Appreciation Of Art And Science In Society Essays - Aesthetics

Appreciation of Art and Science In Society One needs both art and science to be fulfilled. If we see a play the lighting is manipulated and the props are measured and cut to a certain size. In music there is rhythm and time. In architecture there is measurement and surveying. If art is focused upon more than science or science is focused upon more than art there will not be an equal balance of appreciation between the two fields. There is no art without science. There is no song without pitch and tone and volume. There is no theater without costumes and measurements and carefully designed sets. Art and science should be equally appreciated because each has a great deal to offer. Music is both an artistic and a scientific form. It is enjoyable, relaxing, and entertaining to sit in a concert hall and hear the rich sounds of an orchestra or a beautiful operatic aria. However, there is a great amount of work that must be done before the operatic singer can stand on a stage and open her mouth to sing in front of an audience. She must learn how to sing her notes on time. This is called rhythm. Rhythm in music involves a steady process of counting and playing or singing when appropriate. There are many "rests" involved where performers must wait and let other instrumentalists or singers perform their part. This organization is what makes up the harmony and beauty we hear today in music. An operatic singer must also learn pitch. This is the art of singing high or low. There is an Italian system for this involving many variations of volume and pitch and tone. Her music must be rhythmic and in harmony with the orchestra around her in order to sound in tune and to present a good performance. The orchestra must also pay attention to harmony. They must play as one, starting and stopping together and on time. When a piece calls for high volume (ff), the orchestra must play loudly. When the piece calls for softness(pp), they must play very softly. Of course there are many variations of loud and soft, such as medium loud and loud soft, but all of these elements are paid close attention during and before a musical performance. There is also science in architecture and landscaping. There are lush, scenic gardens and parks , famous for their timeless beauty and sense appeal. This is not by accident. A great deal of detailed, thoughtful planning was necessary to create these works of wonder. Designs were drawn and redrawn for the layout of these gardens and scenic areas. Measurements were made . Width, length, volume, and various other geometrical and mathematical concepts were applied in the making of these plans. Sketches were drawn. Calculators, computers, and measuring devices were employed in this construction. The process for creating gardens, parks, and buildings that we look upon today with awe and wonder was not an easy one. It was a very involved, tedious process that required a lot of patience, hard work, and dedication . But it was completed and it could not have been completed without the use of scientific and mathematical concepts and techniques. Finally, there is art and science in theater and its production. The performers on stage wear costumes. These costumes are measured, cut, sewn, designed, and fitted for the performers. There are shoes and hats and scarves and dresses and shirts and pants. There are also props in a theater production. These props are constructed very carefully and efficiently. They must be measured and planned to fit the stage area and various acts and scenes in the play. There is also lighting involved in a theatrical production. The lights on stage are manipulated at various intervals to present the ideal mood and setting for each scene. Sound is also used in these productions. There are loud sounds. There are soft sounds. There is rhythm in these sounds. These sounds are used to convey moods, climaxes and events throughout the performance. A play would not be a play without sound, costumes, lighting or props. There is certainly a great deal of science involved in planning out

Raising Biracial Children to Be Well-Adjusted

Raising Biracial Children to Be Well-Adjusted Biracial children have existed in the United States since colonial times. America’s first child of dual African and European heritage was reportedly born in 1620. Despite the long history, biracial children have in the U.S., opponents to interracial unions insist on invoking the â€Å"tragic mulatto myth to justify their views. This myth suggests that biracial children will inevitably grow into tortured misfits angry that they fit into neither black nor white society. While mixed-race children certainly face challenges, raising well-adjusted biracial children is quite possible if parents are proactive and sensitive to their children’s needs. Reject Myths About Mixed-Race Kids Want to raise mixed-race children who thrive? Your attitude can make all the difference. Challenge the idea that multiethnic children are destined for a life of difficulty by identifying successful Americans of mixed race such as actors Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry, news anchors Ann Curry and Soledad O’Brien, athletes Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods, and politicians Bill Richardson and Barack Obama. It’s also helpful to consult studies that debunk the tragic mulatto myth. For example, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry  posits that â€Å"multiracial children do not differ from other children in self-esteem, comfort with themselves, or a number of psychiatric problems.† On the contrary, AACAP has found that mixed children tend to celebrate diversity and appreciate an upbringing in which various cultures played a part. Celebrate Your Child’s Multiethnic Heritage Which biracial kids have the best chance of success? Research indicates that they’re the kids allowed to embrace all components of their heritage. Multiracial children forced to choose a single-race identity tend to suffer from this inauthentic expression of self. Unfortunately, society often pressures mixed-race individuals to choose just one race because of the outdated â€Å"one-drop rule† which mandated that Americans with any African heritage be classified as black. It wasn’t until 2000 that the U.S. Census Bureau allowed citizens to identify as more than one race. That year the Census found that about 4% of children in the U.S. are multiracial. How mixed children racially identify depends on a number of factors, including physical features and family attachments. Two multiethnic siblings who look as if they belong to different races may not identify the same way. Parents, however, can teach children that racial identity is more complicated than what someone looks like on the outside. In addition to physical appearance, mixed children may choose a racial identity based on which parent they spend time with most. This especially proves true when interracial couples separate, causing their children to see one parent more than the other. Spouses who take an interest in their mate’s cultural backgrounds will be more equipped to teach children about all aspects of their heritage should divorce occur. Familiarize yourself with the customs, religions, and languages that play roles in your mate’s background. On the other hand, if you’re alienated from your own cultural heritage but want your children to recognize it, visit older family members, museums and your country of origin (if applicable) to learn more. This will enable you to pass traditions on to your kids. Choose a School That Celebrates Cultural Diversity Your children likely spend just as much time in school as they do with you. Create the best educational experience possible for multiracial children by enrolling them in a school that celebrates cultural diversity. Talk to teachers about the books they keep in the classroom and the general education curriculum. Suggest that teachers keep books in the classroom that feature multiethnic characters. Donate such books to the school if the library lacks them. Talk to teachers about ways to counteract racist bullying in the classroom. Parents can also improve their children’s experience in school by discussing with them the types of challenges they’re likely to face. For example, classmates may ask your child, â€Å"What are you?† Talk to children about the best way to answer such questions. Mixed-race children are also commonly asked if they’re adopted when seen with a parent. There’s a scene in the 1959 film â€Å"Imitation of Life† in which a teacher openly disbelieves that a black woman is the mother to a little girl in her class who looks like she’s completely white. In some instances, a biracial child may appear to be from an entirely different ethnic group than either parent. Many Eurasian children are mistaken for Latino, for example. Prepare your children to deal with the shock classmates and teachers may express upon discovering their racial background. Teach them not to hide who they are in order to fit in with mono-racial students. Live in a Multicultural Neighborhood If you have the means, seek to live in an area where diversity is the norm. The more diverse a city is, the higher the chances that a number of interracial couples and multiethnic children live there. Although living in such an area won’t guarantee that your children never face problems because of their heritage, it lessens the odds that your child will be viewed as an anomaly and your family subjected to rude stares and other bad behavior when out and about.

Mouse Factory Design of Experiments Statistics Project

Mouse Factory Design of Experiments - Statistics Project Example These will act as a basis for future improvements, modifications and prediction. The graph above shows the graphical distribution of the 381 observation in the experiment. As it can be seen from the chart the percentage shrinkage lies between 53.5 and 55.1. Therefore the mean shrinkage lies at about 54 percent. The mean percentage shrinkage for the initial settings is 54.35. The mode is 54.46 while the median is 54.37. These measures of central tendency are not significantly different suggesting that the data is normally distributed. This rhymes well with the graphical representation in the above figure. The variability of percentage shrinkage can be located by use of range, standard deviation and variance. The range which measures the difference between the biggest and the smallest observation is 1.88. The variance and the standard deviation of these observations are 0.16 and 0.40 respectively. The smaller the variability of the shrinkage the more the data is clustered around the mean and the more it is predictable. Considering the initial variable settings which represent the main input the mean shrinkage should lay in the following confidence interval; By taking a consideration of 95% confidence interval, sample size of 381, a sample mean of 54.35 and a standard deviation of 1.88, the confidence interval mean of the future shrinkage should lie between 54.16 and

Compare and contrast the experiences of the former colonies and Essay

Compare and contrast the experiences of the former colonies and developing countries in the twentieth century to the earlier new nations in the Americas in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries - Essay Example While earlier colonisers were fully in charge of the governance of their colonies before 18th and 19th centuries, twists of events were experienced in the neo-colonialism period (Strayer, 2012). This was in the 18th century through 19th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, â€Å"new nations† in the Americas were generated. The colonial powers in these centuries ceased their harsh rules to the developing countries. The developing countries or the former colonies, therefore, became sovereign and fully in control of their social, political and economic resources. This research paper compares and contrasts the experiences of the former colonies and developing countries in the 20th century to the â€Å"new nations† in the Americas in the 18th and 19th centuries. Formers colonies and developing countries in the 20th century were ruled by realism policies while the new nations in Americas were under idealism policies (Strayer, 2012). The former colonies were governed by iron fist. This is a case where colonial governments did not recognise the sovereignty of colonies and their citizens. The new states, on the other hand, emerged due to the struggle for liberation from the colonial governance. The Pan Africanism movement, for example, was the epitome of â€Å"new nations’† origin (Strayer, 2012). New nations in the 18th and 19th Centuries are sovereign states with recognitions in the international relations while the former colonies never had such recognitions. The idealism policies’ governing the post-colonialism new nations believes in the enlightenment process in the international system. The realism, on the other hand, was composed of the self-interest realist colonial powers, which never believed in the enlightenment process or even humanity. Realism majored on their excessive and unrestricted power imposition on their colonies (Strayer, 2012). Indeed this absolute power

Impact of Pinyin on Chinese people's ability to learn foreign Research Paper

Impact of Pinyin on Chinese people's ability to learn foreign langauges - Research Paper Example It is now possible for Pinyin speakers to connect sounds to written forms of words. This knowledge is helpful in acquisition of a phonetic based language like English. As far back as the 1930s, Chinese leaders like Mao Zedong noted that the traditional systems of writing Chinese, such as Zhiyin, Fanqie, and Zhuyinfuhao, were too difficult to learn. Because of its dependence on characters, most of the population could not learn sufficient characters to develop a rich vocabulary. Therefore, Latinisation was regarded as a mechanism for quickly eradicating illiteracy in China (DeFrancis, 2006). Difficulties in reconciling differences between written and oral Chinese also motivated the introduction of Pinyin. Chairman Mao stated that the Chinese language had several contradictions, as written Chinese came from symbols yet spoken Chinese did not (DeFrancis, 2006). It was thus difficult to learn the language and transmit knowledge in written forms. Prior to the 1950s, people who supported this movement held key positions in government. Therefore, political will existed to reform the language. However, after the 1950s, a different group known as Mao Zedong took over the government, and was dedicated to the suppression of the Pinyin movement. Regardless of this opposition, intellectuals persisted in pushing for reforms until Pinyin was finally adopted in 1958. Learning a new language is often easier when the second language has elements of one’s primary language. For a language such as Chinese, these similarities are particularly imperative in facilitating the learning process. In the United States, Chinese is regarded as one of the most difficult languages to learn. The US government has established a categorisation system in which they classify languages according to their ease of acquisition. Chinese, Arabic, Korean, and Japanese are all category IV languages, meaning that they take the longest to master. These

Barriers to Sustainable Construction Contractors

Barriers to Sustainable Construction Contractors Abstract: This research aims to investigate Sustainable Construction barriers implementation to SMEs (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) in the UK. The undertaken investigation mostly emphasises the Production/Construction phase, referred to as the RIBA Plan of Work Stage K. Research shows that barriers to the implementation of Sustainable Construction were most prominent during this stage. Through an extensive literature review the main barriers presenting themselves to SMEs have been identified at the beginning of this stage of investigation. Later, these barriers will be questioned through the investigation of the literature acquired and the most noteworthy will be scrutinized in greater detail. There were found to be six key barriers to be considered while implementing Sustainable Construction Techniques in the Production/Construction phase of a project, these are as follows: Cost Time People Technology Market Legal Even though progress in the UK construction industry as a whole is showing great potential and is showing a steady line of progression (however still lagging behind other European countries such as France, Germany and Spain), implementation by SME construction firms is limited and poor. This is mainly due to the fact that sustainable construction is considered to be expensive, complicated and time-consuming. It needs greater support from every party involved including clients, suppliers, sub-contractors, government and local authorities to achieve the goal of satisfactory implantation. Introduction As the construction industry is such a main contributor to the economy of the UK, contributing 10% of UK GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and employs 1.5 million people, the environmental impact of the industry is extraordinary; contributing 70 million tonnes of waste to landfills and a huge 50% of energy produced is used by this sector. (Addis, B. Talbot, R., 2001: 21) It is estimated that UK SMEs are responsible for as much as 60% of carbon dioxide emissions. (Marshall Report, 1998) It is also estimated that 60% of commercial waste and 8 out of 10 pollution accidents are caused by this sector. (Environment Agency, 2003 Environment Agency, Business survey reveals lack of environmental awareness, Environment Action (2003) (37).Environment Agency, 2003) Studies have found that SMEs tend to have low levels of engagement with environmental agendas. (Hillary, 2000a) Most of the literature available focuses on the larger construction companies (LEs or Large Enterprises), which is why the author hopes to undertake a study of SMEs, particularly general contractors with less than 50 employees. In 2004 the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) conducted a survey showing that there were 170,000 construction contractors working in the UK and that 93% of this figure employed less than 8 people. Initiatives by the construction SMEs indicate that this group is often ignored and hence, they are under-performed compared to larger construction companies. (Sexton, M.G. Barrett, P.S., 2003a) It is anticipated that the result of this enquiry will help the construction industry to support more medium and small construction firms in the implementation of sustainable techniques and principles suggested by the UK government. This exploration is limited to SMEs which employ 50 people or less, and also to the construction site (known as Stage K, the production/construction phase of a project). Aims and Objectives Aim: How to get SMEs to implement sustainable techniques through managing time, teams and possibly new methods of construction to maximise profit without having to police each individual contractor? Objectives: To discover the most relevant procedures to sustainable construction practices at production and construction phase. To recognize exactly the current level of understanding and implementation, of sustainable construction at the production and construction phase of a project. To identify the main barriers in incorporating sustainable construction and embracing new techniques involved in the construction process to SMEs. Facility executives building green for the first time may find that the process requires as much unlearning of old ways as it does learning of new ones. The process of building green forces facility executives to think about the design and construction process in non-traditional ways. From integrated design to commissioning, almost every step of the green building process is heavily focused on how building elements fit together to optimize efficiency and sustainability. The catch is that the process, at least the first time, is more time and cost. While the strategies used may be similar to justifying expenditures in equipment upgrades, justifying processes may be a bit more difficult. Its more difficult to pinpoint specific costs for more hours of design time. There are a few simple sustainable ways of management for a contractor to utilise, and these cost saving measures help to maximise profit, here are some suggestions: Make use of grants or funding available for sustainable construction. Contact your Local Authority or Regional Development Agency about local projects and grants. Employers registered with CITB-Construction Skills can claim Training Plan or Short Duration grant to support sustainability training. Use recycled or sustainable materials whenever possible. Give preference to locally produced products. Crushed concrete and brick can be used to replace primary aggregates and avoid Aggregates Tax. Use timber only from sustainably managed woodland ask for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) timber. Only order the materials you need and store them safely. Plan ahead when ordering materials. Work with suppliers/manufacturers to minimise and return packaging and pallets. Store materials in a secure and protected area and keep liquids/sands away from drains. Minimise road journeys to and from the site. Use local suppliers wherever possible. Plan deliveries to site: during the day time in residential areas and at night and in city centres. If you have a van, ensure it can carry a variety of small materials to prevent unnecessary trips to suppliers. Separate and recycle waste then dispose of the remainder legally. Separate different types of waste and mark containers clearly. Recycle as much as possible. Use registered waste carriers and keep the paperwork. Avoid causing pollution to land, water or air. Stop uncontrolled water entering or leaving excavations, especially run-off from earth works. Avoid spillages on site and clean up if accidents happen. Dont burn waste materials recycle or dispose of them responsibly. The UK government has urged industries to take on environmental measures on their own accord on the basis that it will be good for business, a qualitative study investigating the environmental procedures of small and medium-sized construction firms found that the views of owner-managers had little resonance with this win-win approach. Respondents might not be aware of the financial returns to be obtained from eco-efficiency processes to be substantial enough to warrant the short-term investment in time and resources required to engage in them. In addition, the market was not indicating that product value could be raised or that clientele could be won by implementing environmental best practice. Respondents consistently highlighted that the enormous competitive pressures on small firms made cost and speed of build the number one priorities whilst environmental management remained a peripheral concern. At the top of the supply chain, architects claimed that whilst lip service was paid to sustainability issues within the industry, there was currently little in the way of environmental design occurring in the UK, and sustainability tended to be a peripheral issue in their own work. Although it was acknowledged that architects should be at the forefront of sustainability, most respondents felt that it was difficult to push an environmental agenda forward because clients tended to be driven by commercial rather than environmental or social concerns. Most architects thus did not promote environmental issues for fear of alienating clients, and environmental designs were only explored if it was expressly asked of them. Overall the builder cannot become environmentally friendly because the client does not want to specify certain techniques to the architect because they think itll cost too much, theyre more interested in the economic side and the architect doesnt want to specify sustainable techniques in case of maybe excluding some clients. These market dynamics were clearly having a knock-on effect down the supply chain as builders perceived a low demand for sustainable buildings and construction methods, and therefore were not incentivised to improve their environmental performance or to differentiate themselves on environmental credentials. Suppliers wont stock things that arent being sought after and that arent being specified. How can the SMEs get these sustainable products then, without maybe having to travel to a specific supplier and look themselves, making it time consuming and not cost effective. Respondents claimed that the usual criteria for choosing products was price, as buying the cheapest equivalent product was one way for builders to squeeze a profit out of tight budgets. Some builders confess that they rarely considered the environmental impacts of materials, and beyond the use of timber from sustainable sources, most were not even aware of which materials might be greener than others. Information about environmental impacts was thought to be difficult and time-consuming to obtain, and many respondents highlighted that building suppliers could do much more to encourage the use of green materials in construction, such as eco-labelling schemes to differentiate products with lower environmental impacts. The key issue for firms in this study was that customers invariably focused on value for money at the expense of environmental concerns. Many architects were of the opinion that there was not much of a business case for sustainable design to present to clients, who were unwilling to pay the premium for a more sustainable building. Respondents highlighted that there was little financial incentive to save energy on site as the mains electricity used was paid for by the client. Some felt that energy efficiency was more of an issue for designers than builders as it was in the end-use of a building that most energy savings could be made. However, most claimed that little was reused (apart from the odd expensive item such as certain slates and metals), because the cost of keeping material was often more than buying it new, once storage and labour costs had been factored in. Also, the used material was usually not quite to the specification required for the next job, so many builders felt that it was just easier and cheaper to throw it away. Recycling was similarly dismissed because of the management and labour time involved in ensuring proper waste separation procedures: It takes too long. It affects the labour. I mean if Ive got 10 labourers on site, Im not going to bring another labourer in just to make sure that copper is over there and plasterboards there and metals over there (Builder 4, 85 staff) Because small firms are typically more concerned with short-term survival than the long-term environmental impacts of their business, eco-efficiency measures may thus be rejected if the pay-back is not perceived to be immediate. Objective 1: To Discover the Most Relevant Procedures to Sustainable Construction Practices at Production and Construction Phase. Following the Egan Report the Government of the UK published Building a Better Quality of Life in 2000. Inside this publication it has been suggested a few key topics for which can be used in the construction industry: The re-use of existing building assets Designing for minimum waste Aiming for lean construction The minimisation of energy in construction Not to pollute Enhance and preserve biodiversity The conservation of water Respect people and the local environment Monitor and report in order to set benchmarks In 2005 the Government published Sustainable Development Strategy, Securing the Future which was a substitute to Building a Better Quality of Life. This proposed the following four key terms: Sustainable communities Natural resources protection and environmental enhancement Climate change and energy Sustainable consumption and production Environmental Impacts: The Environmental Agency tells us that the construction industry is responsible for: Using over 420 million tonnes of material resources Converting 6,500 hectares of land from rural to urban use per annum 13% of all materials delivered to site go into the skip without ever being used. 90 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste (three more waste than all households in the UK combined) Responsible for 21% of UKs hazardous waste 10% of the UKs energy consumption is used in the transport and production of construction products and materials Due to building on flood plains 185,000 commercial properties and 1.85 million residential homes are at risk of flooding and this figure looks set to rise Waste Management: Waste Segregation: Separating recyclable materials such as timber, plastic, plasterboard, hard-core, cardboard and general waste.Also materials such as concrete, bricks and blocks, stones and slates can be used as filling for roads, footpaths etc. Recycling: Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) claims that 30% of materials used on site can be recycled elsewhere at no extra cost.Recycled timber (off cuts) can be used in stud partition walling and can also be used in flower plant bedding. Purchasing Policy with Suppliers: Packaging waste and unused materials can be returned to the builders merchant and used several times over. Energy Consumption Reduction: Simple steps like using energy efficient heating equipment and lighting, supervising the usage of mains electricity according to equipment requirements. Water Conservation: Where practical the use of low-flow water fixtures, rain water harvesting and recycling of grey water where hygiene is not a priority. Material Selection: The focus for this section is to identify products with a relatively high sustainability score at no significant increase in capital cost over a traditional material option. Many modern building materials are now being linked with environmental and health concerns. Alternatives do exist which eliminate many of these potential impacts and risks to end users, constructors, developers and investors. Timber or Aluminium instead of PVC where possible. Formaldehyde free MDF Insulation: Recycled cellulose insulation, Rockwool, Foamed glass.Solid Concrete with primary aggregate Permeable pavements Concrete with recycled aggregate (RCA) or glass Window Frames:uPVC Durable timber framed windows, renewable source without health impacts from disposal of PVC. Double glazed units with low emissive coatings (Argon filled). Flooring:Ground Flooring: Solid concrete, hollow concrete elements with reclaimed aggregate/limestone. Hollow concrete uses less material. Solid Walls:Clay brick: recycled Bricks (recycled content 15-100%)/Reclaimed Bricks. Reclaimed bricks can also aid in character requirements of refurbishments. Partitions: Can be built from recycled wood used in construction.Timber quicker to erect and saves material costs. Pitched Roof Plywood from non FSC MDF chipboard (low Construction: formaldehyde), reduces carcinogens from standard chipboard Construction: Pitched Roof Reclaimed slates, tiles/Sedum (turf)/Fibre cement tiles. Covering: Turf can reduce urban water run off.Green roofs typically last 3x long as standard roof. Plasterwork:Lime mortar re-absorbs some of the CO2 given off during the firing process when it sets. Sewers:Clay pipe can be recycled to make new pipe, brick and roof tiles. Paving:Concrete slabs with recycled content e.g. recycled glass. Reclaimed slabs and stone can be sourced free often paying only haulage costs. Semi Hard Paving:Paving Gravel, Wood chippings/Recycled glass, sand. Wood chippings can be derived from off cuts in construction. Local Sourcing of Materials and Labour: Obtaining construction material from local outlets or from the existing site; The use of locally sourced materials should be promoted when issues involve cost, embodied energy and meeting local character requirements are considered. A local sourcing policy costs nothing to implement and requires no specialist expertise. Locally sourced materials minimise the impact of fuel transport costs/emissions and support the local economy. Stone, earth and timber (assuming it comes from a sustainable source). Salvaged materials from existing construction or demolition such as steel can also be used. This previous abstract demonstrates that significant improvements in building sustainability performance can be achieved at very little additional cost. These minimal cost increases also provide added value elsewhere. For example, in the case of sustainable buildings, in-use cost savings of fuel for heating can be generated over the life of the building. With increased uncertainty over future energy costs, a very short pay back period of a sustainable approach can be realised. Necessities, Not Luxuries Key to justifying some of these ostensible add-ons is not to view them as add-ons in the first place. Commissioning, for instance, is a critical step in the green building process and a requirement for facility executives planning to certify their buildings with LEED, an internationally recognized green building certification system. On traditional construction projects, commissioning may be considered a luxury. But, according to a study by the National Institute of Building Sciences, commissioning a building can mean it will cost 8 to 20 percent less to operate than a non-commissioned building. Objective 2:To Recognize Exactly the Current Level of Understanding and Implementation, of Sustainable Construction at the Production and Construction Phase of a Project. The incentive to innovate among construction SMEs often starts with having an awareness to seize an opportunity or a need to response to market, development or client conditions. Her are a three motivational needs as described below: Survival: Project based innovation focuses more on survival of a company due to the type of market operated in by contractors. Stability: When survival has been established firms will look then towards stabilizing and consolidating their position to ensure prosperous conditions over the medium term. Development: Once this stability has been attained the motivation necessary to exploit this becomes apparent and the firm will begin to develop and grow. When SMEs find themselves in survival posture firms do not tend to take as much risks and are more aware of outgoing costs. Not all firms are want to grow in size indefinitely, companies want to stabilize at a certain that is compatible with the aspirations of the owner. Innovation activities can be grouped into two areas, improving the effectiveness and the efficiency of the company, meaning making sure the company is doing the right activities and doing them well. Adoption of new Innovations: This is dependant on several key capabilities and motivations which are time, financial, companys structure and people. Time and Financial: The dominant role of the contractor allows for quick decision making if need be which means that in an ever changing market modernizations in sustainability can always be updated. Due to a contractors own resources a contractor will only bid on work according to their own capabilities in terms of types of work and size. Most would also prefer to work directly with clients as main contractors rather than just sub-contractors, this tends to limit risks and costs and is typical of a survival posture. Companys Structure: SMEs cannot afford to do as LEs do and have numerous departments assigned to carry out various roles and tasks. It is the job of many directors and owners to obtain information and knowledge for innovation and also to gain business contacts. Many directors find it hard to manage time for all of this, which could include attending trainings and workshops. External Supports and Motivations: These largely come from government policies but are mainly appropriate for large companies and have to be altered to suit the small and medium sized enterprise. Market Network: Rapidly shifting client demands and market conditions requires construction SMEs to involve themselves in a number of businesss of varying complexity in order to provide knowledge and expertise to their own enterprise. Access to these companies is achieved through supply and client interactions, research institutions, professional associations and government bodies. Access to Technology: Technology can be exploited to increase competitiveness among SMEs but this can only be effective when the knowledge characteristics of the technology can be transferred easily. SMEs tend to use technologies which can contribute to the growth of a company, financially, quickly and easily, dovetailing into capabilities already possessed by the firm. Technology that is out of that league and that requires more effort to invest risk, time, effort and money are generally shifted out swiftly and intuitively. Objective 1:To Identify the Main Barriers in Incorporating Sustainable Construction and Embracing New Techniques involved in the Construction Process to SMEs. Key Barriers to Sustainable Construction: Facility executives building green for the first time may find that the process requires as much unlearning of old ways as it does learning of new ones. The processes of building green forces facility executives to think about the design and construction process in non-traditional ways. From integrated design to commissioning, almost every step of the green building process is heavily focused on how building elements fit together to optimize efficiency and sustainability. The catch is that the process, at least for the first time, is more time and cost. While the strategies used may be similar to justifying expenditures in equipment upgrades, justifying processes may be a bit more difficult. Its more difficult to pinpoint specific costs for more hours of design time. The Barriers to Sustainable Construction have been classified under six key headings: Cost Time People Technology Market Legal These subsequent barriers will be challenged and validated in the following chapter. Cost: Increased Construction Costs: There has been a perception by many construction companies that sustainable construction practices may incur additional or perhaps higher capital cost (Cameron, R., 2003; KDG, 2006) The added cost is normally related with additional labour hours necessary to perform activities such as recycling and separation of waste on site. There is also the argument that sustainable materials bring upon higher search costs; this is the time spent searching for these illusive materials, and other connected costs like driving, phone calls etc. All of these increase the total cost of a development and eat into a seemingly already tight budget for the contractor and therefore are looked upon as an unnecessary and irrelevant expense. Many construction companies are forced to submit a low bid for a particular project, and this comes about by reducing construction costs rather than increasing the value gained by building sustainably. This is also on the increase in the areas of project partnership, where a fixed price tender means priority will be given to the lowest price rather than value for money. Time: Time is crucial in any phase of any type of project, most particular in construction projects. As the phrase goes, time is money, and construction developments are often under tight time constraints. Slow advancement towards a change in attitude: Because this industry is such a large and dynamic market it involves so many individual players, which means that it becomes so much harder to get everyone concerned to get into the same frame of mind and not to be just concerned with just profit. There is a feeling that there is too much effort involved and learning new initiatives become too difficult in comparison to just continuing with the tried and trusted methods of known construction techniques already in practice throughout all construction sites in the UK at this present moment. There is also the point that there is inadequate information on sustainable materials easily available, which means that getting access to manufacturers who supply such materials becomes more intricate and making them prepared within the time constraint of a project becomes too arduous to make the endeavour for. Training: Larger construction companies (LEs) usually have their own Research and Development departments but as for SMEs, they are more inclined to rely on directors to research new innovations. Directors also are relied upon to transfer this knowledge and information to staff. Due to their already hectic workload, directors may find it difficult to set time aside for training programmes, seminars, and workshops involved in development initiatives. Likewise because of limited staff in small and medium enterprises, it is frequently difficult to attend such time-consuming activities, or to attend such trainings. Without these regular meetings contractors may find it extremely difficult to establish business contacts. Emphasis is more on short term performance and speed of construction: As construction companies are pushed on deadlines and short term maximisation of profit they are mostly interested in traditional construction as they know from experience how long a particular project will take and do not want to be taking risks on new innovations and techniques which could run on longer than previously thought. The temporary nature of a development, along with short term dealings with people means that the sharing and transfer of information between teams can lead to be strenuous and extremely difficult. (Sexton. M.G. and Barrett, P.S., 2003a; CPN, 1997) People: Lack of Knowledge and Skills: Most small companies do not have the resources to gain access to information and acquire the knowledge and the skills necessary to partake in such developments, or in some circumstances to investigate and research new alternatives and the benefits involved in such construction. Lack of motivation: New legislations and technologies can be seen as off-putting or even as a threat to SMEs who may not be willing to change with known traditions without substantial financial gain. Poor Integration with New Procedure: Failure of communication between contractors, sub-contractors, architects and clients may result in difficulty of implementation throughout a project. Down to the littlest details like the separation of recyclable material and where to dispense certain products may cause disruption further down the line. Short Term Interest: Given the nature of the construction business speed is of the essence, trying to get a building taken off of a contractors hands as quickly as possible is key and therefore, as many developments have to be taken place within certain time limits and contracts are written up to enforce this, the contractor may have more pressing interests nearing the end of a job. Technology: Complicated: Sustainable design may involve MMC (Modern Methods of Construction), which means that the making up of major house elements in factories including panels (including ready-made walls, floors and roofs. Panels may also have wiring and plumbing already inside, making construction even faster) and modules (ready-made rooms, which can then be pieced together to make a whole house or flat but are used most frequently for bathrooms or kitchens, where all the fittings are added in the factory; known as pods). Both of these products require skilled workers to install them, cranes and may require supplementary tools and machines to operate and fix these prefabricated structures into position. There is also a lack of familiarity with these new technologies. Where the clients and the architects specify such methods but contractors do not get the opportunity to try out these new systems. Market: It is widely felt that there is a lack of demand within the supply chain, this is generally due to the unfamiliarity associated with the costs and benefits. Lack of Marketing for Sustainable Materials: Sustainable materials are secondary materials; recycle, reclaim and re-use materials, and there are currently no marketing advertisements or such information on these resources. Waste materials are usually perceived to be risky and a cheap solution to a problem and are thought to not perform to as high a standard as primary materials. These may also incur greater search costs as they have a more dispersed location. Dominance by Larger Suppliers: If a supplier is larger than the contractor then the supplier has more power and is able to dictate to the supplier how the processes involved should be carried out. And as is with the case of most SMEs this is almost always the case. If the supplier does not have a particular product which a small contractor requests then, more often than not, the supplier doesnt feel the need to oblige the contractor as the supplier is more interested with the Les, meaning that the SMEs are often overlooked. Legal: These aspects include government legislation, policies, and planning procedures. Limited Enforcement: Standard of inspections has repelled many companies who may have been interested in building sustainably. The companies themselves would have to push for higher

Hamlet As An Aristotelian Tragedy Essay -- essays research papers

According to the Aristotelian view of tragedy, a tragic hero must fall through his or her own error. This is typically called the "tragic flaw", and can be applied to any characteristic that causes the downfall the hero. Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark can be seen as an Aristotelian tragedy and Hamlet as it's tragic hero. Hamlet's flaw, which in accordance with Aristotle's principles of tragedy causes his demise, is his inability to act. This defect of Hamlet's character is displayed throughout the play. In the opening scenes of the play, the Ghost of old Hamlet reveals the truth about his death to his son, and tells Hamlet to avenge the murder. Hamlet's first response is one that sounds of speedy action, saying "Haste me to know't that I with winds as swift†¦ May sweep to my revenge." (p. 34 lines 29-31) Unfortunately, Hamlet's inability to act on his father's extortion has him reluctant to kill King Claudius by the end of that very scene, when he says, "This time is out of joint, O cursed spite, that I was ever born to set it right." (p. 41 lines 190-191) As the play goes on, Hamlet still has yet to act on his murderous task. In act II, scene 2, Hamlet decides that, before he can avenge his father's death, he must make sure that the Ghost was telling the truth. This simply gives Hamlet more excuse to procrastinate-he gets to put off killing Claudius until after the "play within a play", Mousetrap, is preformed. Not surprisin...

Penelope Lively & Going Back Essay

Jane retells the book ‘Going Back’ for us, and how she, now an adult with a family of her own, is looking back into her childhood memories, she has had to revisit Medleycott, as now her child home is being sold. She recalls her childhood memories of Medleycott, where â€Å"all summers are one hay making and raspberry time† and â€Å"all winters are one scramble across glass-cold lino to dress quickly. † Jane and her elder brother, Edward, live a peaceful life in the country. Their misunderstood father has been sent away to fight in the war and they are loved and cared for by Betty, their motherly figure. The children’s mother died whilst they were young and their father finds it difficult to understand their innocent childish ways. This shows us a strong border between the adult and children world. Lively has also displayed this border through Jane’s different perspective, how her images of live have changed now she is an adult. Lively has expressed this by describing the different characteristics belonging to child and adult, the different ways in which they speak, the differences in their languages and how adults and children both enjoy different surrounds. â€Å"We lived in the playroom and in the Garden† The way in which Lively uses different territories belonging to different characters, represents a strong border between the Adult and Child worlds. The children like to spend most of their time, when at Medleycott, in the garden. It is a place where they can retreat and live a world of their own. To Jane and Edward their garden is their paradise. Their innocence and naivety makes it seem like the perfect haven, The Garden of Eden. It is a safe place, where they have everything they need and they are free to do what they wish, within the garden borders. The adults within the book also have their territory. Betty has her kitchen, which is where she spends her time cooking, cleaning, washing and other household chores. Lively describes the Father’s territory in terms of the furniture within it. â€Å"His part of the house, beyond the glass door on the upstairs landing, had thick carpets and smelt of polish, you had to be careful not the knock over flowers† There is a substantial difference between his area and the children’s area compared to Betty’s kitchen and the children’s territory. The children find it easy to relax when they are in the Kitchen, but they have to be careful and smart when around their father. Lively has done this to show that there is a closer bond between Jane, Edward and Betty than with the Father and his children. This may be due to the death of the children’s mother, but Jane and Edwards father finds it difficult to communicate with them. With the war on, all of the adults are worried and careful, yet the children only see it as a game. â€Å"Standing on the lawn, staring up at those blue and white skies out of which Germans would come. We would misdirect them. Ah, we’d scupper them – London – pointing west, and send them storming. † The children see the war in the one-dimensional view that children do. They take every thing they hear literally, basically believing anything that they have been told. Jane and Edward do not understand the seriousness of the situation around them; all they have noticed is that â€Å"the war put an end to Betty’s Saturdays at the cinema. There was a war on, so you couldn’t have lots of sweets anymore, just one sixpenny bar of chocolate a week, and no more oranges or bananas. † Jane and Edward are not worried if they get a chocolate bar or not, they have their garden to play in, it is natural and simple, they don’t understand why the Adults are worried. The adult world is a very materialistic and ordered world, and they care about what will happen and that everything has to be right.

The Topic Of This Research Is, Yoga Is A Physical And Mental Process,

The Topic Of This Research Is, Yoga Is A Physical And Mental Process, The Topic Of This Research Is, Yoga Is A Physical And Mental Process, And How Is It Creative And – Annotated Bibliography Example Annotated Bibliography of Annotated Bibliography Tomporowski, P. D., Davis, C. L., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2008). Exercise and children’s intelligence, cognition, and academic achievement.Educational Psychology Review,  20(2), 111-131.The research explains about the effects of exercise on the mental and cognitive abilities of an individual. It also includes the effects of yoga which can help in developing mental and creative capabilities of young people and adults. Goldberg, L. (2004). Creative Relaxation SM: A Yoga-based program for regular and exceptional student education.  International journal of yoga therapy,  14(1), 68-78. The source explains how Yoga fosters creativity and intellect among those who exercise it. It helps in providing insight about yoga among the masses and boosts their creative capabilities which are useful for the research. Kirkwood, G., Rampes, H., Tuffrey, V., Richardson, J., & Pilkington, K. (2005). Yoga for anxiety: a systematic rev iew of the research evidence.  British Journal of Sports Medicine,  39(12), 884-891.The research has been conducted regarding different pressures which are sustained by human brain and leads improper functionality. It also explains how yoga heals those unhealthy activities and helps in developing intellectual and creative capabilities of human beings. Telles, S., Reddy, S. K., & Nagendra, H. R. (2000). Oxygen consumption and respiration following two yoga relaxation techniques.  Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback,  25(4), 221-227.This research explains about the relaxation techniques which are followed in Yoga. Brain needs oxygen to perform well and through yoga oxygen intake increases which helps in relaxing and developing the brain letting it free from stress which is detrimental to its growth.Gura, S. T. (2002). Yoga for stress reduction and injury prevention at work.Work: A journal of prevention, assessment and rehabilitation,  19(1), 3-7.It explains about benefi ts of yoga on an individual’s brain. It is said to burn out stress. Yoga helps in regeneration and development of brain cells which helps avoiding mental weakness and stress leading to more intellectual and creative work being depicted by an individual at work place.

Free Essays on Electronic Data Interchange

Electronic Data Interchange E-Finance Paper Electronic Data Interchange One of the more commonly accepted definitions of Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI, has been "the computer-to-computer transfer of information in a structured, pre-determined format." Traditionally, the focus of EDI activity has been on the replacement of pre-defined business forms, such as purchase orders and invoices, with similarly defined electronic forms.† EDI is the electronic exchange of information between two business concerns in a specific predetermined format. The exchange occurs when messages that are related to standard business documents, such as Purchase Orders and Customer Invoices are exchanged. The business community has arrived at a series of standard transaction formats to cover a wide range of business needs. â€Å"Each transaction has an extensive set of data elements required for that business document, with specified formats and sequences for each data element. The various data elements are built up into segments such as v endor address, which would be made up of data elements for street, city, state, zip code, and country.† All the transactions are then grouped together, and are â€Å"preceded by a transaction header and followed by a transaction trailer record. If the transaction contains more than one transaction, many purchase orders can be sent to one vendor, several transaction groups would be preceded by another type of record, referred to as a functional group header, and would be followed by a function group trailer.† One of the first places that EDI was implemented was in the purchasing operations of a business. Before the implementation of EDI, a purchasing system would allow buyers to review their material requirements, and then create purchase orders, which would be printed out and mailed. The supplier would receive the purchase order, and manually enter it into their customer shipping system. The material would be s... Free Essays on Electronic Data Interchange Free Essays on Electronic Data Interchange Electronic Data Interchange E-Finance Paper Electronic Data Interchange One of the more commonly accepted definitions of Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI, has been "the computer-to-computer transfer of information in a structured, pre-determined format." Traditionally, the focus of EDI activity has been on the replacement of pre-defined business forms, such as purchase orders and invoices, with similarly defined electronic forms.† EDI is the electronic exchange of information between two business concerns in a specific predetermined format. The exchange occurs when messages that are related to standard business documents, such as Purchase Orders and Customer Invoices are exchanged. The business community has arrived at a series of standard transaction formats to cover a wide range of business needs. â€Å"Each transaction has an extensive set of data elements required for that business document, with specified formats and sequences for each data element. The various data elements are built up into segments such as v endor address, which would be made up of data elements for street, city, state, zip code, and country.† All the transactions are then grouped together, and are â€Å"preceded by a transaction header and followed by a transaction trailer record. If the transaction contains more than one transaction, many purchase orders can be sent to one vendor, several transaction groups would be preceded by another type of record, referred to as a functional group header, and would be followed by a function group trailer.† One of the first places that EDI was implemented was in the purchasing operations of a business. Before the implementation of EDI, a purchasing system would allow buyers to review their material requirements, and then create purchase orders, which would be printed out and mailed. The supplier would receive the purchase order, and manually enter it into their customer shipping system. The material would be s...

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

Starbucks - Essay Example The aim of Starbucks includes providing fresh, high quality teas and coffee products, as well as creating a unique experience in our store by encouraging a positive, safe environment for all. The global customer base of the company provides the opportunities of global expansion for the company wherein Starbucks can pursue the opportunities with it beyond the traditional store experiences for offering its customers new coffee products. Some of the examples of functional tactics of the company include ongoing expansion in the foreign markets, increase in product categories and growth in the distribution channels of the company which has helped Starbucks leverage its strong brand and build a retail store base. The strength of Starbucks is that over time it has continued being a cash cow, generating high operating cash flows with consistent growth rates (Starbucks Annual Report). Due to the recession of the U.S. economy, customers in US have become price sensitive due to their income ran ge, especially students. Therefore, Starbucks utilize making our product quality better. It makes its products, atmosphere, and employees better than its surrounding competitors so that it can meet the needs and ensure that it draws in multiple and diverse group of customers (Starbucks Annual Report).

THELMA AND LOUISE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

THELMA AND LOUISE - Essay Example There are many things that can be taken from this memorable film, and the characters including how they are portrayed make the whole picture seamless. The issue of sexuality is the main foundation of the story. From the beginning we are introduced to the two main characters that represent different sides of the spectrum. We see Louise, a waitress, who is characterized as a modern woman who takes charge. She is confident in her job, smokes and drives a convertible muscle car nonetheless. She seems to live alone without a family despite her marrying age and all we know at first are passive references to a boyfriend. Then we see Thelma who perceptibly struggles in her day-to-day living with an abusive husband but without a child to care for. Thelma labors on the kitchen when Louise calls her about the out of town trip that she wants them to take. The latter was finally able to coerce her into going despite Darryl, her husband, unwilling to let her go based on his inherent proclivity to shelter her and prevent her from doing just about anything. The characters are shaped from the start of the film and their transformation is as interesting as it is revealing. Thelma’s changes were significant to the progression of the plot. To describe it in Louise’s own words, she had always been â€Å"sedated† from her life as a housewife and having to live with her husband. Prompted on Louise’s promise of fun on their road trip, Thelma’s loosening was taken to a whole new ground when they went to a bar which started the whole predicament. Having had too much to drink, Harlan, a too friendly guy took advantage and tried to rape her before Louise steps in to prevent his devious motive. Instigated by the arrogance of the man, Louise pulls the trigger and kills him. From here we watch as the two friends try to come up with a solution to evade their problems. Louise comes out as the problem solver as she had always been between the two of them, and struggles to pull herself together for both of them. She had been the stronger character up until J.D. shows up and steals their money which was their last remaining chance to get out for a clean break to Mexico. Suddenly, something changes on Thelma and she takes the foreground by robbing a convenience store with ease and composure. The criminal propensity is right within her all along and from â€Å"sedated† to â€Å"disturbed† she became just downright â€Å"crazy,† as Louise puts it. Thelma quips, â€Å"Oh man! You wouldn'ta believed it, it was like I was doing it all my life, nobody woulda believed it† (Thelma & Louise). The subdued housewife became the criminal mind who single-handedly robbed a store, thought of and carried out locking a policeman in the trunk of a police car. She had even deliberately thought it through by firing to create breathing holes, and was able to get comfortable with a gun she never wanted to handle in the first place and managed to blow up an entire truck. The repressed housewife, in a matter of days, let go of her morals and all the connotations of the abiding wife she had been expected to be. Louise is the other equally captivating character of the movie. The background of her story is the binding force behind her actions. What exactly happened in Texas