Stainless steel powder metrology Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stainless steel powder metrology - Thesis Example PROCEDURE The mixtures underwent a complete procedure to obtain the results and compare them according to different standards. The procedure of the experiment is explained in detail in this part of the report. Preparation of the Mixture The powder mixture, each specimen separately, is weighed and the weight recorded. The process is initiated after the weighing. The powder is properly mixed using tubes and revolving machine. In these experiments, two different mixtures, ferrous 316L with 1 gram silicon and the same mixture with the addition of 1gm boron is used. The mixtures were then sintered and quenched under different temperature conditions. The sintering has to be discussed briefly to be understood. Sintering and Quenching The specimens prepared are pressurized at 700 MPa and made into round discs as shown in the picture below. . The specimen is heated inside a closed container, to different temperature. As recorded before, there are in total 13 specimens which are used in the ex periment. Each specimen is labeled properly before any kind of experiment us conducted on it. The two mixtures samples of â€Å"A† and â€Å"B† are heated at 1220, 1230, 1235, 1240, 1280, and 1295o C respectively. Each sample was then sectioned, mounted and polished for microscopical examination. These methods are explained in detail in the following part of the report. Sectioning It is essential for maximizing the working parameters since incorrect cutting can waste small samples, which are very difficult to make. The sample with deformation should be given maximum support to un-clamp them (German, 1990). Mounting The samples are too little in size to handle the different steps of the procedure. It is essential for maximizing the working parameters. Therefore a uniform and rounded surface is given to the specimen so that the damage is prevented during grinding and polishing procedures (German, 1990). Grinding The samples are grounded to reach finer surfaces. Grinding is done under stream of water to remove any free particles that are being cut out of the sample and to minimize the eroding effect on the sample and to save its surface from rash cuts. The specimen is then dried out as there was water on it (German, 1990). Polishing It is also a very important part of the experiment. Since for the photography the best surface is required. It is done by rotating a cloth over the surface with the help of a polishing machine. A polishing liquid is also used (German, 1990). Etching The samples need to be etched as the last part of the procedure. But before etching is done, the surface has to be cleaned and free of any impurity. The samples have to be etched with a proper liquid to prevent damage. During the process, the sample is removed from the sample when the first blooms of grains are observed. After etching, the samples are washed ruinously with washing material, either water or alcohol. Warm air is then passed over it. If the material is of soft n ature, it must be covered so the surface can be saved (German, 1990). Microscopic examination This is a very important process since the examination with naked eye would not reveal the required results. Special method of illumination is used between the two controlling diaphragms to enlighten the eye piece where the results can be seen and photographed (German, 1990). Recording before the Procedure The two

Coaching & Leading Essay Example for Free

Coaching Leading Essay One of the major findings of studies on creativity and is that creativity and inspiration are very much correlated with â€Å"intrinsic motivation†, for example, if a person is enjoying what he/she is doing, the person is likely to be highly inspired and creative that when such a person is working so as to attain something else. For instance McGuinness (2007) explains that, Anne Sexton a poet told her producer that though she would like to make lots of money through writing poems, she needs to â€Å"forget everything about money’ so as to really write the poems. Coaching has been known to facilitate intrinsic motivation and inspiration through asking questions and giving observational feedback in a manner that assists those being coached (coachees) to focus on the immediate task. Timothy Galway author of The Inner Game of Tennis: Random House said that, â€Å"it did not appear to matter if he praised or criticized his tennis players, since both of these has a negative impact on the game† (p, 32). Even a well intended praise resulted in the player loss concentration, because the player started judging him/her self and hope that their subsequent shot would be great as the past one. Thus, Gallwey (1997) stopped praising the players. Inspiration and creative flow At its highest, intrinsic inspiration and absorption in inspired work can result to creative flow, which is described by McGuinness (2007) as a nearly automatic, natural, yet greatly state of awareness. Creative flow in a person mind results in peak performance of that person. Coaching is attributed to creating this inspiration that results in creative flow. Individuality (enabling others) Creative individuals are notably idiosyncratic, to them; there is no ‘correct way’ or ‘best practice’ in inventive work. Coaching generally helps in advancing the individuality of a person and enabling him reach his/her peak performance and abilities though guidance and encouragement from the leader (McGuinness, 2007). This can also be done through balancing skills and challenges, the leader can match the task o be performed with the abilities of the employees, through coaching or training these employees can be assisted to overcome their weakness. Goal setting Goals are fundamental to coaching; it has asserted that without any goal, then the leader will not be coaching effectively. For any particular task or assignment, the leader should make sure that goals set are well understood by those involved, and the goals are well balanced between inspiring task and measurable achievement. Crane (2007) note that goal setting is able to inspire an employee. No worry in failing: Empowering Coaching operates on the presumption that it’s fine to make errors, as long as these errors serve as experiences and lessons to the person. Through providing correct feedbacks about the performance of a person and demanding that the person learns for his/her errors, the leader ensures makes sure that failures are reduced and become less repeated and less serious. Through creating a responsible but supportive atmosphere, the leader assist his/her people to spend little time being worried about failing and more time endeavouring for excellence. This Crane (2007) explains is the way coaching empowers employees. The affect and influence of diversity on coaching Pohlman and Gardiner (2000) explain that, business leaders and managers are also part of the wider society and have to deal with challenges brought by diversity in their organizations. Those leaders and managers that are well prepared to deal with these challenges and exploit advantages of diversity will probably be successful by being effectual coaches in a diverse organization. Discriminatory practices are common within the society and, sometimes, these practices emerge in the workplace which could cause critical challenges for leaders and managers. Unjust issues of discrimination usually stem from societal prejudices, stereotypes as well as propaganda. Rather, than carrying on societal prejudices and treating employees unjustly based on the stereotypes and propaganda, business leaders and managers can use leadership and coaching the responds to the diversity by focusing on performance of each group and developing them progressively on the basis of their level of willingness to assume new responsibilities. As Pohlman and Gardiner (2000) asserts diversity cam lead to disaster with advancement programs like coaching and mentoring, the advancement programs such as mentoring and coaching are all an element of work performance and lack of understanding of diversity‘s affect on these processes, including who is being coached and who is coaching him/her, can influence the performance of workers. The issue of diversity requires that coaches examine a person beliefs and values together with understanding the skills that are required to suitably deal with these beliefs and values. Parsloe and Wray (2000) assert that, diversity just like communication is a reality in modern organizations. It is real and permanent; therefore its acceptance is a prerequisite of life if a coach is operate effectively in a coaching situation. Diversity makes work place to be more lively, interesting and less boring. At the same time it makes the coaching experience to be more challenging and very unpredictable. As Parsloe and Wray (2000) observes, it is common for coaches to be become upset by individuals’ actions, attitudes and general behaviours in a diverse work teams and group environment in present day workforce. Some of those actions, attitudes and behaviours nay make the coach or the leader or even other workers uncomfortable since they challenge their strongly held beliefs and values, which have been cemented in their subconscious minds over many years. Since a lot of organizations attempt to improve their productivity as well as competencies against their rivals, one tendency is attempting to cultivate a learning culture in their businesses. In order to attain this attempt, the leaders’ role ought to be transformed to developmental coach or leader who focuses much more on supporting workers to learn and make improvement to their competencies and motivation. To be highly successful in managing a diverse workforce, leaders involved in coaching must lead through incorporating coaching models and effective communication. Leaders should not just be conscious of their leading styles and adapt properly to employees willingness but must be conscious of their won individual traits regarding communication with their employees, this will strongly influence and establish their style of coaching. In a diverse setting Parsloe and Wray (2000) explain that the there are four coaching styles that can be adapted by the leader: †¢ Senser: the leader focuses on action and getting directly to the point †¢ Intuitor: the leader coaches the diverse group by sharing ideas, theories and concepts, and through motivating and inspiring focusing on the future. †¢ Feeler: the leader provides support and attention to the group and talks about the past †¢ Thinker: here the leader stays focused on rules, facts information and stipulated processes The coach has to comprehend emotional intelligence and strive to increase the performance of diverse workforce through self-conscious and being ware of his/her coaching style when leading.

Contributions of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux

Contributions of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux To what extent Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux have contributed to the professional practice of Landscape Architecture? Both Frederick Law and Calvert Vaux are actively participating in Landscape Architectural projects in the 19th century. Calvert Vaux was a young Architect in the year 1857. He collaborated with Frederick Law in the Central Park competition. Apart from landscape projects Vaux also committed himself as an architect designing various houses that harmonises with nature. Frederick Law Olmsted being known as the â€Å"Founder of American Landscape Architecture as well as a well-known park designer† by the National Park Service. Frederick Law Olmsted started the being a Landscape Architecture after experimenting and trying out many different career fields. From a newspaperman, social commentator and farmer. He had many interests in his early life. In landscape architecture, Olmsted combined his thoughts and interests in rural life and conditions and thoughts of autonomous glory to create a new form of civil engineering that not only focuses on its function but as well as beauty. The Urbanization Olmsted seen on the road with its interest in rural problems soon make him wanted to work as a Landscape Architect. As he was touring around in Britain in the 1850s, he visited England’s Birkenhead Park, which was an important and a catalyst in venturing into the landscape career path. In the year 1858, the city commissioners selected, out of the total thirty-tree designs being submitted in the competition for the new park (Central Park) the one chosen â€Å"Greensward,† which was the collaboration work of Frederick Law and Calvert Vaux. Central Park is the recognition of this design through its significant features. It was also one of the earliest examples of a park that is being referred as a well balance work of landscape architecture, as well as the first in any country to propose spacious relaxing grounds which have the beauty of minimalist natural scenery as it met the qualities of complete enclosure by a tightly built city. Central Park was a great success where both he and Vaux are able to closely towards each other. The use of hills, trees and curve walkways created a form of tranquillity and remoteness from the city. Both Olmsted and Vaux also formed a company and designed major parks in Brooklyn, Buffalo and more. Apart from the formed company, Olmsted also founded his own personal firm in the 1883 which led him to move his home to modernize Boston and created â€Å"Fairsted† known as the world’s first professional office for the Landscape Design. Vaux and Olmsted then started a long partnership with each other where they form the landscape ideas of the position that should be played in the life of cities. But individual inputs by each of them has always been unclear. Some also argued that Vaux must be leading in the project as he is more experience in landscape architecture as compared to Olmsted, thus there is no reason to misbelief Vaux’s design. Soon later, the park’s authorities had decided to make Olmsted the Head Architect with Vaux as an assistant. Although Olmsted had a lot of suffering in the later years in order to highlight Vaux important role towards the design as well as the development of the parks, Vaux had always felt that he did not had the fame that he should receive. Apart from the Central park project, Olmsted and Vaux also collaborated in 1865 after the Civil War on what many referred as their most successful design The Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Not only that they also designed several other Brooklyn parks which includes the Carroll Park in Carroll Gardens , Washington Park and the Parade Ground and Tompkins Square. Olmsted and Vaux also created a new form of pathway that is able to solve the problem of inefficiency of Brooklyn’s Grid Street system. These landscaped pavements are used to connect various different neighbourhoods to different parks all around the queen’s border. Olmsted crafted various examples of designs which the Position of Landscape Architecture is able to enhance the quality of life in America. These include large urban parks being devoted to the contact and involvement of the scenery and designed to resist and balance out the bogusness of the city and the stress of modern life. One of the most important transports were the Private carriages a smooth road reserved for them that is able to connect parks and spread the advantages of public green space around the city. Olmsted and Vaux designed the park to be able to create ways and path for the pedestrians and carriages to enjoy and admire the park without having to annoy each other. The design of the roads is considered radical as it allows vehicular access to drive through the park without being divided from the park’s experience. It provides an array of public facilities for the residents and scenic preservation safeguarding areas of extraordinary landscape beauty from destruction as well as commercial uses. Garden / landscape design could improve both awareness as well as the self-reflections of occupants. With an increasing number in open-air apartments, it encourages outdoor activities where the garden space is a specified training ground for the citizens living around it. Governmental buildings would have been more efficient and do understand the importance of planning. Olmsted’s design approach showed the complexity of his perception and even paid attention to the slightest details for a resident in harmonizing green-space. Olmsted understands the reasoning behind his landscape work which is capable of affecting the emotions of others. This was quite noticeable throughout his park designs, where he designed the pavements of the scenery such that the visitors would be saturated. Able to experience the curative action of the landscape as what Olmsted would describe it as â€Å"Unconscious† process. In order to achieve this outcome, he overpowered all the elements of the design in making the land-art contacts more subtle. Olmsted always wanted to think ahead of the current trends and actions and being able to derive his designs based on the important principles of human psychology. In detail, he cross referenced from the analysis of earlier British Sophist of unsentimental landscape and their attention towards the special qualities of composition and attractive scenery. The essence of agrarian landscape was the English deer park, creating an emotion of an enlarged space and its delicately inflected ground and smooth, a cropped lawn. He was able to realise that this style is known as his special formula to cure the bad effects of an modern life. The â€Å"Picturesque† style was being used in deep and worn out terrain, and followed by planting with a thick layer of different ground covers , shrubs and etc. This eventually will result in a thought of charitableness, outpouring and secrecy. His extreme experience of this effect was on the Isthmus of Panama as he was passing through a journey to California. Where both forms includes the qualities of infiniteness, and the shortage of singular objects for a detail exploration. As Olmsted defined it , the term â€Å"scenery† is never applied to vision of any field that is seen as straight forward. Hence it should have a level of complexity in its shapes and visuals closer towards the eye, unimportant details when looked further away. These characters were important for the unknown motion of the scenery in mind. They were also an important element to his design as practicing benchmarks for exquisite understanding. The standard of elegance that includes a mixture, complexity and a fine series of surfaces, colours and tones were important to Olmsted creative and cultivating purpose. Although the site that Olmsted favoured needs a at least a rainfall in order to achieve its outcome, he understood that majority of the United States does have a different weather. Following that he sets out to develop a distinct landscape technique for the south, while in the west it requires a water-conserving technique. He applied the techniques of this approach with six projects in the San Francisco Bay and Colorado. During Olmsted career, he and his firm completed out over 500 commissioned projects. Which includes 100 parks and recreation areas, with over 200 private estates as well as numerous residential projects and campus design for a handful of academic institutions. Olmsted himself is a creative designer, even though he had trouble with expressing his ideas in words. With approximately six thousand letters were still around till this days, With its discussion with 300 design commissions. And at times he paid for the publications as well as public distribution of these letters which includes his experience in journeys and several documents by the United States commission. Calvert Vaux who is also one of America’s well-known architect / Landscape architect. He also shaped some of America’s most prominent landscape during the 19th century. He worked with famous landscape figures such as Andrew Jackson Downing and later with Frederick Olmsted, and hence Vaux’s style on the landscape architecture was ignored in the 20th century. Vaux was an optimist who worked hard throughout his career and life to improve the living conditions of the lower class and promoted art education for all. Calvert Vaux had been successful in Architecture before the age of twenty-four, where he came to America and met downing. And after the sudden death of downing in the 1854, the project of designing the grounds of the capitol and the Smithsonian Intuition has yet been completed in America. In Vaux private life, he was a man of singular purity, kindness and trustworthy. Although he lacked of socializing skills, which was able to allow him to have a better position. But he still had many accomplishments and practice of the best type. The career of Vaux was an inspiring one for those young artists who are struggling as well as citizens who are labouring and working in civic and village improvements. Although the 1870s were Vaux’s most productive years but he latter soon found out that his High Victorian Gothic Style against the rising popularity of Neoclassical style had soon made his worked looked dull and outdated. Even though he won the projects with the High Victorian architect, for the American Museum of History as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and building the first stage of each of them, he soon lost the projects for continuing the later parts, due to the multiple reviews that the buildings had. His ability to win over large projects soon drops, and he turned to designing lodge houses and other beneficial buildings for the Children’s Aid Society located over in New York City. Apart from that he also devoted his last few years of life in focusing projects on the New York Public Parks as landscape architect, which led him to design several small parks throughout the city and also being able to continue his work on the Central Park. At his death during 1895, Vaux did not lead the role in the developments of architecture in America but he had left a long and unforgotten projects. In their late 1880s both Frederick Olmsted and Vaux collaborated with each other on Special projects such as providing free design service to the city of Newburgh (New York) where they construct a park in memory of Andrew Jacks. Their final collaboration concerns the Niagara Reservation. An area the state of New York bought as to prevent any form of commercial development which will compromise the scenery. Both Olmsted and Vaux composed their plans that would revive the Niagara’s spectacular sceneries making it accessible to tourist. In conclusion I think that both Landscape Architects did way beyond their part in the professional practice of Landscape Architecture as they were very sensitive towards minor details such as the landform, climate changes, materials/surfaces and the thoughts / activities of the people. They did not neglect other points in its design such as transportation in which are widely used till this day where they are able to immerse themselves in to the landscape, rather than being separated and divided. They also tried to make roads and path efficient for both pedestrians as well as vehicles. And the landscapes that both men design had special qualities in them where it’s designed towards tranquil and peaceful emotions. These psychological design qualities are a huge advantage towards the users in terms of de-stressing themselves and being able to admire the elegant sceneries.

Holyrood Project Case Study

Holyrood Project Case Study ABSTRACT: The need to adequately implement a project successfully with the required Project Management indices has ensured that project managers are continuously seeking ways of ensuring that projects meet and satisfies customers cravings. A project is said to be successful if it is implemented with an efficient and effective cost, quality and time management approach thereby meeting customers expectation; it is a failure when it fails to met these set objectives. The Holyrood -Scotland Parliamentary Building project management approach is critically analysed in a post mortem approach in this paper with a view to discussing how each of the stages in the project lifecycle culminated in the failure of the project to meeting certain criteria of an effective project. INTRODUCTION The Holyrood: A project of the Scottish government which was undertaken to provide a magnificent structure for the use of the Scottish Parliament. The advent of the Devolution proposal in 1979 gave rise initially to the project, however, the project became main-stream in 1998. The project became a key issue for the stakeholders due to key project management controls. A successful project is judged to be efficient, cost effective, quality, on time, and meet customers satisfaction. An appraisal of the Holyrood project indicated that some of these indices were not achieved especially in terms of cost and duration, hence the need to evaluate and analyse the entire project life cycle from initiation to closure to ascertain what went wrong and what could have been done. This paper aims to diagnose the indices of a successful project with respect to the Holyrood project, and critically evaluates how the project deviated from the expected project management indices. It identifies the problems of project management associated with each stage of the Holyrood project life cycle using project management theories of the like of P. Gardiner 2005 and J. Westland 2006 to define each stage of project life cycle Initiation Definition; Planning Development; Execution Control and Closure and analyse it to the Holyrood project. The first section reviews the background of the Holyrood Parliament building project. Section two identifies the problems associated with each stage of the project Initiation and definition; Planning and development; Execution and control and Closure. Section three analyses the problems that are most significant to cost increase and schedule slippage using the Auditor General report as well as other authors. Section four will evaluate the problems identified in section 3 and relate it to PM writers (Cimil J.K 1997), (Pinto 1998), (OGC, 2005) to identify why project fails; section five is a summary of findings and conclusion. Chapter 1 1.0 Background of the Holyrood Parliament Building Project The devolution proposals of 1979 may have given room for the incoming labour administration in 1997, to implement the proposal which included the building of the Scottish parliament. The Scottish parliament was and is still an important symbol for Scotland. It is expected that the parliament building should possess the best of quality, durability as well as represent civil importance. The Holyrood project from the initiation process faced enormous challenges starting from the quest for early completion and the high expectation in terms of quality. The major hindrance started with first, the cultural difficulties in the joint venture which did not allow them to work effectively. Secondly, the construction management approach of the project adopted, and the selection criteria for design procurement. Harnessing the ideas of different project team was a major concern for the project, as virtually all teams had different ideas indicating no clear direction, leadership, and project stage c ontrol. This ensued that there were lot of scope creep during the implementation of the project. A major creep was the cost creep: the initial capital cost was estimated at  £40million in 1997, which rose to  £90 million and from then rose to  £195 million. By April 2001 the cost had crept again to  £359 in June 2003 and the  £414.4million by 2004 resulting to a 20month delay. Lord Fraser report and the Auditors Generals report have scrutinized what must have gone wrong with the project. Chapter 2 2.0 Problems with the stages of the Project For a proper evaluation of what went wrong with the Holyrood Project, it is important to understand what really makes up a project life cycle. According to Paul D.Gardner (2005) the project life cycle indicates the phases a project has to go through from beginning to completion in an orderly from ensuring that the successful completion of one stage leads to the beginning of another, till the end of the project. It is imminent to state here that a well structured project phase of a project help in proper controlling and monitoring of the project, and ensure that timely corrective actions are implemented when deviation from plans are observed. 2.1 Initiation and Definition stage This stage kick starts the lifecycle of the project and establishes the ‘sum of the products and services to be provided by the project (PMI 2000). The business justification for the project is firmly established at this stage. The sponsors strategic plan is investigated by conducting a feasibility study which includes the project assessment in terms of its cost and benefits. For the Holyrood project whose objective was to provide a home fit for the Scottish parliament indicated a right step as a business case was made to justify such a proposal. However, the project encountered political problems which included the selection of an appropriate site to house the parliament, the PM drawing a time table to fulfill the political objective of early completion. It is of note mention that given the proposed cost estimate of the project one would have concluded that a poor feasibility study was conducted which drew a budget that can never have been a realistic estimate for anything other than a basic building for the new parliament. It also showed that adequate risk assessment was not carried out as the time frame approach for the completion of the building indicated. Overall impression for the initiation stage indicated that the project scope was not well defined, which would have indicated where the priority should be laid on , either on cost, quality, or early completion of the building . The project did not put into consideration the evolve of the clients need which does not fit into Cimil success criteria. 2.2 Planning and Development stage In this phase of the project three elements are important and they are; the creation of all the required plans to support the project (the scope management plan, the work plan, timeline, risk management plan and quality management plan), the mobilization and organization of all resources required for the project and infrastructure to support the resource as well as ensuring effective communication across the network of project stakeholders. The project lacked a sense of appreciation of plan, which made the project budget under estimated. A key setback for the planning stage was the disparity in choosing the proper design procurement approach. The selection criteria for the chosen procurement approach designer competition showed that the entire process lacked clarity; as a systematic approach was not adopted towards the handling of PQQs. This attributed to the lack of coordination from personnel undertaking visits in verifying the applicants/Competitors informations thereby leading to unfairness in choosing the appropriate candidate. This singular act ensured that all applicants including the joint venture partners presented drawings that extended outside the required size in the brief- a major signal of a possible project scope creep. Secondly in a project of this magnitude the choice of a project sponsor a very vital role to the success of a project should not be guided by political undertone as it appears in the choice of Mrs Doig who lacks expertise in matters of projects and construction. This to a large extent gave room for a lot of poor decisions which is evident in the choice of adopting construction management as the building option. Another problem at this stage in the project was that the project initiator, Mr. Dewar was too attached to the project. This often made him opt for unpopular choices like the choice of opting for a designer competition as against a design competition as specified by the RIAS team. Moreover, the competition process was conducted in an unprofessional manner that lacked finesse and proper coordination. For a project of this nature with very high risk content the lack of a contingency risk plan is inexcusable. The critical path of the project was not mentioned. The project lacked proper communication and coordination at this stage, sight of the terms of the brief was lost 2.3 Execution and Control stage (Westland Jason 2006) described this phase as the longest phase of a project. This is the stage were the deliverables are physically built and presented to the customer for acceptance. (Paul D. Gardiner 2005) described it as the phase where new information from other phases can lead to change, and a good project manger should know that some changes are inevitable, therefore there is need to maintain control over these changes to the project plan. Change Management for this project was out of control as most changes done in execution stage of the Holyrood project was not agreed by the parties involved. This exhibited the lack of good leadership, control and good management associated with the project. The reporting system did not encourage effective communication as well as flow of information between the teams which lead to the resignation of the 1st PM (Mr Armstrong) and subsequent managers. This lack of control saw the cost of the project skyrocketing with a lot of changes done in the design plan. 2.4 Closure stage Closure is the last phase of the project life cycle; it represents the end of a project. Money is no more paid out, all documentation and administration of the project is closed and opportunity for evaluation and performance review. The finished product is transferred to the care, custody and control of the owner (Paul D Gardnier 2005). In the Holyrood project, there were delays in the project handover as conflict between the contracted parties remains unresolved till the end of the project. The project closure and handing over lack some merits as potential risk elements were ignored in the final documentation. Some examples are 45,000 defects were discovered after handover and issues regarding the infrastructure. Chapter 3 3.0 Problems with the most significant cost increase and schedule slippage 3.1 Significant Cost Increases The project from inception has suffered successive increases in its cost forecast, but the most significant is in the construction stage (Execution and Control phase). Increase in construction cost was (caused by) as a result of design development and delay in construction process as the project progressed. The construction cost increases fall into three main areas Design development  £68m Prolongation, disruption and delay  £73m Inflation and Risk certainty  £19m Most of this cost was incurred from the year 2000, though this increase was as a result of poor planning, control and management attributed at the planning and development stage. 3.2 Significant Schedule Slippage The rush for early delivery of such huge project resulted to lot of schedule slippage. The complexities in the design variation as well as the late communication/supply of information during the construction phase were the most significant cause of the 20 months delay of the project. This delay started in 2000 and this still fall under the Execution and control phase. Apart from the complexity and late supply of information, other factors also attributed to the schedule spillage are 19-24 weeks delay in the Foyer roof, Glazing and assembling of the windows 15 Months each for the debating chamber and Canon Gate There was no contingency plan for spillage in the initial timetable. Chapter 4 4.0 Evaluation of the Project Management Problems Corresponding to those Identified in the Literature This section brings us back to the question why do project fail? And the writer is going to relate some of this failure to the problem associated with the Holyrood project. Writers like (OGC, 2005), (Cicmil 1997), (Carlos 2005) theory of why project fail will be used to evaluate the Literature. OGC, 2005 gave eight reasons why project fails and some of the reasons are lack of clear senior management and ministerial ownership and leadership. In the literature it was seen that was no clear direction, control as well as leadership among the different civil servants groups that handled the project. The project manager had no single point of authoritative command and could not use his authority and influence to control the project. In the literature decisions were made without communicating them to the stakeholders, this shows lack of effective engagement with stakeholders. Also there was lack of skills and proven approach to project management and risk management. The project sponsor knew very little about construction and this showed when no further inquiry was done on the construction management choice which has much risk on the client was not appreciated by the sponsor because of her incompetence. Risk was never incorporated in any of her decisions. (Cicmil 1997) also researched on principal sources of project failure where he talked about poor understanding and identification of client need. The joint venture never understood the clients need that was why from the beginning they never adhered to the clients brief, which would have minimised the risk that exists in undertaking a project with tight time frame. (Cicmil 1997) talked about organizational behaviour factors. The organisation of Holyrood project d id not provide the necessary clear direction and leadership and this led to lack of control, communication and poor management that existed in the project. The project was conceptualized as one without any provision for change. Such deficiency highlights the lack of (Cicmil 1997) bounded rationality approach to project management. The literature is rife with instances where proper procedures were not adhered to. Examples include the architects (Snr Miralles) reluctance to fit his designs into the project brief even when he was informed to. (Carlos 2005) talked about why project fails and most of it boils down to what existed in the Holyrood project which was lack of teamwork, cultural differences, communication, politics, control and poor management. This inevitably led to cost increase, and delays seen in the project. 4.1. RECOMMENDATIONS (Gardiner 2005) Valuation should have been applied to all the stages of the Project life cycle by PM The important key positions should not have been handled by Civil Servants Plan for contingency risk should have been made. The implementation of multi perspective framework on projects. In my opinion if this had been used issues like the choice of construction management would not have been made the content context and organisational character would have been analysed and a more suitable method like PFI/PPP would have been selected 5.0 Conclusion The Holyrood Project in the long run became a huge success, however most critics believed that the time and cost slippage would have been avoided if proper project management indices were followed. The author has been able to diagnose this key indices and is of the opinion that the success of every project is dependent on the effectiveness of the project manager , a major problem of the Holyrood Project .It is also worth mentioning that my recent visit to the Parliament Building afforded me the opportunity to have my personal take on the building and it is indeed a magnificent piece and so despite the many problems encountered it met the clients expectations of quality, â€Å"Past Glory of Scotland flowing within the present into the future† PRIMARY SOURCE Lord Fraser, Holyrood Inquiry, Blackwell Bookshop, (2004) Reid G., The Scottish parliament: Holyrood project closure (2007) Books Andersen E.S, Grude K.V, Haug T, Goal directed project management: effective techniques and strategies Kogan Page 3rd edition (2004) Gardiner P.D, Project Management: A strategic planning approach Palgrave Macmillian (2005) Kerzner H. Project Management, a systems approach to planning scheduling and controlling (John Wiley and sons Inc) (2006) page 66 Leech D.J, Turner B.,Project Management for profit, Ellis Horwood publishing (1990) Lockyer K.and Gordon J, Project management and project Network Techniques (6th Edition Pitman Publishing), (1996) Page 3 Lock D, Project Management Gower publishing limited, Pg 6, 12-14 Maylor H, Project Management (Pitman Publishing ) (1996) Page 25 Nickson D Siddons S, Project management disasters: And how to survive them, Kogan Page Limited, (2006) Page 25-74 Westland J., Project Management lifecycle: A complete step by step methodology For initiating, planning, executing and closing the project successfully, Kogan Page (2006) Articles Cicmil S.K , Critical Factors of effective project management the TQM magazine Volume 9 Number 6 1997,390-396 INTERNET SOURCES Architecture week, http://www.architectureweek.com/2005/1019/news_1-3.html ( Last visited on 20th July 2009)   BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4343690.stm ( Last visited on 25th July 2009) Project Management, http://www.pmhut.com/project-phases (Last visited on 20th July 2009) The Scottish Parliament, ,http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/spcb/publications/docs/Holyrood_closeout_report.pdf http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/audit/or-04/au04-1402.htm (Last visited on 20th July 2009)

The Mexican Peso Crisis Essays -- Economy Economics Mexico Essays

The Mexican Peso Crisis This paper argues that the Mexican peso crisis of December 20 should have been expected and foreseeable. In the year preceding the crisis, there were several indicators suggesting that the Mexican economy and peso were already under extreme pressure. The economy bubble was ballooning to burst so much so that it was simply a crisis waiting to happen. Evidences Signaling the Crisis 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decreasing Current Account Deficit versus Increasing Capital Account Balance Mexico was running an increasing current account deficit from US$7.5 billion in 1990 to US$23.4 billion in 1993. This indicates an excess of private investing over private savings. However, the country was able to maintain an improving fiscal account from US$3.6 billion deficit in 1990 to US$0.7 billion surplus in 1993. The deficit in current account was financed through capital funds from abroad resulting the capital account to increase from US$8.4 billion in 1990 to US$33.8 billion in 1993. The over-dependent on foreign capital flows had made the Mexican economy very vulnerable to any sudden and major flux of this capital fund which was very much dependent on the investors? confidence level in the Mexican economy. The fact that majority of the capital funds was in the form of portfolio capital instead of foreign direct investment (FDI) had also worsen the situation. The ratio of portfolio capital to FDI had increased substantially from 1:1.3 in 1990 to 1:6.5 in 1993. Given the volatile nature, portfolio capital tends to respond with greater speed to changes in the environment. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depletion of International Reserve The central bank of Mexico has built up at high level of international reserve. The huge reserve was the result of the Mexican government?s policy of exchange intervention to prevent large fluctuation in the peso. In the beginning of 1994, the reserve amounted to US$26.4 billion but was depleted to a low US$6.7 billion in Mid Dec, flagging red light that the exchange mechanism had been pushed to the limit and the government can no longer hold on to the pegged peso to US dollar. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increasing Fed Rate but Decreasing Mexican Interest Rate Federal funds rate has risen the fifth time in 1994 on Nov 1994 and reaches 5.5%. This resulted in stronger dollar against peso as the quantity of US dollar reduced. This signaled problems for Mex... ...ssibility of a devaluation of the peso  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Euromoney, Mexico?s ranking among borrowing countries improved between March and September 1994 Conclusion The decreasing current account, increasing capital account, depleting international reserves, declining real GDP growth and increasing dollar-denominated tesobonos all pointed towards the vulnerability of the Mexican economy. In view of the repeated political unrests, Mr. Woo and the others should have expected this crisis. But they based their decisions on surface information and market sentiments that had over-valued the market potential. References : The Mexican Peso Crisis : the Foreseeable and the Surprise Nora Lustig, Brookings Institution, June 1995 Mexico 1994 versus Thailand 1997 Thailand Development Research Institute, 1997 Exchange-Rate Regimes, Speculative Attacks and Currency Crisis University of Essex An Early Warning System for Financial Crisis Dominic Barton, Roberto Newell and Gregory Wilson, Mc Kinsey & Company, 2003 The Impact of the Mexican Crisis of 94-95 on the Maquiladora Industry Paul Cooney, Queens College What NAFTA Brought to Mexicans? Jim Callis, March 1998

Sigmund Freud Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sigmund Freud was born on May 6, 1856 in Freiberg, Moravia in 1856. When he was four years old his family moved to Vienna. Due to his Jewish heritage, Freud left for England when the Nazi’s took control of Austria. Freud always considered himself first and foremost a scientist, endeavoring to extend the compass of human knowledge, and to his end, he enrolled at the medical school at the University of Vienna in 1873.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sigmund Freud elaborated the theory that the mind is a complex energy-system, the structural investigation of which is proper province of psychology. He articulated and refined the concepts of the unconscious, of infantile sexuality, of repression, and proposed a tri-partite account of the mind's structure, all as part of a radically new conceptual and therapeutic frame of reference for the understanding of human psychological development and the treatment of abnormal mental conditions. Freud's innovative treatment of human actions, dreams, and indeed of cultural artefacts as invariably possessing implicit symbolic significance has proven to be extraordinarily fecund, and has had massive implications for a wide variety of fields, including anthropology, semiotics, and artistic creativity and appreciation in addition to psychology. Accomplishments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sigmund Freud concentrated originally on biology, doing research in physiology for six years under the great German scientist Ernest von Brucke. After that he focused in neurology. While at the university, in 1874 he discovered anti-Jewish prejudices and declared his place is â€Å"with the opposition.† He traveled to Manchester, Britain, to see his half brother, Philippe, and his niece Pauline, in 1875. The following year he did his first personal research in Trieste, on sexual glands of anguilas. That sane year he joined Brucke’s laboratory. In 1877, Freud published the end result of his anatomical research on the central nervous system of a specific larva. In 1880, he did a year of military service. Freud received his medical degree in 1881. Having become engaged to be married in 1882, he rather unwillingly took up more dependable and financially rewarding work as a doctor at Vienna General Hospital. Shortly after his marriage in 1886, which was e xtremely happy, and gave hi... ... unconscious in its place. What he discovered, it has been suggested, was the extreme prevalence of child sexual abuse, particularly of young girls, even in respectable nineteenth century Vienna. He did in fact offer an early 'seduction theory' of neuroses. He quickly withdrew this theory because of it being discouraged , and replaced with theory of the unconscious. Conclusion In whole, Sigmund Freud is one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. Over the years, his work became more complex and wider in scope, less influenced by biology, and more humane. Once his name was established, people traveled to see him and wrote to him from all over the world. What these people sensed in him was his interest, his ability to put himself in their place, and his generous desire to help them. Work Cited Cf. Masson, J. The Assault on Truth http://www.freudfile.org/chronology_1.html http://www.iep.utm.edu/f/freud.html http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/freud.html   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://members.aol.com/sidarth20/page3/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.allpsych.com www.insomnium.co.uk

Frenemies Script

Cast Bella Thorne – Rose Zendaya – Selena Stefanie Scott – Chloe Mary Mouser- Kimberly/ Brooke Nick Robinson- Jake Murray- Lucky Everyone is at school. Kimberly and Brooke are in Social Studies. Kimberly: â€Å"Don’t you think this class is boring? † Brooke: â€Å"No, I like learning about different countries! † Kimberly: â€Å"Whatever. † Brittney and her boyfriend are talking and trying to figure out how she’s going to go to a party on Saturday after her mom said no. Brittney: â€Å"Babe, can’t we just sneak out? †Boyfriend: â€Å"Alright, pick you up at 8. † Brittney: â€Å" Yay, see you later. Rose and Selena are talking about ways they can improve their fashion blog. Rose: â€Å"How about †¦ adding pink on everything? † Selena: â€Å"No, that’ll be too much. Oh, how about adding a little bit of geeky flavor? † Rose: *Talking sarcastic* â€Å"Great idea and we can call it smar ty pants! † Selena: â€Å"Okay, how about we finish tomorrow? † Rose: â€Å"Alright. See You Later. † School is over and Jake and his friend Lucky are at home relaxing. Jake: â€Å"Hey boy!How was your day? † Lucky: â€Å"Woof, Woof! † Jake: â€Å"Yes, I did have a good day. Thank you for asking! † Kimberly and Brooke are at home studying. Brooke: â€Å"Don’t you just love Math? † Kimberly: â€Å"Not really, I don’t like it, I hate it! † Brooke: â€Å"Cheer up, it’s only twenty questions. † Kimberly: â€Å"Ugh! I’m bored, let’s call Rose and Selena. † Brooke: â€Å"Alright† The phone rings and Rose and Selena answer. Rose and Selena in unison: â€Å"Hello? † Kimberly: â€Å"Hey Rose. † Brooke: â€Å"Hey Selena. † Rose and Selena in unison: â€Å"Hey. †Kimberly: â€Å"So did you guys figure something out for your blog? † Rose: â€Å"Not re ally, we can’t think of anything. † Brooke: â€Å"Do you want me to help? † Selena: â€Å"Umm, no thank you! † The next day, all 7 friends are at school. They are sitting at the lunch table eating. Kimberly: â€Å"So Brittney, what are you and your boyfriend going to do since you can’t go to that party? † Brittney: â€Å"We’re going to sneak out and come back before she comes home. † Brooke: â€Å"What if she comes back early? † Brittney: â€Å"Don’t worry, she never comes home early.So Rose and Selena, are you guys still working on your blog? † Rose: â€Å"Yes, we can’t figure out what to do! † Selena: â€Å"Exactly! † The bell rings. That means lunch is over. Brittney: â€Å"There goes my boyfriend, later guys! † Rose: â€Å"We have to run too! † Selena: â€Å"Yeah. † Jake: â€Å"See you guys later! † Kimberly: â€Å"Bye! Come on Brooke, or we’ll be late. † Brooke: â€Å"Not if we run! † Kimberly: â€Å"Ugh! † Brooke: â€Å"Oh how I love school! † Rose and Selena are at Rose’s house for their sleepover they have every weekend.Rose: â€Å"We have never been stuck on a situation before. † Selena: â€Å"Yeah! We got to get it together! † Rose: â€Å"Right after this beauty sleep. † Selena: â€Å"Absolutely. † They both lay down to take their beauty rest until Selena pops up from hers. Selena: â€Å"I got it! Rose wake up! I figured it out! † Rose: *Speaking tiredly* â€Å"Figured what out? † Selena: â€Å"Our blog! † Rose: *Still speaking tiredly* â€Å"Yay. †*Goes back to sleep, then quickly wakes back up and starts talking excitedly* â€Å"Wait you Did? † Selena: â€Å"Yeah! † To Be Continued.