Comparing Business and Econimic Opportunities in India and China Essay

From my perspective, the main factor contributes to the difference in FDI and economic growth in China and India are institutions. There are two kinds of institutions; one is formal institution, including political system, legal system and economic system, another one is informal institution, which consists of culture, business norms and ethics. As for political system in India, which labeled as â€Å"sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.† It is similar to America, it has the federal form of government, its central government is patterned after the British parliamentary system, and several Parties are able to take control of the nation, but the main power to control the country is the central government. Compare with Chinese communist totalitarianism, India is more democratic in terms of the political system. In other, words, it is more easier to set up your own business in India and which may absorb more capital thanks to the democratic political system in India. According to the corruption perceptions index 2012, India got the score of 36, and China got the score of 39, the lower score means the country is highly corrupt in the public sector. Therefore, China is more attractive to foreign investors in terms of the corruption level. As for political risk, thanks to corruption and the departure of several key allies for India, the government has been weakened in India, which make India less attractive for foreign investment to compare with China. As for protecting intellectual property right, the provisions of intellectual property right in India is more comprehensive than Chinese, which ensures foreign companies get an easier access to take control of intellectual property in India. According to the data from Global EDGE, Chinese government provides more protections on labors to compare with India. Which is a good sign for encouraging FDI in China. According to Ease of Paying Taxes Index on Global EDGE website, which ranks the country based on their total tax rate as well as measuring the administrative burden of paying taxes. India ranked 152 and China ranked 122; this indicates that compare with doing business in India, foreign companies may not have much pressure of paying tax for the government in China, which is positive sign for foreign companies to expanded to Chinese to get rid of the high tax rate. As for economic system, both of China and India used to be in the  command economy, but they have reformed their economy system to mixed economy in 1978 and 1991 respectively. From my perspective, the early reform of Chinese economy provides a rapid development of the economy in China, which contributes to the higher GDP compare with India now. The economic growth of India is constrained by the inadequate infrastructure, which may creates obstacles for foreign investment. As for cultures, business norm and ethic, India got a huge number of well-educated people skilled in English skill, which is easier for foreign investors to overcome the languages barriers to compare with China. The religion is a factor which foreign investor has to take into account when they want to enter India. Thanks to different religion groups in India, the core value and the norms are widely differ from different religions, which take time to understand those value and norms when doing business among Indians. According to data from The Hofstede Center, China and India almost had the same score in power distance, collectivist culture, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance, but China is more long-term oriented, the investment is tend to be more long-term projects for instance, the real estate. From my perspective, choosing India to invest is a wise decision, the main reason I recommend the India for foreign investment is that companies may not face as much as competition in India compare with China. There are a huge number of multinational firms in China; it is more difficult to be successful due to the fierce competition in China. As for India, where had a more comprehensive legal system, which can reduce the cost of doing business and improve the security of foreign investment. The democratic society may offer more opportunities for foreign investors as well. The India cannot surpass China within a short period of time because of the inadequate infrastructures; the inadequate infrastructures is the key factor which constraints the economic growth in India. It is capital and time-consuming to build infrastructures within a short period of time.

Understanding the Creative Media Sector

Understanding the Creative Media Sector. Assignment 4 unit 7 Nolan Benson ? Nolan Seth Benson Assignment 4 Unit 7 CONTENTS PAGE Page 1&2 – INTRODUCTION Page 3&4 – PRO’S AND CON’S OF FREELANCING Page 5&6 – IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING Page 7&8 – VARIETY OF EMPLOYMENT ROLES Page 9&10 – OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Page 10&11 – CONCLUSION&BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION When you make a conscious decision to study and work towards something educationally, you have to know exactly what you want and where you want to go after the course, and what you will gain from the course.Obviously when you start you have goals to work towards, so when it all comes together there is no better feeling. Knowing what you want is vital when choosing a career path, so putting in lots and lots of research will defiantly benefit you in the long run. When it comes to making a decision about your career path always keep yourself in mind and remember that you will hav e to make some sacrifices when it comes to getting your dream job. Our generation, the youth of today has been brought up in a false culture when instant ratification plays a major role in our day-to-day lives. Technology is always moving on and up to better things making us, and our world a more sophisticated place to live in. When it comes to employment opportunities, the world is your oyster. Especially living in England, we have connections all over the world so broadening your horizons will always benefit you in the long run, by the end of this report we should be able to understand exactly what opportunities and where will come your way when becoming a broadcast journalist.We will consider the types of potential positions you could work in when working towards your final destination, I mean there is no fun in just getting to the top of your field without working hard in all different areas before. It’s highly unlikely that you will be able to jump right into what you wa nt to do. You must take into consideration all the different things you will have to do and learn in order to acquire the skills that you will need to become a top broadcast journalist.Starting from the bottom and making your way to the top is ideal by the end of this report we will find out exactly how to start at the bottom, make contact’s and connection that will ultimately help you in getting to the top. We will also have an in-depth look into all the places where people advertise for jobs and roles in the broadcast and journalism fields. We will look online especially because everything is going digital, but we will also have a look into what magazines and newspapers advertise for this sector.We will also have a look at the importance of making good friends and acquaintances in the industry that can ultimately help you to elevate yourself above the rest of the competition and get you to your end goal. The importance of personal growth is not only a key factor in the broa dcast and journalism sectors, but also in life itself. So when an opportunity comes around for you to gain knowledge and an understanding of your sector, grabbing it with both hands is really important. Make mistakes as you go, but make sure you never make the same mistake twice. Also actively seeking workshops or courses that will enhance your knowledge is key.So don’t be lazy, be proactive! PRO’S AND CON’S OF FREELANCING PRO’S One of the pros of freelancing in the media industry is the fact that your working hours can be really flexible, this flexibility is great because it often means that you get to choose what hours you work, especially when working from home. This cuts down the time and money you spend commuting to and from work every day. Often when you get freelance work in the media industry it’s got to be in on a certain deadline, this gives you the option to manage your time the way you want to spend it.If you're a night owl, you can spe nd your day working on other projects, hobbies or simply enjoying the ‘free time', with evenings spent working. Alternatively, if you wish to cram in lots of work into a 3-day week, it's your prerogative as long as you meet your deadline and deliver quality work. However if you find that you aren’t really motivated when you are at home and can’t find the time to put in quality work under your own systems, then you seriously have to recognise and realise because handing in work of a poor quality will only tarnish your name and your reputation.If you manage to become an established media freelancer people will trust you with work they need done. Getting to this point will take years and years of hard work and dedication but once you are established you will never find yourself without something to do. As a result of becoming established you get to choose exactly what work you want to do so if you particularly enjoy doing one aspect of film for example, you may be l ucky enough to earn a steady income just doing that. But if you get bored there is always an opportunity to do some other medium of work.CON’S As a freelancer, especially if you are still up and coming and not established and well known, your work and income for the month may not always be guaranteed. One major consideration you have to take in as a freelancer is weather you’ll be able to secure enough work to meet your financial needs. You might find that you will have to build up a portfolio of clientele, or if you are contracting yourself out to media companies there could well be dry spells when you don’t have work coming in and when you are looking for new work to go into.So if you are considering freelancing, then it would be a good idea to either take on some part-time work while you build your portfolio of clientele, or you could save a little bit from each job as a contingency plan for when the work becomes scarce. You should also defiantly keep yoursel f in the loop when it comes to the world you are living in, recessions and economic slowdown can hit freelancers and contractors really badly. As a freelancer, unless you have your own accountant, you’ll have to take care of your own bookkeeping duties and tax affairs.Weather you’ve set yourself up as a sole trader or a limited company, you’ll need to be up-to-date and precise when it comes to your tax affairs because you could be audited at any given time. PRO/CON You are your own boss! Becoming your own boss defiantly has its plus sides. For example, if you choose to take a week off on holiday, you don’t have to ask anyone else. There is no set start time for you to get to work, and there is no clock watching, waiting for the end of the day to arrive. You and only you reap the rewards and praise for your work, and you don’t have to share the profits with anybody else.However, having no boss to make sure you are working can also have its downsides . For one, you will be liable for your reputation and any problems that arise. Your reputation, once dented, may take a long time to recover if you have networked extensively. There will be no one to share the load when the going gets tough, and you will have to deal with all your clients and their problems by yourself. Nevertheless, all of the above are hypothetical scenarios, and the chances are that if you are dedicated, passionate, motivated and punctual, then you will be able to make a success of yourself and your career when freelancing in the industry.IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING Why is networking so important within the industry? Incorrect networking could mean disaster when it comes to trying to progress in your chosen career. Networking done improperly could tarnish your name and your reputation within the industry. But done properly it is a key that will unlock many doors on the path towards making a well-respected name for yourself in the industry. I’m going to give y ou five points on why networking and meeting new people is key to progressing in your chosen career path. 1.Networking is a really successful way to meet contacts that you would previously had no way of meeting or contacting. Meeting a prospective client face to face at a networking event or meeting is by far the best and most reliable and successful way to go about fixing up a business meeting with that person. If a physical and personal relationship is established before you pick up the phone or swop business cards and information – your chances of doing successful business together with that person probably tripled then if you had just cold called them. 2. Do not forget that everyone you network with has somebody else that they know.Although your immediate group is extremely important, everyone that they know is as well. Your referral circle is widened greatly by joining a group of networking contacts. 3. If you do a good job for your customer and that said customer decide s to recommend and refer you and your services to four of their colleagues, friends and family-that’s great. However if you’re part of a big networking group that meets once a month, and only ten-twenty members tell somebody they know about you and your business already your exposure has more than doubled. This is great because this gets more people aware and talking about you and what you can offer.By growing the right network, the ultimate in â€Å"Word of mouth† marketing takes place. You promote your network, and your network ultimately promotes you. 4. It’s like having your own management team on standby. Businesses need to be prepared for all types of eventualities, especially in a recession. Unfortunately in a tough economic climate anything can happen and instead of having to rely on people and business that you don’t know in hard times – if you network strategically then you should have a selected group of people at your fingertips that you can call upon, if and when, you need support or elp. 5. If you are a small business or a just getting started in the industry you may feel that a networking group could bring to much business, workload that you might not be able to handle right now, due to being busy or understaffed etc. fear not though, networking provides you with a key to business –choice, its not like you are forced to do accept every piece of work that comes your way, instead you have the luxury of picking and choosing which customers and which work suits you and your schedule.Sometimes if businesses are desperate for work then they are forced to take on anything that comes their way, even if it does mean working for less money. If there is a choice of clientele, then you maybe able to pick and choose whom you do business with. This gives you the ultimate freedom to work with people that will benefit your business and that will bring out the best in your work. VARIETY OF EMPLOYMENT ROLES (Broadc ast Journalist) What can you expect and do in the job?Broadcast journalism is the collection, verification and analysis of information about key events, which affect society and the people within society, the publication of information in a fair, accurate, impartial and balanced way to fulfil the publics right to know in a democratic society. This contains and involves a wide variety of media including radio, television the Internet and wireless devices. Broadcasting journalists involved with working in the television industry work in a number of different roles and genres, these include; news, current affairs, or documentaries.Broadcasting companies may also employ them, or they could work on a freelance basis. The role of a Broadcast Journalist is to turn information into pictures and sound, reporting and producing live and/or recorded packages as well as researching, preparing and reading bulletins. You will be responsible for generating content from a wide range of subjects. You will be encouraging new contributors and developing their ideas as well as your own. You are likely to be working as part of a team, generating your own stories and bringing on board new ideas. ?You will be initiating and producing a wide range of news and current affairs material nd will be expected to carry out in-depth research to a broad brief, write material for programme scripts, bulletins etc and at all times exercise excellent editorial judgement and adhere to legal and good practice guidelines. ?You may carry out interviews and reporting duties, in both recorded and live situations, in a studio or perhaps on location. You can expect to be involved in originating and developing programme ideas to support forward planning of material and future programmes and provide briefings for reporters, camera crews and other resources staff and contributors.?You will need to operate broadcast equipment: in radio, portable recording equipment, self-operating outside broadcasting vehicle s and studio equipment in television, to direct camera crews on pre-recorded and live coverage, to oversee editing and operate gallery equipment.? You may be responsible for programme budgets, ensuring effective use of money and resources, supervise the work of Broadcast Assistants and most certainly, as a Broadcast Journalist you would need to develop and maintain local and perhaps national contacts and fulfill a public relations role. ww. startintv. com How to start and where you can go with it? Broadcast journalists should have successfully completed a degree in broadcast journalism, multi-media, TV or online journalism to name but a few. Everybody’s path is always different, but keeping opportunities open and available is key to getting the correct qualifications. IT and word processing qualifications are also required. Broadcast journalists obviously start their careers either as a runner or an assistant to an executive.Other starting points could be as a researcher or a newsroom assistant, progression to becoming an on screen reporter, special correspondent, news presenters, and bulletin or programme editor will always be available if you are prepared to put in the hours as an assistant or researcher, becoming fluent in all these aspects will only serve to benefit you down the line. As a broadcast journalist you may also move into programme production or management roles, or become journalists, newspaper reporters or writers.Some broadcast journalists may also start their careers working as newspaper or other print press journalists. The opportunity for career progression as broadcast journalist is ever growing, jobs are available across a range of functions, requiring different skills, knowledge and experience. Initially, a recognized journalistic qualification or substantial practical experience (3years+) is a good starting point. A special interest, for example, in sport, entertainment, fashion, arts etc, with a good general knowledge of curren t affairs would defiantly support your career as a broadcast journalist.OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Professional Documentation/Portfolio In this fast paced an ever-changing world we live in the need for you to advertise yourself and your work as a business is vital in progressing to any higher statues you may want to achieve. The need for professional documentation is vital for prospective businesses and employers you hope to work for. Presenting yourself in a professional manner is important because the person looking you up for a job, the first thing he/she will look at is your c. v. , on your c. v. s everything about you and your career interests, if this is not professional people will not take you seriously. Having a website that can also show your work to prospective clientele is also a key factor is securing yourself a regular income doing what you love, the internet can offer people information almost instantly, this is great because companies will be trolling the web lookin g for the relevant people. So if your website is professional and portrays professional work done by yourself, consider it a key step in the right direction for you career.Also every time you do business with somebody make sure he/she is satisfied and satisfied enough to the point that they will write a good reference about you and what you do for future clients to see. These references are extremely important because they offer justification about what you can do to future business partners. Also keeping all the work you have ever done in a portfolio will only set you in good stead in the future with prospective employers and business partners. Another important thing to keep in mind when becoming a broadcast journalist is to be ever learning and experiencing new things.If you are constantly gaining recognised skills and qualifications it will only benefit you and your career in a positive way, being ahead of your competition at all times will set you in good stead when working to becoming the best in what you do. Gaining skills will always put you one step ahead of the rest. So do as many courses as you can in as many different areas as you can. They key to life is education so constantly education yourself will only allow people to understand and take you more seriously, and hopefully the people you are trying to reach will listen.Maintaining professional behaviour and conduct at all times will only benefit you and your career. No body likes a smart arsed know it all, rather give yourself and your employers and colleagues 100% satisfaction by not rocking up to work late, being punctual will only help to progress your career, obviously if there was one position left and you and one other person had applied, if you have respect and your attendance, punctuality, commitment are all on point and his aren’t then just by maintaining professional behaviour you will get the promotion over the slacker any day.Being professional is vital; saying the wrong thing at the wrong time can cost you your job and your reputation in this industry. Its cut throat and the situations you may find yourself in are high pressure, so if you take care of the small things like being smart, arriving on time and having good manners, for example, the big things will take care of themselves. CONCLUSIONBroadcast journalists can expect a long and invigorating career, provided they constantly work at progressing and learning as much as possible, if you are prepared to put in the long hours for a small story then you can do nothing but progress into high positions of power. Becoming a sought after, well-respected individual will only help you to make a successful career for yourself as a journalist. To become a broadcast journalist, you should have: †¢excellent communication and ‘people’ skills †¢good listening and questioning skills †¢empathy and tact †¢good writing and research skills confidence and a clear speaking voice †¢p ersistence and motivation †¢calmness under pressure and the ability to meet tight deadlines †¢a creative approach with the ability to ‘think on your feet’ when necessary †¢an understanding of what makes a good news story †¢a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail the ability to work on your own initiative and also as part of a team. BIBLIOGRAPHY www. acareerchange. co. uk www. careers. guardian. co. uk www. bni. eu/regional-news www. startintv. com/jobs/broadcast www. nationalcareersservice. direct. gov. uk/advice

Luxury goods industry Porter's five forces model Essay

Luxury goods industry Porter's five forces model - Essay Example The Social Media has empowered consumers in all industries, including in the luxury goods industry; because of the feeling that they can secure the support of many other people in regard to their rights, as consumers, customers in the luxury brand industry have become more powerful to influence the industry’s strategies (Deloitte 2014) – H Since 2012 an important trend has appeared in the luxury goods industry: emphasis is given to ‘fine jewellery’ (Luxury Society 2012, par.13) and not on ‘seasonal accessories’ (Luxury Society 2012, par.13). Louis Vuitton has been the luxury brand that first supported this trend; Richemont Group, the owner of popular brands such as Cartier, had followed (Luxury Society 2012) - L Popular luxury brands have taken action against those who try to develop cheap substitutes of their products; for example, in a relevant lawsuit the courts ordered the owners of a series of websites that have developed such activity to pay an amount of $100 million to Hermes (Luxury Society 2012) - L In any case luxury products are, by their nature, related to costly materials; the high cost of these products prevents those who would like to create substitute products of low price (Luxury Society 2012) - L a) continuous turbulences in markets worldwide; downturns in the performance of markets have been proved as able to affect the buying power of the industry’s customers (Paton and Sanderson 2014); only the brands that can secure high quality, innovation and uniqueness of their products are able to secure their market position - H The rate of development of the luxury goods industry is satisfactory but unstable; the strong turbulences in the international market are considered as the key reason for this phenomenon. The industry’s high instability would discourage new entrants to enter in the luxury

120 Introduction to Political Science Assignment

120 Introduction to Political Science - Assignment Example For instance, in some countries the voting process is flared due to political interference with the body in charge of the elections. The current political leaders in such countries might not be willing to relinquish power even after being defeated hence rigging their opponents out. Therefore, the results of the voting process might not reflect the true value of the voting process hence an individual’s vote might not count nor add to the change process. In contrast, participation in a group gives that sense of satisfaction and the motivation to push on even if you fail. As much as it is a risky and demanding process-especially in a heated political society-There are several groups that have succeeded in bringing changes in their communities. For instance, Martin Luther King was active in fighting against racial discrimination in the US and he died for what he believed in. It is worth noting that some countries with stable election structures experience the true value of the voting process. Corporatism is the socio-political organization of a society by major interest groups or corporate groups such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, scientific affiliation or military on the basis of common interests. It is theoretically based upon the interpretation of a community as an organic body. Corporatism is an economic ideology developed mostly in Europe where the influence of the Catholic Church and of the authoritarian conservative state was strongest. However, this political and economic ideology has experienced decline in many European countries and as a result, capitalism and communism has taken center stage. This is because, corporatism maintains and reinforces social cleavages in addition to the fact that it is very sensitive to employment conditions and demographics. Most economies that have adapted corporatism are characterized by high labor

Homeland Security Department Plays Very Significant Role in Ensuring Research Paper

Homeland Security Department Plays Very Significant Role in Ensuring Security of the US - Research Paper Example The CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) is a federal intelligence agency heavily involved in homeland security since its establishment in the year 1947. The agency is involved in providing security intelligence on a national scale to USA’s senior policy makers and implementers. The agency’s director is nominated by the President on the consent and advice of the state senate. The appointed director oversees the agency’s budget, personnel and operations. At present, the number of people working in CIA cannot be disclosed publicly either is its budget. The agency’s budget and the number of employees are known and scrutinized only by the Budget management office and the Senate Intelligence committee. The agency has a number of responsibilities in the homeland security setup: Its most basic mission is to gather, analyse, conduct evaluation, and disseminate intelligence deemed foreign with the aim of assisting the country’s President and high-level policy-m akers in the government in formulating strategic decisions that are related to the overall security of the country (Gurr et al, 2009). This complex process integrates a number of steps. Identification of a national security problem, the collection of information, assessing present and perceived future situations based on the collected information, are definitely some of these steps (Douglas and Olshaker, 1999). The agency analysts only report the collected information and are not in any way mandated to make any policy recommendations (Sauter & Carafano, 2005). Making policy recommendations is left to other related agencies such as the Defense Department and the State Department. The CIA is also not involved in law enforcement that is done by the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations) (Douglas and Olshaker, 1999). The agency can also be engaged in actions deemed covert based on the President’s orders in line with the applicable law(s). CIA’s role in Homeland security is widely important. Its association  with Homeland Security is generally based on the agency’s four components/departments that work together in the processes of collecting information, analyzing the collected information, and disseminating it to senior officials in government  

The Artificial Nigger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Artificial Nigger - Essay Example Their trip was filled with conversations, with each grandfather and grandson asserting his wisdom. One point in particular that the child said is, the trip is his second, the first being when he was still a baby. Moreover, he insisted that he would know what a nigger looked like once he saw one because he was born in a city where they abound. The old man said he could not have known any of what he was talking about because he did not have the intelligence then and the boy got his first test on the train when Mr. Head asked what kind of man was the one who passed them by. When he did not get the answer he was expecting, he pointed out to the boy what he previously said, that he would be able to know a nigger when he sees one but then he proved not to be able to do so. When they got off the train, the old man who looked at himself as a sage who is supposed to fill the mind of the young boy with learning soon discovered he also had a lot to learn. Nelson in turn learned the lessons his grandfather authored for him and more and therefore decided not to go back to the city. The aforementioned circumstances came about due to an instance wherein the boy was placed in a dilemma when he hurt a woman who was carrying some groceries when he went frantic looking for his grandfather who left him at a distance, trying â€Å"to teach him a lesson†. When Mr. Head was threatened by the women who were trying to seek justice from the accident his grandson caused, he denied that he knew the boy. Nelson, who looked up to him as a savior at such a dire situation was angry that his own grandfather would disown him. When the two continued to find their way to train station, the old man learned how it felt to need mercy and forgiveness because this was still the first time he had ever failed his grandson. Nelson in turn learned how he needed his grandfather. The story is meant to show how an educator needs to be educated as well. The grandfather does not just represent old age b ut also wisdom which should be gained through years of experience. Mr. Head knows that his grandson should learn many things about his birthplace and decides to make him experience how it is to live in the city. His intention is to make Nelson see that there is nothing to boast about in being born in the city so just as he gained wisdom through experience he contemplates that the best way to open the eyes of the young boy is to let him experience a day in the city. Although Mr. Head only meant the trip for the learning of the boy, he is to find out that there is also a lesson waiting for him. The grandfather, being an old man, always thought he is better than his grandson and when they got lost, he still was too prideful to admit his mistakes. He insists on concentrating in teaching Nelson that the place they are in is where he was born and that there is nothing good about it that he should be proud of. When the two realize that they left their lunch at the train, the boy blames his grandfather of getting them lost and leaving their food. However, instead of admitting his lack of judgment, the old man tried to blame things back to the young boy. The old man is too proud to stoop down and admit his mistakes to his young grandson. On the other hand, the young boy learns little by little

Alternative Assessment Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alternative Assessment Analysis - Essay Example Various forms of formal alternative assessments are the portfolios, projects, and journals. These kind of assessments have specific guidelines and formally specified performance indicators that are used to measure students learning. The major situation in which these kinds of assessments are appropriate is actually, when the learning attribute measured is specific and can be practically revealed. A good example is the assessment of a student’s ability to plan, manage, and implement a program related to their field of study. In such a case a project or a portfolio can be very appropriate to assess the student’s skills. The most conspicuous form of an informal alternative assessment is observation. This kind of assessment is informal since it has no specific indicators that can show the level of performance of a student. It is also one kind of an assessment undertaken informally and sometimes the student might fail to realize that he is being assessed. This kind of assessment is very appropriate when it comes to assessing competency of some aspects of learning that the student might try to hide. A good example is the assessment of pronunciation and communication ability of a student. There was a time our teacher used observation form of assessment in assessing our ability to communicate back in elementary school. Most of us were not aware that it was an assessment until the teacher told us so after we had completed the task that was assigned to us. The assignment was simple since each of the students was to use five minutes to explain to the teacher his most exciting moments of the class. Later, after the teacher informed us that it was an assessment he showed us the rubric that he was using to mark the assessment. He later told each of us his score in the assessment, where he had gone wrong, and what he needs to improve. He also told us various types of instructions that he has decided to introduce in order to counter the

Case of Mohamad vs Rajoub Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case of Mohamad vs Rajoub - Essay Example It is evident from the study that the case of Mohamad vs Rajoub was filed by the widow and children of Azzam Rahim , who was tortured brutally and murdered inside the custody of a Palestinian jail by the officials However the court dismissed the case filed by the accused family on the grounds that that the Torture victim protection act applies only to the natural persons which was later supported by the Supreme of the United States. Though the respondents in the case which included the three officers accepted their guilt but the court provided the decision on their favor considering the fact that Azzam Rahim was not a natural person. The case of Mohammad vs Rajoub was filed in the court with a purpose to investigate the fact that whether Torture victim Protection Act 1991was also applicable only to the natural persons or not. The case was under the jurisdiction of the district court of Colombia though it was later handled by the US Supreme Court. In the case the source of the crimina l was law comprised of the families of the victim and the three officials of the custody. Accomplice liability in legal term refers to the fact that an individual is held guilty for the commitment of the crime by other if the person intentionally is involved in the crime by his solicitation, or advice to commit the crime with the help of the physical conduct or his psychological influence. In the case referred the victim who was in custody was brutally beaten by the officials who caused him death. The three officers who were held as guilty were charged with the Accomplice liability considering the fact that all three were involved in the killing and must have provoked each other in beating the victim in custody which caused him death. It also conferred on the fact that the accomplice had the stake in the act of the principal. As in the case it was difficult to point out the principle accused as all three were equally responsible, so the accused were held guilty under the charge of a ccomplice liability (Rogers, n.d, p.1351). Criminal liability refers to the liability of the accused which arises on the event of breaking the law or committing a crime. In the case mentioned the respondents were held guilty and charged with criminal liability on the grounds that they violated the law and killed the convict in the prison. As a result of the offence they committed, they were sentenced to jail for 1-7 years, but they were not imposed with any other liability considering the fact that the victim was not a natural person. During the petition in the court the officials also accepted their act of violating the law of killing a person in jail. Difference between various elements of crime and the application in the case: The elements of crime which are considered in the paper are Actus Reus, Actus Menus and concurrence. In legal terms the, Actus Reus refers to the conduct of the accused and in order to declare the accused as criminal it is necessary to investigate the reaso n behind the act which causes the harm to the victim and the act must be a voluntary in nature . In the case of Mohammad vs Rajoub, it was found out that the officials in the custody had

Evaluating Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating Ethics - Essay Example However, there is no written code of ethics of the company.1 However, company works on the basis of stewardship in which it defines its relationship with the external world and its member community especially. This stewardship includes some priority areas set by the company which outlines its responsibilities towards the community and external world. These priorities include the active conservation of nature, responsible use of the outdoor activities, adapting responsible business practices to enhance and improve the external world, â€Å"foster opportunities to increase participation in human-powered outdoor recreation, with a focus on youth2†. It is because of this reason that REI has been developing eco-sensitive products. â€Å"Everyone at REI is charged with nurturing the spirit of openness, honesty and integrity that is so much a part of the fabric of the REI culture. Doing the right thing is a way of life here. REI has taken a firm stance on business ethics and social compliance. We hold ourselves and our vendors, both domestic and international, to high standards and take seriously our commitment to act as a concerned corporate citizen. Our strict sourcing code ensures that goods carrying the REI label are manufactured with due regard for workers and the environment.† (REI) The above quote strictly outlines various ethics of the company. It not mentions about REI’s values but also clearly mentions about the commitment of its employees. In terms of training, REI strive to deliver it on two counts. One to its employees and second to its customers so that its policy of the conservation of nature can be achieved through development of eco-friendly products. Further, in terms of monitoring, REI works as a Co-op where its members are regular visitors besides since employees of the organization itself have the desire and passion about the outdoor activities therefore monitoring at the company take place on multiple counts. First

Importance of managing the firms weighted average cost of capital Essay

Importance of managing the firms weighted average cost of capital (WACC) - Essay Example Managing WACC thus means keeping the WACC value lower than the company's after-tax returns, or in other words, reducing the cost of capital.This can be done by financing a major percentage of the purchase with the lowest cost of capital available, secured debts for instance, and the rest with personal equity held as cash, or by means of capital prioritisation, that is, using the cheapest source of capital first. A low WACC means that investors will be interested in the company in case additional capital needs to be raised for expansion or other purposes. Calculating WACC is often tricky because though the cost of debt is easy to track down, cost of equity can be an elusive factor. But it is worth the exercise, because knowing its WACC helps a company to try and restrict the WACC value for projects to levels far below those of its after-tax returns, thus adding to profitability. All firms need to take recourse to loans at some stage of their life cycle. But they need to carefully and critically evaluate their loan agreements, whether in the public or the private sector.

John Dewey on Education Essay Example for Free

John Dewey on Education Essay John Dewey, Mortimer Adler and Nel Noddings impacted our system of education in very profound ways. Dewey believed that there should be communication between the student and the teacher. Adler believed that schools should only teach the traditional courses (English, Math, Science, Social Studies and Foreign Language). Noddings believed that teachers should be more caring towards their students. John Dewey’s idea of education greatly affected our system of education today. John Dewey’s ideas for education were to concentrate on students’ psychological and sociological qualities. Dewey believed in promoting an â€Å"unconscious education† where â€Å"the individual gradually comes to share in the intellectual and moral resources which humanity has succeeded in getting together. He becomes an inheritor of the funded capital of civilization† (Dewey 261). In other words, he thought this was a good method for teachers to analyze a student’s behavior in order to teach them more effectively. This also provided an opportunity for the student to learn without even realizing it. Dewey stated that a student’s psychological needs were the basis of his method of education. The child’s own instinct and powers furnish the material and give the starting-point for all education† (Dewey 262). Dewey stressed the idea that, â€Å"Without insight into the psychological structure and activities of the individual the educative process will†¦be haphazard and arbitrary† (Dewey 262). Dewey was also extremely interested in the social aspects of a student. He said that the, â€Å"knowledge of social conditions, of the present state of civilization, is necessary in order to properly interpret the child’s powers† (Dewey 262). This was a new technique for an educator to see and distinguish the instincts and tendencies in a student. Therefore, in order for an educator to know more about a student he/she must first study the student’s psychological traits in order to understand the unique characteristics of a child’s capacities, interests and habits. Then the teacher must translate their findings into terms of what they believe the child is capable of in a social setting. In my opinion, Dewey showed a balance between the dialectic of academics and affective goals. This is also known as transaction, which is having both the teacher and the student interact in the classroom. Dewey believed that the academic goals of education should be, â€Å"a process of living and not a preparation for future living† (Dewey 263). He stated that the teachers’ job is not to influence him but to help guide the student into successfully forming with the community by letting the student experience some life occurrences. â€Å"The teacher is not in the school to impose certain ideas or to form certain habits in the child, but is there as a member of the community to select the influences which shall affect the child† (Dewey 263 – 264). Dewey also believed that tests should only be used to examine a child’s social capabilities in the real world. â€Å"Examinations are of use only so far as they test the child’s fitness for social life and reveal the place in which he can be of the most service and where he can receive the most help† (Dewey 264). In my opinion, this would be more of a conceptual test where the child can voice his or her own opinions. Dewey’s main affective goals were to deepen the child’s meaning of himself and his values. It is the business of the school to deepen and extend his sense of the values bound up in his home life† (Dewey 263). Dewey believed that it was important for the school to implement lessons that related to what a child would do at home. The school would also be responsible for simplifying their social life because; â€Å"existing life is so complex that the child cannot be brought into contact with it without either confusion or distraction† (Dewey 263). Therefore, if the child is exposed to too much social stimulation he will become, â€Å"either unduly specialized or else disintegrated† (Dewey 263). I believe that Dewey’s views show that he is against standardization in schools. He believed that there was a lack of conscious states in schools. He asserts that children are, â€Å"thrown into a passive, receptive, or absorbing attitude† (Dewey 265). Dewey’s viewpoint is still an active discussion topic in today’s education system. However, some school districts insist on rote learning because their schools receive more funding when there is a high percentage of passing students on standardized tests. According to Linda McNeil, students are taught on how to pass these tests without really learning. For example, McNeil states that, â€Å"students report that in the drills on the TAAS reading section, they frequently mark answers without reading the sample text. They merely match key words in an answer choice with key words in the text† (McNeil 218). According to Dewey, this is â€Å"not permitted [in following] the law of nature† (Dewey 265), resulting in â€Å"friction and waste† (Dewey 265). Dewey believed that proper instruction should be exemplified by, â€Å"the preparation and presentation of lessons [which] might be more wisely and profitably expended in training the child’s power of imagery and in seeing to it that he was continually forming definite, vivid, and growing images of the various subjects with which he comes in contact in his experience† (Dewey 266). Standardization is not they key component of education, even though the state and federal government believe this is an important element for success. According to Gerald Bracey, when students are applying to college, the SAT exam should be used as a guideline and not the final decision in acceptance. Bracey stated that the, â€Å"SAT scores had been falling for fourteen years† (Bracey 47). He also stated that, â€Å"While the developers of the SAT still called their test a ‘mere supplement,’ the public now saw it as the platinum rod for measuring school performance. And that performance was getting worse† (Bracey 47). Somehow over time, a student’s SAT score developed into an extremely significant number which seemed to become the overall determination of a student’s intelligent. It seems harsh and unbalanced to put so much emphasis on one test. Of course, applicants are told that in combination with their SAT scores; their grades and outside activities are taken into consideration for college admittance. But the truth is these SAT scores still remain a huge factor for college applicants. Studies have shown that a high SAT score does not guarantee high grades in college however the politics behind these tests are stronger than the public’s opinion in order to get these tests repealed. Standardized tests do not lead the student to come into contact with the subject at hand or the experience related to it. They also do not show the overall picture of an individual or what he or she can contribute while attending college. Scott Thompson is against the test-based reform of today’s society. Thompson claims that, â€Å"The human hearts and minds of others, I believe, are simply too complex and too inaccessible to read as a book† (Thompson 160). Thompson argues that the differences between test-based reform and standards-based reform. He concluded that standards-based reform involves more cooperation from parents, teachers and the students. It also gives the students a high-quality method of learning and not simply learning techniques for test taking. â€Å"We should be interested in students who can produce high quality work rather than students who have mastered the ability to take standardized tests† (Thompson 159). Thompson would love to see that the idea of standardized tests be abandoned in the future. Thompson argues that by giving these students standardized tests that they are reducing their potential of demonstrating their intellect, social and personal sides to the community. Test-based reform, through its focus on high-stakes test, narrows the curriculum to what is included on the tests and reduces instructional practice to test preparation† (Thompson 159). In contrast, â€Å"standards-based reform†¦involves a complete abandonment of the bureaucratic, ‘seat time’ approach to education and replaces it with a system of learning communities dedicated to helping all students reach their intellectual, social, and personal potential† (Thompson 159). To summarize, without requiring students to take standardized tests they will greatly increase their academic potential and affective abilities. Bill Bigelow also stresses his concern of standardization. He believes that, â€Å"social studies knowledge is little more than acquiring piles of disconnected facts about the world† (Bigelow 231) and that â€Å"the world can’t be chopped into multiple choice questions, [in] that you can’t bubble in the truth with a number-two pencil† (Bigelow 239). Bigelow would be ecstatic to see the state do away with standardized tests. He demonstrates some strong educational goals that the state should follow that show a balance between academic and affective goals for education. He claims that teachers should, â€Å"construct rigorous performance standards for students that promote deep thinking about the nature of our society. These efforts should acknowledge the legitimacy of a multicultural curriculum of critical questions, complexity, multiple perspective, and social imagination. They should recognize that wisdom is more than information† (Bigelow 239). I agree with his statement. When considering the famous quote, â€Å"knowledge is power†; have we gained knowledge when we have learned the means by which to pass a standardized test? Or has knowledge been gained when a student has the sense of understanding conceptual ideas about society and civilization as a whole? I feel that standardized testing is something elected state officials want because these tests provide numbers and numbers are easy to put into a spreadsheets and show which schools are getting high scores and which schools are getting low scores. It is an easy format to determine budgets; one test is suitable for all students. It is harder to define guidelines on how or what teachers should teach conceptually because that leads to a broader spectrum of learning. In conclusion, I believe that standardized tests are the â€Å"dumbing down of America†. These tests inhibit our abilities to question and reflect. The state and federal governments do not really want the American public to get smarter. They want a simple way to control what students learn and how they learn it. While many people agree that standardization is not improving learning, we are still unable to do away with these tests due to all of the politics involved. I would love for high schools to be more like colleges in that, teachers can use whatever methods of teaching they like just as professors do. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Obviously, there are essential fundamental topics that much be taught that are necessary in order to have the basic foundation on which to grow intellectually. I feel that once a student has mastered the basics, it is crucial to one’s development to discuss controversial issues and to intelligently question the ways of the world. I agree with Bill Bigelow; I do not believe that one test is a thorough determinant of a student’s ability and mastery of various concepts. A famous quote by George Santayana states, â€Å"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it†. With all the controversial issues and problems in the world, shouldn’t learning how to use one’s mind and think â€Å"outside the box† be considered an integral part of learning? Isn’t it important and valuable to society to be able to intelligently discuss solutions rather than just be considered smart because you aced the SAT?

Strategic Workforce Planning and Employment Decisions

Strategic Workforce Planning and Employment Decisions Strategic Workforce Planning involves analyzing and forecasting the talent that companies need to execute their business strategy, proactively rather than reactively, it is a critical strategic activity, enabling the organization to identify, develop and sustain the workforce skills it needs to successfully accomplish its strategic intent whilst balancing career and lifestyle goals of its employees. Strategic Workforce Planning is a relatively new management process that is being used increasingly to help control labour costs, assess talent needs, make informed business decisions, and assess talent market risks as part of overall enterprise risk management. Strategic workforce planning is aimed at helping companies make sure they have the right people in the right place at the right time and at the right price Through Strategic Workforce Planning organizations gain insight into what people the organization will need, and what people will be available to meet those needs. In creating this understanding of the gaps between an organizations demand and the available workforce supply, organizations will be able to create and target programmes, approaches and develop strategies to close the gaps. Steps in Workforce Planning 1. Environment Scan ENVIRONMENT ÂÂ  SCANNING ÂÂ  is a form of business intelligence. In the context of Workforce Planning it is used to identify the set of facts or circumstances that surround a workforce situation or event. 2. Current Workforce Profile Current State is a profile of the demand and supply factors both internally and externally of the workforce the organization has today. 3. Future Workforce View View is determining the organizations needs considering the emerging trends and issues identified during the Environment Scanning. Future View is often where the different approaches identified above are applied: Quantitative futuring: understanding the future you are currently tracking to by forecasting; Qualitative futuring: scenario planning potential alternative futures in terms of capabilities and demographics to deliver the business strategy. 4. Analysis and Targeted Future Qualitative and quantitative futuring creates the content for an organizational unit to analyse and identify critical elements. As the critical elements are identified the Targeted Future begins to take form. The targeted future is the future that the organization is going to target as being the best fit in terms of business strategy and is achievable given the surrounding factors (internal/external, supply/demand). 5. Closing the Gaps Closing the gaps is about the people management (human resources) programs and practices that deliver the workforce needed for today and tomorrow. The process is about determining appropriate actions to close the gaps and therefore deliver the targeted future. There are 8 key areas that Closing the Gaps needs to focus on Resourcing, Learning and Development, Remuneration, Industrial Relations, Recruitment, Retention, Knowledge Management, Job design. Strategy Development Develop strategies for workforce transition. Basic Information to Include in the Workforce Plan: List specific goals to address workforce competency gaps or surpluses (may include the following): Changes in organizational structure Succession planning Retention programs Recruitment plans Career development programs Leadership development Organizational training and employee development Understand how the legal and organisational frameworks for employment of staff Evaluate the current legal requirements influencing a HR plan Describe a process for recruitment and selection of new staff (external candidates) that complies with current legislation and organisational requirements Ans2 Human resources are the participants as also the beneficiaries of economic development process. In that, human resources figure on the demand as well as the supply side of production of goods and services in the economy. On the demand side, goods and services produced are used by the human beings to alleviate poverty, improve health, generate better living conditions, enhance general educational levels and provide better facilities for training. Utilisation of goods and services thus leads to an improvement of quality of human resources. On the supply side, human resources and capital form essential ingredients of production systems which transform natural and physical resources into goods and services. Complementarily between human resources and capital is so close that optimal increases in output and hence optimal economic growth is not possible through increases in one of them either human resources or capital at the cost of the other. ÂÂ  Some growth of course can be had from the increase in more conventional capital even though the labour that is available is lacking both in skill and knowledge. But the rate of growth will be seriously limited. It simply is not possible to have the fruits of modern agriculture and the abundance of modern industry without making large investments in human beings. There is an optimal ratio of human resources to capital which has to be maintained to reach the attainable rate of economic growth. Given the endowment of capital and other material resources, human resources could accelerate the production process and hence economic growth. At the same time, unprecedented growth in human resources, disproportionate to the pattern of accumulation of capital and other material resources could hinder development. Rate of growth in human resources, in turn, is determined by the two dimensions of human resources: Quantity and Quality. Quantity of human resources is determined by variables such as: population policy, population structure, migration, and labour force participation. Quality of human resources, on the other hand, is influenced by the status of variables like: education and training health and nutrition, and equality of opportunity. In this Unit we will take into account the two dimensions of human resources: Quantity and Quality in context of HRP in general and also in tourism. 1. QUANTITATIVE DIMENSIONS OF HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING Human resources viewed as the productive power of human beings constitute only one of the two parts of population of any economy. The other being the human beings without any productive power. Population Population of a country, in a generic sense, is taken as constituting the totality of all human beings of the country. The concept of population, viewed in this manner, appears to be very simple. However, in reality, the definitions used vary not only from country to country but even within a country depending on the purpose of enquiry. Broadly, the definitions of population used may be categorised into de facto and de jure. A de facto (or present-in-area) concept involves complete count of all persons residents and non-residents alike physically present in the country at the time of enumeration. A de jure concept necessitates complete count of all persons considered to be normal residents of the country, irrespective of where each person is located, at the time of the census. Strict conformity to either of these concepts is not possible because of difficulties in enumeration like: nationals living abroad, nomadic population, inhabitants in extremely remote areas, and population in disturbed areas. Added to this, are the administrative difficulties logistic, financial and human of recording everyone at the same time. There is thus a degree of inaccuracy in the census of population of any country. The greater the number to be counted and/or the larger the area to be covered the larger is the degree of inaccuracy. Human resources being an integral part of population, growth of human resources is naturally dependent on the growth of population. Population growth, in turn, is determined by three factors: Population policies, population structure and migration. a) Population Policies In terms of State intervention in population planning, it is useful to distinguish between population influencing policies and population responsive policies. The former are anticipatory in nature and operate through the demographic sub-system by influencing factors primarily responsible for population growth such as fertility, marriage and mortality. The latter are essentially reactive in character which are often implemented through the socio-economic sub-system to accommodate or adjust to observed demographic trends with the help of programmes like health, nutrition, education, housing, transport network expansion and employment promotion. In an over-populated economy, sufficiently robust population influencing policies along with appropriate population responsive policies (complementary in nature) might be the optimal population policy framework. In any case, understanding the structure and pattern of growth of population is essential for evolving an appropriate combination of population influencing and population responsive policies towards achieving an optimal population policy framework. b) Population Structure Population is a dynamic concept. Consequently, structure or composition of population at any point of time reveals two things: First, it is the result of interaction in the past among factors causing population growth. Second, it reveals the potential for future growth in population. In so far as population growth is concerned, there are two aspects of population composition which are most important: Sex composition and age composition: i) Sex Composition The principal measure of sex composition is the sex ratio defined as the number males per 100 females. In other words: Number of males in the population Sex ratio = ÃÆ'- 100 Number of females in the population One hundred is the point of balance between males and females. A sex rate above 100 denotes an excess of males. Likewise, a sex ratio below 100 indicates an excess of females. In general sex ratios tend to range between 95 to 102. Heavy war losses, heavy migration and local social considerations such as female infanticide may upset the sex ratio. In any case a sex ratio outside the range of 90 to105 is to be viewed with suspicion. Starting point for all population projections is the projection of female population on whom crucially the number of births will depend. Higher the female population, higher will be the number of births and hence the higher will be the population growth. Sex composition thus indicates the potential future growth in population. ii) Age Composition Age composition is the distribution of population by age groups usually five year age groups. Age composition at any given point of time is the result of past trends in fertility and mortality and is also the basis for establishing future trends. In the computation rate of growth of population, future births are usually computed by applying five year age specific fertility rates to the women of child bearing age (10 to 49 years) at the midpoint of each five-years time interval. Data on age composition is also useful in the computation and analysis of labour supply. Economically active age-group is considered to be 15 to 65 years. Population in the age group crucially determines the extent and composition of labour force. c) Migration Age and sex composition are indicative of only the natural growth in population. Another factor which causes changes in population is the net migration. If the net migration is positive, the population grows at a rate faster than that indicated by natural growth. On the contrary, if the net migration is negative it causes decline in the rate of growth indicated by the natural growth. Movements from and to other regions within the country are termed as out-migration and in-migration, respectively, and these movements together are known as internal migration. Data on internal migration are useful, when it is intended to analyse population changes at provincial level or some other administrative level. Internal migration is a function of the inter-regional and inter-sectoral rates of growth and wage differentials. Movement across national boundaries causes changes in the population at the national level. The effect of international migration on the national population is measured by the rate of net-migration defined as: Total immigrants Total emigrants Rate of net migration = ÃÆ'- 1000 Mid-year population Rate of population increase at any point of time equals the rate of natural increase plus the rate of net migration. Labour Force Participation Population change as such do not cause changes in human resources. Rather it is the change in the economically active component of population which affects growth in the human resources. In terms of economic activity classification, population may be divided into workers and non-workers. Worker is defined as a person whose main activity is participation in economically productive work by his or her mental or physical presence. Work involves not only actual work but also effective supervision and direction. Workers thus defined, others in the population are considered as non-workers. For the purpose of elaboration non-workers may be categorised as: full-time students, persons engaged in household duties, infants and dependents doing no work, retired persons and renters living on rent on an agricultural or non-agricultural royalty, beggars, vagrants and others with unspecified sources of income, inmates of penal, charitable and metal institutions, unemployed but available for work, and others. Labour force or economically active population is that segment of the population whose function is to produce goods and services demanded by the whole population. Usually, those aged 15-64 years are considered to be in the productive age-group. However, not everyone in the productive age-group is effectively in the labour force. According to the accepted definition, labour force comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour available for the production of economic goods and services including: employers, employees, self-employed persons, and those engaged in family enterprises without pay. In other words, labour-force may be defined as comprising workers and non-workers in the productive age-group who are unemployed but available for work. Labour-force participation rate is then defined as Labour force Labour force participation rate = ÃÆ'- 100 Total population Tourism In the case of international or domestic tourism it is not just the labour force that participates in the production of goods and services but the entire host population of the destination has a role to play. This is because besides the economic activity, attitudes of the host population matter a lot in creating an environment which is tourist and tourism friendly. There are destinations where the population plays host to tourists numbering four times more than its own numbers and each and every member of the population has some role in this regard a friendly smile too has a role. Many countries and destinations have earned a brand image in hospitality. Hence, human resource planners lay stress on creating tourism awareness including dos and donts vis-Ã  -vis tourists for the entire host population. Moreover, there are destinations where, quantitatively speaking, the whole population is involved in tourism both, directly as well as through indirect employment. But beyond a point, i t is the qualitative dimension that matters and converting quantity into quality is the real challenge in HRD. While the quantitative dimensions assist in the analysis of human resources in terms of numbers, qualitative dimensions facilitate assessment and analysis of the productive power in human resources. For example, four hundred drivers may be available to a tourist transport operator but he may find only 20 out of these which meet the quality standards in relation to driving skills required for handling tourist coaches. i) Education and Training Education and training are the most dominant dimensions affecting quality of human resources in terms of knowledge and skills. Education and training serve both individual and social ends. To an individual, it has both vocational and cultural significance in achieving economic emancipation and social up gradation. To the society, education and training are means which make possible to take advantage of technological changes as well as furthering technological progress. Depending on the methods of imparting knowledge and skills, education and training may be classified into two types: Formal and Informal. Formal education and training, which is imparted through schools and colleges, emphasises transfer of knowledge. Informal education and training such as on-the-job training and hereditary training lays stress on transfer of skills, i.e., practical application of knowledge. Education and training as a means of human resources planning involve critical choices, as no country can have all education and training. Rather, it is essential to identify priorities in education and training, emphasise programmes which have high priority and tone down or even discard programmes with a low priority. As far as development of education and training is concerned there are six choice areas which are critical: Choice between levels of education such as primary, secondary and higher education. Choice between quality and quantity in education and training. Choice between science and technology on the one hand, and humanities and liberal arts on the other hand. Choice between market forces and incentives to attract people into some occupations. Choice between the aspirations of individuals and needs of the society. ii) Health and Nutrition Health and nutrition status constitutes one of the most important indicators of quality of human resource, as they contribute significantly to building and maintaining a productive human resource as well as improving average expectation of life and quality of life. There are three determinants of health status: Purchasing power of people. Public sanitation, climate and availability of medical facilities. Peoples knowledge and understanding of health hygiene and nutrition. Education, health and nutrition are inter-linked and they complement each other in the process of human resources development. iii) Equality of Opportunity Investments in human resources development do not always ensure proportionate development of all sections of population. In the absence of deliberate policy intervention, there are bound to be discriminations. We can say that there are three distinct forms of discriminations which are relevant to developing nations: Social discrimination may take either the form of sex discrimination or discrimination among different social groups or both. For example, a few years back the air hostesses of a particular airlines petitioned in the court because their retirement age was earlier than of their male counterparts. The court upheld their petition and now the retirement age of both male and female air hostesses is same. Economic discrimination takes place largely among groups of population belonging to different economic strata classified in terms of either income generating assets. Regional discrimination can be in the form of either discrimination between rural and urban population or discrimination among population belonging to different regions. These three forms of discriminations individually and/or jointly lead to inequality of opportunities of varying degree among different sections of population. Discrimination of any form causes differential access to education and training, and health and nutrition. This in turn leads to differences in quality and productivity of human resources belonging to different segments of the population with the privileged benefiting the most and under privileged being deprived of their due share in the development process. Opportunity costs of discrimination are very high, as it leads to many social and economic evils apart from retarding the pace of economic development. It has been demonstrated that the national output can be further expanded by improving the average level of productivity of each individual through appropriate social and economic policies directed towards equality to opportunity in the fields of education and health. Tourism has long been recognised as a tool for economic growth and development. However, it can be beneficial to the host economies when it creates jobs for the locals. Here qualitative dimensions of HRD become an important factor for education and training of local population as per the requirements of responsible tourism development. The dimensions, attributes and distribution of population the product of whose labour adds to national wealth constitute human resources. They are thus, the participants and beneficiaries of economic development. The demographic profile, migration and mobility and participation patterns in economic activity determine the quantitative aspects of actual and potential human resources. Investments in education and training, health and nutrition, and social welfare and quality promote quality of human resources through enhanced labour productivity. While quantitative and qualitative dimensions only regulate supply of human resources, the other aspect of human resources planning namely the demand for human resources crucially depends on the functioning and flexibility of labour markets. Labour market analysis is a principal instrument of human resources planning, as it helps identify skill shortages and also enables a diagnosis of market failure to match labour supply with demand. To facilitate labour market analysis, there is a need for a comprehensive and regularly updated labour market information system. 1) The variables for determining the quantitative and qualitative dimension of human resource planning are: Quantitative Population policy, Population structure, Migration, and Labour force participation. Qualitative Education and training, Health and nutrition, and Equality of opportunity Understand the effect of the organisation environment on staff Discuss Assess work life balance issues and the changing patter of work practices Importance of HR PLANNING in ÂÂ  organizations. Each Organisation needs personnel with necessary qualifications, skills, knowledge, experience aptitude . Need for Replacement of Personnel ÂÂ  Replacing old, retired or disabled personnel. Meet manpower shortages due to labour turnover Meet needs of expansion / downsizing programmes Cater to Future Personnel Needs Nature of present workforce in relation with Changing Environment helps to cope with changes in competitive forces, markets, technology, products and government regulations. Shift in demand from ERP to internet programming has increased internet programmers i) quantify job for producing product / service ii) quantify people positions required ii) determine future staff-mix iii) assess staffing levels to avoid unnecessary costs iv) reduce delays in procuring staff v) prevent shortage / excess of staff vi) comply with legal requirements In organisational development, succession planning is the process of identifying and preparing suitable employees, through mentoring, training and job rotation, to replace key personnel within an organisation if they leave. All employers need to consider the issue of succession planning to ensure that no part of the business is at risk should a particular member of staff leave the organisation. With good succession planning, employees are ready for new leadership roles as the need arises. Moreover, when someone leaves, a current employee is ready to step up to the plate. In addition, succession planning can help develop a diverse workforce, allowing decision makers to look at the future make-up of the organisation as a whole. Develop a succession plan for internal replacements, and if you will need to hire, think about the type of person or skills you will need so that if the situation arises you have already done some of the groundwork. In your succession plan you may wish to consider: staff interchange where employees swap jobs within the organisation in order to have experience in multiple positions; formal or informal mentoring ÂÂ  arrangements; coaching of staff; identification of suitable professional development activities for high-performing staff; making agreements to introduce flexible working arrangements; creating forward-thinking internal promotion policies; supporting staff to take increased responsibility; the allocation of higher-grade duties or assignments. Understand the grievance, discipline and dismissal process Identify the process to be followed in a grievance situation Describe the stages of a discipline issue that results in dismissal Explain the role of ACAS, Employment tribunals and other external agencies that could be involved in grievance, discipline and dismissal processes Process Steps There are four main grievance process steps: discovery, conciliation, internal review and arbitration. A summary of what happens at each of these step appears below. Click on a link here, or at the bottom of the page, to see a full discussion of what happens at that step in the grievance process. Discovery The date when the grieving faculty member (grievant) discovered, or reasonably could have discovered, the circumstances leading to the grievance. Conciliation The informal, confidential effort to resolve the grievance between the faculty member and the Board at the lowest possible administrative level before a formal grievance can be filed. This effort is normally assisted by a FA-appointed campus conciliator. Internal Review Hearing An informal meeting scheduled by the college president, or the presidents designee. The president listens to the grievant, the responding administrator and their representatives as they address the allegations contained in a timely Notice of Grievance that has been filed with the District. The president writes an Internal Review Hearing decision regarding the Notice of Grievance allegations. Arbitration Hearing A formal hearing before an arbitrator chosen from a list of seven possible candidates supplied by the State Conciliation Service. Legal counsel represents both parties and all testimony by witnesses is under oath. After reviewing evidence, testimony and argument briefs from both parties, the arbitrator renders a written decision that is binding on both parties. Disciplinary and grievance procedures provide a clear and transparent framework to deal with difficulties which may arise as part of their working relationship from either the employers or employees perspective. They are necessary to ensure that everybody is treated in the same way in similar circumstances, to ensure issues are dealt with fairly and reasonably, and that employers are compliant with current legislation and follow the Acas Code of Practice for handling disciplinary and grievance issues. Disciplinary procedures are needed: So employees know what is expected of them in terms of standards of performance or conduct (and the likely consequences of continued failure to meet these standards). To identify obstacles to individuals achieving the required standards (for example training needs, lack of clarity of job requirements, additional support needed) and take appropriate action. As an opportunity to agree suitable goals and timescales for improvement in an individuals performance or conduct. To try to resolve matters without recourse to an employment tribunal. As a point of reference for an employment tribunal should someone make a complaint about the way they have been dismissed. Grievance procedures are needed: To provide individuals with a course of action should they have a complaint (which they are unable to resolve through regular communication with their line manager). To provide points of contact and timescales to resolve issues of concern. To try to resolve matters without recourse to an employment tribunal. The legal position The statutory procedures for handling discipline and grievance issues introduced in October 2004 were widely criticised andÂÂ  were repealed in their entirety with effect from 6 April 2009. (Those in Northern Ireland should note that the Employment Act 2008, which repealed th statutory procedures, is not applicable there the Department for Employment and Learning has published detailed guidance From 6 April 2009 the important provisions governing discipline and grievances at work are to be found in: The Employment Act 2008 The Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2008. Numerous other pieces of legislation cross refer to discipline and grievance issues. Some important examples include the: The Employment Rights Act 1996 as amended The Employment Rights Dispute Resolution Act 1998 The Employment Relations Act 1999 The Employment Rights Act 2004. Employers own disciplinary, grievance and dismissal procedures and the Acas Code of PracticeÂÂ  are essential to ensure that good dispute handling behaviour is adopted. The role of the Acas Code of Practice The Acas Code of Practice Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures was revised to reflect the removal of the statutory procedures andÂÂ  a new version1 came into force on 6 April 2009. CIPD endorses the Code. Following it is crucially important for employers: an employment tribunal will consider whether the employer has followed the Code and, if they have not, then the tribunal may adjust any awards made by up to 25% for unreasonable failure to comply. In situations where the trigger event occurs on or after 6 April 2009, an employment tribunal will considerÂÂ  whether the employer has followed the Acas Code and, if they have not, then the tribunal may adjust any awards made by up to 25% for unreasonable failure to comply. CIPD members can find out more on the content of the Code, the legal aspects of this topic and likely future developments from our FAQ on Discipline and grievances procedures in the Employment Law at Work area of our websi

Increasing Floorspace Construction Plan

Increasing Floorspace Construction Plan After the negotiation of the final contract, EID was given the authorization to begin the project.  But there was no formal notice to proceed and the duration of the project was not closely monitored or contractually specified. In the appointment of an owners representative during the design phase, to expedite owners decisions and approvals, Mr. Ian Leadbetter, a mechanical and software engineer, was appointed as the owner representative even though he lacked project management training and experience. Failures in submittal reviews Mr. Leadbetter was occupied with the software development and did not have a standardized process in place for the approval of submittals and other key project management owner processes. Design process failures There was no process that was in place to deal with the expansion of the production train. This change caused the software design work that was completed to be discarded resulting in Mr. Ledbetters need to focus on redesign of the software and not on his duties of facilitating and communicating information between all parties. Since there were no processes on order for submittal reviews and approvals, there was a significant delay in the delivery of the production train equipment. During the construction phase, there were numerous problems that resulted including inter-coordination of shop drawings to design causing the structure of the building to be designed five feet less than required for the production train, owner representatives conducting business with subcontractors without the contractor being present, and other problems with process and technical management. There was no communications plan in place for the project. Failures in completion schedule and getting occupancy permits There were delays due to a number of shortfalls in the project management system. The management failed to hold EID accountable for project completion and closeout causing delays in schedule.   EID did not provide the building occupation permit nor did they comply with scheduling requirements for utility tie-ins causing several weeks in lost production. b. The real objectives of Woody were as follows: Increase the production capacity by 25% Increase the flooring of the production plant Install air conditioning Install dust free painting and finishing shop Add additional compressor capacity Completely install a semi-automatic wood working production train Renovate the President and Vice-Presidents offices e. The projects success can be gauged by their adherence to cost, time, usage of resources and quality standards. Cost: Maximum cost allowed was $ 17 million. Having a control over the budget, without any deviations would be success criteria. Time: The maximum time allowed for the project was 18 months. Any deviation from this would reflect poorly. Quality: Adherence to both product and process quality would be important. Product quality can be determined by the Conditions of Satisfaction established by the customer, in this case the management board of Customs Wood Work. The second quality standard can be measured by the criterion set by the project team in order to obtain the final product. Process quality has to be developed at every stage. 2. Project Scope Set up in 1954, Custom Wood Works had diversified into the manufacturing of made-to-order kitchen and bathroom cabinets, furniture for wholesalers/retailers along with its traditional offering of customized furniture. The company had even taken up sub contract work supplying installing counter tops and cabinets for commercial constructions. With the mini-boom in the construction industry, Custom Wood Works was set to expand its manufacturing business. The company was looking to enter the field of manufacturing by computer controlled automation. To give a certain grandeur to this strategy, the offices of the President and the Vice-President were being refurbished. The scope of the project includes increasing the floor space available to the company with a focus on increasing the companys production capacity by 25%. It also includes setting up of a new semi-automatic wood working production train complete with air-conditioning facilities and a dust free painting shop. The project even includes renovation of the President and Vice-Presidents office. The additives to Woodys project plan should include Sales Assessment An assessment of committed sales contracts and projected contracts should be done to ensure that production can still be maintained during proposed construction and that customer demands for scheduling and delivery requirements are met. There should be a strategic planning session which includes administration, sales, and production to ensure a high standard for customer satisfaction during proposed construction process.  A detailed sales and marketing plan should be prepared and should have contingency planning in case the market falls in a certain sector.   Process and Recommended PMLC model A complete systems flow should be developed to include document, task and schedule accountability, and allow for the integrated coordination between the owner, design and construction teams, and governing agencies. A Woody 2000 project steering committee should be formed that includes the executive management team and key leaders of the project.   Strategic planning and focus groups A systematic strategic planning session with various groups in the organization should be organized. Sub focus group which includes finance, production and administration should be formed. All meetings would have very detailed meeting minutes to include new and old business, pending issues and accountability milestones.   A task-tracking log can be maintained in each of the key disciplines. Evaluate Design and Constructability Value engineering, systems analysis, interior and exterior specification selections, program requirements, and overall design development coordination should be included. Existing production output should be reviewed along with new technologies and the affect upgraded machinery would have on production. Existing production capability should be maintained in order to service existing clients.   Project sequencing and mobilization A complete interfacing of the Woody 2000 project program requirements with the existing operations to determine various solutions for construction mobilization should be included. Pre-construction schedule Woodys executive team should be included in the overall development of the pre-construction schedule with related tasks and accountability time lines. A mobilization plan must be completed in order to ensure that the existing production lines can be maintained without interruption. Financial Performa and feasibility Various alternatives to the proposed expansion including Financial Performa, implications of proposed construction, system for programming spaces, methodologies for hiring of design and construction teams, design development process, implementation process, cost controls, and quality control procedures, should be developed.   Contractor selection methodology A competitive bidding process for the selection of the General Contractor should be followed. A preconstruction conference would be held in which the construction documents would be handed out and the project parameters be discussed and established with contractors. b. Woodys plan in managing the project included the following: Appointing Spencer Moneysworth as the Project Lead Inviting Expert Industrial Developers to quote on the construction. A monthly cash flow was developed by Kim Cashman. Mr. Leadbetter was appointed to take over the day-to-day running of the project. Various vendors like Piecemeal Corporation etc. were appointed to supply the necessities for the impending construction. The installation of the mechanical equipment in the dust free paint shop was given to Amos Dent of Tinknockers Associates. The local inspection authority was asked to intervene and check for compliance with the regulatory policies. An additional line of project financing was opened up to meet the escalated costs, because of the delay in completion. An expensive marketing strategy was launched to win back the lost customers. For post project appraisal, project management consultant W. Easley Associates were retained. A new and improved project management plan should include the following: Programming guidelines 1.  Design review Review Architectural and Engineering Design Services Agreements and ensure that these agreements have definitive date constraints and design to budget parameters. 2.  Review Programming Objectives a. Confirm the Woody team overall desires, intentions, goals and objectives for their expansion and develop a complete needs assessment b. Confirm the long range facility strategies and the necessary sales and marketing strategies needed to keep the new production train generative for its proper production to payback ratio. 3. Review Programming Documents a. Confirm the assessment and audit of Owners existing facilities and determine specific needs to projected revenues.  Review existing operations to ensure that production is not affected by the construction process. b. Ensure the Owners facility needs are fully documented by the use of a program manual and needs assessment log. d. Coordinate with the executive team the overall requested program to decipher between needs and wants and obtain necessary approvals. 4. Review/Maintain Overall Project Budget (OPB) a. Confirm the Owners needs and constraints regarding overall project budget and develop concise budgeting throughout design development phase. b. Confirm coordination of the budget with the program to insure sufficient funds are set aside and that the sequencing of work is in line with projected cash flow. c. Determine cash flow requirements and projections for the duration of the master schedule and coordinate with the finance office. d. Prepare periodic reports to document the planned cash flow versus actual cash flow and report to the Woody 2000 executive steering committee. 5. Review/Maintain Overall Project Schedule (OPS) a. Validate the preliminary schedule and expand the final project schedule and identify major milestones and the critical path for project. b. Validate major team members needs, responsibilities and detailed scheduling of team members work including owner supplied equipment, subcontractors, and the entire project workforce. 6. Review Site Due Diligence 7. Zoning Surveys Coordinate and confirm approvals for proper permitting. a. Transportation Confirm the necessity of a traffic management plan to ensure that the 850 existing employees have ample parking and are not affected by the construction. b. Legal restrictions Confirm approvals for equipment and new paint shop area. c. Environmental reports Soils investigation Confirm that all soils reports are sufficient for the new building footers and structure. e. Existence and capacity of utilities and infrastructure Coordinate with the appropriate utility companies to confirm that all expanded utilities are scheduled properly and without delay. f. Determine applicable government and community agency requirements, approvals and permit. b.  Design Process 1.  Confirm Procurement Agreements Design Services a. Confirm list of consultants, contractors and vendors whose services may be required in the purchasing of design services. b. Monitor the development of agreements to be awarded to successful bidders, all required contracts must be based on hard numbers or guaranteed maximum pricing. 2.  Performance Compliance a. Coordinate the specification of materials with the Owners needs there should be careful consideration given to the production train equipment. b. With the design consultants, develop procedures for material testing and test reporting. 3.  Consultant Coordination a. Monitor the coordination of consultants and vendors in such areas as the production train equipment and other specialized equipment necessary for the expansion space. 4.  Program and Design Compatibility a. Confirm with the design consultants that the developing designs are compatible with the program, master schedule, master budget and quality expectations. b. Confirm with the design consultants that the design as developed is compatible with the Owners needs. 5.  Submittals a. Monitor design submittals and approvals. 6.  Insurance a. Confirm that design consultants have and maintain insurance in accordance with the Owners needs. 7.  Cost Control a. Manage procurement of conceptual estimates of construction costs. b. Assist with value engineering ideas. 8.  Financing a. Assist Owner with developing a process for managing use of the contingency fund. b. Make adjustments as necessary to project current and future cash flows. 4. Quality a. Maintaining quality in this case, includes Adherence to procedures and processes Enforcement of the processes Issuance of completion certificates   Procedures and processes Quality assurance of The Woody 2000 project can only be accomplished through proactive involvement of the management team, interaction with the Owner, and design personnel. The tools to accomplish the same include: Design reviews-Constructability reviews value analysis Submittal control and approval Pre-construction meetings for major building components Partnering Sessions at key intervals of the project to clarify project standards and goals Educating trade contractors in the QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) requirements of the project. Quality assurance and control of the Construction Manager and subcontractors and in field operations should begin during the design phase to determine that the contract requirements are clearly understood by all parties.   Periodic inspections must be conducted to ensure that all items are in conformance, or that non-conforming items are corrected.   Enforcement A regular quality inspection process should be documented. If the quality program is not implemented properly, a notice should be given to the parties involved, calling for an immediate resolution. 3.  Review and issuing completion certificate As certain phases of the project are completed, a list of expected deliverables should be given to the contractors. The subcontractors are expected to cross check the expected deliverables with the actual deliverables and call in the quality team for a review. On successful completion fo the review, the completion certificate may be given to the contractor. b. Leadbetter didnt invoke the quality specifications as he had not been trained in project management experience and lacked the desired skills. The result of it were the following The specification of the production train was changed to increase capacity resulting in the rewriting of the software. This increased debugging at the start-up. Review and approval procedures for the various specifications and drawings were not taken, because of which there was a delay in getting the approval. Change in the production plans made it imperative to add another 5 feet to the length of the building. Delay in receiving and reviewing the catalogue descriptions and other specifications. Failure to meet the local environmental compliance standards, as set by the inspection authority. Building occupation certificate couldnt be obtained. Owners inspection and dry-run tests of the production train couldnt be performed. Customer delivery dates were missed and general contractors cancelled their orders. Depletion in the finished goods inventory and hence loss of face and sales opportunities. Resultant delay in the completion of the project, ensured that costs escalated and required an additional line of financing to be opened up. c. The importance of quality for such a project is because of the following reasons Ensures minimum re-work. Would ensure complete utilization of the resources The project would be under the stipulated budget. Proper quality would refer to compliance of standards and procedures. The project can be completed within the stipulated time. 8. Communication and People Management a. Organization Chart Project Chart b. Leadbetter when appointed to take care of the project lacked the knowledge which would have made him an indispensable part of the project. He lacked project management training and experience. He did not have any grounding in the understanding of the project life-cycle and control concepts. But Leadbetter had specialization in the understanding of the semi-automatic manufacturing machinery, which was the area of expansion of the organization. As such, with the start of the production run, this knowledge would have proven to be an asset ot the company. Hence, imparting training in project management and nurturing of his skills would have helped the company. c. Communication Plan The communication plan addresses crucial items which should include: Responsibility Matrix, Team Coordination, Master Schedule and Specific levels of reporting for different levels of individuals within the project design and construction team. Individual team members should receive specific types of reports such as: project team meeting minutes; monthly executive reports, schedule; etc.   Project goals are to be established and documented so each team member understands the common objectives. A Procedures Manual (PMP) should be completed which has all approved processes and procedures for the project.   Progress meetings: These meetings are important and should be conducted at least weekly, with trade contractors and key subcontractors, to discuss current progress and accomplished milestone objectives, forecast the weeks progress and goals, address problems encountered and actions required to correct any deficient work.   This entails two primary goals: To provide a series of tools for accurate monitoring of the progress of the project. To provide thorough, accurate records of the project to protect the owner from potential disputes or legal problems. Therefore, the following is tracked and recorded on each project: This can be achieved through rade Contractor Daily Reports, Construction Photos, Daily Logs, Testing/Inspection Services, Shop Drawings/Submittals, Document Management, Progress Meetings, Schedule Enforcement, Progress Reporting, Safety Inspections etc. Contract Administration and Field Coordination: The project manager should oversee the coordination of efforts between each contract, including issues such as accessibility to the site, maintenance of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, eliminating disruption to on-going existing activities, tie-ins of utilities and roadways, compatibility of construction methods, construction phasing and utilization of construction forces. Information Management Systems: An Information Management System which implements, tracks and records all the various elements of Project management, planning, organization, meetings and reviews, site logistics, shop drawings, field orders, and document control, should be bought into place. Decision Tracking:   A decision tracking system can be designed to keep the project moving.   Whenever a critical issue is identified by the project team, the system would track the issue, its impact, its source, and the party responsible for the action on the issue.   As individuals take action on the issue, the system would track each action taken and identify the next responsible party in the process of reaching a decision on the issue.   As each issue is resolved, the decision tracking system would close the issue, but preserves the history of the decision process.   RFIs Requests for Information:   These forms can be used regularly to stimulate communication between all project team members, including the owner and architect.   These requests receive immediate attention and are invaluable in aiding the team members to anticipate conflicts before they become problems. d. Expected Communication during execution This should include Design Package Log:  Tracks drawings, specifications and key dates as needed. Pending C.O. Log:  This log tracks owner and designer wish list items and cost.   They allow for timely decisions while maintaining the project budget. Team Action List:  Tracks actions needed to accomplish schedule goals and facilitated those actions. Bi-Weekly Schedules and Meetings:  Meetings, facilitating communication and planning among team members.   These are directed mainly at trade contractors, but also need support from the owner and architect. Liaison Meeting:  Bi-Weekly meetings which includes owner representatives to facilitate major decisions and exchange valuable information.   Submittal Log:  Tracks all submittals by trade contractors requiring approval by the architect and engineers.   Daily Manpower Reports:  This report tracks trade contractors manpower.   This report is reviewed daily and weekly to monitor adequacy of work forces necessary to maintain schedule. CCA Status Reports:  Tracked changes (Contract Change Authorization) and the Owners contingencies available for changes.   Alternate/Value Engineering Log:  Tracks potential additive and deductive changes that the Owner may wish to implement.   Three-Month Calendar:  A three-month calendar with all upcoming meetings and major events can be included with all meeting minutes and updated weekly. 10. Cost Control a. Reasons for the initial high price of EID The initial bid of EID amounted to $ 20 million on a 18 month schedule. EID believed that Woodys would need considerable help with their project planning and had allowed for a number of uncertainties. EID allowed to undertake the work on a fully reimbursable contract. The counter offer EID made was to do the work on their cost but solicit fixed price quotations for all sub-trade work. Their position was reasonable because of 2 reasons: The hourly rate paid would cover all the direct wages/salaries, pay roll burden, head-office overhead and profit. This rate would apply to all engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning for which EID would employ another subcontractor for the building and design work The number of hours put in by EID can be monitored effectively by Woodys. b. 2 years after the project was first launched, there was no meaningful planning for completion. Owners acceptance, testing, dry-run and production start-up of the production train had not been carried out. Also the occupation certificate had not been availed. Due to late delivery of the production train, the tie-in of power and other utility connections scheduled for the annual 2 week maintenance shut-down could not take place. Customer delivery dates were missed and some general contractors cancelled their contracts and placed their orders for mill work elsewhere. Sales opportunities were lost too. All this put together resulted in the fact that, the project was only 85% complete because the delay in completion too was charged to Woodys account. c. Cost Control An experienced team of experts with knowledge of quantities and historical pricing, project management and field supervision, should provide the expertise on all elements relating to cost control, including budgeting, estimating, value engineering and the qualification of subcontractors.   The Woody 2000 project steering committee would receive formal reports weekly from Mr. Moneysworth and Mr. Cashman. The following cost control methods can be implemented throughout the pre-construction and construction phases of the project: Budget Planning In the budgeting phase of the project, the current projected costs of the project can be compared with the initial budget so that the cost doesnt escalate. It has to be ensured that the work involved meets the projected goals Estimating Definitive estimates should be made through schematic design, design development and construction documents stages of the project.  Work has to be done in conjunction with the various prime subcontractors in developing estimates that can be tracked in a similar format to simplify the reconciliation at each estimate phase. Conceptual Pricing: An in-house cost coding system can be developed, to expand into more detailed pricing as the design progresses.   A computer-aided quantity survey system would allow to accurately produce the basic quantities for the project. Cost Forecasting: Prior to the start of the construction phase, transfer the estimate into a cost forecasting format used by project management staff to track costs throughout the project to completion.   This estimating process built from each stage to a Guaranteed Maximum Price estimate, would check it against previous work. Cost Accounting/Tracking: Once the contract price is determined, the estimated labor, material and subcontractor costs can be allocated among standard cost accounts at a level of detail appropriate for tracking individual tasks against the project budget. Procurement and Labor: The procurement cycle begins as purchase orders, subcontracts and change orders are committed, then immediately documented and simultaneously recorded in the cost system.   Actual labor costs, together with work-in-progress, can be recorded on a weekly basis through the payroll system. Cost Reporting: Cost reports are comprehensive and responsive to the specific needs of the project.   Labor reports, printed at the job site weekly, can be used by project management to review progress and costs.   Vendor commitments and expenditures, sorted in various level of detail, can be monitored in several reports. Actual job cost detail can be reported on a limited date range, a group of cost accounts, or for the entire project to date.   Purchasing: A system must be followed that solicits competitive bids from subcontractors and suppliers based upon a set of defined bidding procedures.   In conjunction with the owner, this would identify qualified and capable subcontractors and suppliers taking into consideration their previous experience, workload, ability to perform, and financial capability.   Pre-bid meetings can be conducted for the purpose of assisting subcontractors in understanding the bid documents, design intent and project requirements Subcontractor Qualification: The subcontractor qualification process remains an important part of cost and project control.   However, subcontractors cannot be arbitrarily eliminated from the project unless warranted by serious business indicators.   The subcontractor qualification process is an important step in evaluating the apparent low bidders for capability to satisfactorily perform the scope of work.   Additionally, the evaluation can reveal early signs of weakness, which can be supported to ensure a quality performance. Pricing: Prices should be obtained from a minimum of three pre-qualified bidders for each category of work on the project.   The accuracy and dependability of subcontractor pricing should be directly related to the content of information furnished to the bidders.   d. Flow Chart for processing changes: Cost Forecasting Conceptual Pricing Estimating Budget Planning Purchasing Cost Reporting Procurement Labour Cost Tracking Sub Contracting 11. Risk Identification and Control b c. List of Woodys Actual Surprises: The allocated budget for the project was pegged at $17 million, with 18 months as the time frame for the construction. Mr.Moneysworth invited Expert Industrial Developers to quote on the planned expansion. The fixed price quotation which was given by the firm amounted to $ 20 million and an 18 month schedule. Mr. Ian Leadbetter was appointed for running the project, despite his lack of knowledge in project management training and experience. On suggestion of EID, that Woodys should take over the procurement of the production train directly, the entire production train specification had to be changed to increase the capacity and consequently the program codes too. Change in the production plan resulted in another 5 feet being added to the height of the building. Catalogue descriptions and specifications were not received until the foundations had been poured The surplus paint disposal method didnt meet the environmental standards as specified by the inspection authority Failure to obtain the building occupation certificate Failure of the tie-in of the power and other utility connections Response to the above: Costs arising from these changes, including the delay in the completion were charged tto Woodys account. To mitigate the effect of only 85% completion, Cashman was forced to scramble for an additional line of project financing at prime plus 2.5% interest. Liquid cash was spent at every such instance. A coordinated marketing effort was launched to regain the interest of the customer, which didnt have much effect. Possible Risk Management Plan: The implementers of the project could have followed a 4 prong Risk Management Plan: Risk Identification: Identify potential risks as a part of the project. Case specific potential risks can include securing permits and unfavorable weather conditions which may hamper the construction work. A 10% contingency can be accorded to the construction schedule. Care should be taken to ensure that schedule creep doesnt happen. There can be 4 categories of risk included as a part of the Risk Management Plan Technical Risk: This includes a review of the quality and performance goals of the project. Proper installation of the lag bolts, coordination with the drawing shops and the foundation contractor etc. come under this. Project Management Resources: This includes improper planning and allocation of resources and improper use of management disciplines. Coordination between the owners interface and the appropriate contractors can be a part of this. Organizational Risks: This should ensure that the there are enough human resources allocated to the project and that there are no conflicts between the project staff and the employees of the Custom Wood Working company. External Risk: These risks can be caused by external parties such as regulatory agencies, labor contracts and supplier restrictions. There should be proper coordination with utility companies and that all equipments and systems should be approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies. Risk Assessment This can be done by 2 methods: Static and Dynamic assessment. While static risk assessment is