective in meeting job-related demands; be more successful in representing their units in upper management; create higher performing teams; foster renewed loyalty and commitment; increase motivational levels and willingness to work hard; and possess high degree of personal integrity. Why leadership in healthcare? Effective leadership and management has been found to contribute to efficiency of health care services, performance (McColl-Kennedy and Anderson 2002) and satisfaction of staff employed within them.(Bradley and Alimo-Metcalfe 2008) researched the causal relationship between leadership behaviours and the performance and productivity of staff and found that ‘engaging leadership’ improved employee engagement and performance. (Morrison, Jones et al. 1997) studied the relationship between leadership style, empowerment, and job satisfaction on nursing staff at a regional medical centre. They used Bass’s Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire to measure leadership style, items from Spreitzer’s Psychological Empowerment instrument to measure empowerment, and the Warr, Cook, and Wall’s job satisfaction questionnaire to measure job satisfaction. The authors found that both transformational and transactional leadership were positively associated with job satisfaction. Some other researchers reported t hat good leadership skills impacted on patient safety and quality of care (Corrigan, Lickey et al. 2000; Firth-Cozens and Mowbray 2001; Mohr, Abelson et al. 2002).Furthermore, leadership skills are essential in the world of public health policy and leadership is one of the core competencies required of public health trainees(Faculty of Public Health 2010). Leadership versus management Relevant to this discourse is making a distinction between leadership and management. They are two similar but distinct concepts. Management is seen as seeking order and maintaining stability while leadership is seen as seeking adaptive and constructive change. Leadership in the healthcare context aims to influence practitioners towards the achievement of the common goal of quality patient care. On the other hand, management as a process coordinates and directs the activities of an organisation to ensure it achieves its set objectives. Management ensures healthcare resources (human such as doctors, nur ses and clerical staff and non-human resources like medical devices and consumables) are utilised in an efficient way whilst delivering effective healthcare service(Gopee and Galloway 2009). However, leadership is known to be complementary to management (Kotter 1999; Zaleznik 2004).

Behavior modification for children with ADHD Essay

Behavior modification for children with ADHD - Essay Example This is a significant number that makes ADHD one of the most common learning and behavioral disorders to date. The number of American children and adults diagnosed with ADHD has significantly increased from over the years (Frame, 2003). ADHD is a medical term and as it is a problem related to children, that educators and researchers in education should learn its explanation and the symptoms that help identify the problem. It is necessary to clarify the term ADHD because it is not a single behavior but a mix of complex patterns that it is sometimes called an â€Å"assemblage† (Marcus &Saka, 2006 cited in Goodwin, 2010, p.2). It is a condition that the National Institute of Mental Health (2012) explains as â€Å"one of the most common childhood brain disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood† (p.1). The most obvious symptoms are â€Å"difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity). These symptoms can make it difficult for a child with ADHD to succeed in school, get along with other children or adults, or finish tasks at home† (ibid, p.1). In order to be diagnosed, symptoms include inattentiveness, disruptivene ss, as well as social and academic discrepancies in the child’s school or home settings. For example, this includes poor interactions with their parents, teachers, and classmates and a decrease in academic achievement. Children with ADHD endure these difficulties chronically and persist into adolescence and adulthood, negatively impacting their lives and the people surrounding them (Jones & Chronis-Tuscano, 2008). Many children are losing their battle with ADHD without the much needed help from their surroundings. ADHD cannot be categorized as a medical problem, but it is a behavioral and learning difficulty that needs to be effectively managed in the classroom by teachers and at home by the parents, because â€Å"there is currently no cure

Manufacturing Engineering Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Manufacturing Engineering - Lab Report Example SafetySince the device may be improperly used and safety of a machinery is the key concern during its functionality; a safety factor of 1.5 was factored in all the calculations. 2.2 InexpensiveThe device must be produced within a strict budget by sourcing for cheap local materials according to the bill of quantities.2.3 Design EvolutionThe first concept generation was accomplished by creating an itemization of the design into the following functional and movable elements; pipes, chains and the support system.The team had a brainstorming session, whereby it was agreed that only the top rated materials will be considered for each functional component in order to develop an alpha design. The criteria for selecting components were based on the cost of the material and its manufacturability.3.0 Engineering AnalysisThe engineering fields that are applicable to the design process are statics, dynamics and materials. The appropriate basics and ideas from statics and dynamics are Newtonâ€⠄¢s law, bending moments, torque and friction. For materials mostly on the pipes and chains, the applicable properties are: fracture toughness, Young’s modulus, corrosion, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength.Newton’s Second law, was necessary to calculate the forces that will be applied to the support while the chain moves up and down while lifting an object. The bending moments, of the motor was calculated to ensure the mechanism does not degrade rapidly and maintain the factor of safety.

The Language of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

The Language of Leadership - Essay Example There are five appropriate methods of ensuring that the organization’s workforce harmoniously undertakes the tasks in accordance to the set rules and regulations, and in the absence of coercion. Modern leaders should serve as the center nerve of distributing favorable prepositions to the entire organization. Through the sharing of objectives, leaders set an equated and united organizations as the subjects realize their equated importance and choose to work in teamwork (Kadalie, 2006). Therefore, leaders may apply the collaboration and sharing techniques to ensure teamwork and united performances of tasks in a friendly environment. These variables shall eventually serve to ensure that all performances interrelate directly to the leader’s vision of the organization (Schmid, 2009). Other factors that leaders may use in ensuring that leaders may use to recognize talents of the others include democratic, and dispersed approaches whereby the subjects are able to express their feelings and propose the various methods that they feel as appropriate in undertaking specific tasks. Lastly, leaders may use the dispersion techniques to stimulate integration and the realization of talents amongst his subjects in the organization (Halpern, & Lubar, 2003). Mainly, a leader serves as integral in stimulating performances to excellence and ensuring that all their

Problems That Dry Lining Companies Frequently Encounter Construction Essay

Problems That Dry Lining Companies Frequently Encounter Construction Essay When the air barrier consists of plasterboard dry lining, dry lining companies have to omit the out of sight, out of mind approach that may have been implemented prior to the amended Building Regulation of Part L. Any defects in the construction of a liner wall subsequently show up in the pressure test. An air leakage audit is then required to identify the air leakage paths if the building fails the specified airtightness requirement. (www.mcconsultingengineers.ie) Generally the problem experienced by dry lining contractors is the interface junctions between two different elements, e.g. where the dry liner wall meets a column or a concrete wall. Problems may arise due to insufficient detailing, incompatibility of materials, lack of co-ordination between trades, etc. (www.bath.ac.uk) Remedial works to the air barrier may be very expensive, disruptive and prolonged for the dry lining contractor. Remedial sealing is therefore extremely problematic for the contractor. A way in which to enhance the air barrier is to ensure that subsequent trades do not compromise the air barrier. The air barrier may be compromised by another contractor accidentally damaging it or deliberately penetrating it in order to complete their work to programme of works. It is vital that the damage caused to the barrier be repaired immediately. (www.mcconsultingengineers.ie) Voids created in the walls for air ducts or piped services significantly reduce the probability of the room achieving its required airtight specification. A room with several penetrations is less likely to achieve a greater airtight value than a room with fewer penetrations, since service penetrations in and out of a building contribute as a major source of air leaks. (www.seda2.org) It is common for design drawings for dry lining contractors to contain little or no information on the location of the primary air barrier or airtightness issues. This ultimately results in those involved in constructing the air barrier for the building not being aware of the location, its purpose, the importance of maintaining continuity of the air barrier, nor areas of the construction where particular attention to detail is required to ensure airtightness. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) A problem experienced by dry lining contractors is that the designers do not specify exactly where the airtight layer is on the drawing. The designer does not identify the airtight envelope on drawings for the contractor. Consequently on site the airtight envelope is not labelled, therefore other contractors are not aware of its location. The lack of awareness amoung contractors and designers is detrimental, e.g. if an operative needs to drill a hole through a dry liner wall or ceiling to thread pipes or cables through they are not aware that the penetration must be resealed afterwards. It is important that such penetrations are managed in a more controlled manner than they currently are from the dry lining contractors perspective. (www.bath.ac.uk) If joints are unavoidable then design-in a seal. This may be difficult for dry lining contractors as the method chosen to seal joints depends on the size of the gap between components, the amount of likely movement, the practicalities of application and the need for weather / air tightness. (www.mcconsultingengineers.ie) All buildings move to a greater or lesser extent depending on its use and this movement has to be accommodated in the design from the outset. This is troublesome for contractors as movement or expansion joints will need to address airtightness as well as movement. Not all joints do so, so careful deliberation is required during the design stage. (www.mcconsultingengineers.ie) Dry lining contractors are faced with a multiple of complex details for the external airtight envelope. Complex solutions to airtightness are likely to be more prone to poor execution and potentially to greater vulnerability to differential movement, failure of sealants, and dislocation of components etc. (www.environ.ie) (www.seda2.org) Due to a lack of information on the commercial sector, the author had to resort to the residential sector, as the basics are similar. One of the main air leakage paths within the UK dwellings is plasterboard dry lining (Stephen, 1998 2000). Problems arise with plasterboard dry lining when air can freely move into the gap between the plasterboard and the masonry wall, especially where plasterboard is fixed to the wall using adhesive dabs. The air gap between the plasterboard sheet and the masonry wall then act as a plenum, effectively interconnecting all of the leakage paths within the dwelling. (Johnston, Shenton, Bell, Wingfield, 2004:17) Figure 1 Discontinuous ribbons of adhesive used to seal plasterboard dry lining. (Johnston, Shenton, Bell, Wingfield, 2004:17) Service penetrations are known to be a significant route for air leakage (see Stephen 1998 2000). The report on Robust Construction Details (DEFRA, 2001) states that particular care on site should be paid to service penetrations and all service penetrations should be sealed with expanding foam or other suitable sealant, whether in the wall [Dry liner wall], ground floor, intermediate floor or ceilingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Observations from site illustrate that little attempt has been made to seal the majority of service penetrations through walls, ground floors, intermediate floors and ceilings, and where attempts at sealing have been made, the penetrations are generally inadequately sealed and inappropriate sealants have been used to seal gaps around the service penetrations. (Johnston, Shenton, Bell, Wingfield, 2004:19) Figure 2 Diagram illustrating sealing of service penetrations [Source: DEFRA, 2001] Site Supervision and Workmanship A major factor that influences air leakage is the level and quality of site supervision and workmanship during the construction of a building. Similar types of buildings with similar details may have very different air leakage rates. As a result workmanship is often citied as the primary reason why airtightness standards are not achieved in the construction sector. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) From the authors personal experience during industrial placement all aspects of dry lining work needs to be inspected as work proceeds. It is extremely complex to inspect the airtight barrier on the building once work is complete on site, as it is generally covered by internal fixtures and finishes. Great awareness and concentration is required on inspection, to ensure that the air barrier is not defective in any way, paying particular care to parts that will be hidden on completion. (www.mcconsultingengineers.ie) Once awarded the contract and the air barrier consists of plasterboard dry lining, it is the dry lining contractors responsibility that the airtight barrier is achieved. A problem faced by contractors is that the employees are not aware as to their contribution and responsibilities for the overall airtightness. (www.seda2.org) Consequently the issue of good or bad workmanship in general is a key factor with air tightness. This is what makes the supervision and inspection for the dry lining contractors more difficult to control. (www.seda2.org) Due to a lack of information in the commercial sector regarding dry lining contractors site supervision and workmanship, the author resorted to the residential sector, as the fundamentals are similar. Stamford Brook is a development of around 700 cavity masonry dwellings being constructed on part of the National Trusts Dunham Massey Estate near Altrincham in Cheshire. At Stamford Brook an example of a perceived workmanship problem was the maintenance of a continuous ribbon of plaster adhesive around the perimeter of the plasterboard dry lining. It was observed that with very careful attention to detail and enough time allocated, a significant reduction in the level of air leakage was attained using plasterboard on dabs. (Miles-Shenton, Wingfield Bell) (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Another conclusion from Stamford Brook was that it was impossible to divorce workmanship, not only from design but also from other issues of construction management such as training, communication and quality control. It was clear that many operatives were eager to carry out a high-quality job but that, as far as airtightness was concerned, it was complicated for them to be clear about what they had to do or who was responsible for achieving an airtight envelope. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Quality on site It is of paramount importance that all parties involved on the project from client, contractor and consultants to all site staff and operatives and off site suppliers understand the concepts of air tightness and how they are involved in playing a vital role to that aspect of construction. It only takes a minute section of the dry lining wall of the building to be permeable to ensure a failure to comply. This ultimately results in the remedial works which are costly for the contractor not to mention the impact it may have on the building programme as a whole with time delays. Therefore it is essential that an endeavour is put into practice to educate the staff and that all the staff works a team. Issues of thermal bridging, continuity of insulation and the correct construction of designed details need to be addressed to ensure that airtightness is achieved. (www.hrsservices.co.uk) Although airtightness testing is carried out a few weeks prior to practical completion of a project, it is vital that the dry lining contractor has a quality system in place so that remedial works are not necessary. Dry lining contractors should also try to obtain the airtightness test at a time where the barrier is complete and when remedial works are relatively simple to perform. The airtight test generally consists of two tests, once when the air barrier is complete and one prior to the handover stage. (www.seda2.org) Airtightness testing is generally carried out a few weeks prior to practical completion of a project. The airtight test generally consists of two tests, one when the air barrier is complete and the other prior to the handover stage. It is best practice that the dry lining contractors strive to achieve the required air permeability rate first time round. They then can improve that rate by addressing issues in the audit that is likely to accompany it. Dry lining contractors should also try to obtain the airtightness test at a time where the barrier is complete and when remedial works are relatively simple to perform. If for instance the air barrier is not complete but the main contractor is adamant of having an air leakage test. The incomplete barrier would have to be temporary sealed with an impermeable material; this is a timely and complex procedure. The result of the test may also prove to be an unfair reflection of the dry lining contractors work to date and the location of the le aks may be more difficult to locate. (www.hrsservices.co.uk) Quality Policies Dry lining contractors have not implement an enhanced strategic quality policy in order to succeed in maintaining airtight construction. Quality of workmanship and adequate construction of details are the main issues affecting companies to date. With the stringent Building Regulation in place, increased emphasis on quality policies have to be adhered to. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) High-quality workmanship is obviously significant, but workmanship unfortunately always appears to be of poor quality due to the context in which the staff has to work. Stamford Brook studies have shown that Buildability of designs, lack of detailed design, lack of specific training and the lack of a general quality control procedure underlies many workmanship problems. If careful attention to detail and adequate time allocated, the method of airtight construction can increase dramatically. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Some issues that the quality policy may incorporate to enhance it are an improved management strategy, communication and quality control. Operatives are generally eager to construct to the required specification of detail but short cuts are taken in-order to complete the task in the required time. Operatives are not aware that they are responsible for the achieving the airtight envelope, and that the common trend of the past of cutting corners is not acceptable in the current practice of the industry. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Management On going review of the design is very important. The project management do not ensure that details of all design changes involving elements of the external envelope are distributed throughout the design, procurement and construction teams. This may have consequently effects for dry lining companies. (www.environ.ie) Not all project programmes reflects dry lining contractors required sequence for effective formation of the air barrier and insulation installation. Some trades are not permitted access to form not only the part of the insulation layer or air barrier for which they are responsible, but also to ensure that continuity is achieved between their works and that of other contractors. (www.environ.ie) An Air Tight milestone is not always included when compiling the programme. This puts immense pressure on dry lining contractors if the air barrier is fails the air tightness test. Ignorance of this date prevents management to schedule thorough envelope pre-test inspections and test dates in advance of the final product. (www.environ.ie) Once the air barrier consists of plasterboard dry lining, it is the dry lining contractors principal liability to deliver the air tightness performance overall and the most likely task on any but the smallest jobs will be the co-ordination between management. The contractor must be clear that he carries responsibility for the overall air tightness and in turn must ensure that all personnel and operatives are clear about the extent of their responsibilities. Experience suggests that the best performance has been achieved by contractors who employ a dedicated individual / team to carry responsibility for air tightness, to inspect the works and instruct as required. (www.seda2.org) The issues of air tightness are closely linked to issues of good or bad workmanship in general for contractors. This can make the issue more sensitive and more difficult to control. Even simple buildings are immensely complex and so the most important aspect of all is the creation of an overall culture of careful, tidy, accurate and airtight construction, something which can not be simply forced through a performance specification. (www.seda2.org) Communication Every year defects in the UK construction industry cost at least  £1 billion to rebuild or repair. A number of the defects are the result of poor communication, for example, an inadequately detailed drawing, operatives being given the incorrect instructions or technical information not being available. Improvement in communication should result in an increase in the quality of the build and a reduction in the level of defect occurrence. (projects.bre.co.uk) Studies at Stamford Brook have emphasised the critical nature of communication and the potential impact it may have on airtight construction. It is vital that there is an improvement in flows of information both upwards and downwards in the formal management structure in companys, an example of this may be operatives reporting an incorrect drawing to the site office and the site office will contact the main contractors office, where the incorrect detail can be rectified. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Frequently at Stamford Brook and many other sites observed throughout the UK, design information was not available, not at a sufficient level of detail, confusing, complex or just not referred to by operatives. This lack of information tended to lead to a rather diffused process as operatives followed their instinct rather than using detailed design information, which ironically was not present. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Also there did not appear to be any particular well developed mechanism for feed back of information on air tightness performance and specification. It was not clear how the design and construction lessons were being absorbed for use in making vital improvements to processes or actual designs. This can be linked with the necessity for a clearly defined quality control process, for without such a process there can be no definition of problems, identification of their causes or framing of solutions. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Majority of personnel and operatives involved in the procurement and construction of the building fabric are not aware nor understand the necessity for insulation continuity and airtightness. The lack of awareness associated with these issues, results in components being engineered out of the design for cost savings. (www.environ.ie) Awareness is not raised at key stages during a project, for example, briefing procurement offices and site tool-box talks. As a result parties can not clearly identify where and how insulation continuity and the air barrier are to be maintained. Operatives directly involved in constructing the insulation and air barrier do not draw attention to difficulties experienced on site or request direction. This lack of communication is likely to have detrimental effects on construction. (www.environ.ie) Operatives not directly involved in the building fabric are not entirely aware of the importance of insulation continuity, the air barrier and the flagging up of any breaches through these lines of defence. They do not remedy potential thermal bridges or air leakage routes brought about by their own activities, or to seek help from other trades, depending on the nature of the breach. (www.environ.ie) Quality Control Quality control is critically important to a successful construction project and should be adhered to throughout a project from conception and design to construction and installation. Inspection during construction will prevent costly repairs after the project is completed For construction projects, quality control means making sure things are done according to plans, specifications and permit requirements (Satterfield, 2005:1) Many dry lining contractors have no system in place for monitoring the quality of their processes and products. Experience illustrates those contractors without Quality Assurance (QA) hinders them to check for insulation continuity and air tightness. An effective QA control is that insulation continuity and air tightness are considered during all design changes and material substitutions affecting the external envelope. An ill-formed design change may jeopardise the final performance of the building envelope. The lack of a QA process in a company indicates that they do not inspect finished works especially the building envelope. This in turn prevents management to inspect that all works are properly constructed prior to being covered over. (www.environ.ie) Construction quality can have a significant impact on air tightness. An overwhelming conclusion from the Stamford Brook Field Trial and from general observation of the UK house building industry as a whole is that quality control processes are extremely diffuse with a number of actors playing similar but different roles which are almost always carried out in isolation. It is perhaps not surprising that with no clear air tightness quality control process in place, sequencing is often out of the phase and known errors tend to be repeated time and time again. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Another quality control issue observed at Stamford Brook that can lead to air tightness concern for contractors is the different tolerances that were constructed to by different trades. Items and components that are manufactured off site to high tolerances are often fitted into structures built by trades that are not operating to the same degree of precision. As a result, performance and workmanship issues can occur when construction is outside these tolerances. (www.leedsmet.ac.uk) Quality control is not a primary objective for all the members of a dry lining company. Managers do not take responsibility for maintaining and improving quality control. Employee participation in quality control is not sought after nor rewarded, for example the introduction of new ideas. Consequently, quality improvement is not served as a catalyst for improved productivity. (pmbook.ce.cmu.edu/13)