Project Initiation Document 'PID' Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Project Initiation Document 'PID' - Assignment Example With other regions offering international higher education courses such as Canada, US, and China; the demand for UK higher education has declined (Universities UK, 2014). In this case, the project aims to accomplish the following objectives: Three areas provide the rationale for this project. Firstly, the UK higher education sector has suffered significant drop of 49% in enrolling international students. Secondly, sectors such as U.S., Canada, and China have increased demand as UK system continues to drop. Third, following political stability and economic improvements, a higher number of Saudi students is seeking higher education institutions to study in. The decrease in the number of international students studying in the UK from the year 2012 to 2014 has impacted various areas of the education system. It is considered that higher education adds significant contribution to the national GDP and also invited diversity. However, following the decrease in students, it is difficult to sustain the system. This project aims at providing a platform that would enable UK universities to recruit Saudi Arabian students in an effort to regulate the drop and sustain full capacity tutoring. The increase in the number of international students taking courses in the U.S., Canada, and China can be attributed to the drop of international students in the UK. Thus, this project aims at targeting Saudi Arabian students in order to prevent the UK education system from collapsing (Universities UK, 2014). The project serves the purpose of inviting Saudi Arabian students to fill the gap that has recently been experienced through international students’ demand for higher education in other sectors. Finally, Saudi Arabia is a Middle East nation that depends on oil. A stable political environment and wealth generation has spawned a generation that requires higher education to manage businesses. Due to increased demand, the project targets Saudi Arabian students who have recently

Ethics Game Dilemmas Essay Example for Free

Ethics Game Dilemmas Essay After completing the ethics games and answering the questions regarding two different dilemma faced by the company G-BioSports, I have compiled this report to present the issues that were brought up in both scenarios. The situations were taken from the point of view of the Associate Director of Operations if the company and the goal was to enforce the company policies, keep the company safe from any lawsuits, act fairly, and come up with the best solution for all parties involved. It is well known that what is legal may or may not be ethical (Trevino, 2011). According to Loyola Marymount University, there is a three-step strategy to resolve ethical problems. Step one is to analyze the consequences, step two analyze the actions, and step three to make a decision. (Loyola, 2009) Mysterious Blogger The ethical dilemma faced by G-BioSports is that one of the employees has been posting blogs regarding company products and safety procedures. However, none of the blog posts were particularly harmful to the company. This issue is ranked one of the â€Å"ten issues raised by IT capabilities.† The issue is privacy: does information’s availability justify its use? (techrepublic.com, 2006) The subsequent issue involved an anonymous email sent by an IT employee named Jamal Moore. He bypassed company security procedures to illegally access company intranet and track blogging from a home PC, as well as sending an anonymous email to expose the blogger. After further review of all email documents, the next step was to determine what company policies had been undermined by these actions. In regards to the anonymous email sent by Jamal, company policy states that â€Å"email transmissions sent outside of our intranet raise confidentiality concerns.† As well as, â€Å"There is a legitimate concern about the security of external email.† Jamal is therefore breaking the company code of conduct for using company resources on his home computer, as well as bypassing security protocols due to his IT knowledge. Aaron also violated the company’s Confidential Information section of policy which reads, â€Å"Also, employees may not discuss the company’s business, information, or prospects in any chat room, or web log (blog), regardless of whether t hey use their own name or a pseudonym.† These policies show that Aaron’s actions violate the contractual agreement forbidding him to expose company information, even if it is for a non-threatening purpose. Both cases should result in some form of disciplinary action. In order to fairly justify the disciplinary action  performed all parties involved must be identified, ranking them from highest to lowest impact. After analyzing the effects on all people involved, diagnosing and comparing possible solutions to disciplinary measures must be tackled. The final step would be in implementing the best course of action which meets all goals and would best suite our company and its values. It was helpful when reviewing each solution, to choose an ethical perspective or lens to identify the best course of action from a non-personal standpoint. When evaluating the situation, I examined each of the different perspectives of each ethical lens and how our company’s values could be incorporated into each lens. The Rights and Responsibility lens best fit our company’s overall position on ethical issues (Trevino, 2011). Veiled ID The second ethical simulation examines different aspects of diversity and corporate ethical standards. The incident involved a former employee break-in to company premises and assaulting a current employee who was hospitalized. New security measures need to be implemented in order to prevent any future security breaches. The decision was made to create security measures that will require all employees to carry a photo ID badge to grant access into company facilities. Aisha Mullah, a valued employee for many years, has an ethical inquiry about the photo ID system. Aisha practices the Muslim faith and it is a strict religious requirement that her face must be covered at all times, including in photos. The ethical issue at hand is how to develop a security policy that protects the safety of our employees and accommodates anyone with special needs similar to hers. G-BioSports new security measures should improve employee safety as well as create a good work environment for success. The first step in the decision making process is determining the ethical issue or dilemma. In Aisha’s case, the implementation of photo ID’s for security purposes will create a problem due to her religious beliefs. G-BioSports code of ethics guidelines states, Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity that, â€Å"Promoting diversity within our workforce is important†. It also states â€Å"G-BioSports strictly prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender, gender identity, race, color, veteran status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, mental, or physical disability†. After thorough evaluation of all possible ethical perspectives and issues, I believe the  relationship lens is the correct procedure to follow. This lens would tell us that because our relationship with our employees is necessary to maintain a safe, productive, and morally structured environment we need to take special needs of employees in consideration. This employee needs leniency on the security policy in order to maintain her religious views, but the rest of the company would still follow the ID policy. This way the group as a whole will benefit from the security measures and the relationship with the employee with special needs will be satisfied. Any future ethical problems that arise can be handled in a similar way and employees will feel comfortab le presenting issues they are experiencing with management. Personal Relation The ethical issues that were discussed related to my company in that many employees of my company are from different cultural backgrounds, religions, and have different sexual preferences. Discrimination is definitely something that could be a major problem with the group of individuals that work for the company but the accepting policies and procedures allow for everyone to fit in and feel comfortable. There is no need to hide anything about our personal background in order to get the job or to keep your current without being discriminated against. References Loyola Marymount University. (2009). Resolving an ethical dilemma. Retrieved from http://www.lmu.edu/Page27945.aspx Techrepublic.com. (August 15, 2006. 10 ethical issues confronting IT managers. Retrieved from http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-ethical-issues-confronting-it-managers/6105942 Trevino, L.K. Nelson, K.A. (2011). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

Dr. Noddings Philosophy of Education Essay -- Education Teaching Nodd

Dr. Noddings' Philosophy of Education Nel Noddings is a name unfamiliar to most people outside the educational community; but within it, even at 78, she remains one of the most influential voices. Her central passion which has carried her through 23 years of public school teaching, 10 children, a masters and Ph. D. degree, and over 20 years as a member of the faculty at Stanford can be summed up in one word: care. She writes of it, speaks about it, and practices it. What does Noddings mean when she writes of guiding teachers, â€Å"toward greater sensitivity and competence across all the domains of care.† Does it have a practical methodology behind it? Is it an appeal to pathos? It is difficult to thoroughly unpack all the Noddings has said about caring, but we can initiate our exploration of her concept by reading Maxine Greene's summary of the idea: â€Å"...the caring teacher tries to look through students' eyes, to struggle with them as subjects in search of their own projects, their own ways of making sense of the world.† (129, Philosophical Documents†¦) The idea appears exciting and innovative at first glance, but upon further analysis (as well as comparison with competing educational philosophies) we see that it is a modern form of one of two predominant, competing paradigms within Western tradition. The first paradigm tells us that a welleducated person is, as Locke puts it, â€Å"produced† (55) by the educator. The second paradigm is apparent in Reed and Johnson's summary of Aristotle, â€Å"...to assist human beings in developing their unique capacity to contemplate the world and their role in it.† (18) Noddings compels her reader to the furthest corners of the â€Å"assist† paradigm. For a teacher to â€Å"care† as Noddings prescrib... ...ed about just as much as theirs. Bibliography Noddings, Nel. â€Å"Renewing Democracy in Schools.† Phi Delta Kappan. Bloomington: April 1999. Vol. 80, Iss. 8; pg. 579, 5 pgs. Noddings, Nel. â€Å"Educating Whole People: A Response to Jonathan Cohen.† Harvard Educational Review: Summer 1999. Vol. 76, Iss. 2; pg. 338. Noddings, Nel. â€Å"Teaching Themes of Care.† Phi Delta Kappan. Bloomington: May 1995. Vol. 76, Iss. 9; pg. 675, 5pgs. Noddings, Nel. â€Å"Thinking About Standards.† Phi Delta Kappan. Bloomington: Nov 1997. Vol. 79, Iss. 3; pg. 184, 6 pgs. Noddings, Nel. " Two Concepts of Caring." Philosophy of Education Yearbook. May 29, 2007 http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/eps/PES-Yearbook/1999/noddings.asp>. Reed, Ronald; Johnson, Tony W., ed. "Aristotle,† and â€Å"Maxine Greene." Philosophical Documents in Education. 2nd ed. Vol. 77. Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc., 2000.

Identity in Literature Essay

â€Å"You are not your job; you’re not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You are not your fucking khakis. You are all singing, all dancing crap of the world. † In this excerpt from the book Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, the main character screams this at the group of men standing in front of him while laying down the rules before the first fight of the night. This repetitive and forceful series of statements is directly challenging exactly what the men have always assumed they hold dear and they above all else know: their identities. Identity can be discussed and addressed in many different ways in many diverse media outlets. In the following analyzed and critiqued essays by Bruno Bettelheim, Raymond Carver, and Jorge Luis Borges respectively: the theme of identity is conferred by the phases of establishment, alteration, uncertainty, and realization. The first essay to be analyzed is Bruno Bettelheim’s. In the essay â€Å"The Introduction to the Uses of Enchantment† by Bruno Bettelheim, the writer and psychologist discusses the number of functions that traditional and folk fairy tales can and have served. He says in this work that fairy tales are crucial to children and their development because they encourage the development of the children’s identity. In a direct excerpt from his essay, this is directly addressed. Communicating in a manner which reaches the uneducated mind of the child as well as that of the sophisticated adult . . . airy tales carry important messages to the conscious, the preconscious, and the unconscious mind, on whatever level each is functioning at the time. By dealing with universal human problems, particularly those which preoccupy a child’s mind, these stories speak to his budding ego and encourage its development, while at the same time relieving preconscious and unconscious pressures† (235). Here, the author describes how the fairy tales in question have been able to aide in the development of children’s psychological workings and, in turn, the establishment of the understanding of their self-identity. This is quite easily understood in remembrance of the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood, which warns young boys and girls to avoid strangers as well as be extremely cautious when traveling alone. Fairy tales teach children that â€Å"struggle against severe difficulties in life is unavoidable† (237). Besides the reading of fairy tales, every day experience also leads to the change in associative identity. In Raymond Carter’s â€Å"Cathedral†, there is a very subtle yet directly significant change in identity and understanding within the main character. The main character is a very assumptive man with very little more to say on a subject other than he likes or doesn’t like it, almost as if he doesn’t really care. When the blind friend named Robert of his wife visits, his entire perspective is changed. At the end, the line, â€Å"My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn’t feel like I was inside anything† (126), the main character experiences Robert’s world of seeing things without actually seeing; metaphorically, his eyes were opened while they were closed. The main character can now suddenly understand that all his preconceived assumptions and notions were just stereotypes when, in reality, they life of the blind man might even be more fulfilling than that of those who can see normally. This essay is showing the alteration in identity within the main character because suddenly, he is open to the idea that Robert is nothing that he assumed and is truly someone to revere and look up to. This changes his identity because one’s mindset is directly related to the identity that one has. Another type of identity change occurs within the next essay. While there are two specific selected works by Jorge Luis Borges that are closely associated with identity, the first to be discussed will be â€Å"The Circular Ruins. † In this essay, the author writes of a magician creating the perfect son within his mind and dreaming him into a type of existence separate from the waking life of the magician himself. In the end, he experiences something that changes his entire life and perspective of things. â€Å"He recalled that, of all the creatures of the world, fire was the only one that knew his son was a phantom . . . ut then he knew that death was coming to crown his old age and absolve him of his labors. He walked into the shreds of flame. But they did not bite his flesh; they caressed him and engulfed him without heat or combustion. With relief, with humiliation, with terror, he understood that he too was a mere appearance, dreamt by another† (49 and 50). This is a definite change in the magician’s identity and the perfect representation of a revision to a previous identity. His encounter with the fire shows that he is actually a dream himself, not his â€Å"son. This is a change in identity because what he thought was a real life and existence his entire life was actually the dream of another person on a different plane from him. His realization to this fact allows an entire transformation of character and identity as he will begin the road to coping with his new-found knowledge. This is significant because it reinforces the fact that what one person thought they were their entire lives could actually all be challenged and defeated in one brief and exact moment. Another way of challenging the identity of a person is through a spiritual enlightenment that leads to further recognition of one’s self. In the second analyzed essay by Jorge Luis Borges, there is a somewhat similar but slightly altered message of identity. In â€Å"The Writing of the God,† the main character Tzinacan is tortured and starved by the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado. Tzinacan goes through a change of identity when he suddenly goes through a stage of enlightenment from being imprisoned and left to his own devices in a sandy prison. â€Å". . there occurred union with the deity; union with the universe. . . I saw a wheel of enormous height, which was not before my eyes, or behind them, or to the sides, but everywhere at once. This wheel was made of water, but also of fire, and although I could see its boundaries, it was infinite. It was made of all things that shall be, that are, and that have been, all intertwined, and I was one of the strands within that all-encompassing fabric. . . † (253). This direct excerpt shows Tzinacan’s sudden moment of understanding and knowledge. Here, is an abrupt recognition that he is not one man with one status or one purpose but is instead one with everything and nothing at once. His acknowledgment that he is linked with all things but without all those other things and parts to the universe, he ceases to exist at all. This is an example of an alteration to identity because Tzinacan goes from being a high and mighty priest who was captured and tortured to simply another thread in universal web of occurrences with each creature created by a higher being. Identity is how we as human beings associate or disassociate ourselves with others. We find our own identity from life experiences and distinguish that identity from the pressures of society when compared to one’s own strength of will. A young woman may dissipate her identity by the men she is involved with, or the young man might engorge his identity by the job promotion he just received and the luxurious cars he drives. These identities are ever-changing and expansive, within our own minds and within the population of history. From the fairy tales we are read as children to eye-opening events in our late-adulthood, each happenstance of personality or value helps shape who we are and who we portray ourselves to be.

Patient Safety in Rural Nursing Because of Nursing Shortage Essay

The United States is in the midst of a nursing shortage that is being increasingly discussed in the context of declining healthcare facilities in the nation. Over 1 in 7 hospitals (15%) report a severe RN nursing shortage with more than 20% of their nursing positions vacant and 80%-85% of hospitals report that they have a nurse shortage This shortage is predicted to intensify over the next decade or two as nurses belonging to the generation of baby boomers retire. The Nursing Management Aging Workforce Survey released in July 2006 by the Bernard Hodes Group reveals that 55% of surveyed nurses and nurse managers reported their intention to retire between 2011 and 2020 (AACN, 2006). In April 2006, officials with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released projections that the nation’s nursing shortage would grow to more than one million nurses by the year 2020 (HRSA, 2003). Nursing colleges and universities are struggling to expand enrollment levels. In the report titled â€Å"What is Behind HRSA’s Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortage of Registered Nurses? † analysts show that all 50 states will experience a shortage of nurses to varying degrees by the year 2015 (AACN, 2006). Factors driving the growth in demand for nurses include: an 18 % increase in the population; a larger proportion of elderly persons requiring proportionally higher levels of medical care; advances in medical technology that heighten the need for nurses; an increase in the number of work settings for nurses and demographic changes in an increasing U.  S. population (HRSA, 2003). Factors that are causing a decrease in the supply of nurses are: the declining number of nursing school enrollees, graduates and faculty; the aging of the registered nurse workforce; work environment issues leading to job burnout and dissatisfaction; high nurse turnover and vacancy rates; and declines in relative earnings (HRSA, 2003). Due to this critical imbalance between the supply and demand of nurses, the United States is today facing a nursing shortage crisis. Nursing shortage in rural settings: Research shows that nursing shortage as defined by the federal government exists mainly in rural areas of the country that are far away from metropolitan areas. These areas suffer more from nursing shortage than urban areas due to lack of economic resources to compete with urban based employers, inadequate training for nurses to practice in rural settings and dependence on non-hospital care settings in the rural areas. According to a paper published by the National Clearinghouse for Frontier Communities, â€Å"Impacts and Innovations in Frontier America† (December 2004), nurse shortages in frontier and rural communities derive not only from the current national shortage of nurses but also a long-standing trend favoring rural-to-urban migration of the educated, skilled workforce. There is also the issue of money. When examined by rurality, LPNs in rural settings ($21,941) report an income 23% lower than that reported by LPNs in urban settings ($28,408) (NCSBN, 2006). A large number of rural communities are losing existing employment and education opportunities and the paper suggests that the community context of a nurse shortage can be addressed only through community-based development approaches as well as the crafting of healthy rural policies. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation published a report titled â€Å"The American Nursing Shortage† with the help of its researchers Bobbi Kimball and Edward O’Neil. According to this report, even when some people feel a calling for the professions such as nursing, they are deterred by certain dimensions of the lifestyle, such as low pay, compulsory mobility and the need for service in rural areas. Available data and literature suggest that the impact of the nursing shortage on rural and frontier communities varies greatly from community to community. IN some rural places, there is no difficulty in filling vacancies but there may be just a few good paying jobs. However, in most rural areas, recruiting for openings is estimated to take about 60 percent longer to fill than in urban areas (Long 2000). Nurse employers receive many applications but often find applicants do not meet desired qualifications and then, they often have to accept lower qualifications to fill positions. Differences in education between frontier and non-frontier nurses exist both in their basic nursing education and the highest degree earned (FEC, 2003). Fully half of frontier nurses had qualified as RNs through associate degree (ADN) programs, in comparison with 40% of the non-frontier nurses; in contrast, non-frontier nurses were more likely to have attended diploma or BSN programs. Differences remain when looking at highest degree received; 44% of frontier nurses’ highest degree is the ADN, in contrast with 34% of the non-frontier nurses. And, while the percentage of nurses who have earned a bachelors degree is slightly lower among frontier nurses (30% frontier, 33% non-frontier), the percentage who has earned masters degrees is also lower among frontier (7% frontier compared with 10% non-frontier) (FEC, 2003). At Prairie Vista Nursing Home in Holyoke, Colorado, a town of about 1,900 people about 130 miles northeast of Denver, administrators reportedly had to work double shifts to cover shifts after a nurse retired. Recruiting nurses to work in rural areas is difficult to begin with; and, when urban-trained nurses enter rural practice, they often find they are ill-prepared for the demands of the job, contributing to job dissatisfaction and turnover. Once there, they typically find it difficult to access continuing education opportunities that fit their needs. â€Å"When educators bring their knowledge to us, they often do not realize that we practice differently than urban centers do† (rural nurse, quoted in Molinari 2001). In the rural setting, nurses typically fill multiple roles. There is a need for a broad range of skills and cross training in multiple jobs. â€Å"Rural nursing requires a high level of generalist skills and critical thinking† (Fahs, Findholt et al. 2003). Another issue is that the ethnic composition of the rural nurse workforce does not correspond with the population it serves. The ANA Rural Nursing module identifies five factors that affect rural nursing practice: threats to anonymity and confidentiality; traditional gender roles; geographic isolation; professional isolation; and scarce resources (Bushy 2004). Patient safety for nursing shortage in rural settings: Surveys and studies published recently confirm that the shortage of registered nurses is impacting the delivery of health care in the U. S. and negatively affecting patient outcomes. Research now shows that how well patients are cared for by nurses affects their health, and sometimes can be a matter of life or death. These studies have found that (HRSA, 2003): †¢ A total of 53% of physicians and 65% of the public cited the shortage of nurses as a leading cause of medical errors (Harvard School of Public Health, 2002,); A higher proportion of nursing care and a greater number of hours of care by nurses per day are associated with better outcomes for hospitalized patients (Needleman et al. , 2002); †¢ Nursing actions, such as ongoing monitoring of patient’s health status, are directly related to better health outcomes (Kahn et al. , 1990) ; †¢ 126,000 nurses are needed immediately to fill vacancies at our Nation’s hospitals. Today, 75% of all hospital vacancies are for nurses (American Organization of Nurse Executives, 2002); Low nurse staffing levels have contributed to 24% of unanticipated events in hospitals that resulted in death, injury or permanent loss of function (Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2002); †¢ Patients who have common surgeries in hospitals with low nurse-to-patient ratios have an up to 31% increased chance of dying. Every additional patient in an average hospital nurse’s workload increased the risk of death in surgical patients by 7% (Aiken et. al. , 2002); Low nursing staff levels were a contributing factor in 24% of hospitals’ reports of patient deaths and injuries since 1996 (Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2002); †¢ Less nursing time provided to patients is associated with higher rates of infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, pneumonia, cardiac arrest, and death from these and other causes (Needleman et al. , 2002); and †¢ Nurse executives surveyed indicated that staffing shortages are contributing to emergency department overcrowding and the need to close beds (American Organization of Nurse Executives, 2002). The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2002 has issued a warning that failure to address the problem of nursing shortage in rural areas will result in increased deaths, complications, lengths-of-stay and other undesirable patient outcomes. JCAHO examined 1,609 hospital reports of patient deaths and injuries since 1996 and found that low nursing staff levels were a contributing factor in 24% of the cases (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2002). New research indicates that a shortage of registered nurses prepared at the baccalaureate and higher degree level is endangering patients. In an article in the September 24, 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Linda Aiken and her colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania found that patients experience significantly lower mortality and failure to rescue rates in hospitals where more baccalaureate-prepared nurses provide direct patient care. At least 1,700 preventable deaths could have been realized in Pennsylvania hospitals alone if baccalaureate-prepared nurses had comprised 60% of the nursing staff and the nurse-to-patient ratios had been set at 1 to 4. Unfortunately, only 11% of PA hospitals have more than 50% of the nursing staff prepared at the baccalaureate level ( Institute of Medicine, 2003). A survey titled â€Å"Views of Practicing Physicians and the Public on Medical Errors†, conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation reported in the December 12, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that 53% of physicians and 65% of the public cited the shortage of nurses as a leading cause of medical errors. Overall, 42% of the public and more than a third of U. S. octors reported that they or their family members have experienced medical errors in the course of receiving medical care (AACN, 2006). Nurse researchers at the University of Pennsylvania determined that patients who have common surgeries in hospitals with high nurse-to-patient ratios have an up to 31% increased chance of dying. Funded by the National Institute for Nursing Research, the study found that every additional patient in an average hospital nurse’s workload increased the risk of death in surgical patients by 7% (AACN, 2006). According to an extensive study by Dr.  Jack Needleman and Peter Buerhas, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2002, a higher proportion of nursing care provided by RNs and a greater number of hours of care by RNs per day are associated with better outcomes for hospitalized patients (AACN, 2006). Conclusion: Available data and literature suggest that the issue of nurse shortage is a national one. Yet, the impact of nurse shortage is better seen in the rural areas where nurses are not well paid, existing nurses are not well qualified and patients are dependent on local medical facilities. Because most frontier and rural communities are distant from hospitals, residents may rely on non-hospital based care settings for a greater proportion of their care than their urban counterparts. Due to these reasons, nurse shortage in rural areas has endangered patient safety. Nurses are the primary source of care and support in the health care sector and hence, a sufficient supply of nurses is critical in providing the national and especially the rural population with quality health care. Nurses are expected to play an even larger role in the future.

Abusive Relationships Essay Example

Abusive Relationships Essay Example Abusive Relationships Essay Abusive Relationships Essay The scary thing about a controlling marriage is that a lot of the time, we dont even realize were in one. When youre in love with someone, its sort of Like putting on a pair of rose-colored glasses you see the happy things, the things you want to see. Its easy to Ignore the ugly things ? for example. That your spouse might be a little too controlling. You dont realize the full impact on how it degrades you and devalues your identity, until it has destroyed you enough to where you feel you cannot survive without the abuser. Research has shown that the majority of emotionally controlling individuals have also battled addictions currently or in their past. That Is consistent with the cycle of controlling nature. They cannot control their situations and be abusive so they turn to addictions to numb the need for control. The controller feels they can control their addictions too. As the relationship progresses, you find yourself altering your behavior to accommodate him, or to please him. Then, as it moves forward, more warning signs start to appear. Emotional abuse can take on many faces. It can begin with your partner becoming irritable at the smallest of action, and turning it into your fault. The key word here is fault?as In It Is always YOU that makes HIM direct the anger to you. When you try to understand this behavior and talk It out, he wants nothing to do with accepting any responsibility for the debate that ensues. The usual lines will be somewhat like this; Youre not happy with me are you, what is it I am doing to make you unhappy, why do you not like to be around me ; just to list a few. Do not answer these questions, walk away. They are usually questions asked to trigger you to respond by saying, l am happy dear That feed his controlling ego. Gradually, your communication will deteriorate because anything that you say will force an adult accusations, and blame anything but the true source, himself. Sometimes we arent able to realize the impact of this emotional abuse until we get an outside perspective, that is, when someone recognizes it, or when we leave it and look back. Dealing with a controlling spouse isnt easy and, unfortunately, it can turn into a mentally and physically abusive relationship way too easily. It may take a decade or two before physical abuse happens, but eventually if you try to stand up for yourself it will and always does lead to that. When a controlling individual feels they are about to lose what they abuse, they retaliate with anger and vengeful accusations in an attempt to make you feel that you are the problem. It is their only means of coping because they cannot truly accept responsibility for their behaviors. There are several signs listed below that indicate your husband is emotionally and mentally abusive and too controlling and if he is, get yourself out of there before its too late. If you can recognize most of them, and are experiencing at least three, you have a serious robber that requires professional help from a psychologist. However getting a controlling spouse to seek therapy and be able to accept he is the problem, then your best option is to leave the relationship, because if he cannot accept he is the problem, therapy will do no good. 1 . Are you frequently misunderstood, and your intentions looked on as if they were considered dishonorable or manipulative? Do you end up feeling perplexed and frustrated? 2. Do you feel as if there is something wrong with you, you feel bad and cant figure out why? 3. Does your husband almost always disagree with you, and the smallest of concussions evolve into a heated debate and you Just give up in frustration? 4. Do you feel obligated to give in Just to keep the peace in the relationship? Are you continually finding yourself fighting back what youd like to say, being afraid to have an opinion of your own? This will over time begin to cause you to lose your identity, your personal feeling of self-ownership. 5. Does he seem bothered when you do things without you and subtly show his discontent by repeatedly questioning what you did to try and trip you up to the point even you become confused with what you did, and get frustrated? This might be the biggest sign of a controlling husband that he doesnt want you to do anything when hes not involved. Just because youre married doesnt mean you guys cant do stuff on your own sometimes. Your husband shouldnt be getting suspicious of you for hanging with friends without him, going to party if hes not around or innocently talking to guys without him there. That is abusively controlling! If he cant let you have any time to yourself, thats a sign that he wants to be in control of what youre doing all the time. Its not fair, and is most likely because he has no true friends he an hang out with and do his own thing, because if he did, he would not be around to 6. Does he show signs of always needing to see your stuff and dig through things to get a sense of what you might be doing that he doesnt know about? Does he try to see your text messages? Does he try to look at your Faceable and see what male friends might like your comments or postings? Its a sign that he doesnt trust you and its also a way for him to check up on you basically to make sure youre not doing anything he doesnt approve of. Your personal stuff is private and not for your husbands right to go through. Dont ever feel like you have to share every part of your life with him. That is control. It has nothing to do with trust, it has to do with his insecurities, and lack of trust in himself based on his past and actions that are questionable. 7. Does he seem to dislike all of your friends and the people they are in relationships with? A controlling guy will usually hate on everyone else in your life because he wants to be your number one, all the time. He will make comments about your girlfriends spouses looking at you the wrong way, or start accusing you of being with them, because of the way you look at one another. He will become Jealous of your friends and manipulate you to the point you either lose your friends or quit associating with them Just to keep the peace. They will get to the point they become so controlling and hate all of your friends so much that he slowly convinces you to stop talking to every single one of them. Thats not okay. In a relationship, you should both be able to have your own friends. Most likely he has no true friends himself, because he has no sense of handling anything he cannot be the controlling person in. 8. Do you often give into sex and your partners sexual demands Just to keep peace? even if you dont want to? Most women do. That is because it is easier to give in to the demand than deal later with the questions and accusations of seeing or being with someone else. It is a manipulative tool used by controlling and abusive spouses. Although sometimes you may want intimacy, but a controlling person can only be intimate enough and please you enough to meet their need. That is why you find yourself left behind in the enjoyment process of intimacy, because it is all about when they will get their Jollies, even when they make false attempts to please you on occasion. 9. Does he always want to be with your 2417? Away, isnt it so sweet when your husband wants to hang out every day and text every minute when youre not together? Jim, sort of, I guess? Theres a fine line between this being cute and this being controlling. In the beginning of the marriage, its cute. When things get more serious, its not always as cute. If a guy insists on being with you or talking to you 2417, being able to talk to you when apart and repeatedly calling until you answer, and stating it is because they were concerned for your well being, it is bullwhip. It means he wants to always know what youre doing, and in several states is considered stalking. At that point, you need to be like, chill or I am out of this marriage Everyone needs a little 10. Can your partner laugh at his own mistakes, or even admit his own weaknesses and shortcomings R is he too busy focused on why you make his life miserable? Most controlling and abusive husbands cannot acknowledge their weaknesses because that requires they recognize they are the root of the marital problem. 11. Does he make comments and basically tell you what you can wear or do? Your husband should never tell you what you can and cannot do. A marriage license is not a license of ownership. He shouldnt be saying, you cant wear that or you cant go there. You are an individual, you are not property to be owned or bossed around. If you can answer yes to at least four of the above, youre in a controlling, unhealthy abusive relationship. Sometimes it takes decades to comprehend, but you need to have them get help, or get out, before it destroys your identity and who you are. It will become like Stockholm syndrome, you will begin to think this is the norm, and lose any sense of individuality. Continually having someone pointing out your alts, the faults of your family members or others and accusing you of things that are false about you, and you are Jumping through hoop after hoop trying to fix yourself to accommodate the relationship is a futile and wasted effort. They are never going to change. You will never be what he wants you to be, even if you do manage to make things right?down the road there will be contradictions?and all the things youve made right will be wrong. There are serious emotional issues with your partner that stem so far back into his life, and the only way that he is able o validate his life is through the total control and belittling of you through emotional games. You ask yourself, Is this love? No. But it certainly presents itself as love initially Until the internal monster emerges. As tough as it may be, if you value you and your own sanity, stop. The only person you can fix in this relationship is you. Here are a few good resources in recognizing abusive relationships that explain abuse does not necessarily involve physical abuse, and how widespread this type of abuse is in America, and how rampant it is among spouses of military members as ell. Not all emotional abuse involves shouting or criticism. More common forms are disengaging the distracted or preoccupied spouse or stonewalling the spouse who refuses to accept anyone elses perspective.

Handwriting v Typing Essay Example

Handwriting v Typing Essay Example Handwriting v Typing Essay Handwriting v Typing Essay Handwriting v Typing BY titus2211 The process of reading and writing involves a number of senses, she explains. When writing by hand, our brain receives feedback from our motor actions, together with the sensation of touching a pencil and paper. These kinds of feedback is significantly different from those we receive when touching and typing on a keyboard. Learning by doing Together with neurophysiologist Jean-Luc Velay at the University of Marseille, Anne Mangen has written an article published in the Advances in Haptics periodical. They have examined research which goes a long way in confirming the significance of hese differences. An experiment carried out by Velays research team in Marseille establishes that different parts of the brain are activated when we read letters we have learned by handwriting, from those activated when we recognise letters we have learned through typing on a keyboard. When writing by hand, the movements involved leave a motor memory in the sensorimotor part of the brain, which helps us recognise letters. This implies a connection between reading and writing, and suggests that the sensorimotor system plays a role in the process of visual recognition during reading, Mangen explains. Other experiments suggest that the brains Brocas area is discernibly more activated when we are read a verb which is linked to a physical activity, compared with being read an abstract verb or a verb not associated with any action. This also happens when you observe someone doing something. You dont have to do anything yourself. Hearing about or watching some activity is often enough. It may even suffice to observe a familiar tool associated with a particular physical activity, Mangen says. Since writing by hand takes longer than typing on a keyboard, the temporal aspect may also influence the learning process, she adds. : The term haptic refers to the process of touching and the way in which we communicate by touch, particularly by using our fingers and hands to explore our surroundings. Haptics include both our perceptions when we relate passively to our surroundings, and when we move and act. A lack of focus There is a lot of research on haptics in relation to computer games, in which for instance vibrating hand controls are employed. According to Mangen, virtual drills with sound and vibration are used for training dentists. But there has been very little effort to include haptics within the humanistic disciplines, she explains. In educational science, there is scant interest in the ergonomics of reading and writing, and its potential significance in the learning process. Mangen refers to an experiment involving two groups of adults, in which the participants were assigned the task of having to learn to write in an unknown alphabet, consisting of approximately twenty letters. One group was taught to write by hand, while the other was using a keyboard. Three and six weeks into the experiment, the participants recollection of these letters, as well as their rapidity in distinguishing right and reversed letters, were tested. Those who had learned the letters by handwriting came out best in all tests. Furthermore, fMRI brain scans indicated an activation of the Brocas area within this group. Among those who had learned by typing on keyboards, there was little or no activation of this area. The sensorimotor component with learning difficulties. But there is little awareness and understanding of the importance of handwriting to the learning process, beyond that of writing itself, Mangen says. She refers to pedagogical research on writing, which has moved from a cognitive approach to a focus on contextual, social and cultural relations. In her opinion, a one-sided focus on context may lead to neglect of the individual, physiological, sensorimotor and phenomenological connections. Interdisciplinary collaboration Within the field of psychology, there is an awareness of the danger of paying too much attention on mentality. According to Mangen, perception and sensorimotor now play a more prominent role. Our bodies are designed to interact with the world which surrounds us. We are living creatures, geared toward using physical objects be it a book, a keyboard or a pen to perform certain tasks, she says. Being a media nd reading researcher, Anne Mangen is a rare bird within her field of study. And she is very enthusiastic about her collaboration with a neurophysiologist. We combine very different disciplines. Velay has carried out some very exciting experiments on the difference between handwriting and the use of keyboards, from a neurophysiologic perspective. My contribution centres on how we as humans with bodies and brains experience the writing process, through using different technologies in different ways. And how these technologies interfaces influence our experience, she concludes.

King Hammurabi of Babylonia - Biographical Profile

King Hammurabi of Babylonia - Biographical Profile King Hammurabi was an important Babylonian king known best for an early law code, that we refer to by his name. He united Mesopotamia and turned Babylonia into an important power. Some refer to Hammurabi as Hammurapi Code of Hammurabi Hammurabi is now synonymous with his code of laws, referred to as the Code of Hammurabi. Five columns of the stele on which his laws were written (inscribed) have been erased. Scholars estimate the total number of legal judgments contained on the stele when it was intact would have been around 300. The stele may not actually contain  laws, per se, as judgments made by Hammurabi. By recording the judgments he made, the stele would have served to testify to and honor King Hammurabis acts and deeds. Hammurabi and the Bible Hammurabi may have been the Biblical Amraphel, King of Sennaar, mentioned in the Bible book of Genesis. Hammurabi Dates Hammurabi was the sixth king of the First Babylonian dynasty about 4000 years ago. We dont know for sure when during a general period running from 2342 to 1050 B.C. he ruled, but the standard Middle Chronology puts his dates at 1792-1750. (Put that date in context by looking at the major events timeline.) [Source] Military Accomplishment of Hammurabi In the 30th year of his reign, Hammurabi removed his country from vassalage to Elam by obtaining a military victory against its king. He then conquered the land west of Elam, Iamuthala, and Larsa. Following these conquests, Hammurabi called himself King of Akkad and Sumer. Hammurabi also conquered Rabiqu, Dupliash, Kar-Shamash, Turukku (?), Kakmum, and Sabe. His kingdom extended to Assyria and northern Syria. More Accomplishments of Hammurabi In addition to being a warrior, Hammurabi built temples, dug canals, promoted agriculture, established justice, and promoted literary activity.

Darwin and Evolution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Darwin and Evolution - Assignment Example Prior to Darwin, though some naturalists had speculated about modification of species, they failed to explain why and how species change. They also believed that evolution began with the special creation of only a fixed number of species. Partly influenced by Thomas Malthus' essay on the Principle of Population and stimulated by a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace, in 1859 Charles Darwin discussed in detail the evolution of species through natural selection in his famous work titled On the Origin of Species, which totally revolutionized the previous concepts of evolutionary biology. Natural selection refers to a process in which species compete and struggle for their survival according to the limited resources and conditions of their natural environment with different adaptive abilities. As individuals in a population are not same due to difference in inherited characteristics, nature only selects those individuals that are best suited to the environmental conditions, and thus rest o f the population dies over time. As all the offspring in a population acquire characteristics from their ancestors, produced more than nature can support and have different reproductive characteristics, only those organisms will survive that are better adapted to the living conditions. This means that organisms with higher reproduction ability will remain due to higher probability of their descendants to survive, and other will eventually become extinct due to less survival rate of their offspring with the passage of time. Since environmental conditions are different from place to place, there will be variation in characteristics of species at different locations. Darwin concluded that populations extending over large areas or through migration might have been isolated resulting in variation of their characteristics according to varying environments. Over long periods of time, they may have diverged or evolved into separate species different from each other. For instance, Darwin fou nd that finches he observed on the Galapagos Islands were similar to one another than they were to finches of the mainland. He also noticed that some varieties were only existent on the archipelago islands. So, he proposed that all species might have descended from a common ancestor and increase in number of species occurred through evolutionary natural selection over time rather than special creation. Question Two Darwin and other naturalists believed that variations among individuals of a species were due to mixing of traits from both male and the female. He was not aware of the heredity mechanism and different traits were regarded to be the result of blending of characteristics through generations over time. However, the concept of blending inheritance failed to describe the survival of variety as they descended through generations with time. It also failed to describe the maintenance of specific characteristics in varieties and that how new species would emerge through blending. It was 1866, when Gregor Mendel published his experimental findings on garden peas. To experiment with pure seeds, he selected a self pollinating plant. He experimented with garden peas that were different from each other in many characteristics such as their flowers were either red or white, had green or yellow seeds, and tall or dwarf. After cross-breeding generations having different characteristics, he observed that descendants from each cross possessed characteristics of only one of the parents and blending did not happen. Mendel concluded that instead of blending of certain fluids, heredity from parents was passed on to offspring through independent discrete units, particles or factoren, which were later termed as genes. The characteristic that appeared in a descendant after cross breeding was termed

Research paper on the book A River Lost by Blaine Harden

On the book A River Lost by Blaine Harden - Research Paper Example The Columbia River plays host to great variety of anadromous species of fish, which always make a migration cycle from the freshwater habitats of the river to the saline water habitat found in the Pacific Ocean (England, Mazur, Penha and Robbins). The vast majority of these fish species are the salmons, and this was a mare economic substance for the natives who settled around the river. In fact, traders around the region, especially from Western North America, traded for fish at the Columbia River. In addition to being a good source of food, and income for the locals, the river also has heavy flows and steep gradient, which provide massive potential for electricity generation. As such, the river hosts over fourteen hydroelectric dams, which produce enough electricity to cater for the needs of the surrounding communities and businesses. However, the benefits of this river were short-lived owing to the economic investments made on it by the federal government of the United States, an investment that claimed all the tributes and environmental serenity provided by the river. Blaine Hardens writes about the Columbia River in his intriguing excerpt of how external interference led to the destruction of a good river. He names it â€Å"A River Lost†, showing the level of damages done on the river to an extent that it is no longer resourceful to the locals but rather poses great danger to them and their continued survival around the river. The Columbia River, which was initially the â€Å"Great River of the West† fulfilled the dreams of its neighborhood by providing them with cheap electricity, and water used for irrigation and farming purposes, hence flourishing gardens found in the desert. However, these fantasies in the memories of the natives were short-lived, as all this goodness vanished, once the natives suffered exploitation from invaders and inhabitants, as well as, the federal government (Harden 65). This book covers the exploitation

Article Reviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Article Reviews - Essay Example He brought with him a young boy and though it was too late, the judge allowed him to be sworn in to stand up for Good. The boy said he had seen it himself. The accuser had lied about the knife mysteriously breaking. The accuser was in trouble for lying to the judge. But Sarah Good , the alleged witch, was still sentenced to death. This became the start of something strange: a witch hunt. All people who seemed to be able to conduct something â€Å"magical† were hunted and it was throughout all of the New England states in America. An author Cotton Mather, had seen the effects of the people who were afflicted with this witchcraft. Blistered with fire, pins stuck into their flesh by invisible hands, convulsions, and scalded with hot water; these were just some of the claims of accounts afflicted upon people who said that they were affected by the witchcraft. Peoples only escape from conviction was to tell the truth, which was actually sometimes a lie. Many people died because they were found to be suspicious people; people of the devil. The author wrote this article to tell about the trials and oddities surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. It was a narrative telling about particular instances in trials and tribulations that described what it was like in New England during the time when everyone was out to chase and destroy whomever they thought practiced witchcraft, magic labeling them witches. This article was written as a news story that appeared in the area newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland in the mid 1800s to tell the story of how the hunt and execution of witches came to begin. The article originally began with the narration of the story of Sarah Good. But in this article, she was merely an example of what others had to expect if they were suspicioned of conducting witchcraft. The author barely touched on all of the occurrences during the

UK manufacturing activity edges higher in January Essay

UK manufacturing activity edges higher in January - Essay Example According to a survey of Purchasing and Supplies Chartered institute at least six hundred industry institutions experienced a flop in the export market in a sequence of at least one year (BBC, 2013). However, this predicament did not hinder potential growth in the domestic demand market where orders for locally manufactured products reached an all time high. Therefore, the improvement in business trading conditions has facilitated a remarkable correspondence to an encouraging start in 2013 for the manufacturing industry (BBC, 2013). In this regard, this essay will delve on the ways in which the UK can command a global market share as compared to other competitors like China. Further, it will focus on how low cost labor influences this trend as the application of low cost labor force has propelled China into being a manufacturing giant. In addition, the essay will zone in which precision products the UK should focus on as how Germany has done. Presentation of issues In the past years, the poor performance of the manufacturing industry had clear indications through the financial markets where they recorded dismal performances. Sequentially, this performance led to the stagnation of industrialization in the UK. However, this trend has experienced a revolution in that the sector has managed to lift the economic aspects of the UK. This means that the export markets for the manufacturing industry in the country have expanded with most of the expansion being in January of 2013. In addition, the European market has also achieved stabilization through the emergence of improved market activities. Moreover, the weakening of the sterling pound has also facilitated the expansion of the European market because this has helped overseas markets to enhance trading (Abbott, 2002:120). Therefore, the most likely occurrence this year is the securing of growth levels for product launches by manufacturers in UK. Subsequently, the new product launches into the European market would p ush for profitable markets outside Europe. In essence, all is positive acquisitions occurred in a period in January 2013, which marked as a positive way of beginning the year for the industry. Presently, the re-emergence of the manufacturing sector has set their goals on being on the worldwide recovery path. Key themes Ideally, the global recession formed the basis for lack of employment for a large part of the UK population (World Of Information, 2003: 394). This predicament influenced a high in the inflation rates because the products on sale came with a high price tag on them. In essence, the recession forced many to lose their posts in their places of work because the profits realized during this time was not sufficient enough to sustain the labor force. During this time, there was the unending search for labor available options because the demand was high, but there was no labor force sufficient to make production in the manufacturing industry. Arguably, global recession brough t about the disparity in the industry because the manufacturers were not able to reach market demands. In addition, the lending rates went up because of inflation as the sterling weakened to relatively low levels. Therefore, the manufacturing industry had to borrow at extremely high lending rates, which they could not manage to repay since their profit levels were insufficient. In this regard, the manufacturing

Marketing planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing planning - Assignment Example The shop has established more than 290 shops across the globe but United Kingdom is the core business market for the company (Pret A Manger, 2013b). Schwartz (2004) has rightly pointed out that in previous occasions, companies establish marketing plan on the basis of its allocated budget but now companies decide marketing plan on the basis of its strategic objectives. Schwartz (2004) has also pointed out that modern marketers are emphasizing more on customer satisfaction and customizing the product offering as part of marketing plan. Sheth and Sisodia (2006) have also pointed out that changing pattern of marketing planning includes the marketer’s willingness to incorporate psychological, economic and informational shift of customers as integrated element of market planning. Pret A Manger (2013b) has reported that it earns annual revenue of 380 million pounds from its global business operation, and the company has reported that it has sufficient liquid asset to finance its stra tegic decisions. For example, recently Pret A Manger had struck a deal with by investing more than 1 million pound with Vitrue which is a social media management platform in order to target local youngsters who frequently use social networking sites (NMA Staff, 2012). Digital marketing strategy of the company has also helped them to achieve $280,000 increased in store operational revenue. Such examples are showing that Pret A Manger has sufficient capabilities in order implement new marketing plan which can be recalibrated in accordance with the customer demand. â€Å"Examine the marketing environment and analyse the internal factors and external factors (such as PEST) assessing the strengths/weaknesses and opportunities/threats in order to conduct a marketing audit† Ans.1b- As UK is the major business interest for Pret A Manger hence the researcher has decided to conduct a strategic audit of the coffee business of the company in context to UK business environment. Letâ€℠¢s try to shed light the coffee industry of UK in order to understand why companies including both restaurants like Starbucks, Pret A Manger etc and retail sellers like Nestle and Green Mountain etc are changing their marketing plan to cater to the demand of Britons. Market Value Market Value Forecast Market Volume Market Volume Forecast Market Share More than $2,500 million with growth rate of 4.8%. The sales volume coffee selling through retail channels and franchisee based restaurants will touch $3,000 million within next three years. 140.7 million kg with growth rate of 0.7%. The market volume will touch 150 million kg mark within next couple of years. Tata Global Beverages Limited and Starbucks are the market leader with consolidated market share of more than 29%. (Marketline, 2012a) It is evident from the above statistics that there is ample opportunity exist for Pret A Manger in order to penetrate more in UK coffee industry but they need to create a sustainable marketing plan to achieve a niche position. Now, the researcher will try to understand the business environment for Pret A Manger by considering both internal and external factors. PEST will be used to external environment analysis and Porter Five force will used for internal market audit. Table 1: PEST External Environment Characteristics Opportunity for Pret

Revenue Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Revenue Management - Essay Example Ans: For different industries to flourish in terms of profitability it is necessary for them to allocate their resources properly. The airlines and restaurant industry tend to keep a check over the prices and capacity offered by them. However there is a difference between how both these industries manage their price allocation and the management of capacity. In terms of airlines customers have to pay for the number of seats that they take. In other words they pay for the capacity they take. For e.g. if a customer has booked 2 seats he will pay for both the seats. This is also the case with the hotels as the customers pay for the number of rooms that they book i.e. the capacity they take. However in terms of the restaurant industry capacity is not charged for. Although in different circumstances the customer are forced to pay for the capacity. This is very unusual in the restaurant industry. But for a restaurant to increase its profitability it is necessary that they maintain a regula r booking schedule. This schedule should be properly maintained and should help the customers in booking the seats in a restaurant. This can prove to be very beneficial for the customers and the restaurant as customers would be satisfied with the service they are getting by the restaurant. And on the other hand this booking schedule would help the restaurant to improve its image in front of the customers. But it can also be said that the capacity management is interlinked in these three industries. Each of the industry is conscious about providing customers with maximum satisfaction regarding the issue of capacity. All these industries maintain a booking schedule for this purpose. The customers in these industries require seats according to their own convenience. For e.g. customers require seats in a particular plane on a particular time and same is the case with the customers who visit a restaurant as they book seats according to their own convenience. On the other hand it is also necessary for these industries to keep a control over their management of prices. It can be said that the industry of airlines and restaurant have similarities regarding the management of prices. This is because both the industries aim to maximize their profits and therefore manage their prices accordingly. The seats offered by the airlines are charged according to the level of comfort in them. Many different airlines have varying prices for their seats due to the difference in the comfort level. Prices also differ because of the service timings that the airlines provide. For e.g. some airlines charge higher as their service time is lesser than those of other airlines. Similarly the restaurants charge for the quality of the food they offer. They maintain a balance of price for different commodities they offer. For e.g. the price of some specialties offered by the restaurants are charged higher than the other commodities. At the same time the price differ s in different restaurants also because of the services that they provide. Thus it can be concluded that for both these industries to prosper it is necessary that they keep a strong command over the management of capacity and prices.Question 2: In what way does menu engineering equate to

Marketing planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing planning - Assignment Example The shop has established more than 290 shops across the globe but United Kingdom is the core business market for the company (Pret A Manger, 2013b). Schwartz (2004) has rightly pointed out that in previous occasions, companies establish marketing plan on the basis of its allocated budget but now companies decide marketing plan on the basis of its strategic objectives. Schwartz (2004) has also pointed out that modern marketers are emphasizing more on customer satisfaction and customizing the product offering as part of marketing plan. Sheth and Sisodia (2006) have also pointed out that changing pattern of marketing planning includes the marketer’s willingness to incorporate psychological, economic and informational shift of customers as integrated element of market planning. Pret A Manger (2013b) has reported that it earns annual revenue of 380 million pounds from its global business operation, and the company has reported that it has sufficient liquid asset to finance its stra tegic decisions. For example, recently Pret A Manger had struck a deal with by investing more than 1 million pound with Vitrue which is a social media management platform in order to target local youngsters who frequently use social networking sites (NMA Staff, 2012). Digital marketing strategy of the company has also helped them to achieve $280,000 increased in store operational revenue. Such examples are showing that Pret A Manger has sufficient capabilities in order implement new marketing plan which can be recalibrated in accordance with the customer demand. â€Å"Examine the marketing environment and analyse the internal factors and external factors (such as PEST) assessing the strengths/weaknesses and opportunities/threats in order to conduct a marketing audit† Ans.1b- As UK is the major business interest for Pret A Manger hence the researcher has decided to conduct a strategic audit of the coffee business of the company in context to UK business environment. Letâ€℠¢s try to shed light the coffee industry of UK in order to understand why companies including both restaurants like Starbucks, Pret A Manger etc and retail sellers like Nestle and Green Mountain etc are changing their marketing plan to cater to the demand of Britons. Market Value Market Value Forecast Market Volume Market Volume Forecast Market Share More than $2,500 million with growth rate of 4.8%. The sales volume coffee selling through retail channels and franchisee based restaurants will touch $3,000 million within next three years. 140.7 million kg with growth rate of 0.7%. The market volume will touch 150 million kg mark within next couple of years. Tata Global Beverages Limited and Starbucks are the market leader with consolidated market share of more than 29%. (Marketline, 2012a) It is evident from the above statistics that there is ample opportunity exist for Pret A Manger in order to penetrate more in UK coffee industry but they need to create a sustainable marketing plan to achieve a niche position. Now, the researcher will try to understand the business environment for Pret A Manger by considering both internal and external factors. PEST will be used to external environment analysis and Porter Five force will used for internal market audit. Table 1: PEST External Environment Characteristics Opportunity for Pret

FMC Aberdeen and FMC Green River Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FMC Aberdeen and FMC Green River - Case Study Example The union structure has resulted in a formalized system of authority and decision making. Kenneth Dailey has shown a willingness to change and is open to trying new ideas. The culture at FMC Green River is a traditional company oriented system of values that have been shaped over several decades. Rules rather than values shape the culture. The production methods and safety concerns have necessitated the implementation of strict behavior patterns. There are few social ties within the company framework to develop a feeling of unity. There is a language that is common among the workers that does individualize the culture. While Kenneth Dailey has a willingness to initiate change, there is also a union contract that the company needs to follow. There is currently no clear plan or mechanism in place at FMC Green River that would aid in making any changes. The plants are well established and mature. The workforce reflects the cultural values of the region that the employee base was drawn from. FMC Green River could benefit from a reduction in its formal structure in favor of a more organic organization. The current system of rules at the facilities could be expressed as norms and values, which would provide the workers with greater autonomy. FMC Green River is a continuous production operation that has a single product, which would simplify integrating them into the decision making process. Because FMC Green River's workforce is regional, it would be open to having company events that would strengthen the informal culture and socialization of the employees. One of the current problems that FMC Green River has is a lack of a common company image among the employees. Company branding within the minds of the employees through signs, images, or mission statement could bring the culture closer together. FMC Green River is impeded by having no system of rites that define the worker's position within the organization. FMC Green River's current formal structure will make change a challenging proposition. There will be substantial resistance on the part of the workers as well as the existing systems. The current state of the organization will almost certainly dictate a revolutionary change that will require extensive planning and dedication. IV. Recommendations It is suggested that FMC Green River begin to empower their employees to make more independent decisions. Management and supervisors should begin to provide communications channels for feedback on efficiency and quality. This will require a material reward system to reinforce and motivate the workers. Kenneth Dailey can also begin to allocate more authority to the lower level supervisors to provide them more flexibility in creating company values instead of rigid rules. The facility should also create a system of recognition that would define the employee's role within the organization. The current union structure is impersonal and needs to be more individualized. A system of recognition for achievement would be an immediate step in this direction. A facility mission statement that reflects a common goal for all employees should be promoted within the plant. Kenneth Dailey should undertake an action research project to evaluate the cost and define the direction of a more radical change in organizational structure. Improving the communications

Bob Jones University Essay Example for Free

Bob Jones University Essay Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of choice, and more recently freedom from racial persecution; all of these freedoms belong to each and every person who is a citizen of the United States. Yet can any one of these freedoms be compromised to let another prevail? Take freedom of religion and racial discrimination, can one be discriminated against because of his color just because another’s religion teaches racism? Or can a certain religion be discriminated against because it teaches racism. Even more importantly can the federal government legally force people to change how they believe or deprive them of certain benefits because of their beliefs? These exact arguments were at the center of a highly controversial court case that was brought before the Supreme Court in 1975. The case was between the Internal Revenue Service and a Christian college, Bob Jones University. The IRS claimed that Bob Jones University’s admittances policies were racially discriminatory and subsequently revoked their tax-exempt status as a private school. However BJU countersued on the basis of encroaching their First Amendment rights of freedom of religion. Bob Jones University was founded as a â€Å"whites only† college in 1927 by evangelist Bob Jones Sr. in a small town called College Point, Florida. In 1933, the school moved to Cleveland, Tennessee; then it moved again in 1947 to Greenville, South Carolina, its present location. BJU students, around 5000 from kindergarten through college and onto graduate school, are studying for ministry or some other type of Christian service. Over the course of its existence, the university has had upwards of 70,000 students sit under the teachings of Bob Jones. The school has over 100 academic majors for undergraduates and another 50 for graduate students to choose from. Bob Jones University has been a â€Å"whites only† institution from the time it was founded in 1927. Bob Jones Sr. in a radio address that he gave in 1960 outlined his philosophy on the subject of segregation. In the address titled â€Å"Is Segregation Scriptural? † he stated: â€Å"God is the author of segregation and if you are against it then you are against God. † Before 1964 no African Americans were admitted to the school, however after the Civil Rights Act only married African Americans students were admitted, the after 1975 all African Americans were admitted. BJU adheres to a strict code of conduct in regards to the on-campus behavior of its students. According to the handbook, â€Å"Dishonesty, lewdness, sensual behavior, adultery, homosexuality, sexual perversion of any kind, pornography, illegal use of drugs, and drunkennessall are clearly condemned by Gods word and prohibited here† (13). It is perhaps understandable that a strict Christian university would condemn immoral behavior of students and faculty. When the IRS revoked the university’s tax-exempt status, the United States was at a key point in the understanding of its internal culture. Freedoms of religion and speech were marked everywhere either through political demonstration, or the tolerance and acceptance of differing religious viewpoints. BJU, however, believed interracial dating and marriage went against God and their religious ethos. It was this particular factor that contributed to the IRS first informing the university in 1970 that their tax-exempt status would be revoked. By law, universities were granted this exempt as an educational, charitable and/or religious institution. BJU’s policies were based on racism, according to the IRS, and therefore exempted them. The university’s response to this claim was a lawsuit filed in 1971. Appeals and injunctions led to the case being dismissed, much to the chagrin of BJU. With the IRS informing them again of the revoking of their tax-exempt status, the university filed another lawsuit in 1975. What followed was an intricate game of taxes, as prefaced in the case documents: â€Å"After paying a portion of the federal unemployment taxes for a certain taxable year, the University filed a refund action in Federal District Court, and the Government counterclaimed for unpaid taxes for that and other taxable years. Holding that the IRS exceeded its powers in revoking the Universitys tax-exempt status and violated the Universitys rights under the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment, the District Court ordered the IRS to refund the taxes paid and rejected the counterclaim. † (461 U. S. 574, 1983). The case was held before the Supreme Court, where it was argued that the IRS had not misinterpreted the laws governing tax-exemption for a charitable, religious or educational institution and that â€Å"the right of a student not to be segregated on racial grounds in schools . . . is indeed so fundamental and pervasive that it is embraced in the concept of due process of law. (1983). It can be argued, that religion plays an integral role in the development of a person. Everyone has some form of a belief system or may follow a particular religion, or have faith in a creed. Recent research finds that in universities and colleges, a level of spirituality can help students in their educational experiences. According to Muller and Dennis, â€Å"college students, who reported experiencing higher levels of life change, both positive and negative, also scored lower on spirituality. Nevertheless, these students had scores indicative of a higher desire to find spirituality, even though their motivation to do so was low† (60). Universities that basis their education and courses around religious studies or practices perhaps enhance the university experience, however, does the belief of a university outweigh the belief of an individual? BJU believed that their educational policies were their right to uphold, despite staunch views on interracial dating and marriages. Around the time of the court case, they extended their admission policies to include single African Americans, and by the time the case was in full swing, were readily admitting all African American students. A change of heart towards their policies though was not enough for the IRS. They insisted that the university’s status still be revoked. Schools and universities have been bastions for molding a country’s future and in persisting with this case, the government and indeed the IRS were making more than just a stand against unethical policies. America was changing, and showcasing that there was no tolerance towards racism was not only monumental, but a necessity. Pascal Mubenga argues, that â€Å"desegregation in public schools has resolved on issue of financial support† (Struggle, p9). Indeed the struggle for many schools at the time in the southern parts of America, was understanding that segregation only hurt the country. In order for America to fully adopt a culture of freedom, it would have to learn tolerance and understanding. The â€Å"slavery† mentality was still marring organizations and communities. The decision of BJU v the U. S. was one that would finally put into action what was going to be acceptable practice, and what was not. In short, if educational institutes were going to keep their tax-exempt status, then it would mean the difference between tolerance and freedom of religion; or keeping to ‘slavery mentality’. BJU insisted that their First Amendment rights were being ignored. The Supreme Court, led by Justice Burger, disagreed. They voted 8-1 that it was in the public’s interest that they based their decision, and â€Å"that governmental interest substantially outweighs whatever burden denial of tax benefits places on petitioners exercise of their religious beliefs† (Hanna, 1983). It meant that in order to protect the freedom of religion and rights of the public, and of those rights of future students at BJU, it was imperative that the government apply the law as it was written. The IRS had not misused the law, and the message was clear: if a university wanted to keep their tax-exempt, then they were going to have to progress into more encompassing policies. The Supreme Court stated that, in the case of Bob Jones University, it did not meet the requirement of â€Å"providing beneficial and stabilizing influences in community life to be supported by taxpayers with a special tax status† – largely due to their racial policies, and it was these policies in particular which were racially discriminatory and therefore violated â€Å"fundamental national public policy† (Oyez, 2007). It had been argued that religious freedoms were as justified as any other. The Supreme Court rationalized that not all religious burdens are unconstitutional. It is perhaps alarming to realize that such policies at a university existed 35 years ago. It wasn’t that long ago when BJU had marked clearly in their student handbook that â€Å"students who date outside of their own race will be expelled† (Oyez). We live in a millennium where tolerance is vital and some communities in America still struggle with issues of racism. A university setting is one, traditionally centered around education, but true learning is not necessarily gained within a classroom, but from those we attend those classes with. Religious schools have just as much right to practice and educate as ones that are non-denominational, and arguably, their rights must also be protected. There should be tolerance towards religious school as well. However, such institutions should not endorse racism or discrimination. Their policies should be allowed to be guided by faith and beliefs, but not be considered a burden or provocative of hatred. At the heart of the BJU case, were policies on racism. The IRS was revoking their tax-exempt status because under law, the university failed to meet criteria to be considered as tax-exempt. Rightfully so, as was stated by the Supreme Court. Whilst it was a numbers game and an issue of taxes which led to this case being filed, the underlying message sent was one centered on freedoms. The United States government was not prepared to recognize any positive value in discriminatory procedures or policies, and while the Constitution protected the rights of the individual and their free will, the government was prepared to protect the rights of the public. In a country which has become increasingly multi-cultural the conclusion of this monumental case was a precedent for this occurring. Americans were reassured that the government were not going to recognize slavery mentality or endorse any form of segregation – they would and continue to protect the rights of the whole, so that we can all be individuals. Works Cited _. BOB JONES UNIVERSITY v. UNITED STATES, 461 U. S. 574 (1983), May 1983. FindLaw Case Resources http://laws. findlaw. com/us/461/574. html _. Bob Jones University v. US Oral Arguments. 1982, No 81-1. Oyez, US Supreme Court Media, http://www. oyez. org/cases/1980-1989/1982/1982_81_3/ _. Bob Jones University Handbook. Bob Jones University, 2005-2006. p13. _. The Oyez Project, Bob Jones University v. U. S. , 461 U. S. 574 (1983), available at: http://www. oyez. org/cases/1980-1989/1982/1982_81_3/ Hanna, Stanley J. â€Å"Bob Jones University v. United States: Interpretation and Conclusions. † Journal of Education Finance, v9 n2 p235-40 Fall 1983 Muller, Susan M. ; Dennis, Dixie L. â€Å"Life Change and Spirituality among a College Student Cohort†. Journal of American College Health, v56 n1 p55-60 Jul-Aug 2007 Mubenga, Pascal. â€Å"The Struggle of African American Students in the Public Schools† ERIC ID# ED491396, 2006 Online Submission http://www. eric. ed. gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet? accno=ED491396

A Study On The Petronas Towers Construction Essay

A Study On The Petronas Towers Construction Essay Supertall buildings are a relatively recent addition to the history of the cities around the world. Technology of the nineteenth century made their development possible. Steel, concrete and masonry materials have existed for a long time in the history of civilization but not in such a configuration. Masonry is the oldest material. Concrete in its present form is the youngest of these three basic structural materials of construction. Concrete, unlike any other structural building material, allows the architects and engineers to choose not only its mode of production, but its material properties as well. Although steel will continue to be the structural material of choice for many tall buildings for its strength and ductility, we may expect to see more and more concrete and composite high-rise structures shaping the skylines of major cities of the world in the forthcoming years. As a result, the field of concrete tall building construction is rapidly changing and its limits are constantly being tested and stretched. The introduction of composite construction to tall tubular buildings has paved the way for supertall composite buildings like the PETRONAS Towers. 1. INTRODUCTION Much of the technological change in concrete construction was in the first half of the 20th century. Advances in formwork, mixing of concrete, techniques for pumping, and types of admixtures to improve quality have all contributed to the ease of working with concrete in high-rise construction. There were main four periods in the development of skyscraper which began around 1808 and ended in 1960s where structures were usually vertical and dominant. During 1970s the international modernism in construction started to rise and this introduced a renewed interest in silhouettes and symbolic potential. The most efficient construction coordination plan for a tall building is one that allows formwork to be reused multiple times. Traditionally, formwork was made of wood but as technology has advanced, the forms have become a combination of wood, steel, aluminum, fiberglass and plastic, to name only a few materials. Each set may be self-supporting with trusses attached to the exterior or may need additional shoring to support it in appropriate locations. New additions to the family of forms include flying-forms, slip forms, and jump forms. The PETRONAS towers are a good example of this latest period. The techniques improved continually till now when pumping of concrete is considered even for small jobs. In recent years, concrete pumping has reached new heights. The builders for the Jin Mao Building in Shanghai, China, boast of pumping high strength concrete as high as 1200 ft (366 m). For such great heights, a high-pressure unit is needed. Great thought must be given to the properties of concrete and how it will react when pressure is applied in a pipe. All these factors demanded innovations in concrete technology. 2. THE SKYSCRAPERS Already a well-argued case between Architects and Engineers is to build a environment with minimal impact on natural environment and to integrate the built environment with ecological systems of the locality. This proposition of the skyscraper as an ecologically- responsive building might well appear to be a conundrum for some.Afterall; Skyscraper is the citys most intensive building-type of enormous size. The council on tall Buildings and Urban habitat in USA defines the skyscraper as a tall building whose built form that by virtue of its height requires its own special engineering systems. Figure 3. PETRONAS PETRONAS was incorporated on 17 August 1974 as the national oil company of Malaysia, vested with the entire ownership and control of the petroleum resources in the country. It has since grown from merely being the manager and regulator of Malaysias upstream sector into a fully integrated oil and gas corporation, ranked among the FORTUNE Global 500 ®Ã‚  largest corporations in the world. The national oil company along with investors and federal government of Malaysia decided to construct the PETRONAS Towers which will be a major headquarter for the company along with other offices mentioned above. PETRONAS in the best possible way tried to balance and integrate economic, environmental and social considerations into their business decisions. These considerations include, among others, strong HSE management and performance, continuous development has made a holistic contribution to the society. Below is the graph that shows the financial outlook of the company Figure 4. HISTORY Designed by Argentine architects Cà ©sar Pelli and Djay Cerico under the consultancy of Julius Gold, the PETRONAS Towers were completed in 1998 after a seven year build and became the tallest buildings in the world on the date of completion. They were built on the site of Kuala Lumpurs race Because of the depth of the bedrock; the buildings were built on the worlds deepest foundations. The 120-meter foundations were built within 12 months by Bachy Soletanche and required massive amounts of concrete. Its engineering designs on structural framework were contributed by Haitian engineer Domo Obiasse and collegues Aris Battista and Princess D Battista. PETRONAS took the challenge to develop the PETRONAS Twin Towers in 1991. The project is an integral part of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), a carefully planned development to provide the capital city with an efficient and modern centre for urban activity, trade and commerce encircling a vast, open green lung. It brought together the worlds leading practitioners of engineering, building technology and construction. Construction planning began in January 1992. By March 1993, the excavators were hard at work digging down to 30 meters below the surface of the site. The extent of excavation required over 500 truck-loads of earth to be moved every night. The next stage was the single largest and longest concrete pour in Malaysian history: 13,200 cubic meters of concrete was continuously poured through a period of 54 hours for each tower. This record-breaking slab, together with 104 piles forms the foundation for each of the towers. From this floor rose a 21-metre high retaining wall, with a perimeter length of over 1 kilometer. This concrete shell and the basement area it enclosed required two years of up to 40 workers on site all day and night. The final product is the basement car park offering a total of 5,400 parking bays on five levels beneath the podium wrapping the towers. As an added consideration, two different contractors were chosen for each tower to allow cross-monitoring of construction values and techniques with one coming to the aid of the other should problems arise. The construction of the superstructure commenced in April 1994, after rigorous tests and simulations of wind and structural loads on the design. 5. PETRONAS TOWERS The PETRONAS towers are part of a massive real estate development on a 100 acre site in Kuala Lumpur which eventually after completion now has office buildings, a retail centre, hotels, residential buildings and substantial public parks, gardens and lakes. The twin PETRONAS towers are linked by a sky bridge at mid height. It consists of 216,901 square meter of total floor space, 88 levels rising to a height of 450m above street level. This was the first project in Malaysia where high strength concrete was specified. To achieve completion of the structural frame in approximately 28 months every floor needed to be constructed in approximately 4.3 days putting great pressure on the contractor to achieve rapid, delay free construction. The main structural system for the super structure and foundation were selected after a rigorous study and evaluation by the design and project management team. The structural approach in the tower frame combines the most favorable aspects of concrete and steel construction. Figure 6. PRECONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY Due to the nature of the project, being the first super tall structure of its kind in Malaysia and very limited experience with the use of high strength concrete, the contractors were required to demonstrate that the requirements of the project could be successfully achieved prior to actual construction of structural elements. The contractor Samsung-Kukdong-Jasatera joint ventures were to do it. The major engineering and structural design teams were a collection of eminent international companies and consultants including such notables as Cà ©sar Pelli Associates, Hazama Corporation, Adamson Associates Architects, Solà ©tanche Bachy, RSP Architects Planners Engineers, Samsung Engineering Construction, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Syarikat Jasatera Sdn Bhd., and several dozen other major international firms. Legions of support engineers and designers in an array of specific disciplines contributed over the course of the years. 7. SITE AND DESIGN The site for PETRONAS Towers is the Golden Triangle. Around it radiates the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysias capital. The jewel of this 100-acre site are the towers. Working within mixed-used development plan by U.S firm of Klages, Carter, Vail and Partners. The design drawings show a complex of buildings growing from an intimate relationship with the site, generating from its core. The concert halls provide an important gathering space. Figure Map showing the Kuala Lumpur City Centre PETRONAS Towers I II Concert Hall Suria KLCC Retail Complex Office Tower (Menara Maxis, Menara Esso) Mandarin Oriental Hotel Future Buildings 8. FLOOR PLAN PETRONAS towers floor plan when viewed appears as two overlapping squares to create an eight pointed star which is further refined with half-circles between star points. The spirit of geometry is Islamic which dominant Malaysian culture is. Other eastern forms are woven into towers form. The towers are placed on a central axis. Figure 9. DESIGN METHODOLOGY The design for the PETRONAS Towers was not a written document or a set of drawings for the contractors to follow when building the structure.   It was instead an evolving process that took place over the course of many years.   This enormous amount of communication and the design considerations that were discussed produced a final result that differs considerably from the plan that won the first Kuala Lumpur City Center design competition held in 1991. The number of designers, engineers, and building contractor management personnel that took part in the design process is about the same as the number of workers that actually built the towers. About 7,000 construction workers took place in the actual building of the towers, as there was a great concern for the congestion that would occur in the busy Kuala Lumpur city center.   7,000 design workers talking constantly among themselves for five or six years designed the building.   It was certainly an impressive conversation.   Although much of this talk took place directly between individuals, this project probably would not have been possible before the development of the Internet or sophisticated project and communication management software.    Every phase of the process, from the drawings and engineering research down to the daily work orders was accomplished with cutting edge software that was in many cases as technologically innovative as other parts of the project. The high quality of the PETRONAS Towers is the result of the quality of the design team.   Although Cà ©sar Pelli was the titular designer and he served as the lead visionary, the design contributors included Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir, businessman T. Ananda Krishnan, senior managers of the PETRONAS company, the Kuala Lumpur City Center planning manager Arlida Ariff, and many high ranking national and local politicians.. The design process itself was as much a marvel as are the physical towers visible today.   When construction began the design did not call for the tallest buildings in the world and the entire foundation was moved after excavations had already begun. The parking garage was located up inside the towers in Cà ©sar Pellis first drawings and the powerful Skybridge was absent from the original 1990 Klages Carter Vail Partners plans for the Kuala Lumpur City Center development that first called for two towers.   These and many more features of the project changed as the design for the project evolved continuously over the life of the project and the final result is a testament to the efficiency of the whole multi-year design process. 10. CONSTRUCTION One of the first challenges that were faced during the towers constructions was anchoring the towers to the ground. The bedrock beneath the site was very irregular and thornton-tomasetti,the structural engineers suggested to relocate the towers about 200 ft to be able to bear on soil. The towers were framed with concrete walls and columns. In Malaysia the contractors were comfortable working with steel and concrete, concrete and steel actually helps in reducing the wind sways and minimize vibrations. Construction of towers was fast paced, because it was a decision to have two contractors one for each tower that created a competitive environment and work commenced at a faster phase. One of the most dramatic feats was placement of the two story sky bridge, which was built on the ground and hoisted to its location joining the 41st floor and 42nd floors. The construction of the PETRONAS Towers was a model of cooperation and efficiency and in some respects even more spectacular than the final result. Figure Figure After a year of planning, the construction phase began in March 1993 with the excavation work for the foundation. The originally selected location was moved 60 meters due to the configuration of the bedrock exposed during the excavations. The excavation for the foundation went 30 meters below the soil surface, with work proceeding only after sunset and more than five hundred dump trucks full of soil being removed from the site each night. For each of the two towers, more than one hundred foundation piles were poured next. Once the forms were in place, the slabs for the foundation of the two towers were poured in two continuous pours lasting about two and a half days each and using over 13,000 cubic feet of concrete for each of the two slabs. On top of these slabs a perimeter wall over a kilometer in total length and 21 meters tall was created to form the shell that would become the five-level underground car park. The contract to construct the two towers was given to two different contracting companies and their friendly competition resulted in both remarkable speed and valuable cooperation as each team shared with the other information gained during the building process. Tower One, which houses the PETRONAS headquarters, was built by a group led by the Japanese Hazama Corporation along with J.A Jones Construction of Charlotte North Carolina, and the Mitsubishi Corporation, MMC Engineering, and Ho Hop Construction of Japan. Tower Two was constructed by the SKJ Consortium, composed of Samsung Engineering Construction and Kuku Dong Engineering Construction from Korea, Dragages and Bachy-Soletanche from Singapore and Syarikat Jasatera and First Nationwide Engineering Sdn Bhd from Malaysia. Work on the tower structures started in April 1994 was completed by June 1996, with the first tenants moving into the buildings in 1998. The Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohammad presided over the opening ceremonies for the towers on Aug. 31, 1999, which coincided with the celebration of Malaysias Hari Kebangsaan holiday that marks the unification of the country and the establishment of the Malaya Federation in 1957. Although many foreign firms participated in the construction process, a great deal of the work was done by local Malaysian companies. It is estimated that sixty percent of the materials used in the construction were obtained locally. All of the concrete and construction timber was Malaysian in origin as were many of the interior finishing materials including marble, ceramic tiles, and drywall materials. Many of the more complex features such as escalators, electrical fixtures and components and furniture were also supplied by Malaysian firms. 11. DETAILED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS The functional structures of the PETRONAS Towers were designed by the structural engineers Thornton-Tomasetti, with headquarters in New York, and Ranill-Berskutu of Malaysia. The core structure of each of the towers is composed of a ring of sixteen cylindrical columns of high strength reinforced concrete. The columns vary in size from 2.4 meters in diameter at the lower areas to 1.2 meters in diameter at the top, and are placed at the outside corners and additional arcs of the eight pointed star shape that gives the buildings their classic Islamic shape. In a staging of six increments, the columns slope slightly inward as they rise, resulting in the tapered form of the final buildings. The columns are linked with a series of concrete core walls and ring beams and the architect Cà ©sar Pelli has described these movement-resistant and damper-free structures as a pair of soft tubes. There are actually two concentric pressurized cores in the structures, and the two cores unite at the 38 th floor of each tower. A significant choice of building materials was made early in the project, and it was decided to use reinforced concrete instead of the structural steel that is more common in other skyscrapers. This choice was made not only because local Malaysian contractors were more experienced building with concrete than with steel, but also because the cost of importing all the steel would have been prohibitive, whereas the concrete could be obtained locally. The final towers weigh more than twice what they would have had steel been used, but it was additionally felt that the use of concrete would more effectively dampen sway in windy conditions and reduce vibrations within the towers. The structural plan liberates additional floor space inside the towers by locating the mechanical services for the towers in two bustles that are 43 story tall buildings located immediately adjacent to the towers. After completion, the exteriors of the two concrete soft tubes were clad in stainless steel and glass with a design that originated in the classic geometric patterns of ancient Islamic art. The foundations for the structures are huge concrete cores and are considered the deepest building foundations in the world. The two 73-meter tall pinnacle structures of the towers were, like the towers, constructed by two different contractors. One of the pinnacles was fabricated in Japan and the other in Korea. Built of structural steel and then disassembled and shipped to Kuala Lumpur, the pinnacles were reassembled and mounted atop the towers in yet another delicate operation that required several months of practice before the final installation. The two pinnacles are clad in brushed stainless steel. Each tower used 11,000 tons of reinforcement steel, 2,825,120 cubic feet of high-strength concrete, almost 7,500 tons of structural steel beams and 830,000 square feet of glass windows. Figure 12. SKYBRIDGE The towers feature a  skybridge  between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors, which is the highest 2-story bridge in the world.  It is not directly bolted to the main structure, but is instead designed to slide in and out of the towers to prevent it from breaking during high winds.  The bridge is 170  m (558  ft) above the ground and 58  m (190  ft) long, weighing 750 tons.  The same floor is also known as the podium, since visitors desiring to go to higher levels have to change elevators here. Figure 13. THE LIFT SYSTEM The main bank Otis Lifts is located in the centre of each tower. All main lifts are double decker with the lower deck of the lift taking passengers to odd numbered floors and upper deck to even numbered floors. From the ground floor, there are three groups of lifts. The short haul group of 6 lifts takes passengers to floors between level 2/3 and level 16/17. The mid haul groups of 6 lifts take passengers to floors between level 18/19 and level 37/38. There is also a set of shuttle lifts that take passengers directly to levels 41/42. To get to levels above 41/42, passengers must take the shuttle lifts, and then change to lifts to the upper floors. These connecting lifts are directly above the lifts that serve levels 2 to 38. The pattern now repeats with the upper levels, one set serving levels 43/44 to 57/58 and one set serving levels 59/60 to levels 73/74. Apart from this main bank of lifts, there are a series of lifts to take people between the groups. Unlike the main lifts, these are not the double-decker type. Two lifts are provided to take people from levels 37/38 to levels 41/42 (levels 39 and 40 are not accessible as office space). This spares someone in the lower half of the building from having to go back to the ground floor to go to the upper half of the building. The lifts contain a number of safety features. It is possible to evacuate  people from a lift stuck between floors by manually driving one of the adjacent lifts next to it and opening a panel in the wall..  During an evacuation of the buildings, only the shuttle lift is allowed to be used, as there are only doors at levels G/1 and levels 41/42; therefore should there be a fire in the lower half of the building, this enclosed shaft would remain unaffected. Firefighter lifts are also provided in case of emergency 14. MATERIALS USED The composite structure of the Towers employs both the flexibility of steel and the rigidity of high-strength concrete. Each component material was used to best effect in constructing the 452 m-high buildings. About 80,000 cubic meters of high strength concrete with 37,000 tons of steel were used to form the frames of both Towers. Of particular importance was maintaining the verticality of the structures throughout the full height as they were being built. The reasons for this, besides reinforcing the aesthetic design, were to ensure structural load integrity and the safe passage of the high-speed double-decker elevators. The determination of verticality was monitored by international specialist surveyors who, with the aid of global positioning systems, checked alignments every day and every night. The same surveyor used the same instrument at the same time in every 24 hours, thereby minimizing any element of differences in judgment. Construction works were done primarily at night and finishing works were done primarily during the day (to minimize the cost of artificial lighting). As a result, the entire management and construction team redefined the Malaysian industry standard of fast-track. The PETRONAS Twin Towers were finally encased in steel and glass and could be viewed as complete in June 1996. The construction process also drew extensively from the local industry, with the finished towers having over 60 percent local material content. Malaysian made items included raw materials such as concrete and timber; finishing materials such as marble, ceramic tiles and glass; pre-fabricated materials including dry-walls, doors, suspended ceilings, and metal decking; equipment ranging from escalators to light fittings and sanitary ware; also furniture of all types from work-stations to custom-designed suites. Much of these materials were used in the process of internal finishing, which was then the focus of work teams until the end of 1996.The PETRONAS Towers complex is the tallest building on Kuala Lumpurs horizon, symbolizing Malaysias determination to be a for ward looking and technologically developed country. 15. RECORD BREAKING Since they were constructed in 1997 the towers have held the world record as the highest twin building on land. Until 2004, when they were eclipsed by Taipei 101 in Taiwan, they were the worlds highest building. In spite of being built by different companies the towers are exactly the same height standing at 452m.The Towers are built from super-high strength reinforced concrete, which is reputed to reduce the sway that tall buildings are prone to. However this made the building twice as heavy as a traditional reinforced steel building, necessitating extra deep foundations 120m. 16. COMPARISION WITH OTHER TOWERS Several other buildings are technically taller than the PETRONAS Towers.   The Sears Tower has 110 floors, but is only 442 meters tall.   The Shanghai World Financial Center has 101 floors, and is 492 meters tall.   The Taipei 101 Tower has 101 floors and is 509 meters tall.   As of 2009 several other buildings are proposed or under construction that will be taller.   The proposed Lotte World II in South Korea would be 512 meters tall with 107 floors.   The Burj Dubai is under construction and is planned to be an astounding 818 meters tall with 162 floors. The PETRONAS Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004, as measured to the top of their structural components .Spires are considered integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The PETRONAS Twin Towers, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were the worlds tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004, when their height was surpassed by Taipei 101. The towers remain the tallest twin buildings in the world. Figure Building Location Year Stories Height Chief Architect M. Ft. Burj Khalifa  (Burj Dubai, or Dubai Tower), Dubai, UAE 2010 162 828 2,717 Skidmore, Owings Merrill Lotte World II Busan S. Korea (proposed) 2013? 110 510.55 m 1,680 Stephan Huh, Parker Design International Taipei 101 Tower Taipei, Taiwan 2004 101 509 1,670 C.Y. Lee Partner Shanghai World Financial Center, China 2008 101 492 1,614 Kohn Pedersen Fox International Commerce Centre (ICC),  Hong Kong, China  (under construction) 2010 118 484 1,587.9 Kohn Pedersen Fox Xujiahui Tower, Shanghai, China (proposed) 2010 92 460 1,509 John Portman Associates PETRONAS twin towers 1998 88 452 1,483 Cesar Pelli 17. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS The research and knowledge in concrete gained in the first half of the twentieth century benefit technologies today. This paper has provided a broad overview of different historic developments for concrete high-rise buildings. To summarize, the first users of concrete date before 1200 BC and include societies like the Phoenicians, Minoans, and Egyptians, to name only a few. The late 1700s and early 1800s found a renewed discovery of and interest in reinforced concrete as a building structure. Americans and Europeans used it in large warehouses, factory buildings, apartment buildings and homes. New delivery systems, changes in formwork, high-strength concrete and other admixtures were invented which improved concretes strength and workability. Structural systems which go beyond the traditional post-and-beam construction of the Ingalls Building and the introduction of high-strength concrete mixes have together allowed reinforced concrete skyscrapers to grow to heights of the PETRONAS Towers and the Jin Mao Building never dreamed of in Elzners and Ransomes day. Little more than a century ago, reinforced concrete was invented. In that short period of time, reinforced concrete has gone from being a very limited material to one of the most versatile building materials available today. The first reinforced concrete buildings were heavy and massive. Valuable floor space was taken up by the massive concrete structural systems. Today, due to our increased knowledge and improved technology, reinforced concrete buildings can be tall, graceful and elegant. Due, in part, to the use of shear walls, innovative structural systems and ultimate strength design, very little usable floor space is occupied by the structure. HSC and lightweight structural concrete allow us to use smaller member sizes and less steel reinforcement. Because of the rapid developments of concrete construction and technology, with every passing year the use of concrete for tall buildings is becoming a constant reality. The mold ability of concrete is a major factor in creating exciting building forms with elegant aesthetic expression. Compared to steel, concrete tall buildings have larger masses and damping ratios that help in minimizing motion perception. A heavier concrete structure also provides better stability against overturning caused by lateral loads. New structural systems including the composite ones that are popular now have allowed concrete high-rises to reach new heights during the last four decades. Although steel will continue to be the structural material of choice for many tall buildings for its strength and ductility, we may expect to see more and more concrete and composite high-rise structures shaping the skylines of major cities of the world in the forthcoming years.