The Strategic Use of Information and Communication Technology Dissertation

The Strategic Use of Information and Communication Technology - Dissertation Example The findings of the paper reveals that majority of the SME enterprises have considered ICT as the catalyst of their business Apart from the gains that the SMEs are presently accruing from the use of the ICT in their operations the ICT can also be used to reap further gains by implementing the ICT in a more integrated and strategic manner (Maguire and Koh, 2007, 16). Franklin is of the opinion that the ICT can be used by the SMEs to improve their functioning. This would help in making the information about micro- credit facilities and production technology more accessible. Apart from this it facilitates the skills building of the organization by the method of distance learning (Franklin, 2006, 15). The three assets of the Information technology (IT) that is the human asset, the technology assets and the relationships assets helps in the planning, delivery and operation procedures in an organization (Ross, 1995, 16). The four pillars of IT in an organization are the â€Å"IT and the b usiness alignment†; â€Å"IT strategic planning†, â€Å"security and privacy† and â€Å"attracting, developing and retaining IT professionals†. ... Advertising and suggestions projected concerning the products of a firm is also a crucial step (Liebowitz and Khosrowpour, 1997, 221). Proper alignment of business activities is very much required in an organization. For instance, in case of Wal-Mart, information technology has been used in order to alter the model of business. The firm has allowed the suppliers to find place on the shelf of the company which would be paid for what they get (Light, 2005, 113). The study conducted by King and Teao reveals that the organizations which undertakes a strategic approach in their functioning emphasizes more on the use of the IT in their works than the other firms. The internal factors affecting the functioning of the organization lays down the need of strategic systems in their works. The strategic systems emphasizes on the need of IT in their works. This enables the smooth and efficient functioning of the organization (King and Teao, 1994, 10). The knowledge management, which is facilitate d by the use of ICT in the organization’s operation, enables the enterprise in utilizing its tangible and non-tangible knowledge resources can be used in a SME by locating and capturing the innovative ideas and strategies, by sharing the information about the procedures, which are cost effective (Menkhoff, Wah and Loh, 2004, 19-21; Melville, Kraemer, and Gurbaxani, 2004, 284). Pillania in his work talks about the catalytic role that the aligned knowledge management strategy plays in firm’s growth. But he also observes certain limitations of the KM (knowledge management) in boosting the growth of SMEs. Hence it is advisable for the firms to manage its knowledge base in way so that the challenges can be overcome

El Filibusterismo Essay Example for Free

El Filibusterismo Essay Thirteen years after leaving the Philippines, Crisostomo Ibarra returns as Simoun, a rich jeweler sporting a beard and blue-tinted glasses, and a confidant of the Captain-General. He cynically sides with the upper classes, encouraging them to commit abuses against the masses to encourage the latter to revolt against the oppressive Spanish colonial regime. His two reasons for instigating a revolution are at first, to rescue Marà ­a Clara from the convent and second, to get rid of ills and evils of Philippine society. His true identity is discovered by a now grown-up Basilio while visiting the grave of his mother, Sisa, as Simoun was digging near the grave site for his buried treasures. Simoun spares Basilio’s life and asks him to join in his planned revolution against the government, egging him on by bringing up the tragic misfortunes of the latters family. Basilio declines the offer as he still hopes that the country’s condition will improve. Basilio, at this point, is a graduating medical student at the Ateneo Municipal. After the death of his mother, Sisa, and the disappearance of his younger brother, Crispà ­n, Basilio heeded the advice of the dying boatman, Elà ­as, and traveled to Manila to study. Basilio was adopted by Captain Tiago after Marà ­a Clara entered the convent. Simoun, for his part, keeps in close contact with the bandit group of Kabesang Tales, a former cabeza de barangay who suffered misfortunes at the hands of the friars. He was forced to give everything he had owned to the greedy, unscrupulous Spanish friars and the Church. Before joining the bandits, Tales took Simoun’s revolver while Simoun was staying at his house for the night. As payment, Tales leaves a locket that once belonged to Marà ­a Clara. To further strengthen the revolution, Simoun has Quiroga, a Chinese man hoping to be appointed consul to the Philippines, smuggle weapons into the country using Quiroga’s bazaar as a front. Simoun wishes to attack during a stage play with all of his enemies in attendance. He, however, abruptly aborts the attack when he learns from Basilio that Marà ­a Clara had died earlier that day in the convent. A few days after the mock celebration by the stu dents, the people are agitated when disturbing posters are found displayed around the city. The authorities accuse the students present at the panciterà ­a of agitation and disturbing peace and has them arrested. Basilio, although not present at the mock celebration, is  also arrested. Captain Tiago dies after learning of the incident. But before he dies he signs a will. His will originally states that Basilio should inherit all his property but due to this forgery his property is given in parts, one to Santa Clara, one for the archbishop, one for the Pope, and one for the religious orders leaving nothing for Basilio to be inherited. Basilio is left in prison as the other students are released. Basilio is soon released with the help of Simoun. Basilio, now a changed man, and after hearing about Julà ®s suicide, finally joins Simoun’s revolution. Simoun then tells Basilio his plan at the wedding of Paulita Gà ³mez and Juanito, Basilio’s hunch-backed classmate. His plan was to conceal an explosive which contains nitroglycerin inside a pomegranate-styled Ker osene lamp that Simoun will give to the newlyweds as a gift during the wedding reception. According to Simoun, the lamp will stay lighted for only 20 minutes before it flickers; if someone attempts to turn the wick, it will explode and kill everyone—important members of civil society and the Church hierarchy—inside the house. Basilio has a change of heart and attempts to warn Isagani, his friend and the former boyfriend of Paulita. Simoun leaves the reception early as planned and leaves a note behind: Initially thinking that it was simply a bad joke, Father Salvà ­ recognizes the handwriting and confirms that it was indeed Ibarra’s. As people begin to panic, the lamp flickers. Father Irene tries to turn the wick up when Isagani, due to his undying love for Paulita, bursts in the room and throws the lamp into the river, sabotaging Simouns plans. He escapes by diving into the river as guards chase after him. He later regrets his impulsive action because he had contradicted his own belief that he loved his nation more than Paulita and that the explosion and revolution could have fulfilled his ideals for Filipino society. Simoun, now unmasked as the perpetrator of the attempted arson and failed revolution, becomes a fugitive. Wounded and exhausted after he was shot by the pursuing Guardia Civil, he seeks shelter at the home of Father Florentino, Isagani’s uncle, and comes under the care of doctor Tiburcio de Espadaà ±a, Doà ±a Victorinas husband, who was also hiding at the house. Simoun takes poison in order for him not to be captured alive. Before he dies, he reveals his real identity to Florentino while they exchange thoughts about the failure of his revolution and why God forsook him, when all he wanted was to avenge the people important to him that were wronged, such as Elias,  Maria Clara and his father, Don Rafael. Florentino opines that God did not forsake him and that his plans were not for the greater good but for personal gain. Simoun, finally accepting Florentino’s explanation, squeezes his hand and dies. Florentino then takes Simoun’s remaining jewels and throws them into the Pacific Ocean with the corals hoping that they would not be used by the greedy, and that when the time came that it would be used for the greater good.

There is No Escaping the Matrix Essay -- Video Games Virtual Reality

There is No Escaping the Matrix In the video game world anything is possible, and if your player dies you can always play again. The videogame industry is exploding in the market place; it's far from child's play and far from the days of pong. In the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly (December 6, 2002) there is an article, Video Game Nation, discussing a new video game experience being touted as the wave of the future, The Real World meets The Matrix. In this virtual world called The Sims Online, people "live" in a virtual environment peopled by avatars created by thousands of other gamers. Neal Stephenson envisioned this future ten years prior with his release of Snow Crash. Stephenson describes a computer-generated "metaverse" where the logged-on could take on "avatars" hang out, and walk around, meet other "avatars" and perhaps fall in love. These artificial realities offer millions of people a chance to step out of our world and enter another dimension where anything can happen. The setting may be artif icial in nature, an electronic stream of data creates this artificial world for the player back home, but the interaction and the emotional appeal for the players are very real. When Neo is "reborn" we see where technology has taken us; it has enslaved us and uses us humans as a power source. Why not see that for what it is: a warning. We see computer gaming as nothing more than just escape. This is what technology offers people escape -- from this world, but is something being given up? Perhaps we should look at the nature of the beast and realize we are already enslaved. We are already there linked together in a Marxist fashion struggling for power, shelling out time and money to find solace inside the World Wide ... ...real Matrix that is this planet if we spend all our time on the "net?" Perhaps the connected quality can translate into a more informed public, but I doubt the young players of video games would bother to take notice. Stephenson's vision is accurate, we are becoming more connected yet live separate from each other; separated by tract housing, highways and the 'metaverse.' The future generation video gamers will experience more complicated and time-consuming games. This virtual gaming world offers them a place to explore beyond their world but at the same time keeps the players from this world. The love we have for machinery has only served to create the world we have today. There is no escaping the Matrix. Even at the end of the movie, Neo is still using the Matrix to communicate his intentions; we are still trapped inside the glass womb waiting to be set free.

Internet Hackers :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Hackers Last year, two Cloverdale teenagers pleaded guilty to federal charges. What did they do that the FBI raided their homes and seized their computers? They hacked into Pentagon computer systems. These two teenagers, Makaveli and TooShort, were also suspected of breaking into computers at universities, government agencies and military bases. This example and many others show the increase of hackers and their crimes over the years. In another story that is similar to the story about Makaveli and Too Short, from a BBC News story, Hackers target Nasa and Pentagon, an international group of computer hackers broke into Pentagon computer systems and also said they had stolen key software from Nasa. The group consisted of eight Americans, five British and two Russians. They called themselves the "Masters of Downloading." They were considering selling the information to international terrorist groups or foreign governments. The number of hacker related crimes seems to be increasing y ear by year. Theft on the internet is costing companies billions, and the high-tech industry is struggling to stop it. According to Michael Meyer's Crimes of the "Net", last year roughly $2 billion worth of software was stolen over the internet last year. Also that year, the leader of an international piracy ring operating out of Spain, pleaded guilty to a brand of fraud destined to become commonplace. According to U.S. investigators, they stole 140,000 telephone credit-card numbers. Hackers used the numbers to make a total of $140 million worth of long-distance phone calls. Now, the question is who is really at loss here. The answer is simple. Companies like GTE, AT &T, Bell Atlantic and MCI. Because of these hackers, those companies lost a lot of money. What actions must be taken to stop these theives? According to the hackers, they call what they are doing sharing. Hackers are criminals that steal from others to better themselves. They are leeches, feeding off ot her peoples' personal items. People have to become aware of the risk they face with hackers. Software and phone cards isn't the end of the stealing hackers. Everything from computer parts to flowers and teddy bears are at risk to hackers. With the increasing technology, the abuse is almost endless.

DNA Fingerprinting

DNA contains genetic material and information that makes up each individual trait. Every person can be identified by providing his or her genetic information based on a particular DNA strand. DNA information is an effective way of identifying persons if it is used properly. It is used to identify humans in different situations such as crime scenes, accident scenes, paternity testing, soldier remain identification, inheritance claims, missing person investigations, and convicted felon databases. Although there are different ways to identify DNA, the most common method is DNA fingerprinting. The process that was used in the lab experiment was gel electrophoresis.Before DNA fingerprinting, a different method called Blood typing was used. This method was used to identify people by taking a sample of dried blood. But this method had some disadvantages; for example, many people who receive blood by transfusionundergo changes in their blood characteristics,making difficult the blood typing; also, blood typing required an amount of body fluid that sometimes was not enough or that other times was deteriorated, making it impossible to do the blood typing. So, because of these disadvantages, DNA fingerprinting began to be used as a forensic tool.Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFPL’s) is a restriction enzyme that recognizes a specific strand of the nucleotides in DNA. This strand is different in every individual; the restriction enzymes cut the part of the DNA strand that is different, and it is used in gel electrophoresis to identify a person. For example, in crime scene investigations the DNA sample that is found is compared with the sample of suspects bythe gel electrophoresis procedure in order todetermine if the suspect committed a crime.When doing the gel electrophoresis process,different DNA strands are set in the lanes of the gel, and they are run by an electrochemical gradient from negative to positive to separate these strands. When the strands separate, they group themselves in bands. The shortest bands travel at higher speed; therefore, they are found at the end of the gel. This experiment gives the possibility to identify which bands are the same to the  one that was found in the scene, allowingreaching the objective, which is to uncover who is responsible at the crime scene.MATERIALSRestriction enzyme Colored micro-tubes contain DNA samples DNA loading dye Agarose gel Pipet Tips Electrophoresis apparatus TAE Buffer Centrifuge 120 ml of 100X blue stain. Tray 40 to 50 Celsius of tap water. IceMETHODS1. In the lab experiment DNA samples were provided in colored micro-tubes that were incubated in ice.2. 5 ulof DNA loading dye were placed in each sample tube and each tube was flipped gently with afinger. 3. A centrifuge was used to mix the DNA sample with the loading dye. 4. Theagarose gel was placed with thetop of the gel to the negative side in electrophoresis apparatus, and the electrophoresis box was filled with TAE buffer until it had completely covered the gel. 5. A pipet was used with different tips, and DNA samples were loaded into different lanes of the gel in the following order: Lane 2: DNA sizes marker 10ulLane 3: Suspect one, 20 ul Lane 4: Suspect two, 20 ul Lane 5: Suspect three, 20 ul Lane 6: Suspect four, 20 ul Lane 7: Suspect five, 20 ul6. The lid was placed in the electrophoresis chamber and plugged into the power supply. The power supply was turned on and the samples were electrophoresed at 100V for 30 minutes. 7. After that, the gel was removed carefully from the gel box and placed in a tray. 8. 120 ml of 100X fast blast of DNA stain was added. The gel was stained for two minutes with gentle movement. 9. The gel was transferred into a large tray and the gel was rinsed with warm tap water twice, with gentle shaking.The gel was leftto dry for 24 hours.Loadind dye was Centrifuge wasused Gel was placed DNA samples were placed in each to mix DNA and electrophoresis loaded in the gel micro-tube samplesloading dyeapparatusElectrophoresis Gel was placed in aGel was transferred Gel was rinse until chamberwas connected tray filled with to a clean tray the excess of stain to the power supply stain with warn tap water was removedRESULTSGel ElectrophoresisMolecular marker Crime Scene Suspect 1 Suspect 2 Suspect 3 Suspect 4 Suspect 5 Band Distance (mm) Actual size (bp) Distance (mm) Approx Size (bp) Distance (mm) Approx. Size (bp Distance (mm) Approx. Size (bp) Distance (mm) Approx. Size (bp) Distance (mm) Approx Size (bp) Distance (mm) Approx Size (bp 1 4 23,000 10 5,700 12 5,000 12 5,000 10 5,700 12 5,000 12 5,000 2 7 9,400 12 5,000 17 2,500 15 4,400 12 5,000 18 2,300 14 4,600 3 9 6,500 19 2,250 18 2,300 17 2,500 19 2,250 22 2,200 19 2,250 4 15 4,4005 18 2,3006 22 2,000DNA Bands Data TableBased on the results of the gel electrophoresis, suspect number three’s DNA sample matches with the crime scene sample, not only because they look the same, but also because o f the distance that strands travel along the gel, and the base pairs that they contain. The DNA bands of the crime scene sample were found at 10, 12, and 19 mm, instead of the bands of suspect numbers one, two, four, and five,which were found at different distances than the crime scene sample. Only the bands that correspond to suspect number three were found with similar distances to the crime scene one. Finally, the base pairs of the DNA bands of suspect number three and of the one found in the crime scene were 5,700 bp for the first set of DNA bands, 5,000bp for the second set, and 2,250 bpfor the third set. All of these results indicate that suspect number three was responsible for the crime committed in the crime scene.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONSIn conclusion, DNA fingerprinting and electrophoresis were used to determine the size of the unique strand cut by restriction enzymes that identifies the individual who was responsible in the crime scene. This lab taught how to conduct an electrophoresis experiment, and how importantthe use of this method is to solve a problem that is common in society. In this process different DNA samples were provided, and after doing the electrophoresis experiment, it was found that the suspect committed the crime. DNA profiling, whichwascalled at first DNA fingerprinting, is used for other purposes, as was mentioned earlier. One of those is paternity  testing.At this time, this method has become less difficult than what people may believe. Some laboratories provide this service, sending to their clients a kitwith everything that is needed to collect a sample of DNA.This sample, which could be a small portion of cheek tissue taken with a swab and put in a labeled envelope, is returned to the lab to be analyzed. Sometimes when this type of test is required for legal reasons, the sample to be evaluatedis taken under supervisionin order to avoid any intentional errors. DNA fingerprinting and profiling have become common processes , but also these have become very important because they help to get accurate results by using genetic information in order to solve different situations such as a crime or paternity identification.

Chris Bermans Biography

Chris Bermans Biography Introduction Born on October in the year 1955 Chris Berman became a famous sport-caster in America and perhaps that could be the reason they decided to nickname him ‘Boomer’. How Mr. Berman choose his career in the line of TV production is still not clear considering the fact that he had studied and graduated with a degree in history from Brown University.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Chris Bermans Biography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The most notable part of his career life in TV production is his work at ESPN. Although he had studied history in the university, Berman proved that he could also excel in sports broadcasting. After playing in all major Baseball, leagues Derek Jeter can be termed as a legend of the game. Although his case was easy to understand unlike Berman’s case, â€Å"the love for the game† must have been his driving force. The rise of sport shows In the earl y stages of his career, Chris Berman joined ESPN, becoming a very popular broadcaster, and the conclusion is that he was more than a broadcaster who rose up to be a star. Before Chris Bermans era, sport on TV was just for the sake of passing the good or the bad news to the fans (Hatch, 2010). In fact, it is evident that watching sports on TV at that time was not much different from reading a newspaper article on the same. Thanks to Mr. Berman, sport broadcast on TV had to take a new dimension and it has never been the same again. If making the broadcasting lively and full of emotions was to get a copyright then the person to receive this is no other that Chris Berman. TV programs and hosts come and go and as soon as they are off air, their memories on viewer’s mind fade away. This however is very different with Chris Berman and all the shows that he hosted all the way from the ‘sport centre’, ‘Baseball Tonight’ to the most watched ‘Post game sh ow’. In all shows Berman had a way of connecting with the audience because he produced exactly what his viewers expected. His nickname however, has a relationship to the shows that he hosted. In all these shows fun and laughs can be the best words to describe them. Initially, watching sport programs on the television was a serious business and it was not for the purpose of any entertainment. The conclusion is that Chris Berman introduced entertainment in television sport shows. Berman influenced the production of programs that attracted the attention of the viewer (Porter, 1995). Sport shows had been on TV for long enough but most of the times their effect on the viewers passed on unnoticed. This means that the shows did not have an established fan base but after Chris Berman’s shows in ESPN this had to change and these shows started to attract fans.Advertising Looking for term paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As stated by Bender and Steele (2007) â€Å"sometimes TV and sports radio shows have a religious effect on fans. For example, there are many great sports personalities, such as Chris Berman (ESPN) and Dan Patrick (ESPN) whom many sport fans watch consistently.† This is similar to the case of Derek in Baseball game. Berman and the fans The audience or the viewer in the case of Berman is the most important element in any broadcast. Realizing this fact is very important to any TV or radio personality and Berman had his facts right, and in all the shows that he hosted it was all about the viewers. Initially, the TV sport shows broadcasted on television had little concern about the viewer or the fan. In fact, most of them had had a design with the sole purpose of taking the message home. The conclusion is that the fundamental objective of Berman in all his shows was to make or give the fans the opportunity to celebrate what he loved most and that is spor ts. As claimed by Smith and Hollihan (2009) Berman had a personal connection with his viewers in all the shows that he hosted. Berman and Cable TV A cable TV that broadcasted sports 24 hours, seven day a week was a thing that could not be imagined before ESPN and of course Berman. From its humble beginning, ESPN had risen and become one of the most successful sports broadcasting station in the world and attribution of most of this success was to Chris Berman. As Porter (1995) continues to claim, â€Å"Berman’s style suited well in developing of cable TV.† Therefore, Chris Berman contributed to the rise of cable TV similar to Derek in the rise of baseball. Conclusion Chris Berman having received his university education in the field of history ended up developing a career in broadcasting which was a success. Throughout his career, Berman brought a new face in broadcasting of sports on the TV. Before Berman was on TV, the main aim of sport broadcasting was to pass the me ssage. Chris Berman introduced the entertainment in sports broadcasting and he actually proved that the viewer is the most important element in the whole business of broadcasting. He also led to the development of anchors who were viewer minded and finally he contributed to the rise of cable TV. References Bender, C., Steele, J. (2007) Sports fan 101: Score The balance in your relationship. Bloomington: Author House Ltd.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Chris Bermans Biography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hatch, L. (2010, April 20). The incredible Career of ESPN Anchor Chris Berman. Business Insider. Porter, D. (1995) Biographical dictionary of American sports: 1992-1995 supplement for baseball, football, basketball, and other sports. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Smith, A., Hollihan, K. (2009) ESPN: The Company: The story and lessons behind the most fanatical brand in sports. New Jersey: Wiley sons, Inc.

5 Exciting Outdoor Jobs for People Who Love Staying Active

5 Exciting Outdoor Jobs for People Who Love Staying Active Unless your name is Bear Grylls, the idea of finding a way to pay your bills while indulging your love of the outdoors and avoiding the 9-to-5 desk job grind can be an uphill climb (pun intended). If you’ve always preferred being out in the elements to a climate-controlled office, don’t despair- there are some career paths you might want to consider. 1. EnvironmentalistIf you’re one of those people on the street who does, in fact, find the time to stop and talk about the environment, you might want to consider working for a company or agency that works for conservation. Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for environmental scientists and specialists is expected to grow by 11% over the next eight years.2. Geologist/GeoscientistYou might think of geology of being as fun as a box of†¦well, rocks, but that’s just a stereotype. In reality, it’s a varied career path that can include studying the earth (soil, water, and minerals) and a tmosphere, weather, Earth’s relationship to the rest of the solar system, geochemistry, geophysics, and many other specialties. Think of it as getting to work in the world’s biggest lab.3. Park/Forest RangerThink of this job as being nature’s bouncer. You’re responsible for taking care of incredible natural environments (beaches, parks, deserts, woodlands) and helping to educate people about the wonders of the land and why it should be preserved.4. LifeguardThis one isn’t all slow-motion Baywatch drama- if you’re a lifeguard, you’re entrusted with the lives and safety of everyone visiting your beach, pool, or other body of water. If you’ve got eagle eyes and the quick instincts of a mama bear (not to mention the swimming skills of a fish), then this might be your ideal outdoor job.5. Ski/Snowboard InstructorNot all outdoor jobs are in warm, green, or beachy spots- we haven’t forgotten you, cold weather fans! This is more of a seasonal gig (not many people signing up for ski lessons in July), but if you have a warm parka, the downhill skills, and the desire to teach people to overcome their fear of the bunny slope and conquer the mountain, this can be a great career path for you.

How to Say “Good Morning” in Japanese + 9 Other Greetings

How to Say â€Å"Good Morning† in Japanese + 9 Other Greetings SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're heading to Japan or thinking of studying Japanese, you’ll definitely want a firm grasp of the basic greetings and phrases. What’s "good morning" in Japanese? What's "good afternoon" in Japanese? In this article, I will teach you 10 common Japanese greetings, from how to say good morning in Japanese to how to introduce yourself properly. I’ll then give you my top tips for using these greetings both appropriately and effectively. 10 Common Japanese Greetings and How to Use Them The Japanese language uses different greetings depending on the time of day (as English does) and the situation (such as whether the person you’re greeting is a close friend or a superior at work). Let’s take a look at the most common Japanese phrases and how to use them. #1: Good Morning = OhayÃ…  㠁Šã  ¯Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€  / OhayÃ…  Gozaimasu 㠁Šã  ¯Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€ Ã£ â€Ã£ â€"㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ It’s essential to know how to say good morning in Japanese. There are two basic ways to say this greeting, depending on the level of formality you’re using (and are expected to use). The first way to say good morning is ohayÃ…  㠁Šã  ¯Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€  (pronounced a lot like the state Ohio). This is the casual form, which you'd mainly use with close friends and family members. The second way to say good morning in Japanese is ohayÃ…  gozaimasu 㠁Šã  ¯Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€ Ã£ â€Ã£ â€"㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢. This is a more formal version. Gozaimasu is a common suffix in Japanese used to indicate a high degree of politeness and respect. Since this form is more polite, you’ll often hear it in Japan in places such as schools, stores, workplaces, etc. Pronunciation OhayÃ…  sounds very similar to the US state Ohio (oh-high-yoh). The only big difference is that you enunciate the "y" sound a little more strongly and hold the final "o" sound out longer (that’s why there’s a line above the letter). Gozaimasu is pronounced goh-zigh-moss. Usage While most people use this greeting in the morning (no surprise there!), it’s not rare to hear ohayÃ…  gozaimasu or ohayÃ…  in the afternoon, too, especially if it’s the first time you’re seeing someone that day (such as if your work day starts at 1 pm). It’s common to say ohayÃ…  gozaimasu while bowing (formal) or giving a nod and a smile (less formal). Typically written in the hiragana alphabet as 㠁Šã  ¯Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€  (ohayÃ… ) or 㠁Šã  ¯Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€ Ã£ â€Ã£ â€"㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ (ohayÃ…  gozaimasu). #2: Good Afternoon / Hello = Konnichiwa 㠁“ん㠁 «Ã£  ¡Ã£  ¯ This famous Japanese greeting is well known in the English-speaking world (though we’ve actually butchered the pronunciation a bit!). Konnichiwa 㠁“ん㠁 «Ã£  ¡Ã£  ¯ means good afternoon in Japanese- or, more generally, hello- and is typically used from late morning to late afternoon. Pronunciation The pronunciation of konnichiwa is kohn-nee-chee-wah. Make sure to hold out the "n" sound in the middle of the word (that’s why there are two of them). It'll probably feel a bit weird doing this if you’re not used to Japanese sounds, but trust me when I say it’ll make you sound much more like a native speaker in the end! Usage Unlike the difference between ohayÃ…  and ohayÃ…  gozaimasu, you may say konnichiwa with people you either know or don’t know equally. Like ohayÃ…  gozaimasu, it’s common to say konnichiwa while bowing (formal) or giving a head nod and a smile (less formal). Typically written in the hiragana alphabet as 㠁“ん㠁 «Ã£  ¡Ã£  ¯, though it may also be written in kanji as ä »Å Ã¦â€" ¥Ã£  ¯. This second spelling can be confusing, however, as it also means 㠁 Ã£â€šâ€¡Ã£ â€ Ã£  ¯ (kyÃ…  wa), or "as for today." When it starts to get dark like this, konnichiwa just won't cut it. #3: Good Evening = Konbanwa / Kombanwa 㠁“ん㠁 °Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£  ¯ Making our way to the end of the day now! Konbanwa (or kombanwa) 㠁“ん㠁 °Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£  ¯, meaning good evening, is primarily used- you guessed it- in the evening and at night. There’s no exact time you must begin using this phrase instead of konnichiwa. In general, though, once it starts to get dark out, this is the greeting to use. Pronunciation The pronunciation of konbanwa is kohn-bahn-wah; however, note that the "n" sounds here are a little more nasal-sounding than they would be in English. This is why you’ll sometimes see the first "n" in konbanwa written as an "m" (kombanwa). Pronouncing this first "n" more like an "m" will ultimately help you sound more like a native Japanese speaker. As for the second "n," think of it as if you're saying the "ng" sound, but without the final "g." Usage Unlike the difference between ohayÃ…  and ohayÃ…  gozaimasu, you may say konbanwa with people you either know or don’t know equally. It’s common to say konbanwa while bowing (formal) or giving a head nod and a smile (less formal). Typically written in the hiragana alphabet as 㠁“ん㠁 °Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£  ¯, though it may also be written in kanji as ä »Å Ã¦â„¢ ©Ã£  ¯. #4: Good Night = Oyasuminasai 㠁Šã‚„㠁™ã  ¿Ã£  ªÃ£ â€¢Ã£ â€ž Oyasuminasai 㠁Šã‚„㠁™ã  ¿Ã£  ªÃ£ â€¢Ã£ â€ž is used the same way its English equivalent, "good night," is used. In Japan, it's customary to say this phrase when preparing to go to bed, or when about to head home after a night out with friends and/or coworkers. Pronunciation Oyasuminasai is pronounced oh-yah-soo-mee-nah-sigh. Usage You may use the casual form oyasumi 㠁Šã‚„㠁™ã  ¿ when saying good night to a family member or close friend. Can be written in all hiragana as 㠁Šã‚„㠁™ã  ¿Ã£  ªÃ£ â€¢Ã£ â€ž, or with kanji as 㠁Šä ¼â€˜Ã£  ¿Ã£  ªÃ£ â€¢Ã£ â€ž (ä ¼â€˜Ã£  ¿ means "rest"). The proper way to introduce yourself in English ... to the man who killed your father. (oxygeon/Flickr) #5: How Do You Do? = Hajimemashite 㠁 ¯Ã£ ËœÃ£â€š Ã£  ¾Ã£ â€"㠁 ¦ Hajimemashite 㠁 ¯Ã£ ËœÃ£â€š Ã£  ¾Ã£ â€"㠁 ¦ should only be used when meeting someone for the first time. It is similar to the English greeting "How do you do?" though some might translate it as "Nice to meet you" or "Pleased to meet you." Pronunciation This word is pretty much pronounced how it’s spelled: ha-jee-meh-mosh-teh. Notice how you don’t overly enunciate the "i" after the "sh" sound. Usage This phrase is generally the first thing you say to someone new, followed by your name and then another common phrase: dÃ… zo yoroshiku or yoroshiku onegaishimasu (see below for more on this greeting), which is typically translated as "Nice to meet you." Usually written in hiragana as 㠁 ¯Ã£ ËœÃ£â€š Ã£  ¾Ã£ â€"㠁 ¦, though you may also write it with kanji as åˆ Ã£â€š Ã£  ¾Ã£ â€"㠁 ¦ (åˆ  means "for the first time"). #6: Nice to Meet You / Thank You = Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu よã‚ Ã£ â€"㠁 Ã£ Å Ã© ¡ËœÃ£ â€žÃ£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ Yoroshiku onegaishimasu よã‚ Ã£ â€"㠁 Ã£ Å Ã© ¡ËœÃ£ â€žÃ£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ is a somewhat complicated greeting, as there are many different ways to use and say it. As a result, it doesn’t translate easily into English. One translation of yoroshiku onegaishimasu is "Nice to meet you" or "Please treat me well" if you say it when meeting someone new. That said, it can also mean "Please and thank you" or "Thank you in advance" if you are instead using it to ask someone for a favor. Other translations of this phrase include "Thank you for understanding" or "I am indebted to you" (if someone is doing or will be doing something to help or benefit you in some way). In terms of formality, there are multiple ways to say yoroshiku onegaishimasu in Japanese. Here are the different versions of this phrase, from most formal to least formal: DÃ… zo yoroshiku onegaishimasu 㠁 ©Ã£ â€ Ã£ Å¾Ã£â€šË†Ã£â€š Ã£ â€"㠁 Ã£ Å Ã© ¡ËœÃ£ â€žÃ£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ (more formal) Yoroshiku onegaishimasu よã‚ Ã£ â€"㠁 Ã£ Å Ã© ¡ËœÃ£ â€žÃ£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ (formal) DÃ… zo yoroshiku 㠁 ©Ã£ â€ Ã£ Å¾Ã£â€šË†Ã£â€š Ã£ â€"㠁  (less formal) Yoroshiku よã‚ Ã£ â€"㠁  (casual) Pronunciation DÃ… zo is pronounced doh-zoh. Make sure to extend the first "oh" sound a bit (you can see it has the line above it to indicate this). Yoroshiku is also pronounced pretty simply: yoh-roh-shee-koo. Note that the "r" sound in Japanese is very different from the English "r." It’s a lot more like a mix between an "r," "l," and "d" (similar to how North Americans pronounce the "d" sound in "ladder" or the "t" sound in "better"). Onegaishimasu is pronounced oh-neh-guy-shee-moss. Note that you don’t need to overly enunciate the final "u" sound. Usage This is a go-to phrase for Japanese people, as it fits many kinds of situations. It is a polite (and expected) way to thank someone in advance and to address someone you have just met ("Nice to meet you"). It’s common to say this phrase while bowing (formal) or offering a head nod and a smile (less formal), especially when meeting someone for the first time. "Long time, no see," said the girl who had just seen her cat two minutes earlier. #7: Long Time, No See = Ohisashiburi Desu 㠁Šä ¹â€¦Ã£ â€"㠁 ¶Ã£â€šÅ Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢ The greeting ohisashiburi desu 㠁Šä ¹â€¦Ã£ â€"㠁 ¶Ã£â€šÅ Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢ is best translated as "Long time, no see!" It can also be translated as "It’s been a while." This is the phrase you use when you haven’t seen somebody in a long time; you cannot use it when meeting someone for the first time. There are different ways to say this phrase depending on the level of formality you want to use. Ohisashiburi desu is the formal version. However, you can shorten this to hisashiburi ä ¹â€¦Ã£ â€"㠁 ¶Ã£â€šÅ  if the situation is casual (e.g., you’re speaking with a friend or family member). Pronunciation Ohisashiburi desu is pronounced oh-hee-sah-shee-boo-ree-dess. Note that the final "u" in desu is very soft- so much so that you can basically drop it altogether. Remember that the Japanese "r" sound is not like the English "r" and is actually more closely related to the "d" sound in the word "ladder" (in short, it's a mix between a "d," "r," and "l" sound). Usage Many people add the suffix ne 㠁 ­ to the end of this greeting; this is similar to asking for a sign of agreement (like the English "you know?" or "isn’t it?"). You could say ohisashiburi desu ne 㠁Šä ¹â€¦Ã£ â€"㠁 ¶Ã£â€šÅ Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£  ­ (formal) or hisashiburi ne ä ¹â€¦Ã£ â€"㠁 ¶Ã£â€šÅ Ã£  ­ (casual). #8: Goodbye = SayÃ… nara 㠁•ã‚ˆã â€ Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€° or Shitsureishimasu Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã§ ¤ ¼Ã£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ You’ve likely heard the first of these two phrases, but did you know that it’s not always appropriate to use sayÃ… nara 㠁•ã‚ˆã â€ Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€°- even when you mean to say goodbye? In truth, sayÃ… nara implies that you’ll be leaving for a long time or won’t be seeing whomever you’re saying goodbye to for a while (or even ever again). You can think of it as being similar to the English word farewell in that it's somewhat dramatic and theatrical. As a result, it’s not actually used all that often in everyday Japanese conversation. By contrast, shitsureishimasu Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã§ ¤ ¼Ã£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ is a more formal (and common) way of saying goodbye. It’s often used in places such as schools, workplaces, hospitals, etc. There is no implication here that you won’t be seeing the person again for a long time. This phrase literally translates to "I am going to be rude" or "Excuse me for being rude." Pronunciation SayÃ… nara is pronounced sah-yoh-nah-rah. Once again, do not pronounce the "r" as you would an English "r" but rather as you do the "d" sound in the word "ladder." Be sure to also stress the "o" sound, as this is elongated. Shitsureishimasu is pronounced sheet-soo-ray-shee-moss. As mentioned above, do not pronounce the "r" sound as you would an English "r." You can also drop the final "u" sound, as this is very soft (so it sounds more like "moss," not "moss-oo"). Usage What exactly is the difference between sayÃ… nara and shitsureishimasu? Here’s an example: you’ve just finished work and are preparing to say goodbye to your coworkers. If you say shitsureishimasu, this means that you’re going now (and will see them tomorrow). On the other hand, if you say sayÃ… nara, your coworkers would most likely become worried, possibly thinking that you’ve been fired or are planning to leave work permanently! Shitsureishimasu can also mean "Excuse me" or "Excuse me for bothering you" when entering a teacher or boss’s office. In this sense, it’s both a greeting and a parting phrase. When leaving to go home from work early, it's customary to say osakini shitsureishimasu 㠁Šå…ˆã  «Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã§ ¤ ¼Ã£ â€"㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢ ("Excuse me for leaving early/first"). The osakini indicates that you are excusing yourself for leaving before your coworkers and/or superiors do. "See you, everyone," whimpered Kermit as the cat finally put his paw down. #9: See You = Jaa Ne 㠁˜ã‚Æ'㠁‚㠁 ­ or Mata Ne 㠁 ¾Ã£ Å¸Ã£  ­ These are the two phrases to use when saying goodbye in casual situations- not sayÃ… nara (which is somewhat dramatic) or shitsureishimasu (which is quite formal). Both jaa ne 㠁˜ã‚Æ'㠁‚㠁 ­ and mata ne 㠁 ¾Ã£ Å¸Ã£  ­ mean something along the lines of "See you later!" or "See you!" You may also add the jaa part to mata ne by saying jaa mata ne 㠁˜ã‚Æ'㠁‚㠁 ¾Ã£ Å¸Ã£  ­ or just jaa mata 㠁˜ã‚Æ'㠁‚㠁 ¾Ã£ Å¸ (jaa means "well" or "then"). Pronunciation Both of these phrases are easy to pronounce. Jaa ne is pronounced jah-neh (the two a's mean you should hold out the "ah" sound a little bit). Mata ne is pronounced mah-tah-neh, with the stress on the "mah" syllable. Here's a helpful video that explains the differences between various ways of saying goodbye in the Japanese language: Usage Don’t use these parting phrases in formal situations, such as at work or when speaking to a teacher at school. There are a few variations of these phrases. Others include mata ashita 㠁 ¾Ã£ Å¸Ã¦ËœÅ½Ã¦â€" ¥ (see you tomorrow) and dewa mata ne 㠁 §Ã£  ¯Ã£  ¾Ã£ Å¸Ã£  ­ (dewa is the formal form of jaa). #10: Welcome = Irasshaimase 㠁„ら㠁 £Ã£ â€"ã‚Æ'㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â€º Irasshaimase 㠁„ら㠁 £Ã£ â€"ã‚Æ'㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â€º is a highly common word you’ll hear in Japan, though you yourself probably won’t use it all that much, if at all. The word means "Welcome!" and is primarily used by shopkeepers, restaurant workers, and others to greet customers who enter the shop/store, restaurant, or other business. Pronunciation Irasshaimase is a pretty fun word to say, especially if you want to accurately mimic shopkeepers. It is pronounced ee-rah-shy-moss-eh, with a slight pause between the "rah" and "shy" sounds. Don't forget that the Japanese "r" sounds like a combination of the English "r," "l," and "d" sounds. Usage Although you most likely won’t need to say this word aloud, it’s important to understand what it means so that you can know why people are yelling it at you when you enter a store! There’s no need to respond to this greeting. However, it doesn’t hurt to offer a polite nod and a smile, especially if the person saying it is looking at you or in your direction. You might occasionally hear the shortened version of this word, irasshai 㠁„ら㠁 £Ã£ â€"ã‚Æ'㠁„. Mastering Japanese greetings takes time- but luckily not as long as mastering calligraphy does. How to Use Japanese Greetings: 2 Essential Tips We’ve gone over quite a few common greetings, from how to say good morning in Japanese to how to welcome customers to a shop or restaurant in Japanese. Now, we'll look at two essential tips to help you use all of these Japanese greetings correctly. Tip 1: Bow When Appropriate Not every situation requires a 90 degree bow, but it’s important to remember to bow (or at least offer a deep head nod) when appropriate so that you don't offend anyone- especially when it comes to teachers/professors, bosses, clients, etc. For example, say you're taking a Japanese class. As you leave the classroom, it would be expected for you to say shitsureishimasu. While you don’t necessarily need to stop and do a full bow to your teacher, a low head nod and a smile is both polite and appropriate. Tip 2: When in Doubt, Err on Formal If you’re studying Japanese, you’ve likely heard that formality is a big deal in Japanese culture. This is generally true- and it can make using the Japanese language pretty darn confusing. If you’re ever doubting whether to use the formal or casual form of a phrase, just go with formal. There’s nothing wrong with being a little more polite; however, it’s definitely wrong (and offensive!) to be overly casual when you should be using far more deferential language with whomever you're speaking to. Ultimately, the only time you should use casual Japanese is when you're speaking with close friends and family members (although even within families, children are usually expected to use more respectful language toward older relatives). What’s Next? Got questions about literary devices, too? Check out our extensive guide to the most common literary devices you'll find in works of fiction, and learn how to identify them in anything you read. If you're stumped on science, we've got you covered. Read our guides to learn how to identify the different types of clouds and how to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Analysing the effect of long working hours in Hong Kong's clothing Research Paper

Analysing the effect of long working hours in Hong Kong's clothing retail industry - Research Paper Example This paper will examine the current state of the work of employees in the clothing industry and will show how this is currently affecting those who are subjected to long working hours and the inability to take off more time for family. There will also be an association with how the longer working hours change the effectiveness of the organization and the ability to create sustainable development because of individual complexities from the longer working hours. 1.1 Statement Problem and Rationale The problem with long working hours in Hong Kong is now considered at an epidemic level, specifically among the apparel industry. The demands that are a part of the competition have created the specific problems with the industry because of the amount of competition and the need to remain a priority among Western demands. This is combined with the long working hours becoming socially and culturally accepted to stimulate the economy without having political recourse or labor intensive laws tha t change the main attributes within the industry. The working hours are intertwined with the individual, family, organization and overall apparel industry, making the issue complex with finding policies and standards among a culture. The physical and mental health of employees is first affected. However, the long working hours often don’t change because the inability to produce in a highly competitive environment may become detrimental. The image, reputation and the high performance levels expected then begin to affect the company. This complexity makes it difficult to carry through with specific standards and policies that would demand ethics sand the reaction within the culture provides several problems that are a part of the long hours. The need to alter the standards and understand the detrimental effects of longer working hours is one that is intertwined with the individual outcomes, family problems and the corporate changes that don’t provide the correct affiliat ion with building into the economy with ethical considerations in mind first. Understanding how each area is affected by the longer working hours and what this leads to can then help those working in the fashion industry to begin to change ethical standards and find different alternatives to compete with human resources. 1.2 Investigative Questions The problem with the working industry is one which is defined specifically by the inability to change the needs of employees who are expected to work long hours. The investigative questions asked in this study include: 1. What are the impacts of long working hours on individuals and families in the Hong Kong clothing retail industry? 2. What are the main influences of the long working hours on organizations in the Hong Kong clothing retail industry? 3. What measures can be taken to prevent and relieve negative effects of LWH in Hong Kong clothing retail industry? 2.0 Literature Review The problem with long working hours is one that begins by impacting the individual then moves into the associations with the organization. While higher amounts of productivity are expected with longer working hours, there is also the impact that is made on the organization that

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Rawls's Theory of Distributive Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rawls's Theory of Distributive Justice - Essay Example Rawls’s theory has an historical root from social contract tradition that is associated with Thomas John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Traditional social contract theory addresses a state of nature that describes the content of a social contract which is an agreement to enter civil society. Distributive justice deals with the questions of distribution of liberties, wealth, and income (Rawls, 2003) According to Rawls there are two principles that are supposed to govern the basic makeup of a just society are the parties to the original position: an imaginary circumstance which specially constructed by a rational individual. The principles are (a) the principle of equal liberty and social justice where each individual has equal claim to adequate basic rights and liberties. In this system there are equal political liberties with guaranteed fair share. (b) The difference principle: there are social and economic inequalities that are attached to positions which are open to all un der conditions of equal opportunity, and they are to benefit even the least advantaged member in the society (Rawls, 2003). According to this principle, an inequality can benefit the person who gets the smaller share. Inequalities can form incentives which increase the size to shared, so that the smaller piece may be larger in absolute terms. The difference principle deals with strict equality under circumstances where differences in income and other rewards do not affect the incentives of an individual. On the other hand, in the real world currently, greater rewards bring forth greater productive effort, thus increasing the total wealth of the economy and therefore the wealth of the least advantaged (Rawls, 2003). Rawls argues that if the skilled and motivated increase their rewards then the poor will benefit than they would have been through equal allocation of income. He also realizes that redistribution cannot go as far as his moral preference for equality without making everyon e worse off. He argues for inheritance taxes because unregulated transfer of wealth through generation would end up in the accumulation of wealth in given section of society. According to Rawls, individuals who are not lucky enough to have wealthy parents do not have worse starting points than those who were so fortunate. He contends that society should tax the wealthy with the undeserved inherited gain of children of rich persons (Gerald, 1999). According to Rawls such a system of justice will limit the unfair resources and encourage the redistribution which will favor the disadvantaged. For Rawls it is unfair to leave the disadvantaged in no better position than before, even if the inequality does not harm them. In this way he emphasized the distribution type of justice which favored equal distribution of basic commodities like income and wealth. Practically, it implies that in difference principle, the society must distribute wealth up to the extent that the wealth of the most di sadvantaged is improved. In essence the society must tax and reallocate wealth of wealthy individual to the point where their incentive to generate more just fade away. Rawls describes his theory as political because it does not depend on assumptions that are usually unclear to rational citizens in a pluralistic society. He argues that justice require equality as it complies where everyone has fair equal rights and liberties. To Rawls disagreements are resolved on the basis of prior agreement

Sexual Harassment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sexual Harassment - Research Paper Example (The Masschusetts Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights pp. 3-5) What is sexual harassment in employment? Sexual harassment is a situation where an unwanted attention of a sexual behavior occurs in the process of working or seeking work and hence threatens the ability of an individual to earn a living. . (The Masschusetts Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights pp. 3-5) Is it a serious problem? Harassment can be with different behaviors like passing distracting or annoying comments to intimidate, giving threats or demanding to have sexual conduct. The most troublesome and serious situation happens when an employee faces a supervisor who makes sexual demands accompanied by job-related threats. Majority of the people thinks that such situation becomes very critical to handle. Such situations especially happen where jobs are scarce and when the employee has few job skills. (Conte pp. 6-10) However, less unmitigated forms of harassment may also have the serious effect of threatening the income of an employee or his or her career prospects. Acts that may appear to be disturbing and distracting from the victim's perspective, may sufficiently lead to a fall in work performance or might even try to take majority day offs in order to ignore such situations. (Conte pp. 6-7) Who are the victims? According to most of the studies, this kind of problem of encountering sex related threats demands, and annoying behavior are being mostly faced by women. This is understood because it is very consistent with the way power is distributed in the workplace as women workers are typically at the bottom of the job ladder, and those in supervisory positions are mostly males. (Boland p. 12-18) There are many variations to these work places like professors happen to be mostly male, are in a position to take advantage of students, female enrollment in skilled trades apprenticeships is increasing, but instructors, union officials, and foremen are almost invariably male and even female professionals employed by corporations, government agencies, and other large institutions are almost always responsible to male executives. Those who claim that there are places where males get harassed by females do have a point and must get equal consideration, but very few females are in a position to take advantage over males in the workplace. Sexual overtures from the employee to the supervisor hardly entail the threat associated with the reverse. (Boland p. 12-18) Why is this issue receiving so much attention recently? Sexual harassment in the workplace is a very old problem. Women have put up with it in the past because there has been no simple escape. However, recent increases in the number of women in the labor force have made us aware of a whole range of ignored issues of concern to working women—harassment, child care, comparable worth, and others. In the last few years, court decisions and guidelines of Federal and State agencies h ave made it clear that sexual harassment is illegal and has defined the responsibilities of employers in

Rawls's Theory of Distributive Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rawls's Theory of Distributive Justice - Essay Example Rawls’s theory has an historical root from social contract tradition that is associated with Thomas John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Traditional social contract theory addresses a state of nature that describes the content of a social contract which is an agreement to enter civil society. Distributive justice deals with the questions of distribution of liberties, wealth, and income (Rawls, 2003) According to Rawls there are two principles that are supposed to govern the basic makeup of a just society are the parties to the original position: an imaginary circumstance which specially constructed by a rational individual. The principles are (a) the principle of equal liberty and social justice where each individual has equal claim to adequate basic rights and liberties. In this system there are equal political liberties with guaranteed fair share. (b) The difference principle: there are social and economic inequalities that are attached to positions which are open to all un der conditions of equal opportunity, and they are to benefit even the least advantaged member in the society (Rawls, 2003). According to this principle, an inequality can benefit the person who gets the smaller share. Inequalities can form incentives which increase the size to shared, so that the smaller piece may be larger in absolute terms. The difference principle deals with strict equality under circumstances where differences in income and other rewards do not affect the incentives of an individual. On the other hand, in the real world currently, greater rewards bring forth greater productive effort, thus increasing the total wealth of the economy and therefore the wealth of the least advantaged (Rawls, 2003). Rawls argues that if the skilled and motivated increase their rewards then the poor will benefit than they would have been through equal allocation of income. He also realizes that redistribution cannot go as far as his moral preference for equality without making everyon e worse off. He argues for inheritance taxes because unregulated transfer of wealth through generation would end up in the accumulation of wealth in given section of society. According to Rawls, individuals who are not lucky enough to have wealthy parents do not have worse starting points than those who were so fortunate. He contends that society should tax the wealthy with the undeserved inherited gain of children of rich persons (Gerald, 1999). According to Rawls such a system of justice will limit the unfair resources and encourage the redistribution which will favor the disadvantaged. For Rawls it is unfair to leave the disadvantaged in no better position than before, even if the inequality does not harm them. In this way he emphasized the distribution type of justice which favored equal distribution of basic commodities like income and wealth. Practically, it implies that in difference principle, the society must distribute wealth up to the extent that the wealth of the most di sadvantaged is improved. In essence the society must tax and reallocate wealth of wealthy individual to the point where their incentive to generate more just fade away. Rawls describes his theory as political because it does not depend on assumptions that are usually unclear to rational citizens in a pluralistic society. He argues that justice require equality as it complies where everyone has fair equal rights and liberties. To Rawls disagreements are resolved on the basis of prior agreement

HR1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

HR1 - Essay Example The recruitment policies, training and development, reward management, performance management and employee involvement in Nando’s are centered upon in order to recommend appropriate HRM strategies (Carpenter, Sanders and Gregersen, 2001). Moreover, the host country’s economic drivers, the organizational issues, cultural issues also effect effective strategy implementation. Various models have been implemented for evaluation of international business environment in China. By examining all these factors, the HRM strategy is linked with the overall business strategy of Nando’s. After a detailed analysis appropriate recommendations are provided to Nando’s that will support the strategic human resource plan of the company for establishing joint venture with Tricon Global Restaurant, Inc. in China. The renowned chicken chain Nando’s has expanded their business further across the country in the past few years with increasing revenues. Nando’s international is a fast food chain first created in South Africa, had a rapid development worldwide but was not successful everywhere (Datta, Guthrie and Wright, 2005). In a continuous complex trading environment, the company has been performing satisfactorily. Despite of its long success history the company is facing expansion problems and are striving to overcome them. The organization has decided to expand its business through joint venture and which will require more staff to be hired. In their recruitment process, Nando’s face challenges that their new staff may not have any experience of working as a family and may lack commitment to their tasks. Proper training and human resourse management is crucial to effective manage their culturally diverse employees. South Africa which is the parent location of Nandos is f acing an economic downturn (Wright, Dunford and Snell, 2001). The recent phase of capitalism that can be referred to as globalization has a complex impact on

Cell Phone Technology Essay Example for Free

Cell Phone Technology Essay Technology had become engrained in our society. Everywhere people are using cell phones, including children and teenagers. Cell phone technology and technology in general have change the way we do everything in our society. Technology has dramatically altered our world. They have become a necessary part of everyday life so much so that it is leaking into the education world as a new tool despite the concern of the negative effects of cell phone technology. There is a new wave in some schools around the United States. There are some districts that are embracing the use of cell phones in the classroom. Some administers have come around to the thinking that the use of this technology in the classroom can be of benefit in the learning setting. There are also concerns that the same technology can be too distracting for students. However, the use of cell phones in the educational world is worth looking at despite some of the concerns that many adults share. Texting has become the preferred method of basic communication between teenagers and their friends. Seventy-five percent of 12-17 year olds own cell phones, which is up from forty-five percent in 2004 (Lenhart, 2010). Phones have no doubt become an indispensable tool in communication for teens. Eighty-eight percent of teen cell phone users are text messengers (Lenhart, 2010). More than half (fifty-four percent) are daily texters. Among all teens, the use of texting has overtaken the frequency of every other form of communication. The concern about the overuse of cell phones is that it may have negative consequences in teenager’s education.  ¼ of text messages that teens send are sent during class. A survey conducted by Beneson’s online poll, polled 1,013 teens- eighty-four percent that have cell phones-show that a significant number of stud ents have information stored on their phones or has texted answers to their friends. The same poll also found teens send 440 text messages a week on average, 110 of them sent during class (Toppo, 2009). For this reason cell phone use is prohibited for use during the school say within most public schools in the United States. Most administrations and teachers feel that cell phone usage is a negative distraction and deterrent to learning. Administrators are often concerned about the inappropriate use of cell phones, which is the reason that there are restrictions of cell phone (according to Obringer Coffey, 2007, St. Gerard, 2006). Cell phones ringing can present unwanted distraction and for some students, sending and receiving text messages that can lead to cheating (according to Gilroy, 2003). There is also the real possibility of students posting improper pictures is a concern (according to Obringer Coffey, 2007). However, many are choosing to look at cell phones as a new learning tool in the classroom setting. Over the years we have seen on the news about students posting improper photos and language on social networking sites, which causes administrators and teachers to have a real concern. These concerns that many have are valid, and should be addressed. There have been many cases in which the abuse of cell phones has been a huge problem, but administrators want to take a chance on using cell phones in this setting. The important thing to keep in mind that there is down side, yes, but there is a way to monitor the use of this technology too. PPCD teacher Debra Vela, who has 17 years of teaching experience says, â€Å"Sexting, posting of improper photos and cheating may be a legitimate worry, but the benefits outweigh these negative points.† Students today are referred to as â€Å"Digital Natives† (according to Prensky, 2001). They have grown up with technology and multitasking, and in the habit of quickly processing information (Humble-Thaden, 2011). However, as cell phone technology expands with the possibilities of texting, web browsing and gaming have increased over the recent years and administrators are still worried about the distractions of electronic devices. A survey of students and parents by the group Common Sense Media found that almost seventy percent of schools around the country ban cell phone use during the school day (Schachter, 2009). There are some districts and administrators, though that are beginning to realize the potential of cell phones. It is a part an â€Å"anytime, anywhere† learning movement (Schachter, 2009). This leaves laptops and even smaller netbooks behind, in favor for more mobile, affordable and reliable handheld devices like â€Å"smartphones† that can run such programs as Windows Mobile. â€Å"Technology has finally progressed to where mobile devices are cheap and powerful enough to use,† observes Elliot Soloway, a professor at the University of Michigan (Schachter, 2009). A study of twenty-five mobile learning initiatives worldwide by the Joan Ganz Cooney Foundation Center at Sesame Workshop anointed them the wave of the future. â€Å"Just as Sesame Street help transformed television into a revolutionary tool for learning among young children four decades ago, advances in mobile technologies are showing untapped educational potential for today’s generation,† the report author’s wrote (Schachter, 2009). In 1969, the way children learned changed when Sesame Street aired on PBS. The loved Muppets of the educational show captured the hearts and attention of toddlers. The show taught them the basics of 123’s and ABC’s to the importance of friendships. Before the age of four, children had already learned the basics for their future education by watching this television show. The same is happening today with the use of cell phones. It is drastically changing the face of the way children learn and take information in. Fifth graders at Trinity Meadows (Keller, TX) spent most of their days on their HTC 6800 smartphones, using the GoKnow’s platform. Fifty-five students led the way in a pilot program using the new generation of cell phones and their advanced technology for educational ends. For example, students can draw the solar system on their devices and animate them to show them in real obit. Students can also upload assignments the teacher sends to the server and then the teacher can grade them and submit them back to the student electronically (Schachter, 200). At an early age, children are learning the advantages of technolog y, and will carry it into the future. They are learning to use cell phones as a learning tool, and making the best of what this technology has to offer. Children today have a chance to express themselves creatively and learn in a way that they are familiar with. They are at an advantage since they are already so use to using the technology the world has to offer. â€Å"Allowing children to use cell phone technology in the classroom will provide them with the tools for more creativity to create wonderful projects,† Vela says. This pilot program has shown that the use of cell phone technology in the classroom can be of benefit to the students. Not only that the teachers have a new method of reaching students that they otherwise would not have. With the use of cell phone teachers have new ways of teaching lessons, and the interactivity of these lessons are more likely to reach the minds of students. With the use of cell phone technology in the classroom the children that need a more creative outlet this provides them with platform to do so. Children that need this outlet can create and not be tied down to pencil, paper, marker, c rayons and glue. This allows them to be able to express themselves using the medium that they know best. Using cell phones in the classroom settings as a tool enables them to stay focused and interested in the things that they are learning. Technology is such an important part of everyday life, especially in cell phone technologies. And because of the increasing improvement of cell phone technology has allowed the next generation to use them in a whole new way to learn. Although, there is concern about the overuse of cell phones, the benefits may outweigh the negatives. â€Å"I still think students need to learn the ‘old fashion’ way because what happens if technology becomes unavailable to them? Also students need to be able to use their brains for higher learning,† says Vela. Technology is a wonderful tool to use in the classroom for all age groups. They can benefit from the interactivity of the Internet and all the information that the World Wide Web has to offer students as well as teachers. Children in today’s classrooms have an opportunity that past generations did not have. They have the chance to make a big impression on their lives by allowing themselves to use cell phones to their advantage not their disadvantage. The technology of cell phones has taken over almost every aspect of human activity. Adults as well as children have been consumed by the use of them, and now it has leaked over into the world of education. There are many concerns about the overuse of this technology, but many districts are taking the chance to embrace it and try it out in the classrooms. It has been shown that there are benefits for school children. Although, there is some debate about this issue it is important to remember that there is a need for balance. Reference Lenhart, Amanda. (2010). Teens, cell phone and texting. Pew Research Center Publications. Retrieved 3 June 2012 from http://pewresearch.org. Humble-Thaden, Beth. (2011). Student Reflective Perception of High School Educational Cell Phone Technology Usage. Journal of Technology Studies. Retrieved 3 June 2010 from http://web.ebscohost.com. Toppo, Greg. (2009). Survey: Many teens use phones in class to text or cheat. USA Today. Retrieved 3 June 2012 from http://www.usatoday.com. Schachter, Ron. (2009). Mobile Devices in the classroom. District Administration Magazine. Retrieved 4 June 2012 from http://ww.eric.com. Interview: Debra Vela, PPCD Teacher, 17+ years teaching.

The Wembley National Stadium Construction Essay

The Wembley National Stadium Construction Essay It was built to be the new home of football; to be one of the largest and magnificent stadiums in the world and designed to be state-of-the-art with a seating capacity of 90,000. Designed by the World Stadium Team led by Mott MacDonald, the Wembley Stadium now stands as the most expensive stadium ever built, the longest single-span roof structure in the world (315m), second largest stadium in Europe and the tallest in the world (133m) with every seat under roof cover. The concept was to build a state-of-the-art stadium, with none that can compare anywhere else in the world. The new stadium has a partly retractable roof which can be adjusted to allow sunlight to reach all parts of the pitch. During bad weather, the roof can be retracted in about 15 minutes to cover every seat (http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/wembley/).  £120 million from the Lottery Fund was invested into the stadium with an additional loan of  £426 million through West Deutsche Landesbank. A fixed price contract was reached between the client and contractors. This made provision for a building cost of  £352 million and total project costs of  £757 million (Public Accounts Committee, 2004). However, like most iconic construction projects of national interest, the Wembley project was not spared its own share of controversies, accusations, rumours, anxieties and fascination. The Football Association (FA) must have imagined a spectacular 2006 FA Cup grand finale, the biggest UK soccer championship at Wembley National Stadium. Unfortunately, this important event had to be moved all the way to Wales! What was wrong? Wembley Stadiums extraordinarily ambitious re-development was utterly behind schedule.  The project later opened in March 2007, almost a year behind schedule and  £70million over budget and has since then kept some of the finest construction lawyers in constant employment. The Wembley Stadium concept was definitely ambitious and the product stands now impressively. Even more breathe taking is the 133m arch which when lit up at night shinning gloriously, and can even be seen across London. Wembley has indeed become Englands new icon of football. The client for the project was the Football Association (FA) working through its subsidiary the Wembley National Stadium Ltd (WNSL). The main contractor was Multiplex Constructions with Mott MacDonald being the Lead Designers. The project used two project advisors; Tropus at the initial stages (1997-2001) and Capita Symonds (2001-2006). The initial steel contractor was Cleveland Bridge 2.0 Problems during the project A litany of problems can be identified that bedevilled the construction of the Wembley Stadium mainly adversarial contracts, unreasonable risk allocation, cash-flow problems, design changes, poor performance, poor site management and litigations. These are presented in details below: Delays and indecisiveness even before the project begun: Plans for a new stadium were beset with delays, management problems and increasing costs since December 1996. The designs were revealed in 1999 and the stadium should have been completed in 2003 but the work itself started only in September 2002 due to many political and financial problems. The project was finally rescheduled to complete in May 2006 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2119413.stm). Design Problems: Multiplex argued that Mott MacDonald`s design for the Wembley steel work was not fit for purpose and that the initial designs were not correct, constructible, co-ordinated and consistent. It further stated that Mott MacDonalds deficient design, failure to warn and/or take action is shown in many thousands of individual acts or omissions (Technology and Construction Court (TCC), 2006). Scope Creep: The initial scope was to accommodate athletics, rugby and football in the same stadium. This later became very controversial and resulted in the removal of athletics from the scheme in 1999, because of the technical and commercial challenges of accommodating the three sports within the same stadium. In December 2001, the scope was further changed with the removal of a hotel from the project, the expansion of hospitality suites and considerable changes to the north side of the stadium bowl. This took the Mott Consortium 7-8 months to redesign. These changes increased the cost of the project especially in steel works (TCC, 2006). Procurement Issues: In the conclusions of Public Accounts Committee (Eighth Report of Session 2003-04), it stated that Best procurement practice has not been followed on what is a high profile project Organisations responsible for managing projects should be expected to set out a formal procurement process, which treats all bidders equally to avoid giving any one a potential advantage over the others. It further criticised Wembley National Stadium Limited for failing to follow a detailed and overt formal procurement process and having dialogue with Multiplex prior to starting the procurement process. A report by former Wembley project manager Tropus, said the appointment was made with undue speed. The James Report also concluded that there had been serious flaws in the procurement policies.'(James Report, 2002) Poor Communication: Apart from the major changes in the scope of the works, Multiplex  lamented not given access to vital design information which made them underprice the steelwork. Mott on the other hand thought Multiplex was aware of the state of design, having managed the design process and having been intimately involved in the design work. (Wembley Stadium into Injury Time, 2002) Poor Planning and organisation: A lot of decisions seem to have been made hastily. No wonder several changes had to be made at later stages. When it became a prime objective to finish the project in time for the FA Cup finale in May 2006, efficiency and cost effectiveness became secondary issues. In my opinion, a lot of problems could have been avoided if Multiplex did not have to rush the job to meet unrealistic deadlines. Multiplex claims that it has sustained significant losses as a result of a multitude of breaches of contract and/or acts of negligence by the consultant, which had far-reaching effects for Wembley (TCC, 2006; Baloch, 2008). Disputes and disagreements: Cleveland Bridge (CB), the steel contractor terminated their contract in 2004 because they did not believe they would be paid for materials and that there were seemingly insurmountable difficulties between them and Multiplex. A sustained input from a steelwork subcontractor could have greatly influenced the timely completion of the project but eventually CB had to be replaced with all attending problems of a new project team member. Health and Safety problems: In March 2006, a temporary roof support fell by over half resulting in the evacuation of all construction workers and delay of work. Another accident occurred January 2004 resulting in the death of one construction worker and the injury of another when a platform collapsed without warning, trapping the men underneath (http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/wembley/) Poor Performance by Cleveland Bridge: Delays were caused by CB as not all the steel sent to China could be fabricated in time to comply with the programme. So the steel sent to China was often shipped back to England with most not fabricated. Furthermore the steel sent to site was often missing crucial pieces (meaning it could not be erected) or else was untagged with the consequence that site staff could not identify the relevant pieces of steel (TCC, 2006). Poor Supervision by Sports England: The Government was less than happy with the level of supervision offered by Sport England. It stated that Sport Englands performance in monitoring the progress of the project has been lack, slovenly and supine. This ultimately resulted in supply team missing the focal point of the project right from the beginning and before long, a lot was out of hand (Wembley Stadium into Injury Time, 2002). Poor Stakeholder management: In a statement by The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sports Committee, it blamed some of the problems encountered on the project on poor stakeholder management. It said, the project had been undermined by the fundamental failure to include all representatives at the outset in planning the redevelopment (www.publications.parliament.uk). The resignation of Ken Bates in 2001 as chairman of WNSL gives a further hint. He cited a lack of support from the board and that he had been undermined by senior figures within both the government and the FA. He remarkably said, Even Jesus Christ only had one Pontius Pilate I had a whole team of them. (www.forbes.com). 3.0 The Problems Encountered: The Role of Project Management Project Management (PM) is the . . . application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to achieve project requirements. (PMBoK, 2004). This same theme runs through other standards for PM including BS6079 and ISO 10006. Suffice it for now to say that PM is the managerial responsibility and actions involved in completing a project on time, in budget and to the specified quality standards, in accordance with the traditional performance criteria. The role of PM in the Wembley project will now be appraised under some of the key knowledge areas identified in the PMBoK. 3.1 Project Scope Management This involves developing a scope statement that will define the boundaries of the project and verify the amount of work to be done. PM uses such tools as brainstorming, fast diagrams, Value Management workshops to define the project. This is because if you have the wrong definition, you may come up with the right solution-to the wrong problem!(Lewis, 2007). If scope definition is not holistically carried out, major changes such as those experienced on Wembley may occur later and cause delays, cost variations leading to claims and litigations. This, I believe, was the akiles heel of this iconic project. Where change becomes inevitable, PM should manage them to protect the project from the effects of scope creep. Wembley failed in this area resulting in the considerable cost and time overruns. Lewis (2007) rightly said, I have become convinced that projects seldom fail at the end. Rather, they fail at the definition stage. 3.2 Project Time Management PM adorns itself with yet another accolade of being able to effectively estimate time frame for projects realistically and defining work packages and milestone to achieve this target. It employs one of its popular tools of Critical Path Method and scheduling in this respect. Many softwares including Primavera and MS Project have also been developed to helped in the management of time. Kaming (1997), Elinwa (2001) and Aibini (2006) however reveal that the occurrence of time overruns is high and that overruns can occur of projects irrespective of its size. Wembley was no exception. Some of the disputes, changes, cash flow problems, design problems etc. that caused resulted in the project being delivered in 10 months late and the subsequent changing of the FA Cup finals to Wales could have been avoided through effective project time management. PM should have helped to come out with a realistic duration for the project. 3.3 Project Cost Management This involves estimating the cost of all resources and such things as travel and other support details. After this is done, costs are budgeted and tracked to keep the project within that budget (Rad, 2002). This is very important in PM as the first question most clients ask is how much will it cost? It is the duty of the PM to realistically determine what it will cost to achieve a particular scope. The tough question then arises. Was Wembleys initial cost of  £445million realistic? Why did cost rise astronomically to  £757million at completion? The project even had to be stalled into injury time just to seek additional funding. Why couldnt PM prevent this? Much of the blame lies squarely on PMs failure to realistically estimate cost at conception. 3.4 Project Communications Management This is the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, and disposition of project information. (PMBoK, 2004). Multiplex  claims it was not given access to vital design information and that this led to increased steelwork costs. Mott MacDonald on the other hand dismisses this saying, Multiplex was aware of the state of design, having managed the design process and having been intimately involved in the design work (TCC, 2006). PM is supposed to create a smooth communication interface between all parties to forestall these misunderstandings. 3.5 Project Procurement Management This helps in selecting the most appropriate contractors and suppliers, administers the contract as well as form the best working relationships between all parties to achieve project goals. The Public Accounts Committee (2003-04), stated that Best procurement practice has not been followed on what is a high profile project PM should have also salvaged the problem between Mott, Cleveland and Multiplex before it got out of hand, resulting in Cleveland walking away from the project with its attending problems. More also, it is known that competitive tendering and cost as a selection criteria has produced poor results in construction over the years and PM should have helped in designing the best procurement approach to prevent the problems (Egan, 1998). The contract used for the project was fixed cost method in which the client cleverly shirks risk to the contractor. This form of contract invariably results in creating an adversarial environment with where each party involved focuses their attentions on the needs and risks of their businesses as opposed to those of the project (Morriss, P. and Hollis, A., 2005).This may well be another area that grossly affected the results on Wembley and effective PM should have prevented this. 3.6 Stakeholder Management: Freeman and McVea (2001) describe this function as looking out from the firm or project and identifying, and investing in all the relationships that will ensure long-term success. At concept stage, this is used to collect views of all interested parties, especially those of end users who usually hold vital information that may be critical to the design, function and success of a project. If this was effectively done, it would have prevented the acrimony that grew between some of the contractors and would have saved the project from unnecessary delays and increased cost of replacing Cleveland Bridge. It would have helped to produce the best fitting design as well as sort out the fact that athletics, football and rugby in the same venue would present a lot of technical and functional difficulties at the design stage saving the project from about 8 months of redesign. 3.7 Site Management: Chan (1997) showed that out of 8 group factors that caused delays in construction projects, poor site management and supervision was amongst the top five. The accusations and counter-accusations during the hearing at the Technology and Construction Court between Multiplex and Cleveland Bridge gives us yet another glimpse into an area of failure of PM on Wembley. The site was poorly managed as it was littered with random pieces of steel that had been delivered in the wrong order and a significant quantity of steel was sitting on trailers adjacent to the site or around the perimeter. This had the potential of disrupting flow of activities and even causing accidents (TCC, 2006). 4.0 The Actions and MeasureS that should have been taken The influential Latham (1994) and Egan (1998) reports called for new approaches to construction- one in which client leadership is key and where there is greater collaborative working between firms within the construction supply chain. Egan summarised five key drivers of change namely committed leadership; a focus on the customer; integrated processes and teams; a quality driven agenda; and a commitment to people. Some of the necessary actions and measures that should have been taken is now presented below: 4.1 Key Client Leadership: The new Terminal Five at Heathrow is a widely acclaimed example of current construction best practice. The approach was unique and tailored to the very needs of the project i.e. the client took a level of ownership of project thus creating a clear vision for how it wanted the project delivered and also staying close enough to the project from inception to completion (Brady, 2008). Latham (1994) recommended that the client should be at the core of the construction process because clients [essentially] drive best practice. Egan (1998). The Client in the Wembley Stadium project was the Football Association and thus should have: stayed close enough to the project, monitoring it and to make sure things dont go out of hand; ensured that major changes to the scope of works was frozen at a particular point on the project or avoided altogether. These changes often result in dispute, delays and extra expense; made sure that adequate funding was secured for the project before it even begun and that the estimation of both time and cost were realistically carried out; come out with clear, concise, realistic and unambiguous objectives at the conception of the project involving all necessary stakeholders so that major changes, such as those that were experienced, could be avoided; shared in risk of development/construction rather than cleverly shoving it to contractors. 4.2 The Heathrow Method: Terminal 5 was an audacious development project that involved more than 60 contractors and 16 major projects. British Airways Authority (BAA) adopted a unique approach to the project to make sure it is completed both on time and within budget. It used an innovative form of cost-reimbursable contract the T5 Agreement under which BAA holds all the risks associated with the project rather than transferring the risks to external suppliers and guarantees a level of pro ¬Ã‚ t for suppliers. (Brady, 2008). The Agreement included an incentive payment for contractors that achieved a certain level of performance. It decided to reimburse the costs of delivery and to reward exceptional performance and punish mediocre and poor performance only in terms of pro ¬Ã‚ tability. This created some sort of win-win environment for all parties and motivated the contractors to focus their attention on the needs of the project and collectively solve problems rather than concen trate on their own business risks and interests. These are the fundamental reasons why T5 achieved the laudable success of staying within budget and cost at completion. Cleveland would not have walked out of the job if it was given firm assurance of re-imbursement of cost incurred. The contracts should have been designed with an approach that offered incentives to all, for improvement in cost, time or quality and not in an adversarial environment associated with fixed cost contracts. 4.3 Integrating the Supply chain: Both Latham (1994) and Egan (1998) underscored the importance of using integrated teams to realise project goals. The T5 approach used by BAA combined two main principles: the client always bears the risk; and partners are worth more than suppliers. It provides an appropriate environment for integrated team working [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] to enable suppliers to work effectively and focus on meeting the projects objectives not only in relation to the traditional time, budget, and quality measures but also in relation to safety and environmental targets (Brady, 2008). By doing that you take away negativity, allow space for innovation and create any opportunity for people to perform at levels they havent been allowed to before (Mylius, 2005). 4.4 Involvement of end users: End users often hold vital information as they are usually in a better position to comment on the detailed requirements for a building than senior management who may not even be the occupants of the building when it is completed. After all, the users have first hand experience of what makes a building successful or otherwise (Menches, 2008). By the use of such methods as focus groups, value management workshops and major surveys, the issue of athletics, rugby and football in the same venue could have been resolved even before any detailed design and thus eliminating the extensive delays and cost implications it had on the project (Barrett, P., and Stanley, C., 1999). 4.5 Use of a Project bank: In an attempt to integrate project teams in an atmosphere of trust, collaboration and openness, the National Audit Office (NAO) of the UK suggested the use of a project bank account. To ensure better construction, it said, suppliers [require] greater certainty that they will be paid on time to re-enforce the trust that should exist between all parties for collaborative working to operate effectively. This was endorsed by the Specialist Contractors who indicated that payments for the project delivery team should be protected and secure, which would, in turn, significantly reduce disputes and, more importantly, will encourage closer working relationships between all parties. (Parliamentary Newsletter, Issue 3, Spring/Summer 2006). 4.6 Best Project Management Practice: At the execution level, much of the problems that occurred on the project could have been avoided or its impact attenuated if best project management practice was adopted by all especially Multiplex and Cleveland Bridge. Problems of poor site management practice, poor or incorrect fabrication of steel, design change management and communication could have been arrested with proper planning, organisation and control. 4.7 Careful Monitoring: Projects rarely stay on track in terms of time and cost. the more likely occurrence is that projects will be behind schedule yet over budget at any point in time. Good project management carefully and critically appraises all factors that a likely to push a project off schedule (Office of Government Commerce, 2005). Monitoring progress carefully and instigating timely corrective actions by both WNSL, Multiplex as well as the FA, would have helped identify the likely impact of any problems so that action can be taken to get the project back on track. 5.0 Conclusion Experience is a great asset to professionals practicing in any discipline, whether that experience comes from success or failure and whoever fails to learn from his mistakes is doomed to repeat them. Some of the key lessons on Wembley Stadium is thus now summarised below: Adequate time and effort needs to be invested in the strategic planning phase of every project to come out with clear, realistic, and unambiguous project objectives; Project team must engage effectively with users and other external stakeholders especially at the concept stage of any scheme to save the project from major changes with its attending problems; Construction procurement must move away from competitive tendering and cost as the selection criteria and develop procedures that use performance and team partnering and capability; Contracts must be designed to provide incentive to all for cost and time improvement and also forge a win-win environment between clients and supply chain members; Enough resources have to be made available for the project based on realistic estimates; Clients must assume central roles in projects for they essentially drive best practice; Continual change in project requirements and scope can be very detrimental for the project; Dysfunctional relationships and fragmentation can turn a perfect project scheme into a complete chaos and thus project teams must operate as a cohesive unit, with clear allocation of roles and responsibilities. Finally, it is evident, at least from the Wembley Stadium project that a poor knowledge and a lack awareness of the fundamental project management skills by the client can lead to failure as clients essentially drive best practice. An effective and successful outcome of project management on any project in most cases will only be achieved if both the client and the contractor or project management organisations are effective in the skills of project management. A poor client organisation, in terms of project management, may well drive a good project manager and his team into poor performance. Agreeably, it may not be a panacea due to many circumstances and occurrences that may well be out of its control. However, Project Management stands the chance of producing laudable results if the construction industry stopped treating it casually and unprofessionally but rigorously apply the great worth of knowledge and experience its gathered over the past years, through both its success and failure stories.