Behavior Therapy

Two hypotheses, stimulus-response and stimulus-stimulus theories, explain the working of classical conditioning. Stimulus-response holds that a link to unconditioned stimuli is created with conditioned stimulus in the brain however, conscious consideration is not involved. Secondly, stimulus-stimulus has to do with mental activity, whereby conditioned stimuli are linked to the unconditioned stimuli notion.Stimulus-response (S-R) theory involves a behavioral psychology hypothetical structure which argues that man plus other creatures may be taught to link a novel stimulus (conditioned stimulus- CS)with some pre-existing stimulus (unconditioned stimulus- US), and may feel, respond, or feel the CS as though it were really the US. It argues that animals may be taught to link some SR, like a bell, to upcoming entrance of foodstuffs, leading to some apparent behavior, like salivating (http://psychology.about. com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/classcond. htm). Stimulus-stimulus (S-S) theory arg ues that some cognitive element is required to comprehend classical conditioning. It argues that animals may salivate after the bell since it is linked to th3e food concept. Operant Conditioning Theory Operant conditioning involves using effects to alter the type and happening of conduct. Operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning in that the former tackles alteration of intentional (operant) conduct.Operant behavior functions within the environment; it is controlled by its effects. On the other hand, classical conditioning tackles the habituation of respondent conducts that are drawn out by precursor situations. Conducts conditioned through classical conditioning process are not controlled by effects. Punishment and reinforcement may be negative (removed after a reaction) or positive (given after a reaction), thus creating 4 basic effects, the fifth being extinction (no consequence alteration after a reaction).Reinforcement consequence increases the frequency of occur rence of behavior. Punishment consequence decreases the frequency of occurrence of behavior. Extinction signifies absence of effects. If behavior proves inconsequential, having neither unfavorable nor favorable effects, it occurrence becomes less frequent. If previously strengthened conduct ceases to be strengthened negatively or positively, the reaction reduces. Positive reinforcement happens when a constructive stimulus follows a conduct, thus increasing the frequency of the conduct.Negative reinforcement happens when the withdrawal of aversive stimuli follows a conduct, thus increasing the frequency of the conduct. Positive punishment (punishment through conditional stimulation) happens when a negative stimulus follows a conduct. Negative punishment (punishment through conditional withdrawal) happens when the withdrawal of a pleasant stimulus follows a reaction or behavior. Social cognitive theory It suggests that parts of a persons knowledge gaining may be directly linked to wat ching other persons through social contact, experiences, plus external media pressures.It remains a knowledge hypothesis that argues that persons learn through observing the activities of others plus that individual though procedures are vital in comprehending personality. Despite the fact that the learned conduct obtained from the surroundings persons grow up in significantly influences development, cognition equally influence ethical development. Persons learn though watching others as mediated by the surroundings, cognition, and behavior. Social cognitive theory stresses a huge disparity between a person’s capacity to exhibit moral competence and performance.Moral competence refers to possession of the capacity to depict ethical behavior. Moral performance refers to adhering to individual moral behavior ideas in particular circumstances. The theory emphasizes learning or knowledge gaining though watching models. Observers do not anticipate punishments or rewards; rather, t hey anticipate similar results to their imitated conduct. Within education, instructors act as models in children’s knowledge acquisition. Learning most probably happens when an observer-model intimate identification occurs and when observers have adequate self-efficacy beliefs.Such beliefs act as vital proximal factors for human effect, action, and motivation, which control action by cognitive, effective, and motivational intervening procedures. Identification permits observers to sense a one-on-one linkage with the model. Observer are thus more probable to attain such replications if they feel they have the capacity to adhere to the imitate actions. Considering many factors (cognitive, social, and environmental) is the simplest way of displaying ethical development. The inter-linkage of such factors offers additional insight regarding morality.Behavior Therapy Techniques Key interventions to behavioral therapy were developed from functional analysis which tackles issues lik e couple relationships’ intimacy, couples’ forgiveness, continual pain, persistent distress, depression, substance misuse, obesity, and anxiety. Even issues commonly encountered by therapists, like client struggle, involuntary clients, and busy clients, have been tackled through functional analysis. Third Generation Behavior Therapy entails a group endorsing radical behaviorism and functional analysis and opposing cognitivisim.It involves: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Behavioral Activation (BA); Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP; Functional Analytic Psychotherapy; Dialectical behavior therapy; and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is founded on Relational Frame Theory. Functional Analytic Psychotherapy is founded upon functional analyses of therapeutic relationships. It focuses on therapeutic contexts and reverts to using in-session reinforcement.Behavioral Activation came from a constituent scrutiny of cognitive behavior therapy. It is founded upon a corresponding reinforcement model. Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy analyses the discrepancies between rule-governed and contingency-shaped behaviors. Such analysis is merged with a comprehensive evaluation of couples’ association. References Wagner, K. V. (2009). Introduction to classical conditioning. Retrieved July 6th 2009 from, http://psychology. about. com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/classcond. htm

Criminal Profiling: Charles Ng Essay

When you first hear the news about an offender committing numerous crimes, you assume he or she might have been abused at some point in their life or that they have had a long criminal record. Most repeat offenders come from a string of a bad life, parental abuse such as abandonment, neglect, and/ or physical abuse to name a few. At an early age they show signs of being cold hearted, fearless and possibly thrill-seeking behavior. This wasn’t the case for Charles Ng. Born in Hong Kong (Levin), son of a wealthy businessman, he was not exposed to poverty, thugs, to the contrary; he had it all. Access to everything he could have ever wanted, lots of money, choice to attend any school he could have ever wanted without having to worry about how it would be funded. Whatever he wanted he received. Instead he opted for a life crime. He started with just being a rebel, he would be transferred or expelled from different schools throughout his childhood due to his outstanding behavior (sarcasm), and they couldn’t kick him out fast enough. His father couldn’t handle him anymore, he sent him to England to live with his uncle. It didn’t take long for Charles to continue his bad behavior. He upgraded to stealing from his classmates to retail stores. He just couldn’t get enough of other people’s stuff. And once again he was kicked out of school. While back in Hong Kong, he applied a for a student visa to study in the United States, and enrolled at a college in Belmont, CA, but studies were the last thing on his mind. After just one semester he dropped out of college. Even though he wasn’t an American citizen he managed to con the  system and hands over a fake Indiana birth certificate and in 1980 he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was stationed in Hawaii. This act of defrauding was another devious act to add to his list. He didn’t last long in the military. Within a year he and other accomplices stole military weapons, to which they were caught and arrested. Just days after being arrested he escapes and runs to California. In California he meets a man by the name of Leonard Lake. Lake was also in the Marine Corp where he trained as a radar operator. He lasted seven years with the Marines and was later honorably discharged with good conduct despite of his â€Å"psychological problems† being exposed during his time served. Lake had a history of mental issues within the military but they were not properly documented at the time. Unlike Ng, Lake did not have a great upbringing. He didn’t have wealthy parents. He was living with different relatives all up until the age of six. His parents were too busy fighting with each other, they neglected Leonard. Lake felt abandoned and rejected by those he thought would protect him and take care of him. The nurture part of growing was taken from him. Ng befriends him given they have military service in common and ultimately moves in with him and Leonard’s wife. At some point Charles and Lake are arrested by the FBI for weapon charges. He is released sometime in June 1984 and moves back with Lake but this time he joins Lake at a cabin. This cabin would end up being their sanctuary, their hostage cell. It didn’t take long before Charles need for chaos would start. In July of that same year, just a month after his release Charles breaks into an apartment, robs the place and shoots 2 males living in the apartment. One of the tenants, Donald Guiletti died during the robbery but his roommate, Richard Carraza survived. But at this point Charles was not aware of Mr. Carraza’s survival until months later (A Fate Better than Death, 1991). Charles teamed up with Lake and continued their criminal conquest. After the robbery, he went on to rape and bring to life his partners sadistic sexual fantasies. Their first group of victims came when Ng responded to an ad in the paper posted by Mr. Harvey Dubs about camera and audio equipment. They  would seem as they were really interested in purchasing the merchandise advertised in the ad, they used this method of approach in order to gain access of their victims and pull off their plan. When Ng arrived at the Dubs residence, Mrs. Deborah Dubs had welcome the men into her home without knowing her life and those she loved most were about to end. Lake and Ng abducted the Dubs to include raping Mrs. Dubs. At some point Deborah begs to see her son who Ng had already killed but instead he played games and would tell her the baby is sleeping, making her believe she may have a chance to survive solely for the sake of the child. But in the end it was all lies. Just like his future fema le victims he tied, tortured and raped then before taking their life. Another one of his victims was a young lady by the name of Kathleen Allen. Ng knew Kathleen through her boyfriend Mike, who had been a cellmate of Ng’s during his time in Leavenworth, for stealing military weapons. Lake phoned Kathleen and informs her that Mike had been and shot and she needed to get to his aside as soon as possible. He offers to pick her so she won’t have to drive herself given how shaken up she became with the news. Lake takes her to the cabin where he, his wife and Ng were residing. While in the cabin they take her to an outside shack with the assumption that her boyfriend was there. Lake grabs her and ties her to a bed post they had customized by drilling holes and inserting ropes/ties in order to secure their victims. Charles positions himself on the bed with Kathy and begins to rip her shirt off with a butterfly knife. He threatens her by telling her if she didn’t act like a sex slave and do as he wishes he would take her outside and kill her. She complied with his wishes as well as others. All the while Leonard would be videotaping Kathleen’s nightmare and directing Ng. They saw this as making of a movie. Kathleen wasn’t Ng’s only female victim. He had a total of three female victims. All female victims were raped, tortured and regardless of how they responded to the attacks, whether resisted or complied they were ultimately killed. They built a bunker style hiding place where they brought their victims and bury them. This hiding had everything they need to put their plans in motion. Weapons, lingerie for the women to do a little role play with as  their sexy slave vixens, knives, digging equipment, etc. They built an incinerator, a room with a two way mirror; this was a complete hostage military style cell. Ng, would commit the sexual acts as well the murders along with Lake all the while Lake had the sick pleasure to watch and record. They would also take pictures and post them throughout their hidden bunker as a shrine to what they have done. They would look at these pics and feel good about what they had done. Aside from the pictures, Ng saved articles of their clothing and every once in a while would sniff them. By doing this it would bring him back to that moment he forced himself onto them. What could possible gone wrong for this discovery to occur? Ng and Lake become too comfortable. As previously mentioned, Charles had a tendency to shoplift/ theft. He was at a local store where an employee spotted Charles walking out of the store with what appeared to be a bench vise. When the police arrived they did a search and found a weapon registered in someone else’s name. The officer questions Lake who does the vehicle and the weapon belong to, Lake unfortunately was not expecting the officer to follow up with information given and was arrested on the spot and Charles flees. While Lake is at the police station giving a statement, Charles manages to gather a large amount of money and flees to Chicago where he stayed a few days and then makes his way to Canada. While at the Police Station Lake swallows 2 cyanide capsules and collapses in the middle of the interrogation room. He is taken to hospital and dies. At this point the police officers are questioning what would mak e a man want to kill himself all for a shoplifting charge. This is where Charles world came crumbling down. Lake’s wife leads the officers to the cabin where Lake, Charles and she were living. A search warrant was issued and the bunker along with all the other hiding places and equipment used to bring about their crime spree was revealed. At first the investigators couldn’t link the crimes between Donald G, the victim from the apartment robbery, with the rape and murder of Kathleen A. and Brenda O’C., until a picture of Lake and Ng were posted on the local news channels and Donald’s roommate, Richard came forward and identified Ng as their attacker. When neighbors were interviewed they were unaware of the different names Lake had used throughout the time he lived in the cabin. One of the  neighbors had recognized him as a Charles Gunnar, not Leonard Lake, and this had itched the investigators as to who else may have been missing. As the investigation in the U.S. moves forward, Charles is arrested by the Calgary police in Canada on charges of robbery, possession of a fire arm and attempted murder as he drew a gun at the officers while they were trying to detain him for shoplifting. Soon after news of his arrest reach the United States and California becomes aware of his whereabouts and applies for an extradition to which they were denied. During his time in a Canada jail Charles did a lot of reading, familiarizing himself with the law both in Canada and the U.S. For about six years he manipulated the both Canada and U.S. penal systems, causing delays for his extradition and finally his trial (Biography). At the end of his trial he requested to be put on the stand. He thought he was smarter than the prosecutors. During his line of questioning he indicates they didn’t have a specific type of victims. It was more or so, whoever they encountered and felt they could serve their purpose in their sexual fantas ies. Charles was found guilty and sentenced to death. An execution date is yet to be set, he is alive and well in San Quentin Prison in California (Nation, 2013). As I watched the documentary and did research on Charles Ng and Leonard Lake, I realized they didn’t have a specific branding of how their crimes were committed. Charles chose the victims based on his comfort zone, near the cabin where he would be able to allure them to the cabin or transport them to it. One thing the woman all had in common was that they were married or had boyfriends. Charles and Leonard shared sexual fantasies and were able to put them in play. One thing is for sure, they didn’t select all their victims, it was more like first come first serve. Whoever is available will be the chosen one. Their signature aspect/ commonality was having the females as sex slaves. They thrived at the thought of sexual acts and watching each other with the victims. Charles and Leonard came from different backgrounds. Charles being the privileged one, having his parents taking care of him, while Leonard was the poor kid who his parents couldn’t love, managed to live the same life of crime and come together as a team destroying a total of 12 lives not including family and friends.

Abraham Van Helsing Essay Example for Free

Abraham Van Helsing Essay Bram Stoker (35) , Lucy Westenra (6) , Count (5) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints ? Innocence, chastity, purity, and married life are just a few things that made up the ‘image’ of the nineteenth century Victorian woman. During this time, it was greatly looked down upon if a woman chose to stay single, as she would be pitied and dubbed a â€Å"whore†. Lucy Westenra is one of the main characters in the novel, Dracula by Bram Stoker. Lucy is a beautiful young lady whose innocence and virtuous being draws three suitors to her. Although, this portrayed innocence is not the only thing that is drawing these men towards her. Lucy has a sexual appeal to her personality, much different than her best friend Mina Murray and the typical Victorian woman. This sense of sexual desire will eventually lead her right into the dangerous and evil arms of Count Dracula. The Count only has the ability to attack willing victims, which is why the sexually driven Victorian woman, Lucy Westenra is the first character to become victimized by Dracula’s deadly spell. Count Dracula was an evil, lustful vampire who wanted nothing but power and control. He lived in an Eastern European country called, Transylvania. The Count preyed on any individual who would make him feel in control and powerful of the situation. This is why Lucy Westenra was targeted and made Dracula’s first victim. The first peculiar account Lucy and Mina experience was when they see a Russian ship wrecked near the shore and hear that the there was no life aboard and the captain had died holding a crucifix in his hands. Soon after the account, Lucy started mysteriously sleep walking many night in a row into the grave yard near her home. One night, Mina had awoken the Rowatt 3 find Lucy missing and not in her bed, she then found her outside with a creature with beaming red eyes hunched over her. Mina tried to save her friend but by the time she got over there, the creature was gone. In the morning Mina had found strange dots on Lucy’s neck and after struggling for weeks Lucy became deathly sick and started to change before everyone’s eyes. Unknowingly, she was transforming into a super natural and dangerous form of herself while dead and lying in a cold grave. â€Å"Indeed, it is not only Lucy and Mina who are dramatically transformed in the draining, but Dracula himself, whose transformations are much more varied and complex than those of his victims.† (Pg. 238, Viragh) Count Dracula had stripped this woman of her innocence and virtue by changing her to an evil vampire just like him. Dracula now had control over Lucy but only because she was willing to let him control her. In the nineteenth century, straying away from who a woman is supposed to be according to the Roman Catholic Church is heresy. A woman was never to be with more than one man, but was to be married and completely faithful to her partner. This century was ruled by â€Å"the belief that an individual’s sex and sexuality form the most basic core of their identity, potentiality, social/political standing, and freedom† (Pg. 1, Ridgway) Lucy Westenra had a completely different mindset as she expressed in a letter to her dear friend Mina. â€Å"Why can’t they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble?† (Pg. 66, Stoker) After Lucy states these words in her letter, she immediately admits to her thoughts and actions being heresy. Just because she confessed Rowatt 4 to this sin against the church and her beliefs does not simply alleviate Lucy’s sexual desire. This difference between Lucy and other nineteenth century virtuous women was not just a phase of rebellion, it was psychological. Lucy is fully aware that she is desired by many men and she lets that get into her head, essentially she is feeding off the attention. This vulnerability and openness is why Lucy Westenra is Count Dracula’s first and easiest target. The first time the Count starts to get into Lucy’s head is after her and Mina see the wrecked boat upon shore, containing the containers of dirt. These were Dracula’s sleeping quarters. This fact was not known by the women at the time, but soon after this event is when Lucy starts to sleep walk. This sleep walking is not a coincidence but is psychologically connected to her sinful desires of lustfulness. Count Dracula only has the power the attack willing victims, which could only mean Lucy knew in her subconscious what she was doing by going out to the cemetery at nights. This spell Dracula puts on Lucy is the same spell he put on the three women who now life in Dracula Castle with him. These women were just as innocent and virtuous as Lucy was and are now sex crazed and evil just as the Count is. This â€Å"spell† was a way to undermine women so that Dracula would feel powerful and controlling over them. In essence, Lucy Westenra was a seemingly virtuous nineteenth century Victorian woman who actually had underlying sexual desires. These desires made Lucy vulnerable to Count Dracula, who was consumed with gaining control over his victims. Because of her lustful manor, Lucy was drawn to the attack of Dracula and fell under his deep spell. From then on there was no turning back. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. 1897. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. Viragh, Attila. â€Å"Can The Vampire Speak? Dracula As Discourse On Cultural Extinction.† English Literature In Transition, 1880-1920 56.2 (2013): 231-245. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. Ridgway, Stephan. â€Å"Victorian Sexuality† in â€Å"Sexuality and Modernity† originally written as a lecture for Sociology at Sydney University, 1996. Isis Creations. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. Abraham Van Helsing. (2016, May 08).

Why does a company use venture capital to bring it to the market Dissertation

Why does a company use venture capital to bring it to the market - Dissertation Example Venture capitalists are those who plunge at the rescue of companies when they need it the most and hence bail them out of an impending crisis owing to a financial crunch. These venture capitalists are virtually risk lovers who offer their resources to companies with a high growth potential but which are involved in innovative practices not considered secure according to conventional thoughts. They invest merely to test their luck and speculative powers. However, recently this trend has taken a U-turn with most of the venture capitalists opting for companies with an already established brand name backing them and searching for investors for new product development or market expansion in different regions. But, the function of venture capitalists is still largely recognised as one that helps push a new entrant to the market and distinguish its position. The present paper attempts to illustrate the fact through the experiences of senior managers employed at a Chinese company. 1.1 Backgr ound Venture capital has emerged as an intermediary, with a significant clout in the financial markets, facilitating access of capital to the firms facing difficulty in raising funds. These firms, mainly in their nascent stage, are beset by high uncertainty levels, possess limited tangible assets and these firms function in a highly dynamic markets. Venture capital is often touted as one that fuelled innovation in American economy and as an industry that fuelled the rise and fall of the era of ‘internet’. The research conducted on the dramatic growth and decline in this industry has shown that the venture capital industry, though smaller in size than the public markets, has succeeded in exercising a positive influence on the general economic environment. The venture capital industry is essentially an American phenomenon with its origin in â€Å"family offices† entrusted with the task of managing the wealth of high profile individuals. With time these families hir ed professional managers from outside to oversee and monitor such investments. The venture capitalists invest funds in nascent business firms. Most of these firms have limited cash resources and a majority of them are subject to strict credit rationing. Besides, these firms are characterised by information asymmetries and high levels of

Nando's Opening Restaurant in Hong Kong - Business Plan Essay

Nando's Opening Restaurant in Hong Kong - Business Plan - Essay Example In certain countries, Nando's has other savor selections like Mediterranean or mango and lime. This paper looks at the 9-steps business model for Nando’s Opening a restaurant in Hong Kong, China. Destination Introduction – Hong Kong Contemporary Hong Kong has a primarily service-centered economy (Hong Kong Census, 2007),  plus restaurant industries serve as a chief economic provider. With the third-thickest population per square meters in the whole world plus harboring a populace of around 7 million (Hong Kong Statistics, 2007),  Hong Kong is host to a restaurant business with powerful competition. Because of its small geographical proportions, Hong Kong comprises a great number of restaurants per unit area. The target clientele of the Nando’s is people from all walks of life. ... Business receipts in record chief service industries increased in worth in the second quarter for year 2008 over the same passe last year. Restaurant business receipts propagated 15.3%, while those for blanket retail, plus import and export line of work, up surged 14.3% and14.1% (www.news.gov.hk). Franchising in Hong Kong Hong Kong is a perfect destination for Nandos’. Private surveys and social networking web sites reveal that a huge number of people in Hong Kong are want Nando’s to start in Hong Kong as the ‘Peri Peri’ taste of chicken is traditional of Nando’s. The notion of franchising has been rising in Hong Kong for the preceding decade. More than 80% of the franchise maneuvers in Hong Kong have foreign basis. Home-grown franchises have also established, particularly in catering (Li, 2010). Location Target location to open the Nando’s restaurant in Hong Kong is at Wellington Street right besides Stanley Street, Queens Road. Nando’ s first branch will be right beside the ‘Kee Club’ (Please click the link in the references section to view the location). The purpose for choosing this spot is that offers a perfect location to start a chicken restaurant business. It has empty apartments for new entrants as well as full-functioning restaurants. Another attraction for choosing this location is ‘Yung Kee’ restaurant, which has the specialty in cooking goose and ducks. Our project, Nando’s is a master in chicken and its products. ‘Yung Kee Restaurant’ will serve as a supplement for our business – they will be serving ducks and goose and here in our restaurant, we will be serving chicken and its related products and sauces (Google Maps, 2011). Other restaurants on the opposite side of the road include Tsui Wah

Ethical Issues in Google Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical Issues in Google - Essay Example Ethic primarily comprises moral principles that help an individual to justify and distinguish good behaviour from bad ones. Organisation ethics is defined as a set of principles and guidelines that govern organisational decision and practices (Pojman, 1989). The paper aims at analysing ethical issues relevant to Google while briefly highlighting ethical theories and examples thereof. Organisational behaviour is significantly affected by organisational ethics. Ethic is gaining importance at large corporations such as Google because, with growing organisational complexities, the ethical dilemma at companies is also increasing rapidly. From the perspective of organisational behaviour, four ethical theories were ascertained to be appropriate for discussing the relevance of ethics at Google. These theories are the utilitarian ethical theory, virtue ethics, rights-based ethics and justice based ethics (Peterson, 2002). Utilitarian theory of ethics was originally posited by Jeremy Bentham, which however was later advanced by authors such as John Stuart Mill. The theory implies that self-interest should be overlooked and impartial judgment should be made when the interest of a number of individuals is associated with a particular action. Consequently, it is also known as the rule-based theory. In other words, utilitarian ethics is focused on the impact of an action’s outcome on various stakeholders. These stakeholders can be either internal or external to an organization. Utilitarian ethics emphasizes on a maximization of stakeholders’ wealth while minimizing potential damage. From organizational perspective, utilitarian ethical approach delivers long-term benefits to a firm by means of goodwill (Freeman, 1994). One example of the violation of utilitarian ethics by Google can be the strategy it adopted while entering China. China being one of the most populous countries presents an enormous opportunity for growth for Google but the Chinese government insists that all digital activities of its citizens require national monitoring for political control.  Ã‚  

Religion and Civil Rights Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Religion and Civil Rights - Research Paper Example â€Å"Jains believe that the universe and everything in it is eternal. Nothing that exists now was ever created, nor will it be destroyed† . On the other hand, Confucianism gives more importance to ethical practices in human life even though it keeps silence about life after death or God. â€Å"Each day I examine myself on three counts: whether or not I am loyal to those in whose behalf I act; whether or not I am trustworthy in my dealings with friends; whether or not I practice what is imparted† . Different religions have different beliefs, customs, rituals and Gods. Based on this diverse belief system, religions control the civil rights of people. The rights of one religion need not be the rights of other religion. Same way the wrongs of one religion need not be the wrongs of another religion. This paper analyses the civil rights based on the belief system in different religions. Hindu Religion and civil rights â€Å"According to historians, the origin of Hinduism da tes back to 5,000 or more years. The word "Hindu" is derived from the name of River Indus, which flows through northern India†3 â€Å"The foundations of this oldest surviving religion were laid by ancient rishis (sages), who taught their disciples the eternal principles of life they had discovered through their meditations†4. Hindu religion is often referred as the religion of Vedas and Dharma. (Dharma is the code of conduct of life principles). Anyone who practices Dharma can be considered as a Hindu. Different class system is prevailing in Hindu religion like Brahman, Kshathriya, Vaisya and Shudra etc. Brahman people got the rights to do the rituals in the temple whereas Kshathriya got the right to rule the country. Vaisya and Shudra belong to the working class. In short, civil rights of people in Hindu religion were not even earlier even though at present such classifications are meaningless. The greatest strength of Hindu religion is its respect to other religions. It believes in the doctrine of, â€Å"Sanatana Dharma† or Universal Truth. India is a secular democratic country even though of majority of the people in India is Hindus, because of the above Hindu doctrine. No religion is prohibited in India and people have the right to believe and spread their own religion. Buddhism and civil rights â€Å"The religion of Buddha began in 563 B.C. Buddhists believe in karma and rebirth. Karma determines in which form a person is reborn and rebirth is a second birth†5. The beliefs of Buddhism are slightly different from that of other religions. Most of the other religions believe in single God or multi God theory whereas Buddhists are more interested in karma and rebirth. According to their belief, human life consists of so many rebirths which will be ended once a person attains Nirvana. Karma or the activities of a person in his present life will determine the nature of his rebirth. Buddhists do not have belief in soul. For them, soul will be changing from one form to another based on the rebirths. â€Å"They called soul as "self† which is just a bunch of changing characteristics†6 . The belief of Buddhism is based on the four noble truths; â€Å"Life means suffering, the origin of suffering is attachment, the cessation of suffering is attainable and the path to the cessation of suffering†7. According to Buddhism, â€Å"If there were a creator of the world, he would be regarded as responsible for the suffering8. In other words, Buddhists see no chances of happiness in earthly life. All the human activities in this material world will ultimately end up in sufferings. Even if a person did nothing wrong in his present life, his activities in previous life may affect him in his present

Optical Spinel Ceramics Processing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Optical Spinel Ceramics Processing - Essay Example Alternatively, efforts to â€Å"make polycrystalline spinel by traditional hot pressing of powder have led to inhomogeneous material, typified by opaque nontransmitting regions, thereby making it unsuitable for practical applications† (Sanghera et al, 215). The properties of spinel optical ceramics can be described as follows: The composition of the material is MgAl2O4. The typical grain size of the material is bimodal in nature, 25 µm average and 150  µm averages. The structure is cubic, spinel. Lattice constant of the material is 8.082A. Density is 3.58 g/cc. It is polycrystalline in form with a melting point of 2135?C. Young’s modulus of the material is 276GPa and the sheer modulus is 18.9?106 psi. The material’s Poisson’s ratio is 0.26, and hardness of the material is 1650 Kg/mm2. Fracture toughness of the material holds a record of 1.5 MPa-m1/2 and the flexure strength is 170MPa. Specific heat of the material is 0.8191 J/g - ?C. The transition lim its are 0.25 to 6.5 microns and the thermal conductivity is 25W/m-C @25 ?C (Spinel Optical Ceramic). The present study focuses on learning about the processing of spinel optimal ceramics, including ceramic product processing, their characterization, and applications. Ceramic Product Processing: With the help of ceramic product processing, commercial products of varying sizes, shapes, details, and complexities, are produced. These products may also reflect varying compositions of their materials, structure and cost. The growing capacity to purify, expand and distinguish ceramic materials has led to application of ceramics processing into the field of science. In general, heat is applied on the material for the production of the ceramic as well as on other raw materials in order to develop a unbending product. For ceramic products that make use of naturally occurring materials like rocks and minerals, there is a need for special processing of the materials. This helps in controlling t he transparency, size of particle, distribution of the particle sizes, and heterogeneity of the materials. All these factors have a significant effect on the final product being developed, which is the finished ceramic. In case of some ceramic materials, the starting materials used for processing include powders that are prepared chemically. With the help of accurate chemical compositions and sizes of particles the synthetic materials may be used to control the production of these powders (Ceramic Processing). Once this step is achieved, the ceramic materials are transformed into particular shapes. Water and additives are added to the material for this purpose after which a shape forming process is applied on the materials. The forming techniques that are most commonly used for the purpose include extrusion, slip casting, pressing, tape casting and injection molding. Once the formation of the ceramics is complete, a green color of the ceramics would be obtained. Heat is then applied on this formed material which is a treatment referred as firing or sintering that leads to the production of a finished product rigid in nature. In some cases a glazing process is also applied, particularly where the products include electrical insulators, dinnerware and tiles. Ceramics processed for highly developed applications may undertake a machining and/or a step for polishing the materials such that they can

Consulting in Business Analysis Personal Statement

Consulting in Business Analysis - Personal Statement Example I need to understand how businesses work around the globe and how environmental changes have their ever increasing impact on them. Recent financial turmoil introduced me to concepts like coupling of economies, of which I could only make out that it’s the way performance of one economy is linked with the performance of other economies, and how did this overall series of events in America actually influence job scenario for people working in India or China was beyond my perspective. But that did intrigue me to explore further on how this would have influenced my business and my life, so in future when I will plan for my business I should be able to understand that what all such events would portend for me. But apart from quenching this curiosity, the overarching objective was to set up my own business after 5-6 years of corporate experience within my preferred industry. So the obvious choice where all these issues seemed to converge was an MBA degree from a reputed university bu t as most of such universities look for some experience so job eligibility before MBA became the midterm objective and for that, I would have needed a graduate degree in business management. The foundation course figured as a short run objective for that. If I were to spell out my exact expectations from the course then I must admit that I did not have much idea about it. I knew only one thing that it would act as a bridge to my future studies and as a student, my objective from this course was more or less passing with good grades. But the objective did not remain just what it was before joining the course, as exposure to seminars, book reading, assignments, portfolio all changed my thoughts. My preoccupation with just marks waned and other important aspects of attending the course started surfacing.

Private labels and their effect in the market Essay Example for Free

Private labels and their effect in the market Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The intense competition in retail markets has driven retailers to offer their own products that have somewhat similar quality at affordable price. The so-called â€Å"private label† becomes an attractive solution for customers that cannot afford to buy branded products.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to global survey on private labeling, performed by AC Nielsen in 2005, they found that consumers in 38 markets continue accepting private labeling as good alternatives especially in markets where private labeling has existed for a long time. On average, in the Europe like Pacific regions, private labeling is perceived to be preferred choice by 78% of their consumers, followed by North America (77%), and Asia (51%). In terms of individual country, private labeling becomes the most preferred choices in Netherlands (91%), followed by Portugal (89%), and Germany (88%) (Shelf Impact, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The situation suggests that private labeling now becomes the savior for consumers and serious threat for branded producers. Since the private labeling has been adapted in many countries worldwide, this paper will discuss about private labeling of Welch Foods in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Company Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Welch Foods is a well-known producer of juices, jams, and jellies made from Concord and Niagara grapes. Since the company only produces particular type of grapes that only grows in the United States and some parts of Canada, it becomes the Welch’s competitive advantages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, as globalization and open market policies are adopted by several countries to ensure fair competition, Welch Foods face serious threats as giant retailers start aggressively their private labeling strategy on variety of products including juice products. Private Labels and Its Impacts on market   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By definition, private labeling refers to products or services that produced or manufactured by one company to offer under another company’s brands. Usually, retailers’ name appears on the packaging of the products and offer customers much lower price than other branded products.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In case of Welch Foods that face intense competition from other branded juice products and private label in the UAE, the company must deal with private labeling strategies that retailers or supermarkets performs. Therefore, in order to cope with pricing strategies that retailers perform to undermine branded products, Welch Foods have two options.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First is to form an agreement with retailers to produce store brands for the retailers. This private labeling of Welch has following benefits: It prevents competitors (juice producers) to take opportunity of private labeling with retailers/supermarkets Reduce promotion costs since it is such a joint promotion program Obtaining more shelf space in retailers’ outlets   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second option is to produce second layer products if the retailers have conducted private labeling with Welch’s competitors. By delivering second layer products, the company can match the retailers’ private label products. Case of Welch Foods in United Arab Emirate (UAE)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fast growing of private label industry also exist in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). During the Private Label Middle East (PLME) – Dubai 2007, the number of foreign companies that are interested in entering UAE through private label strategy is increasing (AME Info, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The situation suggests that Dubai becomes one target market of private label industry. AME Info refers Dubai as the gateway to private label industry ion the Middle East in which in the exhibition there are about 100 exhibitors from more than 20 countries want to enter UAE through private labeling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to AC Nielsen survey, 84% of UAE consumers know at least one private label. This is much better than United Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (only 67%). Due to the intense competition in retail industry, Welch Foods must provide counter strategy to compete with already-in-market private labels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In simple ways, Welch Foods must perform marketing plan that consist of the following activities: Identification and Choosing Market Segments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For most products, there are always a number of different markets into which the product can be sold. Furthermore, within each market there are also a number of market segments that will also need special attentions. These segments are based on age, sex, tastes and preferences, religious beliefs, demography, income, etc. The importance of identifying and choosing between these different segments lies in several requirements. First, identifying between market segments is required to tailor the product quality characteristics. Second, it is important for designing promotional efforts. Third, it is important to design distribution and sales strategies. Designing the Marketing Mix   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The marketing mix design (product, place, promotion and price) is derived from the identification of market segments performed earlier. It is the answer to some of these questions: who will be our customers?, where are our customers?, what are the average income level of our intended customers?, who are our competitors?, what are their apparent strengths and weaknesses?, how will our product be better?, how will our product be distributed?, etc. Enhance Packaging and Building Brand Image   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first impression obtained by consumers about any product comes from its brand image and packaging. A simple attraction toward product label or packaging could lead to a lifetime of product loyalty. Thus, the design of a label, design of a package and the quality of materials used for packaging is a critical factor that has considerable influence in determining sales number.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (‘Marketing’. n.d; Lake, 2005) Reference: AME Info. (2007). Private label industry on growth path across the Middle East. Retrieved November 15, 2007 from http://www.ameinfo.com/135804.html Gordon, I.H. (1999). Relationship Marketing: New Strategies, Techniques, and Technologies to Win the Customers You Want and Keep Them Forever. John Wiley and Sons John Stanley About.com. (2007). Brands versus Private Labels. Retrieved November 07 from http://retailindustry.about.com/library/uc/02/uc_stanley2.htm Kotler, Philip. (2000). Marketing Management. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Lake, Laura. (2005). How To Develop a Marketing Strategy in 5 Easy Steps. Retrieved November 14, 2007 from http://marketing.about.com/cs/advertising/ht/5steps2strategy.htm SBA. (2003). Target Market. Retrieved November 14, 2007 from Available at: http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/marketing/research.html Shelf Impact. (2005). Consumers: Private label ‘good alternative’ to other brands. Retrieved November 14, 2007 from http://www.shelfimpact.com/archives/2005/09/consumers_private_label_good_a.php

Recruitment and selection methods and procedures of IBM

Recruitment and selection methods and procedures of IBM Increased globalisation coupled with enhanced customer expectations makes it very difficult for a firm to grow and succeed. Firms need to constantly change the way they react and adapt to this ever changing global environment. Attracting and retaining high quality individuals can lead a firm to have a competitive edge. One of the ways in which a firm can achieve competitive advantage is by attracting and retaining high quality individuals (Newell as cited in Bach, 2005). Telephone call centres today are part of the ever changing global environment (Callaghan and Thompson, 2002). In recent years there has been increased migration of call centre operations to Asia especially India due to comparatively less expensive labour, infrastructure and technology (Taylor and Bain, 2005). According to Mirchandani (2004), in the year 2003, there were approximately 800 call centres set up in India which employed more than 2 million Indians. This fast growth has caused increased attention from policy makers, the media and academics (Kinnie et al, 2000). Most of the research relating to call centres has been confined to countries like the UK and the US with a lot of focus on subject areas like work relations, labour processes and emotional labour (Callaghan and Thompson, 2002; Budhwar et al, 2006). On the contrary, a very limited research has been undertaken in the field of recruitment and selection Not much research has been carried out on the recruitment and selection practices and procedures in the Indian call centre context. Purpose of the research This research aims at evaluating the recruitment and selection methods and procedures of IBM Daksh, a rapidly growing call centre in India, in a critical way. The aim of this research is to critically evaluate the recruitment and selection practice and procedures in IBM Daksh, which is one of the fastest growing call centres in India. Company background IBM Daksh, which is one of the amongst the largest call centres in India, was used for the purpose of the report. IBM Daksh offers business performance improvement rather than just cost-savings and is a step closer to Business Transformation Outsourcing (BTO) (IBM Daksh website). IBM Daksh focuses on improving business through performance along with cost-savings and is closely moving towards business transformation outsourcing. In April 2004, IBM Corporation acquired Daksh e-Services to form IBM Daksh. IBM Daksh today serves as a global hub to manage business processes for clients across the world. With 25 service delivery centres in India and the Philippines, IBM Daksh is an integral part of IBMs Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) delivery network around the world. Today, IBM Daksh employs more than 30,000 people and has won several major awards for employee satisfaction, delivery excellence, innovation, and diversity and inclusivity (IBM Daksh website). IBM daksh today, acts an international hub for managing business processes for customers all over the world. It serves as an integral part to IBMs business process outsourcing network with 25 service centres in india and the Philippines. Research objectives: The following are the research objectives: RESEARCH QUESTION 1 What are the recruitment methods used in IBM Daksh? RESEARCH QUESTION 2 What are the selection methods used in IBM Daksh? RESEARCH QUESTION 3 What are the positive and negative aspects of the recruitment and selection process in IBM Daksh? Report Structure The next section of the report will conduct a literature review which will examine various academic perspectives. The third section of the report is the methodology which explains the various methods used and gives a justification for the choice of methods. The third section of the report describes the methodology, detailing the different methods used and gives a justification for the choice of methods. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW This section examines the academic literature within the proposed research area. The aim of the literature review is to look at the various stages of the recruitment and selection cycle. Although all the sections within the literature review are interlinked it has been divided into sections and sub-sections to help guide the reader through the report. Section one will outline the significance of recruitment and selection. Section two will discuss the process of HR planning. Section three will examine the different stages in the systematic approach to recruitment and selection. Section four will explain how HRM contributes to recruitment and selection. Section 1 2.1 Significance of Recruitment and selection for businesses In most academic literature the terms Recruitment and Selection (RS) are used together, however it is necessary at the very onset to explain the difference between the two terms as recruitment and selection are entirely two different functions of HR as they are completely two different functions of HR (Taylor, 2005). According to dowling and schuler recruitment refers to Dowling and Schuler (1990), define recruitment as searching for and obtaining potential job candidates in sufficient numbers and quality that the organisation can select the most appropriate people to fill its job needs (cited in Beardwell and Holden, 2001:226). Whereas, Selection techniques are used to decide which of the applicants is best suited to fill in the vacancy in question (Taylor, 2005:166). The process of recruitment and selection is considered to be as one of the four fundamental functions of Human resource management; recruitment, training, compensation and employee relations (350). The process of recru itment and selection is considered to be amongst the four fundamental functions of human resource management; recruiting, training, compensation and employee relations. Hiring competent and proficient individuals is of utmost significance which, solely relies on the effectiveness of recruitment and selection procedures. Having the right people at the right time in the right place, willing and able to work effectively, at a cost that the organisation can afford, is something for which all managers strive for. The significance of this should not be over looked as incorrect RS decisions can lead an organisation to incur heavy losses in terms of productivity, clients, training and advertising related costs which sum up to almost 30% of an individuals first year earnings (Bach, 2005). The most important features of RS are that it should be effective, efficient and fair. Efficient relates to cost effective methods and sources (ACAS, 2010). It is necessary to decide the need for recruitment, the source and the media to be used and at what cost. The process of recruitment can lead to various expenses such as such as advertising, employee referral bonuses, a gency fees, staff travel, and relocation costs and recruiters salary. Thus, choosing a cost effective approach is dependent on factors specific to each organisation and the various kinds of vacancies (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2005).It should be effective in attracting a good number of quality of candidates (ACAS, 2010). Fair means ensuring that the decisions made during the process is based on merit alone (ACAS, 2010). In order to reduce the risks of discrimination lawsuits, organizations should make use of fair and legal procedures (tme). Also, it is essential to consider Legal issues when recruiting, particularly in the design and wording of adverts and in online channels (hrmaw).These three criteria are crucial for organisational success. Section 3 2.3 Systematic approach to Recruitment and Selection There seems to be a general agreement within the literature that the most popular approach to recruitment and selection is the systematic approach (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002; CIPD, 2009). According to Roberts (1997), a systematic approach to recruitment helps to streamline selection and help decrease cost. It also helps to better organisational performance and foster good employee relations (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). In recent years, organizations are realizing that the failure to recruit employees systematically can impact their success (tme). Adopting a more systematic approach to recruitment and selection helps reduce bias and errors (Bach, 2005). The systematic approach is built on the concept that a system has inputs (candidates), processing units (RS methods) and outputs (effective employees or unsuccessful candidates). This system is subject to external influences such as labour market conditions, competitor activity and legal obligations (ibid, 2002). Within the system each stage affects and is co-dependent upon the others. For instance, a sophisticated selection tool is useless if the recruitment methods fail to supply a sufficient quality and quantity of applicants (ibid, 2002). The literature review will discuss the systems approach (Table 1.1) described by Pilbeam and Corbridge (2002) to provide a framework for the RS process. This approach is supported by various other research perspectives. Table 1.1 The recruitment and selection sub-systems Sub-systems Purpose Activities Attraction Attracting suitable candidates Pre-recruitment activity establishing a case for recruitment; consideration of the labour market Use of recruitment methods Responding to enquiries. Reduction Eliminating unsuitable candidates Filtering, screening and short listing. Selection Assessing, choosing and appointing a suitable candidate. Use of selection methods and techniques Making the appointment offer and Acceptance Transition Converting the successful candidate to an effective employee Pre-engagement process Induction and appraisal. Source: Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002 2.3. STAGE 1: ATTRACTION Establishing a case for recruitment According to Plumbley (1985) any vacancy which is created either through resignation, dismissal or increased workload presents management an opportunity and with a choice. The opportunity is freedom to consider whether the job is necessary (and, hence, a chance to re-allot the work). The choice is between recruitment and other courses of action (such as internal promotion or temporary transfer) (ibid, 1985 pp:15). Job analysis, Job descriptions and Person specifications The next stage after the case for recruitment is established is the process of job analysis, writing up job descriptions and person specifications. According to Robert (1997), job analysis is the basis for effective recruitment and selection. Job analysis is imperative because it provides the information required for two documents: job description and person specification. Job analysis also looks at how each job fits into the organisation, what its purpose is, and at the skills and personality traits required to carry it out. A number of distinct methods such as interviews, questionnaires, diaries and observation are employed for gathering job analysis data (Taylor, 2005). As stated earlier, from the job analysis the job description and person specification is written. Job descriptions relate to the tasks to be undertaken, whereas person specifications outline the human attributes seen as necessary to do the job. Most employers in large organisations make use of job descriptions and person specifications to draw potential candidates (Taylor, 2005). Person specification can be drawn up using two well known frameworks, Rodgers Seven Point Plan (1952) and Frasers Five-point plan (1966). These frameworks however, include some categories which are inappropriate and potentially discriminatory, for example, categories relating to disposition or interests (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). Therefore, the recruitment teams in call centres must have a clear understanding of anti-discrimination laws and equality laws before publishing any job description or person specification. Pilbeam and Corbridge, (2002) emphasise the significance of skills, aptitude and knowledg e included in the person specifications and should specifically relate to job needs. Competency-based approach Competency framework is the alternative approach to the job analysis process. This approach has overcome a number of drawbacks of the job analysis/ person specification/ job description process. Competencies were defined by Boyzatis (1982) as an underlying characteristic of a person which results in effective and superior performance in a job (Taylor, 2005: 156-157). The most significant advantage of the competency framework is its focus on the behaviours of applicants. There is therefore no need to make inferences about personal qualities that might underpin behaviour (Newell and Shackleton, 2001:26 as cited in Marchington and Wilkinson, 2005:169). In addition, the competencies can be related to specific performance outcomes rather than being concerned with potentially inappropriate processes, such as disposition or interests outside work (ibid, 2005). According to an Industrial Relations Survey (IRS) study the most commonly used competencies are team orientation, communication, peo ple management, customer focus, results-orientation and problem-solving (Rankin and Epstein, 2001). In call centres there is emphasis on social competencies which are essential to ensure an effective interaction between the employee and the customer. `It is this interaction that is crucial to customer satisfaction` (Newell, 2005 as cited in Bach, 2005:116). For example, a detailed case study of recruitment in a call centre was conducted by Callaghan and Thompson (2002) who found that competencies such as communication, customer focus, building relationships and problem solving were important. Despite the many advantages of this approach, critiques suggest that it could lead to a form of cloning where all new recruits tend to behave similarly to those already in the posts; hence diversity is lost (Taylor, 2005). Recruitment methods After all the preparatory work is complete, in terms of planning, forecasting and job analysis the stage of recruitment can begin. It is imperative that organisations analyse the costs involved in selecting the methods of recruitment (tme). There are a range of recruitment methods from which call centres must choose, these can be used exclusively or in combination. They are listed in Table 2.The objective of a recruitment method is to attract an appropriate number of suitable candidates at the least cost (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). Table 1.2 Recruitment methods Recruitment Method Examples Internal methods Internal promotion, internal transfers, job rotation schemes, rehiring former staff Print media National newspapers, local newspaper, trade and professional journal, magazines Education liaison Careers services, career fairs, college tutors External agencies Job centres, outplacement consultants, head-hunters, employment agencies, recruitment consultants Other media Direct mail, local radio, internet, cinema Professional contacts Conferences, trade union referrals, suppliers, industry contacts Other methods factory gate posters, past applicant records, open days, word of mouth, poaching Source: Taylor (2005: 170) Recruitment can be internal, which attempts to fill vacancies from the pool of existing workers or external, which recruits individuals from outside, the choice and timing of which varies between organisations. Many organisations today attempt internal recruitment because it is cost effective (Taylor, 2005). Other advantages include building on existing staffs skills and training and providing opportunities for promotion and development (ACAS, 2010)acas 2009. There are disadvantages, however, of relying on internal recruitment as it can be potentially unfair and discriminatory, since it tends to perpetuate the existing workforce. It also prevents the organisation from bringing in new talent, which can only come through external recruitment (Bach, 2005). When existing employees are encouraged and rewarded for introducing suitable recruits it is termed as employee referrals (CIPD, 2009). The advantage of this method is that the new recruits are likely to have a better understanding of the organisations culture and values as well as the nature of work as compared to the average recruit. Call centres encourage this method as it is cost efficient (Bach. 2005). However, it is important that employers do not rely on this scheme as it limits attracting a diverse workforce (CIPD, 2009). Many Call centres attempt external recruitment because internal sources are often not sufficient enough to supply a suitable pool of applications (Newell, 2005 as cited in Bach, 2005). Table 2 lists the different types of recruitment methods. When there is pressure to fill in vacancies very quickly, often methods like employment agencies, job centres, and local papers that advertise positions on a daily basis can be used (Taylor, 2005). The external agencies already have a pool of potential applicants registered with them so they can provide a quick recruitment turn around time (ACAS, 2010). Since many call centres have to fill in vacancies within days they often rely on employment agencies (Kinnie, et al., 2000) who take over a larger part of the recruitment process by advertising, they also sift initial applicants and provide employers with a short-list of candidates (Taylor, 2005). According to IRS (1997) corporate websites and local newspapers are used universally to attract applicants (used by 75% of organisations) (CIPD, 2009). Job advertisements are quick way of attracting a large pool of candidates. When placing a job advertisement, there are many factors which should be considered like the content, the layout (example size, position and typeface) and the timing (example dates). Table 3 provides a suggested content checklist against which the advertisement used in IBM Daksh can later be measured. Table 1.3: Suggested content for Recruitment advertisements Content Organisations name and logo The job title and brief description of the job (duties involved and main aspects of the person specification, and main aspects of the person specification and any qualifications required) Where the job is based The salary (either the amount or scale) any allowances and facilities An equal opportunities statement Application procedures, the closing date (and interview date) Where to get further details Source: Taylor (2005) Other ways of attracting applicants include building links with local colleges, working with job centre and holding open days (CIPD, 2009). When deciding which method to use, Taylor (2005) suggests that organisations should consider how precisely the approach adopted will reach its target audience. Recruitment of the right people is the most important role of the recruiters in call centres (Townsend, 2005). Therefore it is of utmost importance to invest time and effort right from the outset of the recruitment process. STAGE 2 REDUCTION The attraction of applicants is succeeded by efforts to narrow down the total number of applications received to a pool of candidates that can be managed effectively in the more detailed assessment stage of selection process (CIPD, 2009). This can be done indirectly through the characteristics of the recruitment activity, and directly through using the person specification criteria. The processes involved are filtering, screening and short listing, by an assessment of the application form or CV (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). Application forms and Curriculum Vitas (CV) The application form and the CV are principle tools for the applicant in the selection process. Many organisations use application forms which allow information to be gathered in a standardised way (Searle, 2003). Some studies have shown it is used in 98 percent of selection projects (Roberts, 2005). With the growth of the internet many organisations now use online applications especially for jobs that receive large volumes of applicants (Searle, 2003). Most employers make use of both CVs and application forms (Taylor, 2005). From the perspective of the employer there are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. A CV is an opportunity for candidates to sell themselves and can thus tailor their application in their own way, however this can be a disadvantage as well as candidates could over sell themselves to a potential employer. They may also include irrelevant information in the CVs (ibid, 2005). Application forms, on the other hand provide the organisation with only the information it requests and hence aids the short listing and interview process (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). Application forms have become so much a part of the process that it is wholly expected by the candidates and taken for granted by the recruiters. According to Roberts (2005: 103) `It is probably one of the most maligned and misused recruitment tools`. Much of the information it requests is for administration purposes which can be collected at a later stage. The application form should focus only on the job and its related selection criteria (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). According to Taylor (2005), the application form should be designed clearly, use concise language and have a good layout. If it is designed carefully and administered sensitively and sensibly it can become an extremely effective part of the overall selection process (Plumbley, 1985). Short listing This process reduces the number of candidates proceeding to the selection stage by assessing the application form or CV. Research indicates that this process is often subjective, inconsistent and lacking focus (Roberts, 1997). There are a number of simple principles to guide the construction of a final shortlist. First, assessments should be made against the criteria using the person specification or competency framework and each application can then be rated according to these standards or a scoring system can be used (CIPD, 2009). Second, a shortlist should be of a manageable size in relation to the resources of the organisation and the selection methods being employed (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). Third, contingency arrangements should be made to compensate for candidates who withdraw due to the time spent on short listing (ibid, 2002). STAGE 3 SELECTION The RS process can be made more systematic however it will unavoidably remain subjective. A structured RS system with rigour and consistency in the application of selection methods is highly desirable, but the appointment decision remains a matter of human judgement (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002:139). The selection choice is dependent on factors such as type and level of job, abilities of the manager involved, time required, accuracy demanded and cost (Torrington, et al., 1991). The process should be fair to selected and unsuccessful candidates with a degree of flexibility to ensure its the most appropriate means of selecting a candidate in question (CIPD, 2009). Wrong decisions not only affect the various individuals associated with them (employers, applicants, agencies) but also result to frustration, repetive training and low morale prior to the termination of the newly hired employee. Small organisations are affected more by such decisions, while large scale organisations can reta in or relocate the inappropriate placement, such a luxury can be very expensive for small scale organisations (tme). This section reviews selection methods which relate to those used in IBM Daksh. Many of the methods such as work sampling, assessment centres and graphology are not used by IBM Daksh due to the nature of the work. Hence this section examines interviews and ability tests in detail. Sound selection decisions ensure the organisations that their financial investments in the employees will pay off (tme). It is important to mention that no single method, regardless of how well it is designed and administered, is capable of producing perfect selection decisions that predict with certainty which individuals will perform well in a particular role. Employers are therefore use a combination of various methods (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2005). Ability tests Ability tests or aptitude tests focus on numeric, verbal reasoning, abstract reasoning and logical reasoning (Taylor, 2005). The aim of tests is to increase the quality of selection decisions (Torrington et al, 1991). According to Plumbley (1985) tests can help measure some attributes which are difficult to measure in an interview and thus reduce subjective judgement and of possible human error in the selection process as a whole. According to ACAS (2009) candidates for telesales/call centre work will almost invariably be asked to undertake a practical test for verbal reasoning. Tests scores should be used to supplement the interview. It is critical that those who administer the tests should be qualified to interpret them hence training for administrators is necessary (Torrington et al, 1991). The interview The purpose of the interview is two-fold. One is to find out if the candidate is suitable for the job, and second is to give the candidate information about the job and the organisation. There is a general agreement within the literature that traditional selection interviews are poor predictors of future job performance (Torrington et. al, (1999); ACAS, 2010; Plumbley (1985). The term traditional refers to unstructured interviews in which the interviewer may ask different sets of questions to different candidates (Taylor, 2005: 210). Quick judgements are a common pitfall in the use of interviews (Roberts, 2005). According to Webster (1964, as cited in Torrington et al, 1991) interviewers often decide whether to accept or reject a candidate within four minutes, and then look for evidence to justify their decision. Literature recommends that the interviewer spends adequate time in listening to the candidates (ibid, 1991). Another pitfall is the concentration span of interviewers, which tends to drop in the course of the interview and hence it is recommended that note taking helps in continued concentration (Roberts, 2005). Despite the problems associated with interviews, it is one of the most widely used selection techniques, and the validity of face-to-face conversation is high (Torrington et al, 1991). Recent studies by the CIPD have shown that interviews are used in 90 percent of selection processes (Roberts, 2005). Literature advocates the use of structured interviews rather than unstructured. Research by Barclay (1999, as cited in Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002) found that structured interviews have recently gained popularity. A structured interview is designed to determine all the relevant information and assess the competencies of the applicant. This method focuses on the match between job and candidate (acas, 2009) which helps better selection decisions and better consistency and fairness in the treatment of candidates (Taylor, 2005). Job offer and Rejection It is important to inform all the applicants of the outcome as soon as possible, whether successful or unsuccessful. If the decision is delayed (acas 2009) the candidates should be advised. Unsuccessful candidates should be given feedback on any aspects they could reasonably improve for future success (ACAS, 2010). For the successful candidates the job offer and acceptance formalises the relationship between the employer and employee. An offer of employment is normally a written document which should include all the features of employment, for example job, hours, start date, pay and benefits (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). Torrington et al. (1991) suggests that it is essential to send the offer letter to the candidate as soon as possible, as the best candidates may have offers elsewhere. STAGE 4 TRANSITION Induction Induction is used in the workplace context to help employees adjust and acclimatise to their jobs and working environment (CIPD, 2010). According to CIPD (2010) a good induction should consist of the following elements: Orientation (physical) describing where the facilities are. Orientation (organisational) explaining how the employee fits into the team and how their role fits with the organisations strategy and goals. Health and safety information Explanation of the terms and conditions Details of the organisations history, culture and values. A clear outline of the job/role requirements. A good induction is an important element in contributing to the successful transition from an applicant to an employee (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2002). It is essential to have a well-designed induction programme to create a good first impression and make the employees feel welcome. It also helps increase employee retention (Taylor, 2005; CIPD, 2010). Section 4 The importance of HRM in Recruitment and Selection The human resource department of an organisation plays a vital role in the process of recruitment and selection (Browning et al, 2009). The entire setting of human resource function in hiring candidates is interconnected with the recruitment and the human resources strategy. Human resource managers play a significant role in the recruitment and selection process. It is essential to identify the appropriate candidate requirements and ways to attract them (Bach, 2005). Traditionally, human resource managers were required to administer the entire process of recruitment. The managers were accountable for managing the advertising and monitoring of vacancies, but the human resource managers were not much influential in the overall recruitment process. However, as the need for human resources in organisations is increasing, certain changes in the human resource strategy were incorporated. Human resource managers are delegated the entire responsibility of managing organisational personnel an d in such circumstances the process of recruitment and selection takes the first place. It is the basic and major role of any human resource department to hire competent candidates for the organisation (Budhwar and Boyne, 2004). Human resource activities are directly related to the productivity. Extensive recruitment and selection strategies can lead to an increase in the productivity. Moreover investments in the area of Human Resources are in align with the fiscal progress of the organisation such as training and development, Recruitment and selection (hrmrs). Generally human resource managers consider issues related to HR as significant to organizational success. It is necessary to include line managers in the decision making process with regards to human resources. However, the use of such practices differs from organisation to organisation (hrmrs). it has been found that the integration of HR into the firms strategies, is significantly related to outputs of turnover, productivity and financial performance (hrmrs). CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY This section describes the various methods that will be used in this report and will attempt to give a justification for the choice of methods. 3.1 Research Philosophy Research philosophy relates to the development of

The Spherical Image as the Central Paradox in Valediction: for Weeping

The Spherical Image as the Central Paradox in Valediction: for Weeping    In John Donne's "A Valediction: for Weeping," the speaker consoles his lover before leaving on a sea voyage and begs her not to cry.   Crying, the speaker tells his lover this poem at the docks before he boards his ship going abroad.   Donne uses a spherical image as the central metaphor in his poem. When Donne uses irony, paradox, and hyperbole including the use of round images such as: coins, globes, and tears he strengthens the spherical conceit.   By comparing two "seeming" opposites like tears and love as his conceit, Donne uses the spherical image as the central paradox in "A Valediction: Of Weeping."        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Donne opens the poem with the speaker crying while talking to his lover before his departure abroad.   His first spherical images are in the first stanza,   and they are tears and coins:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Let me pour forth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My tears before thy face whilst I stay here,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For thy face coins them, and thy stamp they bear,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And by this mintage they are something worth," (1-4)    Both the coins and his tears have "worth," literal and figurative values respectively.   His tears fall from his face because he hurts for leaving, something no amount of coins can pay to alleviate. Like coins being stamped out of a sheet of metal, his tears are pressed from his eyes.  Ã‚   Because water reflects her image and tears are made out of water, the stamp image has a double meaning too.   The tears equal the lover.   The mintage mentioned in line four has an expanded meaning.   A set of pressed coins is a mintage as is the set of the speaker's tears, but the impression on the coin (the lover's face) can also be a mintage.      ... ...he other's death." (26) As they sigh, their sighs create wind which upsets the water.   The rough water, on which the speaker is sailing, could drown him.      Ã‚  Ã‚     Donne's mastery of comparison allows him to create an in-depth metaphor comparing spherical images to two lover's love.   He uses some of the same images as he does in his other poems for example: holy love and tears in "The Canonization," spheres in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" and "The Sun Rising," and two worlds becoming one in "The Good-Morrow" and "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning."   Also in the other valediction poem Donne includes the line "No tear floods, nor sigh tempest move." (6) This idea is mentioned in   "A Valediction: Of Weeping" too.    Donne uses the simple round images to symbolize a deeper meaning coupled with metaphor and paradox to create a complex love poem.   

Considering Culture in the Selection of Teaching Approaches for Adults :: Adult Education Learning Cultural Essays

Considering Culture in the Selection of Teaching Approaches for Adults Adult educators are increasingly committed to designing learning that takes into account cultural differences. We are discovering that â€Å"valuing† diversity is not enough to enable educators from the dominant culture, particularly European Americans living in the United States, to recognize difference and know how to change instruction so that learners who have felt marginalized feel visible and valued. This Digest examines the different dimensions of culture that are relevant to the adult learning context, speaking primarily to the case of the United States, including both the personal cultures of learners and educators, and the culture of the larger social political environment. It explores how cultural values permeate instruction and looks at several approaches that take culture into account. What Is Culture, Anyway? The simplest definition of culture includes those values, beliefs, and practices shared by a group of people. Social scientists and anthropologists vary on their definitions of what comprises a culture, subculture, or microculture, but for practical purposes, the notion of sharing a common worldview is often enough for individuals who find themselves moving between multiple cultures. Culture can be subtle, and what is considered cultural can evolve over time. For example, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and age might not have been considered dimensions of culture 25 years ago. But today we study gender communication differences, the influence of religious views on decisions and behaviors, and the assumptions that can or cannot be made depending upon a person's physical ability, sexual orientation, or age. Educators need to be mindful that they cannot assume they know the cultural background of their students; even the seemingly homogenous classroom necessitates an e xpectation and active exploration of multiculturalism. Culture is an attribute of individuals, of small groups, of organizations, and of nations; a single person can belong to a multiplicity of cultures, any one of which may be important at any given time (Brislin 1993). For example, the most salient dimension of culture for a 50-year-old woman named Emma enrolled in a course to learn a new software program may be age, as she observes the ease with which her 22-year-old classmates negotiate the intricacies of the program. When Emma participates in a racial dialogue experience, she is very aware that her ethnic/racial identity as a European American is preeminent. And if Emma were Deaf, considering a graduate degree, it would be critical for her to find a program that actively facilitated her use of American Sign Language interpreters.

The Anatomy Of A Modern Revolution :: Political Politics

The Anatomy Of A Modern Revolution? A revolution is a general and fundamental change in the political order when the mass of people rejects its government and the way things are run and is the result of failure to introduce gradual form. The people come together and there is a dramatic violent and forceful movement to change the way society is structured. A revolution itself is successful when one political, social and economic system has been replaced with an alternative that will bring about the necessary changes needed to remove the major sources of discontent and to improve life. The first stage of a revolution is the development of a revolutionary situation. It is characterised by increasingly widespread opposition to the existing government, which has lost effective control of the nation. The people then try to attack their government; this attack sometimes involves strikes, assassinations, demonstrations and riots. The government usually responds to these acts with a refusal to grant reform. From this, the accumulated anger inside the people explodes and the result is the overthrow of the old order. This always involves some form of military action in the capital, including taking over government buildings and occupying key transport and communication centres. There is not always only one group wanting to take power but a number of groups with quite different programs usually emerge. When the new government has taken power, it usually introduces policies that are very different from those of the previous government. People are asked to make sacrifices in order to ensure the changes work out. The relationships between classes and groups in society are affected, and a new group seeking dominance for itself usually pushes down a previously dominant class. However, many problems inherited from the previous government limit the extent of its reform. Next may be the most violent phase of the struggle - the consolidation of power. Loyalty to the new government is usually expected and demanded but allies of the old government may attempt to overthrow the new revolutionary government, to reinstate those who used to enjoy power and privilege and to restore the old order totally. The Anatomy Of A Modern Revolution :: Political Politics The Anatomy Of A Modern Revolution? A revolution is a general and fundamental change in the political order when the mass of people rejects its government and the way things are run and is the result of failure to introduce gradual form. The people come together and there is a dramatic violent and forceful movement to change the way society is structured. A revolution itself is successful when one political, social and economic system has been replaced with an alternative that will bring about the necessary changes needed to remove the major sources of discontent and to improve life. The first stage of a revolution is the development of a revolutionary situation. It is characterised by increasingly widespread opposition to the existing government, which has lost effective control of the nation. The people then try to attack their government; this attack sometimes involves strikes, assassinations, demonstrations and riots. The government usually responds to these acts with a refusal to grant reform. From this, the accumulated anger inside the people explodes and the result is the overthrow of the old order. This always involves some form of military action in the capital, including taking over government buildings and occupying key transport and communication centres. There is not always only one group wanting to take power but a number of groups with quite different programs usually emerge. When the new government has taken power, it usually introduces policies that are very different from those of the previous government. People are asked to make sacrifices in order to ensure the changes work out. The relationships between classes and groups in society are affected, and a new group seeking dominance for itself usually pushes down a previously dominant class. However, many problems inherited from the previous government limit the extent of its reform. Next may be the most violent phase of the struggle - the consolidation of power. Loyalty to the new government is usually expected and demanded but allies of the old government may attempt to overthrow the new revolutionary government, to reinstate those who used to enjoy power and privilege and to restore the old order totally.

Building Lifecycle

LIFE-CYCLE OF BUILDINGS A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE , UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELORS OF SCIENCE (BSc) IN ARCHITECTURE BY WHENU MAUTON . A. 100501059 OCTOBER 2011 Building Life Cycle refers to the view of a building over the course of its entire life-in other words,viewing it not just as an operational building,but also taking into account the design,installation,commissioning,operation and decommissioning phases.It is used to use this view when attempting to improve an operational feature of a building that is related to how a building was designed for instance,overall energy conservation. In the vast majority of cases there is less than sufficient effort put into designing a building to be energy efficient and hence large inefficiencies are incurred in the operational phase . Current research is ongoing in exploring methods of incorporating a whole life cycle view of buildings,rather than just focusi ng in the operational phase as is the current situation.Building life-cycle is in the stages listed below: * Extraction Of Building Materials * Processing Of Building Materials * Designing Of Building * Construction Of Building * Occupancy/Maintenance * Demolition/Disposal * Destruction And Material Re-Use * Design For Deconstruction * Diagram showing building life-cycle. DECONSTRUCTION Deconstruction is a technique practitioners are using to salvage valuable building materials, reduce the amount of waste they send to landfills, and mitigate other environmental impacts.It is the disassembly of a building and the recovery of its materials, often thought of as construction in reverse. Today, the appreciation of the lifespan and value of materials has become diminished in the context of a more disposable society in which new is assumed to be better. Technological innovation and increased availability of materials, coupled with a growing economy, population, and desire for more individu alized space, has increased the demand for commercial and residential development, typically using new materials.According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the size of an average home in the United States jumped 45 percent between 1970 and 2002, from 1,500 to over 2,200 square feet, while the number of people living in each home decreased from an average of 3. 2 people to 2. 6 people. This meant more demolition, and renovation, of older structures to allow for new and bigger structures. Demolition using heavy equipment is the traditional process for building removal. Modern demolition equipment removes structures quickly, destroying the materials within and creating solid waste destined for landfills.Some recycling does occur during the demolition process, most typically concrete, brick, metal, asphalt pavement, and wood. However, landfill costs in many states are still low, enabling wasteful disposal practices. Although certain areas in the United States are beg inning to restrict disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) waste in order to promote recycling and reuse (see Section 3), some states still have local landfill tipping fees as low as $9. 95 per cubic yard. Environmental impacts from construction and demolition activities are sizeable, both upstream and downstream.Large amounts of energy and resources go into the production of new building materials. RESOURCES NOT WASTE Deconstruction advocates are working to change the perception that older building materials are â€Å"waste. † In fact, many of these materials are valuable resources. However, according to EPA, only 20 to 30 percent of building-related C&D material was recycled or reused in 1996. 10 This gap presents an opportunity to capture valuable resources. Deconstruction is becoming a complement to or a substitute for demolition worldwide, including in the United States where a market is emerging.Brad Guy, a leader in the deconstruction field and president of the B uilding Materials Reuse Association, has found that there are currently over 250 active deconstruction programs throughout the United States. Such programs recognize the potential and benefits of this process, which include:  ¦ Reduction of Waste and Debris— According to the Deconstruction Institute, in order to sustain human society into the next century, resource efficiency will have to increase by a factor of 10. The materials salvaged through deconstruction help replenish the construction materials market, rather than add to the amount of waste in landfills.In fact, studies indicate that deconstruction can reduce construction site waste by 50 to 70 percent. 11 This not only helps extend the life of the existing landfills, but also decreases disposal costs for developers by minimizing the amount of building related C&D material they are responsible for at the end of a project. EMBODIED ENERGY A major factor in determining a building’s lifecycle impact, Embodied En ergy is the amount of energy consumed to produce a product, in this case building materials. This includes the energy needed to:  ¦ Mine or harvest natural resources and raw materials; Manufacture the materials; and  ¦ Transport the materials. By extending the life of building materials, deconstruction and materials reuse preserve this embodied energy, minimizing the need for further energy use.  ¦ Resource Conservation and Emissions Reduction—Deconstruction helps preserve a material’s â€Å"embodied energy† (see text box) and extends the life of natural resources already harvested. 13 This minimizes the need to produce new materials—in turn saving more natural resources and reducing production impacts such as emissions.For instance, a dominant benefit of deconstruction and the reuse of salvaged materials is the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Using materials salvaged from deconstruction projects also reduces the demand to ship materials typi cally sourced and manufactured long distances from their ultimate use. This helps support the local economy as well as further reduce air emissions. Deconstructing a building also provides the opportunity to recycle any of the material that cannot be reused. Although the recycling process uses some energy and raw materials, and emits pollution, it is still a more sustainable option than disposing of materials. 4  ¦ Economics Benefi ts—New end use markets, including salvaged material resellers and other small businesses, are being created to support deconstruction activities. Other economic benefits include job creation, workforce development training, lower building material cost, and revenue generation through salvaged materials sales. Avoided demolition debris disposal costs are a benefit when considering the transportation and disposal costs, as well as disposal restrictions, in certain U. S. states.Additionally, property owners can realize tax deductions that include th e value of the building and its materials if they are donated to a non-profi t organization. MATERIALS RE-USE Building materials may retain structural or aesthetic value beyond their lifespan in a given building. This value is captured through materials reuse, a practice that can occur independently from or in conjunction with deconstruction and other lifecycle construction activities. As a component of lifecycle construction, it is an essential step in completing the loop.The concept of â€Å"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle† identifies reuse as midway between initial reduction of resource use and resource recycling in a hierarchy of limiting environmental impact. Reducing initial resource use avoids the impact entirely, as well as any need for reuse or recycling. However, reusing materials is preferable to recycling them because less remanufacturing and processing is required, and less associated waste is generated. In its broadest definition, materials reuse is the practice of incor porating previously used materials into new projects.In the context of lifecycle construction, salvaging finish features, stripping interior components, and deconstruction all make building materials available for reuse. Similar to deconstruction, the major benefit of materials reuse is the resource and energy use that is avoided by reducing the production of new materials. Materials reuse also salvages materials with characteristics that are generally unavailable in new materials. For example, lumber with desirable structural and aesthetic qualities such as large dimensions (especially timbers) and knot-free fine grain can be found in walls of old buildings.Such items have a high reuse value as a combined structural and finished surface piece. Note that it is less important what species of tree the wood came from than the way it has been used and the state it is in after such use. Certain challenges accompany the numerous benefits of this critical step in the lifecycle construction process. These include the need to verify material quality (e. g. , lumber grade) and the variability of available material quantities, which fluctuate with the level of deconstruction activity.This section describes the opportunities for materials reuse, the market for reusable materials, and challenges associated with materials reuse. Three case studies at the end of the section highlight projects that incorporate materials reuse. The first case study describes a joint venture deconstruction/materials reuse project that features immediate reuse of salvaged materials. The second case study describes a residential construction project that incorporates significant amounts of reusable materials. The third case study highlights a used building materials retail store within the growing market for reusable materials.IMPLEMENTATION OF MATERIALS REUSE Materials reuse can occur on both large and small scales. Depending on the availability of materials and the desired future use, materials reuse can involve: a) whole buildings, b) building assemblies, c) building components, d) remanufacturing of building components, and/or e) reuse of individual building materials without modifications to them. These are defi ned below. a) Whole Building—Involves relatively minor changes to a building’s structure that often adapt it to a new use (e. g. , transforming a factory into lofts). ) Building Assemblies—Defined as â€Å"a collection of parts fitted together into a complete structure† (e. g. , pre-fabricated walls). 28 c) Building Components—May be subassemblies or other structures that are not complete on their own (e. g. doors with jambs). d) Remanufacturing—Adds value to a material by modifying it (e. g. , re-milling framing lumber for use as trim. Note that this differs somewhat from recycling because the wood is not entirely reprocessed, and retains its basic form). e) Building Materials—Reuse of any individual type of mat erial such as lumber or stone (e. . , brick from an old structure used in a new landscape design without modifying it). Individual building materials and finish pieces are the most commonly reused. Primary among these is lumber, but steel beams, stone, brick, tile, glass, gypsum, and plasterboard, as well as doors, windows, and cabinets are also routinely successfully reused. At a larger scale, building components are ideal for reuse, while the ultimate reuse includes entire building assemblies, such as panelized walls or floors that can be wholly incorporated into new projects.To help promote more materials reuse and recycling, the City of Seattle produced an â€Å"index of materials reuse† that identifies suitable materials for reuse, recyclable materials, and those that should be disposed of, as well as information on potential environmental and health concerns associated with some materials. A NEW APPROACH TO BUILDING DESIGN As society continues to face significant waste and pollution impacts related to conventional building design, renovation, and removal practices, innovators are imagining a future where buildings are designed to consume fewer resources and generate less waste throughout their lifecycle.Building industry professionals are pioneering the concept of Design for Deconstruction (DfD), sometimes referred to as Design for Disassembly, a technique whose goal is to consider a building’s entire lifecycle in its original design. This includes the sustainable management of all resource flows associated with a building including design, manufacturing of construction materials, operation, renovation, and eventual deconstruction. 51 The typical building lifecycle is a linear one,. Resources are used and eventually discarded with minimal thought of re-cycling or reuse.The environmental impacts of this approach are sizeable. In terms of waste, if housing replacement rates remain unchanged, over the next 50 years 3. 3 billion tons of materia l debris will be created from the demolition of 41 million housing units. Even more dramatic is the fact that, if trends in housing design continue, new homes built during this same time period will result in double the amount of demolition debris, or 6. 6 billion tons, when they are eventually demolished. Beyond these waste issues, the energy consumed to produce building materials is having a huge effect globally.A 1999 United Nations study states that 11 percent of global CO2 emissions come from the production of construction materials. These are the same materials that regularly end up in landfills. 52 The trend in construction practices since the 1950s has only exacerbated these impacts, as buildings progressively contain more complex systems, materials types, and connecting devices, making it more difficult technically, as well as economically, to recover building materials for reuse or recycling.Unless a sustainable lifecycle approach to building is adopted, most building comp onents in the future will become increasingly more non-renewable, non-reuseable, and non-recyclable. INCORPORATING DESIGN FOR DECONSTRUCTION (DFD) Design for deconstruction addresses waste and pollution issues associated with building design and demolition by creating a â€Å"closedloop† building management option that goes against the traditional linear approach (Figure 2). By designing buildings to facilitate future renovations and eventual dismantlement, a building’s systems, components, and materials will be easier to rearrange, recover, and reuse.It is estimated that the average U. S. family moves every 10 years. Over an average 50-year life span, a home may change hands five times and undergo structural changes to meet each occupant’s needs. Thus, there is potential for multiple renovations over a building’s lifetime, as well as complete building removal to make the land available for a newer building – as has been the trend most recently. Df D can proactively address future occupancy flow through a sensible approach that maximizes the economic value of a structure’s materials, while working to reduce environmental impacts from their renovation and/or removal.DfD also creates adaptable structures that can be more readily reshaped to meet changing needs of owners. Incorporating DfD into the design of a building comprises four major design goals. All of these goals combine to minimize the environmental footprint of a building. Reusing existing buildings and materials Architects and developers should, to the extent possible, incorporate reused materials in the construction of new buildings.Besides minimizing waste from disposal of materials from existing building, as well as decreasing resource use and pollution associated with the creation of new materials, incorporating reused materials will help preserve the materials embodied energy, which is the amount of energy consumed to produce the materials . Additionally, supporting the materials reuse market will also help create demand for more used materials. Materials, climatic materials, surface materials, surface treatment Refining process Metals, chemicals cement, fired clay, straw,sawn timber, etc.Extraction process Ore, stone, clay, oil, timber,plants, etc. Mining Drilling Harvesting The Earth Ore Oil Timber Dumping Waste Use Re-use Recycling Buildin (Source—Bjorn Berg, â€Å"The Ecology of Building Materials)Building process REFERENCES * WWW. WIKIPEDIA. ORG * LIFECYCLE CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE GUIDE * EPA Deconstruction and Reuse http://www. epa. gov/epaoswer/non-hw/ debris-new/reuse. htm * EPA Construction and Demolition Debris http://www. epa. gov/epaoswer/non-hw/ debris-new/index. htm VALUE OPTIMIZATION IN RELATION TO BUILDING PROJECTSA THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE , UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELORS OF SCIENCE (BSc) IN ARCHITECTURE BY WHENU MAUTON . A. 10 0501059 OCTOBER 2011 INTEGRATED OPTIMIZATION â€Å"Optimize human enjoyment in the act of production and you optimize production† — W. Edwards Deming The construction industry often mounts initiatives to increase efficiency and productivity, but assumes the initiatives will gain traction within what is arguably a fragmented and therefore dysfunctional industry.The reality is that a healthy, integrated industry needs to first be developed, and then optimized. Increased efficiency and productivity will follow. The three-fold aim of this paper is that the reader understand: * First, the organizational structure is optimized. In the performance paradigm, this includes the clarity of structure, roles and responsibilities — all of which need to be reorganized. This enables lasting and integrated team life (as opposed to reshuffling the team from project to project). The supply chain is also to be consolidated in order that the manufacturers, building products and syst ems are part of the team. Next, the processes are to be optimized. This will be accomplished through: (1) Lean Building, (2) Production Quality, and (3) Process Integration and Automation. * Finally, the object of the performance paradigm — the building itself — is optimized. This requires a management re-orientation toward the total true cost of a development, and the building producers accepting responsibility for the performance of the building operations. While construction productivity has been stagnant — even declining — laments over productivity have been increasing.Productivity is, of course, a function of the  optimization of the production process (productivity = measures of output from process per unit of input). So, to make a given system more productive (whether it's the producer, process or product), the system is â€Å"optimized† to produce more units of output per units of input. With the goal of decisively reversing the productiv ity decline and the lament incline, this paper proposes some optimization strategies for building systems that create an optimized, efficient and super-productive high performance industry producing high erformance buildings. Building construction and operation have extensive direct and indirect impacts on the environment. Buildings use resources such as energy, water and raw materials, generate waste (occupant, construction and demolition) and emit potentially harmful atmospheric emissions. Building owners, designers and builders face a unique challenge to meet demands for new and renovated facilities that are accessible, secure, healthy, and productive while minimizing their impact on the environment.Considering the current economic challenges, retrofitting an existing building can be more cost effective than building a new facility. Designing major renovations and retrofits for existing buildings to include sustainability initiatives reduces operation costs and environmental impa cts, and can increase building resiliency. Source: EPA, 2004 Recent answers to this challenge call for an integrated, synergistic approach that considers all phases of the facility life cycle.This approach, often called â€Å"sustainable design,† supports an increased commitment to environmental stewardship and conservation, and results in an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal, and human benefits while meeting the mission and function of the intended facility or infrastructure. The main objectives of sustainable design are to avoid resource depletion of energy, water, and raw materials; prevent environmental degradation caused by facilities and infrastructure throughout their life cycle; and create built environments that are livable, comfortable, safe, and productive.EPA's New England Regional Laboratory (NERL) achieved a LEED Version 1. 0 Gold rating. From conception the project was charged to â€Å"make use of the best commercially-available materials and te chnologies to minimize consumption of energy and resources and maximize use of natural, recycled and non-toxic materials. † Chelmsford, MA While the definition of sustainable building design is constantly changing, six fundamental principles persist. * Optimize Site/Existing Structure PotentialCreating sustainable buildings starts with proper site selection, including consideration of the reuse or rehabilitation of existing buildings. The location, orientation, and landscaping of a building affect the local ecosystems, transportation methods, and energy use. Incorporate Smart growth principles in the project development process, whether it be a single building, campus or military base. Siting for physical security is a critical issue in optimizing site design, including locations of access roads, parking, vehicle barriers, and perimeter lighting.Whether designing a new building or retrofitting an existing building, site design must integrate with sustainable design to achieve a successful project. The site of a sustainable building should reduce, control, and/or treat stormwater runoff. * Optimize Energy Use With America's supply of fossil fuel dwindling, concerns for energy independence and security increasing, and the impacts of global climate change arising, it is essential to find ways to reduce load, increase efficiency, and utilize renewable energy resources in federal facilities.Improving the energy performance of existing buildings is important to increasing our energy independence. Government and private sector organizations are committing to net zero energy buildings in the next decade or so as a way to significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. * Protect and Conserve Water In many parts of the country, fresh water is an increasingly scarce resource. A sustainable building should use water efficiently, and reuse or recycle water for on-site use, when feasible. * Use Environmentally Preferable ProductsA sustainable building is construct ed of materials that minimize life-cycle environmental impacts such as global warming, resource depletion, and human toxicity. Environmentally preferable materials have a reduced effect on human health and the environment and contribute to improved worker safety and health, reduced liabilities, reduced disposal costs, and achievement of environmental goals. * Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a building has a significant impact on occupant health, comfort, and productivity.Among other attributes, a sustainable building maximizes daylighting; has appropriate ventilation and moisture control; and avoids the use of materials with high-VOC emissions. Additionally, consider ventilation and filtration to mitigate chemical, biological, and radiological attack. * Optimize Operational and Maintenance Practices Considering a building's operating and maintenance issues during the preliminary design phase of a facility will contribute to improv ed working environments, higher productivity, reduced energy and resource costs, and prevented system failures.Encourage building operators and maintenance personnel to participate in the design and development phases to ensure optimal operations and maintenance of the building. Designers can specify materials and systems that simplify and reduce maintenance requirements; require less water, energy, and toxic chemicals and cleaners to maintain; and are cost-effective and reduce life-cycle costs. Additionally, design facilities to include meters in order to track the progress of sustainability initiatives, including reductions in energy and water use and waste generation, in the facility and on site. REFERENCE * WBDG SUSTAINABLE COMMITTEE