Aircraft on Ground Essay

In the case of Bennett Solutions, if the support assembly does not fit, do we need to build the tree into a recursive model of considering buying another new part from Miami supplier or buying another from ARC, etc.   can we just end that branch of the tree taking into account the cost of returning the product and the reduced refund price? A: There is no set answer, so make whatever assumption you think is reasonable, state it clearly, and proceed with it. Q: Is the cost of rebooking per passenger another decision tree? What we are trying to figure out is the % of load (occupied seats) and % of passengers looking to rebook same day etc. that are to be used as fixed for calculations or as uncertainities. A: Try to make as few assumptions as possible. As a general guideline, when the case gives you enough data (e. g. , historical numbers, estimates, etc), such that you can compute a number directly, try to do that, instead of introducing new elements in the decision tree. Q: Is it possible to fly an empty plane from Santiago to Miami in order to avoid a cancelled Miami – Santiago flight? A: Carefully read the notes at the end of the case — one of them should stipulate something about this. Q: How long does it take to make the actual repair to the system once the parts arrive in Santiago? A: Make an assumption that you consider easonable, state it clearly, and proceed from there†¦ Q: Consider the sentence: â€Å"However, since this is a current initiative, there is only a 35% to 50% probability that support assemblies of different fleets will fit perfectly and hence are interchangeable. There is no way to know in advance, this has to be checked on the aircraft when the component is installed†. Does the abo ve apply only to the part supplied by Bennett or it applies to the other suppliers? A: It is safe to assume that it only applies to Bennett Cargo Sales as it refers only to the support assembly.

Managing Financial Resources in Health Essay

Introduction This is a report which is written based on the concept of financial management and the business resources in health care based company (Bryans, 2007). It is aimed to provide emphasis on the impression of costs and control that are available in the social health care settings. It is also required to provide deep examination of the system that are used in the health care industry to provide effective financial and resource management (Groppelli & Angelico, 2000). This ensures that the organization resources are managed effectively to provide adequate returns. 1.1 The principles of costing and business control systems There are a number of costing principles and business controls which require the company to examine its current costs with the budgeted costs. This ensures that there is good cost control since the company spends its financial resources in accordance with the budget (Mick and John, 2003). Costing methods which the company uses should be the ones which control the company expenditures. The company should use bidding system when purchasing its health care resources since this provides amore legal guideline of procurement procedures (Martin et al, 2010). During the procurement process there should be high level of transparency, integrity and due diligence so that the company manages its expenditures and costs efficiently. 1.2 Identify information needed to manage financial resources There are a number of financial and non financial information which are required in the management of financial resources of the company (Martin et al, 2010). The availability of this information is very important in costs allocation, decision making and cost control so that the resources of an organization can produce high investment returns. Transparent and Accurate Accounting Information It is important for an organization to have accurate and transparent accounting information which can increase the confidence of their users (Watson and Head, 2012). This provides them with an opportunity to make appropriate decision which can improve the welfare of the company (Martin et  al, 2010). Accurate information provides the management with a clear picture of the profitability, liquidity and efficiency of the company so that the information that the management have reflect a true state of affairs of the company. Risk Management Information The business organization must have deep understanding how it can manage both financial and business risks which are likely to affect its returns. This is necessary in health care business organization since it can cause fluctuation in returns which reduce the goodwill of the company. Short and long term forecast The health and social care company must have short and long term projections on the results which it plans to achieve. This is important in development of goals and strategies since these long and short term forecasts can only be met through establishment of good management strategies (Bryans, 2007). It is also important in the creation and formulation of budgets which reflects future performance of the company thereby allocating resources which is able to achieve the set objectives. Audit Report Information This is also important information which the company critically needs to manage its financial resources (Watson and Head, 2012). The Audit report information is important is providing an assurance whether the company has been properly managing its financial resource in the past or not (Martin et al, 2010). This can be used to improve the financial management styles which ensure that there is proper allocation of resources based on the audit report. It also influences external stakeholders to have confidence on the company so that they can provide credit or any financial assistance to the company. 1.3 Explain the regulatory requirements for managing financial resources Care Quality Commission This is a very important regulatory body in UK which forces all health care settings to provide quality, effective and compassionate health services and ensure that there is constant improvement in healthy care service delivery (Watson and Head, 2012). It monitors the operation of health and social care settings and regulates the quality of their services. Health care sector Regulatory monitor This is a very important regulatory body which monitors the functions of health and social care settings. This ensures that the health care providers are transparent on their duties and follow certain health care procedures when handling patients (Martin et al, 2010). This is important in establishing high level of transparency and accountability in the management of health and care financial resources. NHS Commission Board This a is a very important regulatory body which helps health care settings in developing financial plans, budgets and management of operating activities (Bryans, 2007). This ensures that the financial resources are used according to the financial plan so there is effective financial control as set out in the health care act. GAAP This is a regulatory body which requires the company to use accounting principles which are used in the preparation of accounting records (Jones and Atwal, 2009). These ensure that the financial statements are made in accordance with the law and they can easily be understood by all the users who are not financial experts. 1.4 Evaluate systems for managing financial resources in a health or care organization Financial management is the efficient use of the financial resources to meet the stated objectives of the company. Financial management system involves the use of different tools and procedures that authorizes the control, distribution and investment of scarce resources of the company to produce returns (Martin et al, 2010). Financial systems are very important in generating current financial position of the company. This is through the use accounting procedures and principles which are used in the preparation of accounting records. The current status of accounts shows changes which had been made foe every disbursement (Watson and Head, 2012). The accounting systems such as automated management system ensure that the company receives instantaneous feedback. This reduces the errors which could have been reflected in the financial statements by correcting accounts which fails to balance or in case of over distribution of resources (Jones and Atwal, 2009). The availability of financial resource management systems also is important in  producing accurate financial reports which reflects true states of affairs and therefore the users of the financial statements can rely on them for decision making. 2.1 What are the diverse sources of income available to CareTech PLC in the financial year in 2013? There are different sources of income for CareTech PLC which they can use to meet its operating costs. Sale of Drugs and other health care facilities The company generates revenues by selling health care facilities to different health acres settings and clinics (Martin et al, 2010). This makes it to raise income which is used to pay its staffs and purchase other important goods which are used in health care industry. Voluntary Organizations Some organizations such as charities can provide funds to the company in the form of donors to finance other health care projects (Bryans, 2007). These funds can be used as a source of income to pay operating expenses, buy health care equipments and other health care facilities. National and Local Government The local or national government can allocate funds to the company to enhance the provision of health services (Watson and Head, 2012). This financial resource can be used to finance different health projects and provide other basic health services. Private Health Insurance This is a source of income to the company by allowing the patients to get medical services which are paid by the insurance companies (Mick and John, 2003). This therefore acts as a very important source of incomes since the insurance company pays the services offered by the company. 2.2 Factors that influence Income of the Company Central Government allocation The allocation of more financial resource increases the income of the company. This makes it to produce quality services since it has high income. Political Sensitivity The sensitivity of politics in the region also affects the amount of money the company receives as income (Steven & Sheffrin, 2003). High sensitivity  of politics affects the operation of the business and therefore the company receives low income. Ability to negotiate regional allocation When the company has the ability to negotiate effectively for regional allocation of funds, it will receive high allocation which increases its income annually (Martin et al, 2010). The inability to negotiate properly for regional allocation of funds has an impact on income. 2.3 Review different types of budget expenditure in CareTech PLC There are very many different types of budget expenditures which are in health and care settings (Groppelli & Angelico, 2000). These include staffing costs, purchase of fixed assets, costs of consumables, loan repayment interest, long term building expenditure, marketing costs, training and health and safety costs. Operating Expenditure budget This is a very important type of budget expenditure which the company must use (Mick and John, 2003). It ensures that all the service providers of this company are remunerated and receive different rewards which motivate them. Capital Expenditure budget The company must incur costs to purchase fixed assets such as motor vehicle, health equipment and buildings (Steven & Sheffrin, 2003). These are very important in enhancing the quality of services which are provided by this company. This budget ensure that all capital assets are purchases and allocated to different departments to reduce cost and maximize returns. Marketing Expenditure Budget The company must prepare a budget on how it is planning to spend its financial resources during marketing (Bryans, 2007). This makes the company to use its resources efficiently during marketing since it can only spend money in relation to budget requirement. Health and Safety Expenditure Budget The expenses which the company expects to incur top provide health and safety services to employees are also budgeted for (Martin et al, 2010). This ensures that there is appropriate use of health and safety services without misappropriation of funds. 2.4 Evaluate how decisions about expenditure  could be made in CareTech PLC Fund Available The decision on the company expenditure can be made based on the available resources which determine what the company should purchase or not (Groppelli & Angelico, 2000). The availability of financial resources influence the ability of the company to acquire health care resources and therefore inadequate funds limits the expenditure of the company (Mick and John, 2003). The fund available is allocated according to priority in the budget so that most important expenditures are made to provide efficient health services to customers with little resources. Demand on Service The decision about expenditure is also depends on the demand of the service which the company provides. The services which are of high demand should use higher expenditures since there is need for high financial resource. This ensures that there is quality health service when there are enough health care facilities and equipments to enhance quality service demanded. Central Government Guidance The expenditure of this company is also influenced by the guidelines provided by the central government so that the company can meet the principles of regulatory bodies (Steven & Sheffrin, 2003). The expenditure for the purchase of capital assets or health and safety equipments should be that improves the quality of health service as required by Central Government guidelines. 3.1 Management of Financial Shortfalls The company should also ensure that there is proper management of the budget deficit or shortfalls. This is achieved by operating within the budget so that there is no over or under expenditure. The shortages can be supplemented by the providing additional allocation from the central or local Government (Bryans, 2007). This will makes the company to purchase all the capital and operating expenditures within the budget. The shortfalls can also be managed by sourcing for additional financing from local stable financial institution to finance other activities which had not been accounted for in the budget (Watson and Head, 2012). 3.2 What action you would take if you suspect occurrence of financial fraud in your  organization? There are a number of actions which the company can take when there is suspicion about fraud. Fraud detection and investigation The company has to determine the truth about the fraud by conducting an investigation and finding those involves in the fraudulent acts (Groppelli & Angelico, 2000). Before the investigation the possible financial loss which the company has experienced should be known and how it has been happening. Valid evidence should be determined before taking any legal action. The truth about the occurrence of fraud is detected by the nature of behavior of people in the company and the observation of discrepancies in the financial records of the company. If fraud has taken place internally The determination that the fraud has been committed by one of your employees, the management is required to seek for advice from professional advisors on the possible steps to follow to go on with the problem. The company can also do an overall investigation to ascertain the truth of the matter or take remedial action to fraudsters (Mick and John, 2003). The company can also take a legal action by reporting the case to the law enforcement agencies only if the fraud is material but immaterial fraud should result into suspension of those involves reducing legal cases which can also make the company to lose substantially. 3.3 Monitoring Fraud For the company to monitor how the company uses its financial resources, it should ensure that it conduct both internal and external audits to provides the company with an opportunity to prepare its books in accordance with the law (Bryans, 2007). Internal audit is done throughout the year and it assess if the company prepares its books in accordance with the law and there is possibility that the books can provide a true and fair view of the company states of affairs. These actions ensure that there is no fraud and any other malicious acts which the employees can commit to suspect the occurrence of frauds (Groppelli & Angelico, 2000). The company can also employ an external auditor to monitor the company expenditure and income (Steven & Sheffrin, 2003). This is able to reveal financial misuse and intentional mistakes which reduce financial performance of the company. 4.1 Sources of Information for Fraudulent Acts The company can use management accounts to determine the lapses where the financial proprieties have been taking place. It can also be ascertained through the assessment of actual and projected budgets which is compared with the actual result of the company (Groppelli & Angelico, 2000). When adverse variance is very high then the company can suspect that there is a financial fraud in the company (Department of Health, 2011). The result of internal or external audit can also provide adequate information which acts as evidence that there is a financial fraud which the management has committed. 4.2 Analyze the relationship between care service delivered and ‘costs and expenditure The relationship between care service delivered and costs and expenditure is very important in ensuring that the customers are charged fairly (Steven & Sheffrin, 2003). The costs and expenditure of the company should be incurred transparently by informing the stakeholders on how the company has spent its financial resources. The expenditure of health and care settings should be done in compliance with some legal frameworks which provide guidelines on how the company should spend its funds. The purchase of health care equipment is also done through bidding process where the best bidder is to supply the required materials for health care facilities (Bryans, 2007). This ensures that all the company purchases and expenditure are done in accordance with the law through following legal purchasing framework. The use of financial resources of the company should be used appropriately this is because those involves have financial obligation to account for any finance used in the company (Mick and John, 2003). This reduce the level of frauds which are likely to occur in the company since officers who are involves in the purchase is accountable for any financial loss. 4.3 Evaluate how financial considerations impact upon a service user Financial considerations have great effect on the health care service delivered to users. Effect on the mode of Service Quality The increase of financial resource in the company increases the quality of service delivered to users. This is because high financial consideration is able to pay for quality health care facilities which ensure that the users of health care settings receive quality service (Steven & Sheffrin, 2003). With low consideration, there will be a purchase of low quality health care  equipment and facilities which cannot avail quality service. Change in Staffing Levels When there is high financial consideration, the management of this company will be able to pay salaries of many employees who are able to provide efficient health service delivery (Mick and John, 2003). When the services are offered at a low consideration, the income of the company becomes low and therefore the number of staff members goes down (Day and Wigens, 2006). This also affects the service quality which the users expect to get from the company. Availability of Consumables Financial consideration for health care services also affects consumable (Bryans, 2007). When the service user is allowed to pay high financial consideration, there will be adequate consumable to users since there is enough money to purchase these to users (Day and Wigens, 2006). When there is low financial consideration the company will not have the capacity to buy consumables. Reduction of Services Low consideration renders the company to be bankrupts and therefore it has to reduce the number of services that it offers to the public (Steven & Sheffrin, 2003). Low consideration also makes the company to pay for additional staff to provide all the service which the company is required to provide. 4.4 Improvements of the Company Expenditure For the company to improve its expenditure capacity, it has to reassess its expenditure so that the company can minimize its expenditures and maximize it revenues (Bryans, 2007). Before spending the company funds, there should be an assessment of the value of money so that the purchase of any assets or payment of an operating expense matches with the value of the item of expenditure (Mick and John, 2003). It is also required to estimate unit cost of the item so that the total cost of the company expenditure is ascertained before the actual purchase. This ensures that there is no inflation of costs of the assets or any expenditure the company makes (Edwards, 2012). Conclusion For the company to make appropriate revenues, it must control the use of its finances so that the company can use minimum costs to finance its operation. Cost allocation is also important in efficient management of health care operations. High costs should be allocated to items of expenditures which are of priority so that the company goals can be achieved efficiently. Bibliography Bryans, W. 2007. Practical Budget Management in Health & Social Care, Radcliffe Publishing Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-84619-100-8 Day, J. and Wigens, L. 2006. Inter-professional working: An essential guide for health and social care professionals. London: Nelson Thornes. Department of Health. 2011. Safeguarding Adults: The role of health services. Publications Policy Edwards, A. 2012. Putting patients first. British Medical Journal, 344, pp. 233-240. Groppelli, H. & Angelico, A. 2000. Finance, 4th ed. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. p. 433. Jones, M. and Atwal, A 2009. Preparing for Professional Practice in Health & Social Care. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Mick, B. and John, C. 2003. Managing Financial Resources .A Butterworth-Heinemann; 2003, 3rd edition ISBN: 0750657553. Martin M, et al. 2010. Managing in Health and Social Care 2ndEdition. Routledge, ISBN: 978-0-20385-693-2 Steven, M.& Sheffrin, B. 2003. Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. p. 502 Watson, D. and Head, A. 2012. Corporate Finance Principles and Practice. 6th edition, Harlow: Pearson ISBN: 9780273762874.

Abortion †Prolife view

Abortion, the termination of pregnancy before the fetus is capable of independent life, can either be spontaneous or induced. It is called the knowing destruction of the life of an unborn child. (Mass General Laws Chapter 112 Section 12K) When abortion occurs spontaneously, it is called a miscarriage. However, when the loss of a fetus is caused intentionally, it is regarded as a moral issue. Abortion destroys the lives of helpless, innocent children and is illegal in many countries. An estimate of 1.2 million are performed each year. In retrospect, an estimate 38,010,378 innocent children were aborted since 1973 when the process was legalized. Plagiarism Detection >Abortion is a simple and safe procedure if it is done by trained medical workers during the first trimester. There are four different techniques utilized during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. Suction aspiration, also known as vacuum curettage, is the most common surgical means of abortion. This is when a powerful suc tion tube with a sharp cutting edge is inserted into the womb through the dilated cervix. The suction dismembers the body of the developing baby, tearing the placenta from the wall of the uterus, and sucking blood, amniotic fluids, placental tissue, and fetal parts into a bottle. Although it is one of the safer methods, there are still frequent complications such as infection and tearing of the uterus, causing hemorrhaging.Dilatation and Curettage (DC) is another surgical process involving the insertion of a loop shaped steel knife to cut the baby’s body into pieces. The placenta is then scraped off the uterine wall. There is a higher risk of infection with DC and greater blood loss than with Suction aspiration.RU 486 and Methotrexate are two similar types of chemical abortion. RU 486 is a pill that can be taken orally only during the five to nine week period. Three trips must be made to the abortion clinic. In the first, the RU 486 pill is administered after a physical exami nation. During the 2nd, 36 48 hours later, the woman is given a dose of artificial prostaglandins initiating uterine contractions. This causes the embryonic baby to be expelled from the uterus. The third visit, about two weeks later, can determine whether the abortion has been completed or if further surgery is necessary. Methotrexate is administered by intramuscular injection. It attacks growing cells of the trophoblast, which functions as the life support system for the baby. This injection causes the immediate disintegration of sheltering environment in which the embryo lives. Without food or fluids, the living, helpless fetus dies. This dangerous method is rarely used because of its unpredictable side affects.The second trimester includes the thirteenth to twenty-eighth week. Dilatation and Evacuation (DE), similar to DC, uses forceps with sharp metal jaws to grasp the parts of the baby and tear them away from the body. The baby’s skull is often hardened to bone and must sometimes be crushed or compressed. The only side affect is profuse bleeding, and impossible cervical laceration.The rest of the procedures can be done during either the second or third trimester (the twenty-ninth to fortieth week). The first method is Salt Poisoning, otherwise known as saline amniocentesis. A needle is inserted into the abdomen of the mother. Her amniotic fluid is replaced with a solution of concentrated salt. Upon swallowing the salt, the baby is instantly poisoned. This can also cause painful burning of the baby’s skin and deterioration. The baby will die after about an hour. The mother delivers the dead baby after a period of 33 35 hours. Some common side affects are seizures, coma, and even death.Prostaglandins are naturally produced chemical compounds which normally aid in the birthing process. However, the injection of artificial prostaglandins at too early a stage induce violent labor followed by premature birth. Often, various forms of toxins, are inserted to insure dead delivery.Partial Birth Abortion, also known as Dilation and Extraction (DE), is used to abort women who are 20 32 weeks pregnant. The abortionist grabs the unborn baby’s legs with a pair of forceps, pulling the entire baby, excluding the head, into the birth canal. Scissors are jammed and then opened into the baby’s skull, and the brain is suctioned out with a catheter. The dead baby is then removed from the uterus.Hysterotomy is a method generally used when others have failed. Incisions are made into the abdomen and uterus, and the baby is removed. Babies are sometimes born alive during this procedure. This method offers the highest risk to the health of the mother because of the potential of rupturing.Some immediate abortion risks include infection leading to sterility or death, excessive bleeding, high fever, a perforated uterus leading to sterility, shock and death. Abortion also increases the risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, tubal p regnancy, miscarriage, premature birth, and sterility.The Catholic Church teaches that all humans have a right to live, from the moment of conception until the natural ordained moment of death. According to these teachings, a person is living when as young as an embryo until the last second of life before death. Any of the above stated forms of abortion are morally wrong because they murder a fetus which is living, moving, and breathing. With abortion, we give ourselves dominion over a large part of God’s plan. Our destiny, our fate, and our entire race are intensely affected when we take the decision into our own hands. Playing God by intervening in human life transforms us into murderers. We do not have the capacity to choose life or death for a defenseless fetus.Pope John Paul II teaches that life is always good, a conclusion derived from the handiwork of God in creating man in the image and likeness of God. (Gen. I;26) Thus the human being a limited but true mirror of God ’s glory, has a sublime dignity and his life is held to be inviolable. When the Commandments were handed down to Moses, they were ordained to be true by God. One of those central values was thou shall not kill. Abortion is a direct violation of the fifth Commandment.Even in hard cases such as rape and incest, Catholics believe there are better options. Only one percent of abortions done each year are a result of involuntary sexual occurrences. Every baby is wanted and loved by God who has a distinct plan for their lives. It denies the child the right to live and society the privilege of the child’s gift and contributions to the world. God hears the new life in the womb, the heart within the heart, the anguish cry of hostage child sobbing in the dark.Many times after having an abortion, a woman will become emotionally unstable. Post-abortion syndrome describes the trauma of the woman who finally feels guilty, understands the repercussions of her actions, and regrets her previous decision. Statistics show that 92% feel less in touch with their emotions or feel a need to suppress their emotions. 82% had greater feelings of loneliness or isolation and 86% had increased tendency toward anger or rage. 53% increased or began use of drugs and/or alcohol. 28% attempted suicide. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicide are all common symptoms a woman will encounter after an abortion. Post-abortion counseling is available to aid any woman who is suffering from the pain of death and moral responsibility.In 1973, the process of abortion was legalized in the United States after the cases of Roe verses Wade and Doe verses Bolton. Norma McCorvey lied under oath, saying that she was gang raped. After her testimony, the jury decided to authorize abortions for only the first three months of pregnancy and allowed abortion until birth if a licensed physician judged it necessary for the woman’s health. In the second case, the United States senate judiciary co mmittee concluded that no barriers of any kind would be put on a woman who chose to have an abortion at any stage of her pregnancy.Under United States law, murder is illegal and the consequences for any such action would be imprisonment or, in some states, capital punishment. This is so because human have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness according to the Constitution. First and foremost is the right to live. It should not be any different in regards to unborn children. A person is created at the instant of conception. Therefore, every instance of abortion is murder. Even pro-choice activists agree with the scientific aspects of a baby’s development within the womb. They believe that although all the organs of a person are present, it is not a person until its birth. Therefore, in their opinion, the fetus doesn’t have any rights, not even the simple right of existence.How can a woman go through with an abortion if she knows the following facts? At 0 days old, the egg and sperm unite. A new life genetically distinct from the mother’s is created. At 4 days old, the cells begin to differentiate. From 18-21 days, the heart of the baby begins to beat. At 6-7 weeks, the nerves and muscles work together for the first time. At 7 weeks, spontaneous movement is detectable. One hundred thousand new nerve cells are made each minute. From 7-8 weeks, the palm and finger prints form. At 8 weeks, all of the unborn baby’s organs are formed, the feet and hands have taken form, and it has the shape of an adult brain. At 11 weeks, all the body systems are working and hiccups can occur. At 3 months old, there is a distinct individuality in behavior. At 4 months old, kicks of the feet can be detected, females have all 5 million ova formed, and the mother will start to show. At 5 months old, there is response to sound and light. At 6 months old, if cared for properly, the baby can be born prematurely.So what exactly is the question ? Life begins at the moment of conception, which was established. If it is murder to kill a human being, in any stage of life, there should be no debate. If it is a moral and social sin, why is this paper even necessary? It should be evident, through our own human nature that to kill our own offspring is WRONG. Life begets life. We have an obligation to the world to keep human life sacred. More than that however, we have an obligation to our own bodies not to allow such violence to be committed. Although this deprivation is one in which the child is denied life, it is one in which the mother is denied the joy and opportunity to raise that baby. In the long run, this will inflict pain on herself, and with each year passing, the emotional effects become more and more taxing. Even Norma McCorvy herself, better known as Jane Roe (in Roe vs. Wade) admits that abortion is an evil, as she is presently an active member of the pro-life movement.Many believe that abortion should be legalized for the extreme cases of pregnancy due to rape and incest. If a child is a product of violence, there is no need to harm another person’s life trying to heal the pain of the woman. This only guarantees further emotional stress for the victimized woman in the future. The disgusting descriptions and pictures available showing the dead baby after the process can change one’s mind. The tiny, innocent looking little babies have suffered a great deal of pain in their last minutes of survival. Because a brain, heart, and nerves have been developed, a fetus is able to feel death just as any other human would. A mother whose child is killed is always devastated with her loss. It is natural for a mother to feel the same way after having her child aborted before having a chance to care for and nurture her son or daughter who is a part of her.In conclusion, through research and evaluation of data, we have determined that abortion is morally wrong and destructive in all circumstanc es. God, the ultimate creator who decides the fate of all humans who come into existence, is the only One with the ability to choose life or death for His people. For us to make this decision ourselves, we are taking dominion over God and disregarding the Predestination that He intends for each living person.Works Cited   Fettner, Ann Giudici. Abortion. Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia. 1996.Hope and Healing. Massachusetts Citizens for Life. Elliot Institute, 1998.Levy, Robert J. Abortion. Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia. 1993-1995.Pro Life Reference Journal. Massachusetts Citizens for Life. Massachusetts Citizens for Life. 1998Schwarz, Dr. Stephen. The Moral Question of Abortion. [Online] Available: http://www.ohiolife.org/mqa/13-5.htm.Unknown. Abortion Techniques: Suction Aspiration. [Online] Available: http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/asmf4.html. Plagiarism Detection >Unknown. Is Abortion Safe: Physical Complications. [Online] Available: http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/asmf l3.htmlUnknown. Over 38 Million Abortions in U.S. since 1973. [Online] Available: http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/aboramt.html

Atmosphere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Atmosphere - Essay Example Firstly, the sense gives people the opportunity of knowing the designation of all their body parts and the activities they can facilitate. They also know the way the body parts move, their effectiveness and how to act in response to stimuli. The process is actualized through sensation and perception that facilitates processing of sensory data and interpretation to give credible meaning. The brain processes the information taken by the eyes and the body produces reflex actions as well as coordinated movements to respond to the external stimuli in a way that makes it the most convenient for the body to move in the given space and the challenges contained therein. Therefore, the elements greatly influence the direction of movement in space. Atmosphere has a direct as well as indirect influence on body movement. For example, while an individual enclosed in a closet or a lift has very little room to shift from one place to another and thus cannot make significant movements even if the ind ividual desires so; an individual hiding underneath a tree holding onto its trunk chooses not to make significant movements while an earthquake is happening in an attempt to keep safe and not catch significant harm. The difference between the two examples is that in the former, atmosphere places direct restrictions on the movement of the body whereas in the latter, external stimuli and factors contained in the atmosphere indirectly restrict the movement of the body. The restraints in the first example are mechanical or physical whereas those in the second example are abstract and a result of the interplay of the mind and body of the individual in the scenario. The relationship between atmosphere and body movement can be elaborated with the help of another example; an individual may see an object from a distance through light reflection and develop interest in acquiring it personally.

Potential sheath removal issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Potential sheath removal issues - Assignment Example The blockage may be attributable to conditions including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease (PAD) and renal vascular hypertension. Carotid artery stenosis, venous narrowing and narrowing in dialysis fistula or grafts can also result in blockage. Patient preparation is essential. Medications, herbal supplements, recent illnesses, medical conditions and allergies should be well documented (Benson et al. 2005). This is because the procedure involves anaesthesia and iodine in the x-ray dye. Medication used especially blood thinners, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin should be reported. The procedure involves imaging using radiation. It is, therefore, essential that women be examined for pregnancy to minimize radiation exposure to the foetus. Before the procedure, patients are restricted to eat or drink except medication. The procedure involves the use of several equipment a balloon catheter, stent, sheath, wire guide and x-ray imaging equipment. The imaging procedure applies the principle of fluoroscopy to develop an angiograph (O’Grady 2002). During the procedure, the guide wire directs placement of the angioplasty balloon catheter and the vascular stent. The sheath is used for catheter exchanges during the procedure. A vascular tube is placed to allow catheter exchanges and is usually removed after the procedure by a nurse. The procedure is executed in an interventional radiology suite by an interventional radiologist. Seldinger technique is the preferred technique for percutaneous catheterization of the femoral artery. It is effective for both arterial and venous access. Although a radial approach is applicable, the femoral approach is the most preferred method. In this procedure, the ideal puncture site is the femoral artery (Berry 2004). The femoral stick is well located to avoid surgical complications. The puncture site is precisely selected to avoid complications associated with the surgical procedure.

Being forgotten on Google Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Being forgotten on Google - Essay Example Google has been hauled in front of European data regulators on the issue of being forgotten. The concept has been established as a right to the status of international ‘universal’ recognition with respect to the right of access to existing information (Mayes, 2014). The controversy is partly due to the prevailing vagueness of current rulings such as the ECJ’s ruling concerning a Spanish man who sued a national newspaper website and Google Spain (Arthur, 2014). Concern emanates from the concerns on the impacts that such rulings portend in reference to another universal right – freedom of expression. An important aspect is the subsequent interactions with the right to privacy, in addition to whether creating the ‘right to be forgotten’ decreases internet quality through such steps as censorship or the rewriting of history (Fleischer, 2011). The firm entity under review – Google, Inc – has in the past followed through with this concept deleting data because of proof of copyright violations as well as in compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (Google Inc., 2014). Being ‘forgotten on Google’ has become one of the latest concerns in our information age where the freedom of expression, unregulated Internet and our desire to learn from and share on the Internet is greater than ever. Accordingly, in current modern contexts, an increase in internet use and daily application has become a way of life given the different avenues in which individuals are able to socialize regardless of the time and distance factors. Thus, it is understandable that without such technology and technological input life as it is would be quite different (Bernal, 2011). In the 21st century, computing and communication have become critical aspects on which daily interaction and socialization are based upon. In line with this aspect, current business enterprises are hence significantly influenced in terms of management,

The problems of advertising unhealthful products to children and Essay

The problems of advertising unhealthful products to children and teens, and propose a solution - Essay Example This paper analyses the problems associated with unhealthy advertising to children and teens and proposes certain solutions to avoid it. Tobacco companies exploit the hero worshipping attitudes of younger generation cleverly with the help of beautiful ads and children and teens become the victims of such misleading ads. Lung cancer, heart diseases, asthma, cough etc are often caused by smoking. Instead of revealing these health problems of smoking, tobacco companies in their advertisements describe smoking as a pleasant act which gives immense satisfaction and pleasure to the smoker. Majority of the tobacco companies have celebrities as their brand ambassador. For example, film stars are often utilized by tobacco companies for advertising their cigarettes. The mannerisms and the body languages of the film stars in the tobacco advertisements will encourage the hero worshipping teen generation to imitate their heartthrobs blindly. Children and teens have the inherited trait to imitate others. They learn life lessons from parents, teachers and celebrities. They are not much aware of the consequences of smoking. Only thi ng they know is that their hero is smoking and therefore they can also smoke. Alcoholism is another problem associated with unhealthy advertisements. As in the case of smoking, liquor manufacturers also advertise their products as safe to use. It should be noted that alcoholism can create more problems to the teenage community than adult people. Children during their physical and mental developmental stages need nutritious food and a healthy lifestyle. However, liquor manufacturers encourage younger generation to start drinking habits as early as possible with the help of misleading advertisements. â€Å"Alcohol advertisements often portray alcohol as enhancing economic success, fun, attractiveness to the opposite sex, athletic skill, and social popularity† (Alcohol Advertising

The SWOT Analysis of Beyond Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The SWOT Analysis of Beyond Product - Essay Example The Beyond company has a significant strength from the Peter, who is a vital shareholder and has experience in the business. The participation of Peter in the business plan completion helped him to win the competition that provides knowledge he used to formulate business the strategy that helps in achieving their objectives of introducing the snowboards in the market. His partner who had complementary financial and accounting skills also helped in the product and business plan development. The Italian and Belgian engineering companies and the significant chemical company motivated Peter to develop hybrid binding with positive features that proved that the market was ready for a new product. However, the company faced severe challenges in product development and marketing strategies because it was costly, and the company was limited to financing methods. Meanwhile, lack of assurance to the inventors due to slow product development of the product in the market caused Peter to lose the only partner, who was supporting the company financially. The beyond product has a significant opportunity of achieving its mission to provide a range of high-quality products by allowing business angels to invest their equity of pounds 300,000. Meanwhile, the company will encounter potential threats from generating the interest of importers at the ISPO fair because the sales would be much lower than expected that will jeopardize the future of the company. The snowboarding is the quickest growing sport in the United State with the average growth rate of 11.4 percent that will offer Peter a sizeable market opportunity for its products. Meanwhile, there are seventeen million snowboarders active globally that account for every one-third of the total winter sports population, and since the peter product is designed for this purpose it will benefit from these buyers.

Reflection essay Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection essay - Case Study Example In many instances, organizations are not able to cater to the social responsibilities because of the huge pressure in corporate sector by the shareholders (Mickels, 2009). By registering as a Benefit corporation, an organization can project them as a business which also has the aim of developing a better society, such as the Good Capital LLC mentioned in the case, where investment is also carried out to provide solutions to some of the challenging problems faced by the society. Therefore, the biggest advantage is that both the society as well as the organization benefits. It also provides encouragement to a generation of entrepreneur who can share benefits with the society, without having to fear about the lawsuits or lack of support from the shareholders (Reiser, 2012). However, there are certain disadvantages also; where by Benefit corporates can get sued by if it fails to take the steps for the benefit of the society as per the state laws (Reiser, 2012). If the status of Benefit corporations is given to organizations, it is mandated that they take solid steps towards the social cause they are committed to (Reiser, 2012). Additionally, it also has a high risk of abuse as powerful leaders may use it to mask their follies (Katz and Page, 2010). Hence, it is appropriate only for those businesses that are fully committed to both social causes as well as to their shareholders. The issue of abuse also leads to the question of ethics in Benefit corporations. As the potential of misusing is high, because the losses can be easily masked out as investment for fulfilling the social causes, it is necessary to have rigorous testing standards so that organizations cannot take undue advantage in the pretext of being a Benefit organization (Reiser, 2012). In addition, an organization should give equal priority to its organizational mission as well as the social cause undertaken, so that it can commit fully to

Electronic civil disobedience Essay Example for Free

Electronic civil disobedience Essay Civil disobedience has been a large part of societies and the past generations that have existed. With the further dawning of the information technology era, civil disobedience has taken another form—electronic civil disobedience (ECD). Though ECD takes a rather non-violent means in advancing the interests of certain groups and positing challenges to the status quo of several institutions, ECD has nevertheless remained a crucial force in shaping the image of mankind in general and will remain to be a contributing element in the coming years—and beyond. A look into electronic civil disobedience: comparisons and analyses In contrast to computer criminality, electronic civil disobedience is a means merely designed to â€Å"attack the institutions† whereas the former is more inclined to obtain profit from â€Å"actions that damage an individual†. This standing distinction contests the probable argument that there is no solid, or at least an ideal difference between the two and that both are the same means in putting down the strength of an institution or of an individual. However, while computer criminality is, by the name itself, a crime punishable by existing and applicable laws under the jurisdiction of certain states, resistance via electronic means—the most common of which is through cyberspace—is deemed to be a means to challenge the existing authority, for instance, in pushing forth necessary changes that are being sought after by individuals. This measure is, apparently, still within the borders of the law and are, hence, legal. Electronic civil disobedience (ECD) is oftentimes carried out in a manner that is not violent or, at the very least, in ways that do not involve direct physical contact (Electronic Civil Disobedience). Although there can be indirect physical consequences that can be attributed to the means and ends that are involved with ECD, a large bulk of the essence of ECD rests on its forefront—resistance through the maximum utility of the intangible resources available. These resources are largely comprised of electronic information and invisible systems in cyberspace that do not require physical contact among the individuals that seek to advance their interests in the face of another individual or an existing authority. Though by and large much of the past generations—and even a considerable number of the present generation of citizens—have been closely attached to the physical means of civil disobedience such as in the literal sense of â€Å"taking-up the streets†, a shift in the manifestation of civil disobedience is greatly felt in the electronic realm. Since information technology’s presence has increasingly grown over the past few decades and since its developments have been continuous and have been exponential in refinement, the impacts of electronic civil disobedience has also risen in levels proportional to the booming of the information technology industry. As recent developments in the field of cyberspace expand abruptly, so are the probable means in which ECD can make itself successful in achieving it’s goals or, at least, in making its presence and mission felt across territorial boundaries of states (Cleaver). Moreover, this growth in information technology (IT) has also started to break down the physical barriers as well as the invisible fences that hold back attempts at pushing forth civil resistance or disobedience. The physical institutions that seek to eradicate or lessen the probability of occurrence of these civil resistances have slowly diminished its grip on its capability to harness barriers and put up defensive mechanisms that strain the success of resistance from citizens. At the height of the development communication tools, effective communication has spread like wildfire from among various areas in the globe. Cellular phone technology has amassed for the people easier means to effectively transmit messages across wide distances, thereby instituting a smoother flow of information relay. Group organization and mobilization is held at a unifying pace that easily penetrates the state borders and geographical barriers. This leads us to the notion that the as the advent of electronic communication—the internet and cellular phone technology to name a few—the expected rise in the efficiency and effectiveness of group mobilization and organization in the face of electronic civil disobedience is within reach. However, the abuse of ECD as in the case of civil disobedience (CD) is always a possibility to the extent that legal measures have also to be taken by the proper authorities so as to dismantle probable grounds for violent and unlawful measures in furthering the interests of several groups. ECD, for the most part, can be a ploy utilized by extreme groups that do not only seek refuge in the non-violent methods encapsulated within the essence of ECD but also seek unlawful ends through violent actions that spring forth from the devices and advantages brought up by the electronic media. Terrorists, for example, can opt to start their large scale plans of wreaking havoc in a populated society by getting a good hold of the electronic resources available almost everywhere. The September bombings of the World Trade Center in New York has devastated a number of lives and even up to this day the damage done can still be felt not only by those who were directly affected but also by the millions of people who fear the havoc of terrorism, especially in contemporary times where ECD is not something new. It would be interesting to note on the delimiting strands that segregate those that are purely in the form of ECD and those that hid behind layers of terrorist ploys. For the most part, ECD remains today as a growing tool used as a means in contesting the status quo by oppositional forces. This brings us to the security issues posited by the ECD that confront the targeted institutions by modern-day activists. Although security measures have been reinforced throughout the years with the further advancement in technology, cyberspace remains an open territory for civil activism—and hackers. Though there may be inconclusive findings that seek to establish a connection or an alliance between hackers and ECD groups, there remains the possibility that an actual connivance may actually exist, only that the alliance is hidden beneath the rubrics of the intangible world of technology. It may be an extreme thought to dwell on such a possibility. Nevertheless one cannot entirely dismiss its factual occurrence. In the context of the general population that subscribes to the established groups that further ECD, certain identifying marks have to be made so as to pinpoint the possibility of having a hacker among the number of activists that attempt at penetrating the electronic defense mechanisms of institutions. However, the rapid growth of the electronic resources and its availability prove to be one hefty factor to surmount by the institutions. Activism is all the more fueled by this growth and, thus, the efforts of the institutions are to be doubled or thickened accordingly if ECD is to be diminished. Quite on the other hand, ECD may not be diminished at all, nor can it be totally dissolved especially when the generation we have of today is one that is teeming with the abundance of electronic wealth (Wehling). It must be further realized that such an (ever increasing) abundance in the electronic resources found in cyberspace provides a fertile starting point for extreme organizations that might utilize ECD as an initial step towards electronic violence and as a front for the extensive damage that can be instigated through system crashes and data hostages. The person adept at information technology and electronic systems will readily convey that the probable damage of system crashes as well as data hostages are devastating in the sense that they do not only shaken the virtual foundations of institutions but also destroy the intangible interior foundations that build the electronic core of the institutions. Reparations may be met, though, but the time to successfully recover or at least partially get back on track is yet another factor that must be considered. Hence, security measures are as equally significant as the protection of the interests of these institutions, if not even far more important. Conclusion The impacts of ECD have been felt in many ways. As the growth in cyberspace continues to expand and exceed the standards set forth by previous generations in their attempt to resist the institutional forces and further the specific aims for taking up civil disobedience, ECD continues to be a driving force in directing the path of the electronic world. The presence of ECD in contemporary times will eventually stretch through time for as long as there remains a continued expansion in the domain of cyberspace and for as long as the interests of people are not met and properly addressed.

Construction Essays Construction Clients Olympic

Construction Essays Construction Clients Olympic Construction Clients Olympic Three different case studies namely: (1) Olympic stadium; (2) Wembley stadium; and (3) Arsenal Emirates stadium have been specifically chosen to critically analyse different psyches and make ups of construction clients as well as the procurement routes discussed in previous chapters. The evaluation seeks to find out how the construction clients have influenced the delivery of projects; how the construction client have adhered to the recommendations of the government and industrys reports and how the adopted procurement routes have helped in improving the UK construction industry performance. This chapter basically relies on the issues discussed in preceding chapters in critically appraising the way the projects procurements were carried out. The authors commentaries have been given in green while the case studies notes predominantly obtained through the internet are given in the normal black. CASE STUDY 1: THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC STADIUM All the case study materials for the Olympics stadium were obtained from only one source which is the internet. The Project The Olympic stadium is a project that is part of an intricate Olympic programme which is embodied by a compulsory timetable and programme of works that affects the development of each of the facilities that makes up the Olympic programme. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers The delivery of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics games facilities is regarded as the biggest and most intricate project embarked on in the UK for a very long time (MPA, 2006). The site for the Olympics will be Europes largest regeneration project (LSC, 2007). The hub essence of the project is the development of facilities for the games as well as the regeneration of the section of eastern part of the capital city, London (BBC, 2008a). According to WLB (2006), the development of the Olympic facilities and their legacy transformation includes (1) five permanent venues construction namely- Olympic Stadium, Aquatic Centre, Velopark, Handball Arena and Eton Arena; (2) three temporary sporting venues (Basketball Arena, Hockey and Fencing Venues); (3) International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre construction; (4) permanent and temporary structures, roads and bridges; (5) site-wide utilities infrastructure; earthwork and extensive landscaping; and (6) extensive post games legacy r egeneration works. The Olympic stadium brief was drafted to produce an amazing 80,000-seater stadium for the hosting of the track and field events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies for both the Olympic and Paralympics games (WLB, 2006). After the games it would be demounted or perhaps reduced to 25,000 seats, but still retains the maintainable and rational capacity of hosting ranges of sporting, educational, cultural and community events with athletics being its core use (WLB, 2006a). The knack of conversion of the stadium from an 80,000-seater venue to a 25,000-seater venue with 55,000 demounted immediately the Olympics ends is regarded as highly innovative and espouses great forward thinking (BBC, 2008a). The  £496 million Olympic stadium design is motivated by a commitment made during Londons bid to bequeath a world class athletics legacy rather than a succession of flamboyant edifice as exemplified in previous Olympics (Guardian, 2008). While considering how to reduce and come up with a reasonable cost and make the demounting of the stadium (as outlined in the project brief and shown in Fig 5.2a) less complicated, the majority of the services usually found within the stadium such as catering, bars, toilets and merchandise stalls was designed to be located in pods on the forecourt outside the stadium (Guardian, 2008). According to BBC (2008a) the main features of the design are (1) a sunken bowl built into the ground for the field of play and lower permanent seating, designed to bring spectators close to the action;(2) 25,000 permanent seats + 55,000 demountable; (3) a cable-supported roof that will stretch 28 metres the whole way around the stadium, providing cover for two-thirds of spectators; (3) a fabric curtain will wrap around the stadium structure, acting as additional protection and shelter for spectators; and (4) facilities such as catering and merchandising will be grouped into self-contained pod structures. The Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell MP in her words extols the virtues of the concept and stated that Once the Games are over this will then be translated into a stadium that will not only host grand prix athletics events and other national sport events but will also serve the communities of the boroughs (BBC, 2008a). After completion the stadium will supplement and complements other grand stadia around London such as Wembley, the Emirates and the Twickenham stadia (BBC, 2008a). The Client The Olympic programme involves a complex array of 5 key stakeholders (MPA, 2006) as shown in Fig. 5.2c and bidding for the Olympic has to be in conformation with the International Olympic Committees (IOC) guidelines (Guardian, 2008b). The Olympic board comprises of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the Mayor of London, Lord Moynihan, Lord Coe and Jack Lemley (MPA, 2006). The first two people mentioned chair the board alternatively while the rest of the board acts in advisory capacity (MPA, 2006). The Olympic Board Steering Group (OBSG) comprises of senior officials of the 5 key stakeholders namely: (1) ODA; (2) the London Organising Committee of the Olympics Games (LOCOG); (3) the Greater London Authority (GLA); (4) British Olympic Association (BOA); and (5) the Government (MPA, 2006). Their main functions are to collectively advice and provide assurance to the board (MPA, 2006). These stakeholders have differing perceptions as to what constitute success. While they all have different responsibilities towards the success of the game, their individual objectives has to be met. It is worth noting that their varying objectives were well reconciled as per the game. Shared understanding was created among them and reconciliation of objectives was easy because one of the predominant overarching aims of both the UK government and IOC for the games is sustainability. As discussed earlier in chapter 4, the Egan report recommends sustainability which is in consonance with the stadium co nstruction aims. IOC parameters stipulates that the construction costs had to be given in prices in the year of the bidding (2004) rather than the likely overall costs in hosting year of 2012 (Guardian, 2008b). This led to the  £280 million bid book price to the IOC (Guardian, 2008b). It augurs that prices had to be going up constantly due the inflation in the UK construction industry which ran at 6.5% as at late 2007 (Guardian, 2008b). The issue of the under budgeting which created widespread criticism was partly as a result of the IOCs strict guidelines of presenting costing within a certain parameters. The inflation in the construction industry is currently running on close to 7% as against a lower one in 2004 when the estimate was made. The IOC ought to have considered economic terms and allowed for future prices to be made as in most accounting future predictions. It is rather surprising and somewhat disheartening to note that IOC had to wait this long to change the negative presentation of us ing bidding year costing as the actual cost of stadium to be built in 8years time!. With prevailing interest rates which tends to force cost escalation gave the public negative opinion and views with cost rising up to 100% increase! The demounting cost of the stadium as well as value added tax (VAT) were not included in the initial  £280 million cost submitted to IOC which meant the venue was always going to cost more than originally figured (Guardian, 2008b). The brief was hurriedly made which never tallied with the tactical issues of the whole concept. The author reckons that there was no comprehensive one at the time! The strategic issues and the tactical issues were not in unison because of the prevalent atmosphere of uncertainty surrounding winning the bid. Irrespective of the chosen procurement routes, changes in brief will definitely lead to changes in cost. Moreover, while offering plausible reasons for the demounting and being optimistic of a possible buyer of the demountable parts, it is still seen that finding a possible buyer could be onerous or perhaps impossible. Designs and technology change rapidly and likewise innovations which tends to leads to changes in materials. Todays innovation can be t omorrows error! The vision and strategic objectives are well spelt out. According to MPA (2006) the vision is To host an inspirational, safe and inclusive Olympic and Paralympics games and leave a sustainable legacy for London and the UK. As shown in the Fig. 5.2c above, the ODA is the public body responsible for the development and construction of all the new venues and infrastructure for the Games and thus represents the clients on the project (MPA, 2006). The ODA was considered to be a comparatively small organization structure and an industry representative called the private delivery partner was chosen to take up the balance of the mishmash of resources provision and management (MPA, 2006). CLM was however chosen as the private delivery partner. Though they are knowledgeable and experience client, as discussed in chapter 2, they still engage external expertise to augment their in-house assemblage. This was a smart approach in the right direction considering the magnitude of the project at hand. The CLM is a consortium of Laing O Rourke Plc, Mace Ltd and CH2M Hill and was appointed to work with the ODA to project manage the venues and infrastructure programme for the games. Their functions include the integration of design, construction, commissioning, procurement, scheduling and cost management (MPA, 2006). The consortium signed performance based contract where profit will be earned if targets are met thus making it a reward structure linked with delivery. 5.2.3 The Analysis of the Procurement Process ODA launched a procurement policy that highlights both high quality and value for money as core values for procuring contracts for all the 2012 Games venues and infrastructural developments (WLB, 2006b). ODA chose a competitive process to procure an Integrated Design and Construct Team for the design and construction of the Olympic stadium so as to ensure top quality design, construction and completion, commissioning, testing and licensing of the stadium for the Games (Creative Match, 2006). The procurement policy has themes such as security measures, sustainability and legacy and thus allows all businesses bidding for contracts to be rated according to a balanced scorecard (WLB, 2006b). The policy is expected to result in an excellent working relationship with shared values and objectives of sustainability and lasting legacy with the best of businesses and companies found in the UK construction industry (WLB, 2006b). It is envisaged that the successful bidder must have an innovative design flair, capacity, experience, technical expertise, financial and economic strength (Creative Match, 2006). This was successfully achieved through the appointment of the preferred bidder. The ODA preferred tendering option was the Electronic tendering (E-tendering), a two stage competitive process which allows companies to take part in tenders in a secured and efficient way (WLB, 2006a). In consonance with the EU guidelines (WLB, 2006a), 7 national and international applications/bids were received to pre-qualify for the contract (NAO, 2008). Consequently, in compliance with the public contracts regulations, ODA sets prequalification criteria which were only met by Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd submission (WLB, 2006a) and was considered both viable and compliant with requirements (NAO, 2008). It is however worth noting that competition was not keen because of the progress of only one successful tenderer to the next stage. The use of two stage tendering is to give chance for competition which never materialised. To the authors consternation it is a shame to the industry. The Australian company, Multiplex would have provided a stiff competition to Sir McAlpine had they success fully executed the Wembley national stadium project. Moreover, negotiations started between ODA and Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which is legally binding was signed to both design and build the Olympic stadium (WLB, 2006a). To the dismay of ODA, a particular bidder team was without a construction contractor despite the core requirement for an integrated design and build bid (NAO, 2008). Again, this is a shame to the UK construction industry which produces 6% of the nation GDP. The action does not exemplify professionalism. The integrated design and construction approach will reduce risk and potential cost overruns (Creative Match, 2006). However, as it turned out an additional  £29 million pounds which translates to  £525 million is expected to be the potential final cost! ODA reckons that the lackadaisical interest was as a result of the risk perception of high profile stadium project in the UK public sector and also the advance knowledge that Team Stadium was also a bidder (NAO, 2008). However, due to the failure of other bidders, ODA entered into a single tender basis with Team Stadium (NAO, 2008). The failure of Multiplex to produce a successful Wembley stadium resulted in its non consideration. The MoU entails the key commercial terms which created the basis of the full integrated design and build contract and records the terms on which the contractor agreed for further design development before the signing of full contract (WLB, 2006a). Considerable design and value engineering was carried out on the project and the signing of the MoU allowed the development of design which necessitated the early procurement of commodities such as steel needed to build the Stadium (London2012, 2007). It is worth giving kudos here that, as observed in chapters 3 and 4, one of the averred recommendations of the government and industry reports is the early supply chain assemblage. Also, the use of value management in removing unnecessary design and cost as discussed in chapter 4, which is a key theme in NAO modernising construction report of 2001, is a welcome adherence. The Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and their designers are known as the Team Stadium (WLB, 2006a). According to WLB (2006a) the Team Stadium comprises of: (1) Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd (Construction contractor); (2) HOK Sport Ltd (Architect and Sport venue designer); and (3) Buro Happold Ltd (Structural and services engineers) (WLB, 2006a). The three companies have at different times worked together on different projects namely: (1) Arsenal stadium (Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, Buro Happold Ltd and HOK Sport Ltd; (2) ExCeL Exhibition Centre (Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and Buro Happold Ltd); and (3) The Eden project (Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and Buro Happold Ltd). This demonstrates integration of supply chain, long term relationship and collaborative workings as dictated in all the previous chapters. Consequently, a design and build contract was signed with the Team Stadium on 17 March 2008 (NAO, 2008). This demonstrates single point responsibility and adherence to government directives of 3 effective procurement routes that exemplifies value for money as observed in chapter 2 and 3. A forecast of potential cost of  £525 million was envisaged in March 2008 which reflects the uncompetitiveness of the procurement process and the changes in the design and scope requirements as a result of roof amendment (NAO, 2008). Therefore,  £525 million stands as the potential final cost and  £496 million as the budget (NAO, 2008). This is common to all design and build route and its variants as discussed in chapter two. Design changes and variations are costly. 5.2.4 Lessons Learnt It is still premature to ascribe failure to the Olympic stadium because of the besmirched and unpleasant information available to the public. With cost also escalating every seconds of the day, these has eroded the mind of the public and cast bad impression about the stadium success. Most messy projects always have time and cost overrun attached to them which always leads to adversarialism. When a project involves multiple stakeholders with little time to bid for the Olympics, there are bound to be hurried assembly of bids which might not be absolutely impeccable. This indicates that lesson should always be learnt from the limitation of previously held Olympics. The IOC has taken a wonderful timely reversion of presenting bid costs in the year of hosting rather than in the year of bidding which is a welcome action. Smart approaches are been taken to erase the bad impression and re-create public confidence. The time table have been reset with the project starting three months ahead of schedule which is hoped to make the stadium available before the scheduled time. Also, the early assembling of the teams is really helping the progress of the project. The procurement policy which is in consonance with the stakeholders objectives of sustainability and legacy derivation is seen to be a right move in the right direction. It has resulted in excellent working arrangement of the assembled team. Moreover, it is worth acknowledging that any endeavour that is worth doing should be done well. The Sir McAlpines past achievement record was the overarching consideration of their success, while Multiplex shame delivery of the Wembley hindered them from even tendering for the project. The design and build can be seen to be the right route for the stadium delivery. While its limitation of not been so good in quality can be enhanced by close monitoring of project managers, its time and cost certainty for the stadium delivery is a forte attached to it which is most important for the stadium delivery. CASE STUDY 2: THE WEMBLEY NATIONAL STADIUM The Project There is the worldwide believe that the Wembley national stadium has always had an exceptional place in the annals of the UK as an event and entertainment centre (Quintain, 2004). During the late 20th century, the Wembley national stadium hosted series of major park, theatre and funfair events such as the 1924 British Empire Exhibition, the 1934 Empire Games, the 1948 Summer Olympics, the 1996 World Cup Finals, the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest, the 1996 European Championships and several other events staged in between (Quintain, 2004). The stadium was demolished in 2002 and rebuilt in 2006 to a 90,000-seater stadium (WNSL, 2008). The new  £757 million Wembley national stadium (NAO, 2003) is now almost thrice as large as its former size with its arch positioning 140 metres beyond its concourse, which is considered enormous enough to roll the London eye beneath!(Quintain, 2004). Though the arch replaced the twin towers which were the stadiums symbol, the Wembley national stadium is still considered as an icon just as the old Wembley stadium (SPG, 2008a). Though controversy trailed the demolition of the iconic twin towers, but it is worth giving kudos for the eventual settlement of the uproar with the impeccable choice of the arch. The project was triggered in 1996, by the clamour for a new English national stadium and consequently after national competition, Sport England overwhelmly selected Wembley as the preferred site (House of Commons, 2004). Sport England overarching objective was support the development of an iconic stadium for three major sports namely football, rugby league and athletics (NAO, 2003). The principal uses of the Wembley national stadium are football and rugby league (NAO, 2003). It is mandated that after five years of the stadiums operation, 1% of its annual turnover will be donated by WNSL for the delivery to sports education and other projects (NAO, 2003). The Client The Football Association (FA) was at the forefront of the stadium project and the stadium was eventually brought to life by its subsidiary, WNSL (House of Commons, 2004). WNSL was responsible for its construction and consequently charged with operating and owning the new stadium (NAO, 2003). The Wembley National Stadium project was wholly undertaken by private sector organisations and was mostly financed by private capital (NAO, 2003). The public sector contribution towards the construction of the stadium was  £161 million with the breakdown of: (1)  £120 million from Sport England; (2)  £20 million from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); and (3)  £21 million from the London Development Agency (NAO, 2003). The full contributions of the key stakeholders (both the public and private sectors) and the various uses of the funds are as shown in Fig. 5.3b and 5.3c respectively. Profits generated from the operation of the Wembley National Stadium are used by the FA for the benefit of football (NAO, 2003). The issue of track inclusion in the design created a bit of acrimony between Sport England (SE) and WNSL (House of Commons, 2004). However, it was later decided that athletics consideration (track) should be withdrawn which SE was persuaded to accept unwillingly (NAO, 2003). This act is seen to be unfair. As one of the key stakeholders a meeting ought to be called and sought the view of SE before taking any decision. Perhaps value management exercise ought to have been carried out as discussed in one of the industry report and all the stakeholders especially SE would have a shared understanding as to why the track is to be removed. The Analysis of the Procurement Process On 14th July 1999, WNSL threw open bids submission for contractors for the Wembley national stadium (Building, 2008). Mowlem, HBG, Sir Robert McAlpine and Bovis/Multiplex were the companies that responded to the invitation (Building, 2008). In early 2002, Cyril Sweett was hired by WNSL as the independent consultants and the firm consequently gave Multiplex contract a clean sheet as providing value for money (SPG, 2008a). Initially, Multiplex was agreed as the preferred contractor on a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) design and build contract of  £326.5m (which does not include design fees) with a 31/4-year programme to construct the Wembley stadium (Building, 2008). The Wembley National Stadium project was completed in 2007 at an amazingly high cost of  £757 million (House of Commons, 2004) with the stadium eventually gulping  £445 million (NAO, 2003). The project overran on time and cost. The design of the stadium was carried out by architects Foster and Partners and HOK Sport while Sir Norman Foster designed the arch and the roof structure (SPG, 2008a). According to Building (2008) the tendering process started with the appointment of Bovis/Multiplex consortium in 2000 as the preferred contractor which was later dissolved and Multiplex was appointed. Bovis opted out when it envisaged that the agreed price was not tenable or visible (Building, 2008). This was the genesis of the stadiums problem. As a deeply rooted company in the UK, Bovis understood very clearly that construction was not visible at that cost. However, owing to the plausible smart play of WNSL and the ubiquities of mischief associated with the design and construct route were contractors bid low in order to wait for claims and variations to improve their profit. WNSL fell for the trap and an agreement was signed. But this turned out to be adversarial leading to numerous accusation and court cases. Moreo ver, Tropus was first appointed as Wembley project manager whose contract ran out and was consequently replaced by Symonds (Building, 2008). Due to the clamour in 1996 for a national stadium, Wembley was consequently chosen as the preferred site (House of Commons, 2004). Two years later, SE awarded  £120 million towards the development of the project (House of Commons, 2004). It was however envisaged in 1998 that the construction cost would be in the region of  £320 million and to be completed within 4 years (House of Commons, 2004). However, in year 2000 the project suffered financial setback and a request for additional public fund was initiated by the FA in 2001, but the Secretary of State for Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) declined and asked Mr Patrick Carter to review the project (House of Commons, 2004). A staggering sum of  £1.6 million was squandered in reviewing the project (House of Commons, 2004). From the authors viewpoint, expending such an amount of money in reviewing does not exemplify value for money. A report from Tropus should have been taken serious and re-tendering ordered instead of spending the money on reviewing and coming out with little effective report. It was noted during the course of the review, that there was lapses on the project by WNSL and DCMS was also cognisant of concerns about features of the management such as the procurement process which resulted in the appointment of Multiplex as the main contractor to build the stadium (House of Commons, 2004). This concerns led to its investigation by Mr David James CBE stemming from the request of the then Chairman of Wembley National Stadium Limited (House of Commons, 2004). While no speck of evidence of impropriety was found, serious concerns were raised as to whether equal opportunity was granted to all the bidders (House of Commons, 2004). A conclusion was however reached that the procurement process did not meet the highest standards expected in the industry (House of Commons, 2004). It was noted that a comprehensive formal procurement process was not enacted by WNSL and it was also seen that for the award of the same contract, they ran two separate corresponding tendering processes on dissimilar terms (House of Commons, 2004). To buttress the non enforcement of level playing ground, it was also noted that they had dialogue with Multiplex before the commencement of the formal procurement process (House of Commons, 2004). As a client of the construction industry, the action is seen to be against best practice. As an industry seen to be besmirched with image problem, a favourable and fair level playing ground is expected to be provided by the construction client for active involvement of all and sundry. It was therefore concluded by the then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport that the availability of further public funding would be hinged on meeting series of tests by both the FA and WNSL (House of Commons, 2004). However, these tests were later met and the project was considered commendable of further support (House of Commons, 2004). DCMS thought of re-tendering the construction contract as a condition of further support was discarded on the ground that no likelihood of savings to the public purse would be achieved (House of Commons, 2004). This was a wise decision considering that  £1.6 million has been expended on review and more time might be wasted in re-tendering. Two reports were published by Tropus and James and they both concluded that WNSL never followed best practice thereby bereft of best value (Building, 2008). It was however argued that players in the UK industry were not given ample chance to compete for the project (Building, 2008). The arch construction started in 2003 and its fabrication was done on-site using steel modules manufactured by steel subcontractor Cleveland Bridge. However, irreconcilable differences erupted between Cleveland Bridge and Multiplex and the former had to leave the project and was replaced by another steel subcontractor called Hollandia (SPG, 2008a). Cleveland Bridge was unsure if they would be paid for the materials to be employed (SPG, 2008a). This later resulted into a court case (SPG, 2008a). This reinforced the issue of long time relationship and effective supply chain integration as discussed earlier in previous chapters. The author reckons that Bovis/Multiplex consortium would have provided strong supply chain ties needed for success. Bovis is a deeply rooted company that understands the UK industry and has a strong supply chain leaning unlike the Australian company. While accepting the EU directives, it is also more important to look at the antecedence of magnitude of projects executed by the company in the country under consideration. If there had been strong supply chain ties between Multiplex and its steel sub-contractor, the issue of distrust of payment would never have arose. Lessons Learnt The design and build and its various variants are expected to be produce cost and time certainty which were never on the Wembley stadium. The novated design and build which was employed on the case study was expected to allow the client the opportunity to have great input into the design before novating the designer to the contractor after output specification would have been fully specified. From the case study, the GMP novated Design and Build contract was hurriedly assembled by WNSL without fully establishing its requirement. This is considered inappropriate and as discussed in previous chapters, can lead to adversarialism. Consequently, the project was characterised with numerous court cases. It was also noted that the project was full of adversarial relationship both on the sides of the client and contractor and the contractor and sub-contractor. All the benchmark reports as discussed in chapter four advocated for long term relationship and effective supply chain management. Knowledge of UK construction industry terrain is very essential which as noted in the case study was not quite and fully understand by Multiplex. WNSL too never made matter easy by allowing Bovis to walk out of the process and rushing into agreement with only the Australian company. As noted in the case study, Multiplex is partially or perhaps bereft of the modus operandi of the UK construction industry and the author reckons that was why multiplex entered into a consortium with Bovis. However, WNSL action and consideration of multiplex could be seen to be based on price alone and perhaps very low cost consideration which is not in consonance with best practise. Strong and effective supply chain was devoid in the project leading to massive rift between the supply chain due to lack of long term relationship. As noted in case study one of the Olympic stadium, Multiplex image has been besmirched by its unsuccessful execution of the Wembley national stadium. It can be concluded that for a construction company continued existence and progress in the volatile UK construction industry, successful and unsuccessful past project execution will surely play significant role in its successful bidding for project. Lastly, the project was seen to lack effective stakeholders management. Due consideration needs to be given to all stakeholders before changing any aspect of the project. Effective and timely consideration needs to be the watchword. CASE STUDY 3: THE ARSENAL EMIRATES STADIUM The Project The Emirates stadium is a 60,000-seater stadium constructed in Ashburton Grove as a replacement for the Highbury stadium which was the former ground (SPG, 2008b). The Emirates stadium is the home of premier league Football Club called Arsenal. Announcement was made in late 2004 that the new stadium would be known as the Emirates stadium

The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

If one is to read Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, they will forever remember the remarkable tale of a woman who succeeds against all odds. It extraordinarily describes the life and times of early Puritan colonists in America and the sin of adultery. The question of morality and its positive and negative effects is at the very core of this story. Is one night of sin worth a lifetime of hardships? I. Summary Hester Prynne, a member of a once affluent and prosperous family, was arranged to marry a physician by the name of Roger Chillingworth. Although not out of love, they are married and live successful lives in Amsterdam. When they eventually decide to settle in America, Hester is set on ahead of Roger so that he may finish his business in Amsterdam. Hester does not hear from her husband for two years, and many people conceive of his being lost at sea. Hester then falls in love with another man and they have a child together. She is found guilty of committing adultery and is sentenced to stand holding her child before Boston on a scaffold for three hours. She is interrogated as to who her fellow sinner is, but she remains strong. Many women of the town believe that Hester's penalty is not harsh enough and therefore, she is marked with the letter A upon her chest. She is returned to her prison cell and a doctor is summoned to help calm her. The doctor turns out to be her lost husband, Chillingworth, and he makes Hester promise to never reveal that he is her husband. She does so in return for the secrecy of the name of the man who is the father of her daughter, Pearl. Eventually, Hester settles down with Pearl in a small cottage and leads a basically normal life as a seamstress. Pearl turns out to be a very peculiar child with a disobedient attitude towards life. She is 'imp-like'; in appearance and many people believe that she could be a bad influence on their comfortable Puritan town. With hearing talk that Pearl may be taken away from her, she goes to the Governor Bellingham's office in order to talk him into letting her keep the child. Bellingham is displeased with Pearl's attitude of the church and Puritanism, and therefore decides to take her away. Just before he does, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale steps in and talks Bellingham out of it.

Wealth of the United States Essay -- essays research papers

Wealth of the United States   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a problem in the United States that is growing and is causing issues in our country, but not everybody knows about it. The problem is the distribution of wealth in our society and the world as a whole, and how it is getting worse. Some people would say that it is an inequality due to the needs of the society, while others would say it is to the needs or individuals. This causes even more problems because of there being more than one supposed reason for the issue at hand. The problem is that the distribution of power is possibly starting to be lopsided, and for many reasons. There are two main views of why this is happening, the functionalist perspective and the conflict perspective, and they differ in many ways on what is wrong, why it is wrong and what to do about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of these groups, the functionalists, view that the uneven distribution of wealth is due to the fact that the cream rises to the top and the people who have money and prestigious positions are the ones who are capable of getting the job done. Functionalists see that there are 3 things that are intertwined with each other; wealth, power, and prestige. These three things are rewards for people who are of good character, eg: people with advanced knowledge, hard workers, and people who can take on responsibility. This whole perspective is more merit based than anything and tells people in the society that they get w...

Meet me in St, Louis and the Aspect of Sound :: essays research papers fc

The Aspect of Sound in Meet Me In St. Louis In 1904 Eugene Lauste successfully recorded sound onto a piece of photographic film. This invention was known as a â€Å"Sound Grate† the results where still far to crude to be used to public display. The cameras used to film â€Å"The Talkies† as they where known, had to be kept in enormous soundproof casing. This immediately hindered directors creativity and made movies such as Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) much more rigid. Because of the fascination with the lip-syncing that this new technology achieved less attention was played to other attributes that silent films used such as the comedic elements in Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights (1931.) The invention of talking pictures also had severe repercussions on the censorship process. Initially the entire process was nearly impossible, as any cuts made would have an effect on the synchronisation of the sound and the film. Minnelli’s 1944 musical Meet Me In St. Louis: â€Å"Serves to implicate the contemporary 1944 audience† (Mundy, J 1999.) This because in many ways the film aims to personify a period of loss and change as was the case in America during the Second World War period. This can be witnessed through Rose Smith’s (Lucille Bremer) loss of a possible fiancà © in New York as well as the heartache the entire family feels of the possibility of moving away from St. Louis to New York. John Mundy (1999) sums this up in the following quote: â€Å"Like so many folk musicals, the film is suffused with a yearning nostalgia for a cultural past which is both desirable and as the text suggests attainable.† This also reflects upon the 1944 audience whereby they will be â€Å"yearning† for a happier past when there is no war. The film uses the device of music to make it seem as if this is attainable for the audience. Andre Bazin saw the movement of film as a total progression towards: â€Å"A progressive movement toward an ultimate goal a total and complete representation of reality... the reconstruction of a perfect illusion of the outside world in sound, colour, and relief† (http://www.thestranger.com/2001-07-05/periphery.html) Bazin called this the â€Å"Myth of Total Cinema.† He believed that a total representation of reality was an ideal. Musicals are popularly believed to be leading away from the ideal of total cinema. This is because they are filmed using non-diegetic sound. This is to say sound that originates from outside of the film.

Is Joko Widodo a Good Leader?

Joko Widodo or better known by his nickname Jokowi is a politician in Indonesia and the current Governor of Jakarta period 2012 until 2017. Jokowi graduated with an engineering degree from the Faculty of Forestry at Gadjah Mada University in 1985. He was as the Mayor of Sukarta on period 2005 until 2012, before him currently being a Governor of Jakata. He was nominated in the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle to run in the Governor election of Jakarta 2012 with his running mate Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. He was elected as Governor of Jakarta on 20 September 2012 after a second round of voting in which he defeated incumbent previous Governor of Jakarta Fauzi Bowo. While running for the office of mayor of Surakarta, many doubted the ability of a man who worked as a property and furniture businessman, but after a year in office, he successfully led many progressive breakthroughs which became widely praised nationally. He adopted the development framework of European cities (which he frequently traveled to as a businessman) into his own city of Surakarta. Bases on Wikipedia, Joko Widodo was chosen by the Tempo magazine as one of the ‘Top 10 Indonesian Mayors of 2008'. In 2011, he was awarded the Bintang Jasa Utama by the government. The next year, he received 3rd place of the 2012 World Mayor Prize for â€Å"Transforming a crime-ridden city into a regional center for art and culture and an attractive city to tourists†. Jokowi has vision and mission to lead Jakarta and solve all the problem that is not the simple problem, but very complicated and complex. Jakarta is a big city and also has a big population. Governor of Jakarta is just as a political leader, but also to mange this city. Jakarta has some problem such as traffic and also floods if there is heavy rain and still many problem that have to solve by a leader. Jokowi’s vision is to make new face Jakarta, neat modern city and also humane, with leadership and good government and also serve the residents. To realize that vision, he also make some mission, that are five and one of that is make Jakarta as a city that is free from chronic problems such as traffic jams, floods, slums, waste and others. And then some work plan of Jokowi to make green areas to decrease the floods and also the reservoir to relocate rainwater. And also he will increase the public transportation that environmentally friendly, to decrease private transport users and would switch to use public transport and then more efficient and safe. For the conclusion, I think he is a good leader for Jakarta even several problems in Jakarta still not solve yet by him, but he still try to solve. As we know, Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia, the problems is not only one but so many problems. He should manage Jakarta to be a neat modern city and also he visited flood victims when the big flood in Jakarta for several times. That is to show his responsibility as the Governor of Jakarta.

How successfully does tourist industry in the Canaries add value? Essay

How successfully does tourist industry in the Canaries add value? To what extent is Maslow’s hierarchy is applied to motivate staff in Souvenir Palace? Souvenir Palace, a retail outlet company started in the year 1991 by Jose Ignacio. They are specialist sellers in Souvenirs. Apart from that, they have also started to sell cigarettes, tobacco and electronics. This decision was taken a couple of years back when the company was making success in the market by opening their shop no. 5 in the last 12 months. Now, they have more than 200 employees working in the company over different 40 department stores throughout the island of Gran Canaria which is located in Spain. Now in the future they are thinking of selling perfumes as well. One of the retail outlets of the Souvenir Palace company. The key factor behind the company’s success has been the huge amount of tourism industry that is located on the island. This been a huge fact on the success of the record sale of the year that the company made (1.6 million à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ – 250 million pesetas)1 in the year 2000. Not only, tourism has helped the company grow, the motivation strategies applied by Mr. Jose Ignacio has also helped them to gain a major market share than of their competitors. This competitive advantage of years has given them a good brand image because of their excellent service and relationship with customers. A major fact that approves that tourism has helped the company to grow is that before the September 11 attacks, many people used to travel and come to this beautiful island. That was the time when the record sales were made. After the September 11 attacks, sales have fallen dramatically.2 They have had a 40% decrease since then.3 This has really affected them, which has destroyed their future plan of selling perfumes. Now they are thinking of applying other strategies of improving their sales and improving their performance like they had before the September 11 attacks. Tourism was growing from the year 1995 till 2001, suddenly when those attacks occurred and there was a major decline in the tourism industry. This has affected the whole world. However, the company is still doing well, as Mr. Jose Ignacio tries to motivate their employees. Mr. Jose Ignacio believes in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. He thinks that by referring to Maslow’s theory, you can motivate the employees better. First of all, he tries to provide them with the basic needs such as food and shelter. Then, he thinks of the further stages on the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. These are Security needs. He does this by providing them with permanent contracts, giving a good, friendly and healthy working condition. Then he would think of Esteem needs. This is done by team working, as this would help all of the employees become good colleagues having good relationship which could result to both, formal and informal communication within the company. Finally, he would decide to go for the self-actualisation, this means that he gives his employees higher responsibility than they normally have and to praise them for their job well done as they could feel good and also that the company needs them and they are a part of their organisation. However, there are limitations for promoting employees. These limitations are that not many people can be promoted, because the company doesn’t need so many higher levels of staff, so not many people can be promoted. Also, not much responsibility could be given to any employee, because each employee has only a particular task. We can also tell that the company is doing very well by making some simple comparisons between the different companies on the island. Reports show that souvenir Palace has done far better and kept ahead of the game.4 One way to show this is that they have kept expanding their business while others have been the same. Moreover, comparisons of balance sheets have been made by many business analysts on the island who have prepared their reports for the public interest. The other main factor that has been the key for the company has been the motivation strategies that have been applied by the CEO, Mr. Jose Ignacio. In the interview, he told me that, â€Å"It has been five years now that I have been using the democratic leadership style, which has helped me to come close to my employees and to know them better†5 Surely, this would help the employee to enjoy their stay at this company better. Another type of motivation strategy they he applies are giving the employees fringe benefits. These fringe benefits could be discounts on the company’s products, other non-monetary rewards such as small free products that are promoted by other companies for their sales, etc. â€Å"Pay is not the only way to motivate the employees. One of the main ways in order to motivate the employees is just by praising them or by recognizing them for a job well done.†6 This can make any employee feel better. Moreover, he has given his employees a job security by giving them permanent contracts. This means that employees know that they have a secured job. This is very important because short term contracts dominate the employment market on the Canary Isles as the local newspaper says â€Å"Contratos a corto plazo es la causa de desempleo en nuestras islas.†7 Mr. Jose Ignacio believes in the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This hierarchy tells us that employees don’t get satisfied neither by the basic needs of food and shelter nor by the security needs. They need to reach to their full potential, which is the self-actualisation. To do this one should delegate more responsibilities to their managers. This makes the managers feel that they are a part of the company and the company needs them. They will also feel that Mr. Jose Ignacio believes in them. This good belief in each other could help to build a strong relationship between the staff at the company. In conclusion, I think that the key factors behind the company’s success have been the tourism in the island of Gran Canaria as well as the motivation strategies applied by Mr. Jose Ignacio. However, I think that the motivation factor dominates more than the tourism factor. This has been very noticeable after Mr. Jose Ignacio applied the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.    1 Taken from the company’s balance sheets. 2 Taken from articles of the magazine – â€Å"Newsweek†. 3 Made from the comparisons of the company’s annual balance sheets. 4 Reports from the business analysts on the island. 5 Taken from the interview with Mr. Jose Ignacio. 6 Taken from the interview with Mr. Jose Ignacio. 7 From an article in the local newspaper, â€Å"La Provincia†.