Sunday, January 12, 2020

A Streetcar Named Desired

The Character of Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire Blanche, Stella's is by far the most complex character of the play. An intelligent and sensitive woman who values literature and the creativity of the human imagination, she is also emotionally traumatised and repressed. This gives license for her own imagination to become a haven for her pain. One senses that Blanches own view of her real self as opposed to her ideal self has been increasingly blurred over the years until it is sometimes difficult for her to tell the difference.It is a challenge to find the key to Blanche's melancholy but perhaps the roots of her trauma lie in her early marriage. She was haunted by her inability to help or understand her young, troubled husband and that she has tortured herself for it ever since. Her drive to lose herself in the â€Å"kindness of strangers† might also be understood from this period in that her sense of confidence in her own feminine attraction was shaken by the knowledge of her husband's homosexuality and she is driven to use her sexual charms to attract men over and over. Yet, beneath all this, there is a desire to find a companion, to find fulfilment in love.She is not successful because of her refusal or inability to face reality, in her circumstances and in herself. Blanche has a hard time confronting her mixed desires and therefore is never able to sort them out and deal with them. She wants a cultured man but is often subconsciously attracted to strong, basic male characters, perhaps a response to her marriage with a cultured, sensitive man which ended in disaster. So although Blanche dislikes Stanley as a person, she is drawn to him as a type of man who is resoundingly heterosexual and who is strong enough to protect her from an increasingly harsh world.This seems to be the reason for her brief relationship with Mitch, but it becomes clear to Blanche that Stanley is the dominant male here and she begins to acknowledge that fact. When Blanche te lls the operator in Scene Ten that she is caught in a trap, part of her realises she has set herself up via her desires. Stanley is the embodiment of what she needs, yet detests, and, because of her sister, can never have. After Stanley has stripped her of her self-respect in this scene, she becomes desperate, unable to retreat to her fantasies and so this deeper layer of her desires is revealed. You can read also  Similarities and Conflicts in † a Streetcar Named Desire†Yet, Blanche does not know how to face these feelings and she senses to give into them could be disastrous for her. As Stanley advances towards her, she tells him, â€Å"I warn you, don't, I'm in danger! † but Stanley has made sure that this time there is no where for her to hide. In her final act, she silently acknowledges that her own desires have also led to this date. It is interesting that neither Blanche nor Stanley seriously seem to consider Stella as Scene Ten reaches a climax. They both recognise that somehow they are drawn together and also repelled by forces that are directly between them and that have little to do with Stella.Things come to a head so quickly that it is as if tensions have been bubblingore emotionally and mentally crippled than before. Yet, Stanley and by extension Stella, are not clear victors. Like Blanche, Stanley is also revealed to be capable of deceit, he does not admit the truth of what happened between him and Blanche to his friends, to Stella, and maybe not even to himself. Stella makes a conscious decision to believe Stanley instead of her sister because to do otherwise would be both emotionally and economically difficult with a new baby so she, too, is engaging in a measure of self-deception.Stanley survives because of sheer physical presence, not because of any innate superiority. Blanche suffers overall on many fronts in her new environment, but in conclusion although one does feel pity for Blanche she has to a large extent with her own weaknesses brought her own downfall. Blanche can not compete in the new household she is placed in Stella has already claimed her territory and ultimately will choose her marriage over her sister.Blanches past erupts into the present and without at the forefront is the contradiction to the facade Blanche has put up over her sexual needs and desires. So confused is Blanche over sex the one weap on she has to gain a husband her sexuality she can no longer use. In the end Blanche is living in a era which was smashed a hundred years before this moment of time in the play. This era Blanche lameness in is the gentile society of Southern America with wealthy European colonials engaging politely in society. For Blanche this refusal to let go of the past and adjust to her new surroundings and the

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Adoption Of E Prescribing At The Va - 1923 Words

Adoption of e-prescribing at the VA will allow non-VA providers to electronically transmit prescriptions to the VA outpatient pharmacy. This change will bring an opportunity to align itself with the e-prescribing component of Meaningful Use requirement. It will also accommodate an increasing number of prescriptions from providers outside the VA pharmacy since the Choice Act of 2014. What are some specific benefits or ROI resulting from its implementation? 1) Improvement in clinical outcomes Adoption of EHR can derive a great amount of benefits in clinical outcomes such as patient safety and quality of care. Qualtiy of care can be measured with different dimensions such as patient safety, effectiveness, and efficiency. Patient safety is defined as ‘avoiding injuries to patients from the care that is intended to help them’(Menachemi and Collum, 2011, p. 49). Often times, lack of time can contribute to omission of asking patients important questions such as drug allergy information and confirming important patient identifiers such as addresses/phone numbers. Improvement of medication error is a well-noted benefit of EHR as seen in numerous researches. According to a study, researchers found that a CPOE system was contributory in reducing serious medication errors by 55% in the hospital setting (Bates, 1998). Many other studies have reported similar findings in patient safety improvement. When e-prescribing is used, prescriptions can be checked for any drug in teractions withShow MoreRelatedImplementation Of An Electronic Prescribing System5537 Words   |  23 Pagesimplementing an electronic prescribing system, a variety of sources were reviewed. As the HITECH Act nationwide was contributory to the recent surge of adoption for e-Rx systems, the focus of the research was to find research data reflective of successful implementation and practical guidance. In order to extract retrieve necessary information, a variety of sources were reviewed; journal articles, review articles, meta-analysis, and national guidelines on implementing e-Rx systems. Due to the heightenedRead MoreAdoption Of A New Ehr1540 Words   |  7 PagesDespite some barriers and challenges of EHR adoption, transitioning our office to paperless has become inevitable. Timely adoption of EHR would help our clinic receive incentives, merge paper records into the new database, and better organize patient information. In order to ensure the most seamless implementation possibl e, meticulous planning will be a must. First, the process of acquiring a new EHR system will start with developing an office strategy based on different needs of our clinic. SomeRead MoreCommunication And Healthcare Sciences : Is It The Real Of Science Fiction?2949 Words   |  12 Pageshealthcare has seen unprecedented levels since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010; one global survey of consumers by technology vendor Cisco showed that 76 percent of patients would choose some form of telehealth over physical interaction. Adoption and expenditure has largely kept pace with demand. A survey conducted by Becker s Healthcare found that 52 percent of organizations now offer some form of telemedicine, which coincides with a dramatic increase in the private funding of teleconferencingRead MoreNursing Leadership Critical Discussion of a Change Management Project Strategy4391 Words   |  18 Pageswith a focus on the safety of patients. II. Change Management Strategies For Motivating and Engaging Stakeholders in Ongoing Performance Improvement The work of Diagrapont and McGrath (2011) entitled Complete Guide and Toolkit to Successful EHR Adoption reports that there are critical success factors for Electronic Health Records which includes: (1) change management; (2) completion of a readiness assessment; (3) buy-in and contribution from stakeholders including physicians (4) the ability toRead MoreCalifornia Hospital Medical Center ( Chmc )2799 Words   |  12 PagesAdministration (VHA), a healthcare IT adoption leader, is a pioneer in using the iPad. Last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs ; the VHA s parent agency announced plans to buy one hundred thousand iPads and iPhones, â€Å"largely for clinical use, and a corresponding request for a mobile device management solution† (Eastwood, 2010). The Clinic-in-Hand another VA program distributed one thousand iPads so veterans caregivers can better communicate with VA physicians. Another VA program, the Army medics isRead MoreFactors and Forces Affecting Ehr Syst em Adoption: Report of a 2004 Acmi Discussion4825 Words   |  20 Pages8 Position Paper j ASH, BATES, EHR System Adoption Factors and Forces Affecting EHR System Adoption: Report of a 2004 ACMI Discussion JOAN S. ASH, PHD, DAVID W. BATES, MD, MSC Abstract After the ï ¬ rst session of the American College of Medical Informatics 2004 retreat, during which the history of electronic health records was reviewed, the second session served as a forum for discussion about the state of the art of EHR adoption. Adoption and diffusion rates for both inpatient and outpatientRead MoreOverview of MRSA Reduction Program3341 Words   |  13 Pageswith chronic diseases. This ensures this group of patients acquires the most effective seamless care delivery. Duplications and gaps in delivery of care to patients have been reduced. In some cases eliminated through approved technologies like e-prescribing, electronic health records and telemedicine. Long-term care, rehabilitation facilities, and hospitals along with clinicians, nurses, and physicians are collaborating and have helped various discharged patients to avoid unnecessary re-admissionsRead MoreEssay Paper84499 Words   |  338 Pagesassuming command, again at 6 months, and annually thereafter (paras 6-3i(13) and E-1a). o Updates confidentiality procedures: adds exceptions to the confidentiality of survey responses; adds requirement to provide inconspicuous location to submit paper and pencil format; provides guidance on group versus individual reporting (para E-2). o Deletes the tools used for obtaining the command climate surveys (para E-5). o Adds requirement for survey administrator and data collector to protect Read MorePsy Evaluation Essay11057 Words   |  45 Pagesfactor for death among youths? A. nicotine B. alcohol * C. cocaine D. meth ANS:B PG112 6. What percentage of patients treated at mental health centers have problems with alcohol a. and other drugs? b. A. 10 percent c. B. 20 percent d. C. 60 percent * e. D. 90 percent ANS:C PG113 7. Which countries of the following have the highest total per capita consumption in liters of pure alcohol? A. China and Japan B. the United States C. Germany and Austria D. Moldova and the Czech Republic ANS:D PG113 8, AccordingRead MorePharmaceutical Price Controls in the Oecd Countries47662 Words   |  191 PagesInternational Trade Administration’s Internet site at www.ita.doc.gov/drugpricingstudy. It is also available for purchase as a paper, microfiche, or electronic reprint from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161; www.ntis.gov. ii U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration Contents Executive Summary vii 1 Introduction 1 2 Drug Price Regulations in Selected OECD Countries—An Overview of the Issues 3 3 Price And Revenue Effects

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Rise Of The Great Depression - 1183 Words

On October 29 , 1929 marked one of the hardest times in history know as the Great Depression. It has also been known as the Black Tuesday. On this day the stock market crashed. On October 29,1929 people all over the country were panicking not knowing what to do . Their were many causes on what lead to the great depression. People tried selling their stocks that they had bought before the stock market crashed, but no one would purchase them since the stock market crashed stocks were worthless. The stock system was one of the ways they made a living and now the market was bankrupt , no money was coming in. Since the People were not getting money they couldn’t purchase anything which was bad for companies because they would†¦show more content†¦The US economy was coming apart and the great depression was starting, when President Herbert Hoover came into office. Many people blamed President Hoover for the great depression. Newspapers started being called the Herbert Hoover Blankets. Millions of people were out of work and were looking for jobs. If there was a job that had a opening their would literally be about a thousand people lined up trying to get employed for the job. In the 1930s over 9,000 bank deposits were running out of money and were failing people , many people lost their life savings . (Ird.Yahooapis.com) .Many banks that were able to stay open were unsure about how they would survive through the great depression. Many of these banks stopped loaning money and stopped being so generous. (Ird.Yahooapis.com) In 1930s the government created the Smoot - Hawley Tariff to help protect American Companies . This made many Americans pay a high tax for imports which lead to less trade between America and many foreign countries which created a lot of arguments. (Huntington Post).Many People believed that the great depression was because of overproduction , because consumers did not want to take what was all produced , demand had decreased. In the US during the great depression there were many controversies about those who were earning lots of money and those were struggling to make due. In 1929

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Sustainable Engineering Practices in Food Production and Processing

Question: Discuss about theSustainable Engineering Practices in Food Production and Processing. Answer: Engineering sustainability There is an increase in the growing number of human population and this has of no doubt come to the public interest that in the near future, there are various practices including lifestyle which will not be able to be sustainable. This is because there comes at a time when the resources will be too limited to satisfy all the human population. Sustainability in engineering can be defined as the process of coming up with engineering solutions with regards to taking into consideration the environmental impacts. There are various sustainable engineering practices which have been put into place to ensure that biodiversity is protected or the future generation will have to bear a lot of hardships(Alexander K, 2015, p. 775). Some of the sustainable practices may include manufacturing process, use of renewable technologies, extraction of materials or minerals, infrastructure challenges, food production among others. Introduction The case study in question is food production and processing. Generally, food is an integral part of human life and existence. Since time immemorial, the population of human beings was smaller and it was mandatory that human beings must eat in order to survive. However, the resources were unlimited and hence as populations grew there was a need for processing of food. Then there came the period of industrialization whereby the food sector had to be industrialized in order to meet the needs and demand of the ever-growing population .this also promoted to the rise of urban settling as more people would be comfortable living in the urban centers where they would still be able to access food(Benjamin S, 2015, p. 976). Thus, as time goes, there are constant increases in population thereby a need for coming up with sustainable ways of food production and processing became a necessity. This is because there are various factors which influence the need to adopt sustainable ways of producing food which may include climate change and health. According to the 2015 research, the population of the earth was estimated to be approximately 9 billion. This means that if there is an inadequacy in the supply of food, then there will be a serious global challenge of food. Presently, approximately 3 billion persons have been left malnourished due to a shortage of food and deficiency of iron. Surprisingly, more than 40 %of the food produced goes to waste as unused or not fully utilized yet the resources that are present have been over exhausted(Buch, 2016, p. 886). Objectives of the research The main objective of this report is to come up with sustainable ways of producing and processing food. There are numerous challenges that we face in relation to the manner in which food is produced and processed. These factors include environmental concerns such as land use , decrease of biodiversity, aquatic eutrophication by nitrogenous substances caused by over-fertilization, global warming caused by enteric fermentation and use of fossil fuels, aquatic eutrophication by phosphorous substances caused by fertilizers overuse, famine and water shortages , Eco toxicity, and human effects of pesticides(Zeiher, 2016, p. 995). These factors directly pose as threats to sustainability. Over time, they continue to exist and soon it will be very difficult to manage food concerns globally. The below-proposed ways of food production and processing will help in solving the issues to do with food scarcity(Norimoto K, 2016, p. 864). Food must be constantly produced and processed to meet the demand of the ever-growing population. This involves primary stages, secondary stages and the tertiary stages. Below are some of the best practices that will sustainably help in food production and processing(Columbia., 2015, p. 432). Use of enzymes Enzymes are biological catalysts which will help in speeding up the rate of reaction thereby overall helps in saving time, cost and energy. These enzymes are advantageous in terms of their sensitivity, inaction techniques, toxicity and also concentration. At low concentration, these enzymes are very active and since they are biological, they do not produce any toxic substances. Besides, the enzymes are environmentally friendly and will not cause any environmental pollution as compared to other means of production. Their specificity means that they result in products that are more consistent. Examples of enzymes that may be used include lipases, carbohydrates, transferees, oxidoreductases among others(Oliver, 2015, p. 200). Microbial food control Food safety is one of the most significant factors that is also taken into consideration when dealing with food production. This is because when the food is not safe, it may end up resulting in food poisoning. Traditionally, various methods of food preservation had been used including Thermal treatments, I.e. refrigeration, pasteurization, sterilization, chemical preservatives aseptic processing. These methods have been primarily put into practice to minimize the microbial loads and promote food safety and shelf life. Many of these operations require a lot of energy and a proposed techniques which utilize less amount of energy and has reduced environmental impacts is highly recommended for sustainability purposes. These sustainable methods may comprise microwave and radio-frequency heating, high-pressure processing, ionizing radiation, pulsed electric fields, ohmic heating, ultraviolet light treatment, and ionization(Frank, 2017, p. 214). Use of green drying schemes. Universally, Drying has been used by most companies to help in the preservation of many foodstuff. It helps in the processing of bulk food products thus overall reducing the transportation costs as well as enhancing the shelf life. On the contrary, it utilizes a high amount of energy and when it can be replaced by less energy-intensive techniques for example pressing, centrifugation, and separation of the membrane, filtration, coagulation, and sedimentation, before commencing the drying process(Santamouris, 2015, p. 564). Sustainability factors There are various sustainability factors which are related to food production and processing. These factors may include environmental concerns such as Land use in many parts of the world, most of the methods employed in agriculture have adverse effects on the fertility of the land. Most of the practices that are employed degrade the soil off useful minerals and with time the soil is left infertile. Thus, the manner in which land use is affected calls for sustainable methods of food production(Thomas, 2006, p. 761). The decrease of biodiversity- both the plant and animal life have been reduced. over time, many of the plants and animals that may be dibble become extinct thereby prompting the need for sustainably in food production Population growth with the ever-growing population. The demand for food keeps on increasing thereby a need for sustainable ways of food production which are environmental friendly are encouraged(Fred K, 2016, p. 363). Availability of arable lands- there are very many lands that are able to produce good produce when agriculturally utilized. The presence of these lands makes it viable to adopt sustainable ways of producing and processing food. Climate change and food availability- over the past, the climate has been constantly changing and being unfavorable to both human and plant life. The plant life is at risk of redundant growth, hence making the supply of food to be at risks. This, therefore, calls for the adoption of sustainable ways of food production and processing(Wolter J, 2016, p. 329). Aquatic eutrophication this is as a result of nitrogenous substances caused by over-fertilization. The use of chemicals during farming slowly degrades the existence of aquatic life Global warming- this is generally caused by enteric fermentation and use of fossil fuels. The overall aftermath makes the temperatures of the earth to be hot hence making the plant and human life unbearable. When this happens, the supply of food to meet the high demand for food globally is compromised(Goncalves, 2016, p. 543). Famine and water shortages besides other factors, situations of famine influences the need for sustainable food processing and production techniques. Some parts of the universe experience diverse famine conditions thereby prompting the need for sustainable means of food production. Summary The report is generally about the current trends and solutions using sustainable engineering practices.it specifically focuses on food production. There has been a constant increase in the human population and hence the need for coming up with techniques which help in meeting the demands of the high population. The traditional techniques that have been in use in food processing and production are increasing posing a risk to the availability of food in the near future. The paper presents other techniques which are environmentally friendly and are sustainable in that they are easily adopted without too much constrains. For instance the use of Use of enzymes which are biological catalysts and help in speeding up the rate of reaction thereby overall in saving time, cost and energy. These enzymes are advantageous in terms of their sensitivity, inaction techniques, toxicity and also concentration. At low concentration, these enzymes are very active and since they are biological, they do no t produce any toxic substances(Graham, 2015, p. 442). Adoption of the Microbial food control -traditionally, various methods of food preservation had been used including Thermal treatments such as refrigeration, pasteurization, among other practice to minimize the microbial loads and promote food safety and shelf life. These operations require a lot of energy and a proposed techniques which utilize less amount of energy and has reduced environmental impacts is highly recommended for sustainability purposes such as ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light treatment besides the Use of green drying schemes which applies less energy-intensive techniques, for example, pressing, centrifugation, separation of the membrane, filtration, coagulation, and sedimentation, before commencing the drying process also have been recommended to replace the traditional methods(Maldonado, 2016, p. 988). Conclusion Food is an integral part of human existence and its continued production and processing is of great significance .over the decades and years to come, the population of human increase and thus the demand for food keeps increasing. However, sousing the same old traditional means of food production and processing may end up resulting in situations of food shortage. Thus the sustainable practices which h have been outlined above can help in preventing such situation. Thus, sustainable practices are highly recommended for the continued meeting of the ever-growing food demand(Moubray, 2015, p. 732). References Alexander K, W. N. S. S. J. S. S. M. B., 2015. Systems Engineering Principles and Practice. 2nd ed. new york: John Wiley Sons,. Benjamin S, W. J. F., 2015. Sustainable Engineering practices and Analysis. 2nd ed. westminister: Pearson Education, Limited. Buch, M. N., 2016. Insects as sustainable food ingredients. 2nd ed. carlisle: Orient Blackswan. Columbia., B., 2015. Guide to Environmentally Friendly Food production ways. 4th ed. columbia: Islands Trust,. Frank, D. T. C., 2017. Land use literacy for sustainable food production:. 4th ed. chicago: FT Press. Fred K, H. P. B., 2016. Sustainable food production workshop. 3rd ed. carlisle: Elsevier Gulf Professional Pub. Goncalves, J. C. S., 2016. Human and environmental health for sustainability. 4th ed. carlisle: Routledge,. Graham, P., 2015. Building Ecology: First Principles For A Sustainable Environment. 3rd ed. chicago: John Wiley Sons. Maldonado, E., 2016. Environmentally Friendly practices. 5th ed. london: Routledge. Moubray, J., 2015. Food production ethics. 3rd ed. new york: Industrial Press Inc.. Norimoto K, Y. O., 2016. International RILEM Symposium on Environment-Conscious ways of food processing. 3rd ed. melbourne: RILEM Publications. Oliver, D. W., 2015. Asisting sustainabale food production. 1st ed. new york: McGraw-Hill,. Santamouris, M., 2015. Plant nutrition for sustainable food production and environment. 2nd ed. chicago: Earthscan. Thomas, R., 2006. Environmental sustainability. 1st ed. leicester: Taylor Francis. Wolter J, B. S. B., 2016. Life-cycle cost and economic analysis. 2nd ed. chicago: Prentice Hall. Zeiher, L. C., 2016. sustainable food planning. 2nd ed. chicago: Whitney Library of Design.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Essay Example

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Paper Oliver Twist is the story of a young orphan, Oliver, and his attempts to stay good in a society that refuses to help him. Dickens shows and touches upon all the levels of society; these being the rich and poor. These levels of society give the story a theme that captures reality in the midst of nineteenth English century. As revealed in the tale, Englands nineteenth century was an era of much poverty and great social problems which resulted in a society of two opposing classes: the wealthy and the poor. Fagins den is where all the evil happens in the novel and is where he trains boys to become thieves and robbers and prostitutes meet together. Its where Oliver is brought by the Artful Dodger and where he is taught the art of pickpocketing through fun before he discovers the true purpose behind his training. â€Å"The walls and ceilings were perfectly black with age and dirt† â€Å"There was a deal table before the fire; upon which were a candle, stuck in a ginger bottle.. and standing over them with a toasting fork in his hand was a very old shrivelled Jew†. We will write a custom essay sample on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Fagin the mastermind among the criminals is as ugly in appearance and the same with his temperament, but he is also two-faced. Dickens seems to be anti-Semitic as he connects Fagins character has something to do with his ethnic identity. He does this by always referring him as the â€Å"Jew† this seems to indicate all the evil things he does or think of is connected to his ethnic identity. When Fagin is provoked he may give way to his evil side but on ordinary occasions he is always joking around and this sarcastically gives him the name of â€Å"the merry old gentlemen†. Dickens uses sardonic humour much in the novel and is very effective in the novel. l It is plain that Fagins status among the thieves is a result of his considerable talents. He is smarter and more contemplative than his companions. While they may boast with the cockiness of young men. Fagin understands and appreciates the delicacy of his position and the urgent need for cautiousness and tireless alertness when leading a life of crime. Fagin at first seems a kind man there are some traces of human feeling left in Fagins nature. Many times in the book Fagin shows a trace of kindness to Oliver. One of the interesting features of the story is that Fagin is the first adult. Its the first time the reader has seen anyone be kind so its not immediately clear hes evil until they read further in to the book. â€Å"The Jew grinned; and, making a low obeisance to Oliver, took him by the hand, and hoped he should have the honour of his intimate acquaintance† The other side of Fagin is shown when Oliver wakes up in the morning and sees Fagin playing with his treasure and Fagin spots him he shows his ugly side and then after believing Oliver saying he didnt see anything he betrays his vicious nature and quickly recovers to the â€Å"merry old gentlemen†. Dickens shows Fagins ugly side by making Fagin look as though he would have killed Oliver because of his treasure. â€Å"Speak out, boy! Quick quick! for your life! † â€Å"No! No, indeed! replied Oliver. Are you sure? cried the Jew: with a still fiercer look than before: and a threatening attitude†. One of the tricks Dickens plays is that Oliver is very naive as he watches Fagins actions in a lot of respect and tends to follow everything he does. This makes Fagin feel very happy and proud of himself and laughs about how naive and innocent Oliver is as he doesnt really know whats happening. Dickens uses sardonic humour while Fagins showing him the handkerchiefs and wallets the boysâ€Å"make† but really stole. Dickens uses sardonic humour a lot for example â€Å"Ah, youre a-staring at the pocket-handkerchiefs! eh, my dear! There are a good many of em, aint there? Weve just looked em out, ready for the wash; thats all, Oliver; thats all. Ha! ha! Ha! †. Its easily spotted that Fagin has brainwashed these boys and has now too much power over them its so cruel the way he plays the game on them, he makes them do the dirty work and he sits down like a king waiting for his slaves to deliver and bring the goods but its their only choice or theyll get kicked out of his filthy den and be homeless. Fagins only aim is to capture and get control of him mentally so then he can have another accomplice in crime, but somehow every time Oliver escapes and his friends hide him he somehow finds out where he is. He is truly an enemy to Oliver like the devil is to a sinless human. Olivers natural goodness help him to overcome the odds of life. Therefore he establishes himself in a world of respectable people who cherish Olivers natural goodness these characteristics allow him to have the happy ending he had wanted. However Fagins bad manners and his excessive love for money and will go to the extent of killing makes his fate in the book also deserved for him. Dickens portrays Fagin as a very cunning man as he uses Bill Sikes quick temper to the maximum ability he can use it as Sikes is less intelligent than Fagin he insults Fagin by calling him you â€Å"thundering old cur† and also threatens him by saying â€Å"it will be for want of breath† this shows Sikes use intimidation and violence to get what he wants. However Fagin is really the smart one as all he had to say to trigger Sikes was that she has â€Å" she gave him a drink of laudanum† this is what makes Sikes feel like a fool and causes Nancys death that Fagin had wanted. Dickens portrays the nineteenth century as a time when people had no feelings for each other and were really no better than animals. The last chapter about Fagin(3.14:The Jews Last Night Alive) shows how different Fagin was from the rest of the society and even from the entire human race. Hes in a crowded courtroom, and is surrounded â€Å"by a firmament all bright with beaming eyes†(52. 1). The crowd of people is reduced to this one feature: their â€Å"eyes†(the narrator doesnt describe any other part of their body in that paragraph), so Fagin is made into a spectacle and his own sense of individual identity is totally destroyed by their â€Å"inquisitive and eager eyes†.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Value and Risk Management in construction UAE

An Evaluation of Current and Potential Future Application of Value and Risk Management into Construction Project Management Professional Services in the Construction Sector in the UAEAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Value and Risk Management in construction UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Abstract: The UAE had an unprecedented boom in its construction sector between 2004 and 2008. This ended during the international financial crisis of 2008. As a result, the UAE Prime Minister issued a decree requiring all contractors to use green principles in construction projects. The high-end construction market responded by adopting stronger VRM practices. The state of VRM in the UAE is that it is growing in prominence. However, the professionals in the area are very few. In many cases, external consultants provide VRM services. The future of VRM in the UAE requires better training for undergraduate engineers, to supple ment the efforts of the existing postgraduate VRM professionals. General Structure of the Paper This paper has two main sections. The paper includes a literature review covering the essential background of both value management and risk management, and the result of the combination of the two, into value and risk management. The paper also presents the findings of a survey conducted to determine the VRM awareness levels of professionals in the construction sector in the UAE. The paper concludes by presenting the conclusions obtained in answer to the problem statement. Introduction The UAE is a regional leader in the application of VRM principles. This paper seeks to examine the issues that have an impact on VRM practices in the UAE and the implications of these issues for the future. The period between 2004 and 2008 will remain etched in the memory of the UAE as the heyday of the construction industry. In that time, value management did not command much respect because investors in the construction sector did not demand efficiency in their projects. They favored fast pace construction over cost management. The result of this attitude is that the UAE is now home to some of the most energy intensive skyscrapers in the world. Value and risk management is slowly finding its place in the construction sector. The rules have changed. It is no longer survival for the swiftest in the UAE, but survival of the fittest. This article examines the current state and future opportunities of value management in the UAE.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More VRM in the UAE In any business, value comes from business processes. The professional process of ensuring that a certain process yields maximum value for the stakeholder at the least cost is value management . The definition of value in this case is not just the financial value. Rather it is value in the context of the ba lanced scorecard, which covers the financial value, value from internal processes, value for the customer in question, and value in terms of transferable experience for the contractor . On the other hand, risk management is an active process of finding potential events or circumstances that can affect the progress of a project if they take place during the life of the project . The occurrence of risk must be uncertain. Otherwise, the event ceases to be a risk. Risks associated with the construction sector range from material defects to industrial action by workers. The cost of many construction projects is very high. This creates the need to manage risks as effectively as possible. Risk management involves the identification of potential events that will trigger the risk and determining the probability of occurrence of that event. After that, the risk manager quantifies the impact of the occurrence of risk-causing event on the project in terms of loss of life, time, money, and busin ess opportunities. It is possible to view risk management as a specialized form of value management because risk can erode the value of a project. It serves a preventative purpose. Value management on the other hand aims at increasing value from the processes by reducing costs or increasing the utility of the outcomes of the project . According to Karim, Berawi, Yahya, Abdul-Rahman, and Mohamed (2007) the value management process has three stages namely, value planning, value engineering and value analysis. Value planning takes place during the planning phase of the project. Value engineering occurs during construction, while value analysis takes place after the construction phase. Value analysis helps in the establishment of measures to ensure that the value gained during the value engineering process lasts throughout the useful life of the building. The risk management process involves risk identification, analysis, response, and monitoring . Risk identification and analysis take place during the planning of the project at the same time as value planning. Risk monitoring takes place throughout the active life of the project. The construction teams use risk indicators to monitor the risks. Risk response depends on whether the risk events take place or not. If a risk occurs, risk response takes place. The amalgamation of risk management (RM) and value management (VM) into risk and value management (RVM) comes from the relative similarity of the objectives of these two aspects of construction management. Focusing on RM only can erode value while focusing on VM only can introduce high risks to the project .Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Value and Risk Management in construction UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The rising stature of VRM in the UAE is as a direct result of the events that took place between 2004 and 2008 in the construction sector . In 2004, the construction sector in th e UAE was experiencing unprecedented growth. The country was on the path to achieve its dream of becoming a transport, trade, and commercial hub in the Middle East . This led to an increase in the number of the immigrants looking for work in the Emirates. In addition, many traders were coming to the UAE to close business deals. The result was that the demand for housing and commercial buildings grew. The country saw the construction of an unprecedented number of new buildings to meet the rising demand. Since investment funds were flowing, the speed of construction became the driving force. VM was not central to project planning in the construction industry. The UAE ended up undertaking projects that delivered buildings with the highest energy consumption in the world . In 2008, the UAE economy went through a downturn occasioned by the global financial crisis triggered by the US real estate market . Since that year, there has been a growing appreciation of the role VM can play in the construction industry. The shift towards VM goes back to 2007 when Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister of the UAE, issued a decree that ordered players in the construction industry to conform to a newly established green standard in their projects . The decree took effect in January 2008 just when the global financial crisis was hitting the UAE. From that time, there has been a steady increase in the number of construction companies using VM in order to meet project goals and the regulatory goals. Evidence in literature suggests that the current state of application of VRM in the UAE is uncoordinated. While there is widespread recognition of the potential saving the use of VRM can bring to projects, the practice is not widespread. It appears that the planning processes of construction projects do not include VRM. A case in point is the low-income housing project in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi in which VRM principles were not part of the planning process . Some of the design choices made by the project planners seemed unsuited for the construction projects. For instance, the houses contained some utilities such as gas-powered central heating, which is not fitting for low-income housing . In addition, the water tanks positioned outside on the roofs of the houses started malfunctioning after three years, yet the project requirements stated that the life cycle for each house was to be twenty-five years . The main contention resulting from this situation is that project planners did not carry out VRM with the users of the house in mind.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Rather, the designers used uneconomical design options to raise their design fees since they charge a percentage of overall project cost. The current application of VRM in construction projects in the UAE is also a reflection of the little manpower available to conduct VRM. The VRM Survey Methodology A VRM survey conducted for this project revealed several issues regarding the current and future prospects of VRM in the UAE. The survey involved professionals working in the construction industry with decision-making responsibilities. Results The key findings of the survey were that only ten percent of the engineering professionals in the construction sector have any form of training in VRM, and none of the respondents have participated in a VM program. VM training in the UAE is available in postgraduate courses in construction management. The graduates do not all go to practice VRM hence the lack of involvement in any VRM project. The fact that most professional engineers in the UAE w ithout postgraduate qualifications have not formal training in VRM may indicate the low skill levels in the area of VRM in the country. Other findings in the survey showed that there is a general understanding of what RM is, but the views of respondents on VM did not demonstrate a strong grasp of the concept. When asked about their understanding of VM, most of the respondents used cost savings as the main issue in VM. The answers included phrases like, â€Å"help clients reduce costs†, â€Å"managing expenses in construction†, and â€Å"having the best quality with least money†. Forty percent of the respondents had no idea what VM meant. There seemed to be a perception that VM is part of project scope management because many responses included phrases talking about time, quality, and money. The responses for a similar question relating to RM showed a better understanding of RM in a project. RM is a core part of undergraduate construction courses hence it is not surprising that most of the respondents were articulate about RM. None of the respondents had any experience in analyzing the benefits of VRM exercise because none of them had participated in a VRM exercise. All the respondents felt that the application of VRM in the UAE should continue. The responses depended on their understanding of VRM in the first place. One respondent pointed out that VRM activities take place in large projects only. Therefore, there is a need to downstream the practice. Another respondent also added that the practice of VRM in the UAE is selective. The project managers choose to implement some elements and ignore others. This leads to low return from the VRM process, which requires implementations throughout the project cycle. Based on this survey, the need to make VRM conventional is obvious. If the professionals in the construction industry do not have a clear understanding of the basics of VRM, then the construction industry will not have people who can ch ampion for VRM. The best way to tackle this gap is to include VRM in the training curriculums of all construction courses. Even if this does not produce VRM consultants, it will empower these professionals to evaluate the benefits of VRM in construction projects. The current model where consultants carry out all VRM activities is not sustainable for nationwide impact. If project initiators do not want to spend money on consultants, a project does not benefit fully from VRM. Training all professionals in the industry to understand VRM will increase the appreciation and application of VRM in the industry. In conclusion, while the data available from industry sources such as The Oxford Business Group may suggest a vibrant VRM environment in the UAE, the data collected for this project shows that there are serious training gaps in VRM in the UAE. Industry publications are niche publications hence they may report in detail issues having an effect on a very small part of the overall envir onment. Conclusions The main conclusions from this project are as follows. VRM is increasing in importance in the UAE, partly because of intervention by the state, and partly because of the lessons learnt after the global financial crisis. The decree by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister of the UAE that took effect in 2008 requires all construction projects to use green principles in construction. VRM is an essential part of ensuring all green projects meet the requirements of the decree. Secondly, there is inadequate capacity in the UAE to mainstream VRM across the construction sector. This conclusion comes from the survey conducted for the purposes of this project to find out the current level of manpower available to push forward the VRM agenda in the UAE. If UAE can train professionals at all levels, then it will improve the practice of VMR in the country. Thirdly, the Engineering Associations in the can play a part in mainstreaming VRM by conducting train ing seminars for all engineers working in the UAE. Currently the training levels of VRM are too advanced. Undergraduate engineers do not have the skills and experience needed to implement VRM in their settings. Finally, institutions of higher learning in the UAE need to include VRM as part of the coursework for all construction courses at undergraduate level. This will serve to increase the capacity of the country to make VRM a part of construction planning for all sizes of projects. References Abdellatif, MA Othman, AA 2008, ‘Improving the Sustainability of Low Income Housing Projects: The Case of Residential Buildings in Musaffah Commercial City in Abu Dhabi.’, Emirates Journal of Engineering, vol 11, no. 2, pp. 47-58. Davies, RH Davies, AJ 2011, Value Management: Translating Aspirations Into Performance, Gower Publishing, Surrey. Gordon, RJ 2012, ‘Is U.S. Economic Growth Over? Faltering Innovation Confronts the Six Headwinds NBER, vol 18315, pp. 1-23. Jaapar, A Torrance, JV 2010, ‘Contribution of Value Management to the Malaysian Construction Industry: A New Insight’, Faculty of Architecture, Planning Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Karim, SBA, Berawi, MA, Yahya, IA, Abdul-Rahman, H Mohamed, O 2007, ‘The Integration of Value and Risk Management In Infrastructure Projects: Learning from Others’, Quantity Surveying International Conference., Value Management Centre (VMC), Faculty of the Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumper. Koenig, M Meissner, J 2011, ‘Risk Minimizing Strategies for Revenue Management Problems with Target Values. ‘, Working Paper, Department of Management Science, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University Press, Lancaster. KPMG 2003, ‘Internal Audit’s Role in Modern Corporate Governance’, Risk and Advisory Services, KPMG, KPMG, Hong Kong. Meredeth, JR Mantel, SJ 2011, Project Management: A Manager ial Approach, 8th edn, John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Othman, AA 2005, ‘Value and Risk Management Protocol for Dynamic Brief Development in Construction’, Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, vol 10, no. 2, pp. 23-36. Othman, AA 2008, ‘Incorporating Value and Risk Managemen Concepts in Developing Low Cost Housing Projects ‘, Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, vol 13, no. 1, pp. 45-52. Siterman, E 2009, Value engineering in Dubai, https://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-6484-value-engineering-in-dubai#.UK-MnuR1-OH. The Oxford Business Group 2008, The Report: Dubai 2008, Oxford Business Group, Dubai. This essay on Value and Risk Management in construction UAE was written and submitted by user Giancarlo Russell to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.