World History of the 18-19th century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

World History of the 18-19th century - Essay Example Gandhi’s view on the meaning of civilization was particularly shaped by the socio-economic events of the 19th century. Some of the events included the period of Enlightenment, American Revolution, and Industrial revolution and Western imperialism. Having undergone his education in London, Gandhi understood the western culture and consequently his views tended to compare between the Western civilization and the Indian civilization (Hardiman, 45). Throughout the book, Gandhi argues that the stability and development of a civilization, it should be free from any state of isolation. Unlike other Asian scholars of the time, Gandhi was opposed to the perception that Western civilization was superior to other civilizations and argued that it is a process that every culture must gradually go through. He also believed that civilization destroys morality and religion and came to the conclusion that â€Å"Immorality may sometime be taught in the name of morality†. Generally, the n arrative best captures the general perceptions of the events such as the Industrial revolution during the 19th century.As evidenced in the changes in English economic and social life after the industrial revolution, the revolution was more of a causatory factor than a co-relative factor for the changes witnessed in the 19th century. The transition after the industrial revolution caused a number of changes in the British society. For example as production becomes mechanized, many people migrated to the urban centers leading to increased urbanization. On the other hand, the quick urbanization in turn caused a number of social problems such as increased crime rates and poor sanitation. Generally the industrial revolution that was first witnessed in Britain significantly resulted in the conversion of the socioeconomic order of the time and some of the changes that took place eventually led the way for the industrialization in other parts of Europe and North America. Consequently industr ialization was not a co-relative factor but was a major causatory factor for most of the socio-economic changes witnessed in the 19th century.  

Kingdom of Heaven Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kingdom of Heaven - Essay Example For example, if a film is set in the time of Christ, the people need to be following the customs of the Roman Empire along with wearing the correct robes. They should not be in a three piece suit and penny loafers, unless the movie has to deal with a man out of time. The third responsibility of the filmmaker is to not keep the locations to their accurate size so that the viewer seems as though they were there. The historical piece that will be used to determine the three responsibilities is Ridley Scott’s 12th Century epic, Kingdom of Heaven. Kingdom of Heaven is a film set during the Crusades about a French blacksmith named Balian, who is searching for a reason to go on after the death of his wife and children. A fabled knight, Godfrey of Ibelin, has briefly returned home after serving in thr East. Godfrey approaches Balian and let’s the blacksmith know that he himself is the blacksmith’s true father. Godfrey, then, asks Balian to join him and his troops in thei r journey to return to the Holy City of Jerusalem to help in the city’s defense. The blacksmith accepts the offer of Godfrey. Their arrival falls in between the Second and Third Crusades when Jerusalem is enjoying a period of peace between the Muslims and the Christians. This peace was all thanks to the Christian monarch King Baldwin IV, his second-in-command Tiberius, and the Muslim potentate Saladin. Unfortunately, the peace does last since violent agitators set out to increase their power. Saladin had to bow down to the pressure Godfey and his men stayed o give their allegiance to the king and his community of diversity. The knights, as well as Balian, use their skills as warriors to build a lasting peace. Orlando Bloom (Balian) is one of the main stars of the film along with Liam Neeson (Godfrey), Edward Norton (Baldwin IV), and Jeremy Iron (Tiberias). In Kingdom of Heaven, I noticed that the overall peace between the Muslims and Christians seemed to show the lack of reli giousness. Rather, the situational tension amongst the Christians and the Muslims seem to be more like a backdrop, than a major part of the story. The story is set between the Second and Third Crusades. However, the action and fighting as warriors is more prevalent than the religious aspects of the Crusade that should be more available. King Baldwin IV was a monarch who wanted to convey peace and diversity amongst the religious factions that want to control the Holy City of Jerusalem. Thus, the filmmaker seemed to use the facts of the time period as more of a symbol for the setting, than as the setting itself. The fighting may have been more gruesome for a film that should be more focused upon Baldwin’s Kingdom of Heaven, then the relationships of a lone person. The relationships should be more about the groups trying to vie for power in Jerusalem, than that of a single man. This story portrays single man being effective in the war to maintain the peace and diversity througho ut the city of Jerusalem during the reign of Baldwin IV. However, the portrayal should be how Baldwin could bring about the change in the ancient fight of the Muslims and the Christians, not how a French blacksmith becomes a knight to help defend the ancient, Holy City from the agitators that wish to overthrow Baldwin IV and claim power for themselves. I feel the overall responsibility of keeping the accuracy of the facts was a little massacred instead of being kept intact by the screenwriters or even portrayed effectively by

Effects of Disputes in Construction

Effects of Disputes in Construction This chapter initially deals with the causes and effects of delays in projects relating to the construction, engineering and IT industries, and the resulting disputes within them. The analytic comparison of delays in each of these industries has then been carried out. Various project case studies, pertaining to the causes and effects of delays and disputes, belonging to each of the above industries have then been included to give a reader a wider scope of the subject matter. The characteristics of certain delay mitigation strategies and dispute resolution techniques have also been investigated for the duration of this chapter. Delays in the Construction Industry Construction industry according to George, O. (1990) may be defined as that sector of the economy which plans, designs, constructs, alters, maintains, repairs, and eventually demolishes buildings, of all kinds, civil engineering works, mechanical and electrical engineering structures and other similar works. Delays on projects are a universal phenomenon and the construction industry is no exception. It has been regarded as a serious problem by Al-Khalil and Al-Ghafly (1999), who further state that it proves costly for both owners and contractors. According to the authors, the owner loses by missing out on the potential revenues from the use of the project and by increased overhead cost for contract administration. Meanwhile, the contractor is said to lose as a result of increased overhead costs and lost opportunities for new projects because of diminished financial capabilities. In relation to project management, a project manager firstly needs to be concerned with the causes of delays, which could be at a national level (Kumaraswamy Chan, 1997; Kaming et al, 1997; Mezher and Tawil, 1998; Al-Khalil and Al-Ghafly, 1999) or at a project level (Rad, 1979; Charoenngam and Yen, 1999; Olima and KAmumu, 1999). The next step is for them is to realise the effects of delays in terms of a projects legal disputes (Scott, 1993), cost overruns (Mansfield et al, 1994), delay analysis techniques (Bordoli and Baldwin, 1998) etc. Delay mitigation is the next step which focuses mainly on the strategies used for construction schedule comparison and accelerated working (Conlin and Rectic, 1997; Noyce and Hanna, 1998). The last step would be to analyse or examine the drawbacks of delay mitigation strategies (Cristian and Hackney, 1995) which could contribute to additional delays. The above four steps involving delays in construction projects must be considered by project managers in order to achieve successful project completion and delivery. In a hypothetical case assuming a project is delayed because materials arrive late on site, the project manager must be able to recognise it as a delay factor. Secondly, the project manager must be responsible for calculating the effects of delays, prior to deciding upon the most suitable delay mitigation strategy. If the project manager decides to use overtime work, then this according to Horner and Talhouni (1995) will lead to a reduction in productivity of the workforce, hence a new delay factor would be added to the project. According to Oztas (1995) the word delay is a relative term in construction. The way the contractor, the client, the architect and the engineer view a delay or its effect to the project most of the times, if not all, vary significantly. The differences in opinion can be explained by the role each party plays in the contract, the cost implications a delay causes to each party, or the legal disputes which arise from the delay. Understanding the nature of construction delays will enhance the ability of the project manager to handle them. All four dimensions must be analyzed in order to have a balanced view of the subject. The following section sheds light upon some of the causes of delays in construction projects around the world, its legal aspects and its effects. Causes of construction delays According to a survey conducted within the construction industry by Sambasivan, M. Wen Soon Y. (2007), the ten most important causes of delay were found to be (1) contractors improper planning, (2) contractors poor site management, (3) inadequate contractor experience, (4) inadequate clients finance and payments for completed work, (5) problems with subcontractors, (6) shortage in material, (7) labour supply, (8)equipment availability and failure, (9) lack of communication between parties, and (10) mistakes during the construction stage. These causes of delay were not far from what Sweis, G.et al (2008) had investigated during their survey. They claimed that the most important causes of delay were due to (1) Poor planning and scheduling of the project by the contractor, (2) Financial difficulties faced by contractor, and (3) too many change orders from owners. As far as commercial projects are concerned, the main cause of delay arises from delay in payment, since there is argument between the two parties on how financial backup will be provided. Odeh and Battaineh (2001) carried out a survey within construction projects involving traditional contracts, in which they identified and categorised the causes of delay according to the project participants. They state that as far as clients are concerned, delay factors include owner interference, finance and payments of completed work, slow decision making and unrealistic contract duration imposed by owners. Delay factors relating to contractors on the other hand include site management, improper planning, inadequate contractor experience, mistakes during construction, improper construction methods and delays caused by subcontractors. Consultant related delay factors include contract management, preparation and approval of drawings, quality assurance/ control, and long waiting time for approval of tests and inspections. Apart from the above mentioned categories, the authors also mention contractual relationship issues, which include major disputes and negotiations during construction, inappropriate organisational structure linking all parties involved in the project, and lack of communication between parties. External factors contributing to project delays include weather conditions, changes in regulations, problems with neighbours and site conditions. The authors failed to mention the political and socio-economical factors, which would have been a helpful addition to this study considering delays in construction projects are not all the same. Legal aspects According to Carnell (2000), delay claims are perhaps the most common form of construction disputes. Scott (1993) found that more than 50% of contracts in the UK end up with extension of time claims with supporting evidence submitted. A similar survey by Yogeswaran et al (1999) investigated 67 civil engineering projects in Hong Kong where claims arose. These claims were a result of different factors, mainly including extension of time due to bad weather (82% of projects), variation orders (49% of projects) and delays caused by utility undertakers. However, it should be noted that claims for extra time or cost do not necessarily end in disputes in all projects. From a legal point of view, according to Kraeim Diekmann (1987), delays factors are classified into three main categories: (1) Compensable, (2) Excusable, and (3) Non-Excusable. According to Scott (1993), the latter terms are used in the United States, while in the UK the terms used are: (1) the client is responsible, neither party is responsible and (3) the contractor is responsible. Irrespective of the terminology used in either country, Arditi and Patel (1989) explain the above as: Compensable/Client is responsible: Delays entitled compensable are not caused by the contractor but by the owner. The main delay factors included in this category are: owners delay in providing access to site, changes in scope of work, non payment to the contractor, improper or delayed issue of change orders, inadequate information and supervision by the owner. When a compensable delay occurs, the contractor is allowed time extension and extra costs for losses. Non-Excusable/Contractor is responsible: Non-excusable delays are caused by the contractors inefficiency. The main delay factors in this category include: shortages of qualified workers, technical personnel or materials, failure to coordinate work (i.e. deficient planning), delays caused by subcontractors, defective work that has to be redone, slow mobilisation, low contractor productivity and accidents. The owner in this case reserves the right to charge the contractor liquidated damages for such delays in the total project duration. Excusable/Neither party is responsible: Delays in this category are caused by events that are beyond the contractor or the clients control. Factors include extreme weather conditions, fire, flood, strikes, and lockouts; vandalism, war, epidemics, damages caused by parties others than the contractor or the owner, government actions or construction law. According to Kraeim and Diekmann (1987), excusable delays are listed in a clause in the contract document (i.e. Force Majeure Clause) and that the sole relief for excusable delays is time extension. The authors argue that the situation becomes more complicated in the case of concurrent delays. These types of delays occur when the overall delay is caused by several factors, some of which are within the owners responsibility and some of which are within the contractors responsibility (Arditi and Patel, 1989; pp.146). The effects of delays To investigate the effects of delays in large construction projects, Assaf Al-Hejji (2006) conducted a survey in which it was concluded that 70% of the projects experienced time overruns. Their research showed that only 30% of construction projects were completed within the scheduled completion dates and that the average time overrun was between 10% and 30%. A similar observation was made by Aibinu Jagboro (2002), whose findings for the Nigerian construction industry showed that time and cost overruns were frequent effects of delays. They had stated in their research that delay had significant effect on completion cost and time of 61 building projects being studied. In a similar but a more integrated approach to finding the effects of delays in construction projects, Sambasivan Wen Soon (2007) identified six effects of delays to be (1) time overrun, (2) cost overrun, (3) disputes, (4) arbitration, (5) litigation, and (6) total abandonment of the project. A delay affects both the construction schedule and the cost of a project. The impact on the construction schedule depends mainly on the activities in which the delay is encountered and the existence or not of float in the delayed activities. The cost effects are mainly related with the types of costs associated with the delayed activity, e.g. the liquidated damages for delay. In order to make a general statement, the author believes that the time value of money should be taken into account. The most likely effect of delay is the reduction of the NPV of the investment. Furthermore, as Thomson (1995a) state, since most recourse costs in construction projects are time related, consequently any extension of programme will lead to increased costs. An analysis of the two main effects follows. Impact on the construction schedule Bordoli and Baldwin (1998) classified delay factors in six types according to their impact on the construction schedule. These types are: Date delays: an activity cannot start or finish until a specific date irrespective of when preceding activities were carried out or were planned to be carried out. For example, a delay of this type occurs when the delivery of plant or materials is scheduled for a specific date without which the work cannot start. Total delays: Complete stoppage to all parts of the works occurs. For example, strikes and lockouts or postponements of the works. Extended delays: Duration of an activity is extended. For example when an increase in the work content of an activity occurs. Additional delays: New construction activities are added to the planned work. New or additional work is incorporated into the project, subsequent to the production of the original programme. Sequence delays: Activities cannot start or finish in the sequence originally planned. For example, changes in specification of materials or techniques which result in activities no longer able to be carried out concurrently. Progress delays: when the progress of the works was less than that planned. This could be the result of the use of inadequate labour, plant or materials, or even excessively ambitious time estimates. Examining the latter types of delays gives an overview of the impact delays on the construction schedule. The effect of a delay on the schedule can range from few minutes, hours, days to complete stoppage of works. The schedule is altered in many ways. Activities must be re-planned, changes to the sequence of work can occur, logical linkages between activities could change and resources have to be reallocated. As far as the duration of work is concerned the main factor that must be considered is float. When a delay occurs in critical activities it is clear that the duration of the project will increase if the contractor doesnt accelerate works. When a delay occurs in non critical activities then what is important to consider is the ratio between the float and the duration of the delay. If the float is consumed then this will, in turn, change the critical path of the project by concerting a non critical activity to a critical one. If on the other hand, the delay is less than the float then the overall duration of the project is not affected but the risk of overrun is increased, by the increased probability of further critical delays. Cost overruns There are several scenarios related with the cost overruns of construction delays. Oztas (1995) mentions that delays lead to additional expenses incurred by the contractor and that most of them occur due to prolonging the job, reallocation of work forces, storing extra materials on site, wasting materials, or loss of productivity or workers due to reassignment. It is vital for the project manager to assess the cost overruns in terms of materials, equipment and labour costs. There are several types of costs associated with any delayed activity in a project. Thompson (1995a) identify these as being (1) fixed charges incurred at any point in time, (2) quantity proportional charges related to quality of work completed, output of deliveries of materials, and (3) time related charges which, according to the author, refers to the cost of resources. The author argues that the sensitivity of delay in terms of cost will be determined by the relative contribution of each type of cost mentioned above, and the existence of float. Delays occurring on a critical activity lead to an extension of the duration of the project in most cases, which, in turn lead to an increase in both fixed and time related costs. Another major concern for a project manager in terms of construction costs are liquidated damages. Scott (1993) explains liquidated damages as being a sum of money, usually specified in the contract, being deducted from the contractor in the event of a failure to complete the project in the specified time frame. They state that the contract normally specifies a predetermined time after which it must be substantially completed and available for use. An example of a standard form of contract including a clause of liquidated damages includes the ICE Condition of Contract Edition 7, Clause 47 (Hawker, 1999). Delays as a benchmark of success Construction delays are not necessarily a root cause of failure of a project. Many authors investigating the causes of success or failure of projects agree that the classical triangle of cost,time and quality should not be used as the only measure of success of projects (Morris and Hough, 1987; Gardiner and Stewart, 2000; Atkinson, 1999). The latter argument is based on the fact that most construction projects encounter both time and cost overruns. Rad (1979) estimated that the increase in terms of time and cost of nuclear plant projects in the United States was significant. Similarly Morris and Hough (1987) who evaluated the records of more than 4000 projects between 1959 and 1986 concluded that the success rate of projects is generally poor and that overrun values range between 40 to 200 percent. Perhaps the most extreme view concerning time and cost estimates of projects is expressed by Atkinson (1999) who states: Time and cost are at best only best guesses, calculated at a time w hen least is known about the project. The overall conclusion drawn from current research is that construction delays and cost overrun is not something rare but instead a common phenomenon. Since time and cost may not be the best measures of success, alternatives must be presented. Gardiner and Stewart (2000) state, that the Net Present Value of the investment should be used as a criterion of success. They concluded that: It is recommended changing the performance measures that are common today from: The project was delivered on time, to budget, and of the required quality to: The project was delivered with the best achievable NPV and to the required quality (Gardiner and Stewart, 2000, pp.255) Atkinson (1999) considered a new framework to consider success; The Square Root. The main idea behind this new framework is that the there are four categories of success criteria. The first is the classical time-cost-quality triangle. The second is concerned with the maintainability and reliability of the information system. The third is related with the benefits for the organization in terms of improved efficiency, effectiveness and profits. The last group of success factors such as satisfied users, social and environmental uses and personal development. Examining the discussion related with project critical success factors brings into light different aspects of construction delays. If, on one hand, the primary objective of a project is to finish on time then a delay during construction could be the main cause of failure of the project. On the other hand, if the primary objective is customer satisfaction then a delay may just be the effect of design changes, which will lead to the desired customer satisfaction and project success. In all cases the primary objectives of the project will determine the role of delays to the success or failure of the project. Delays in the Engineering Industry The engineering industry is one of the most important basic industries for any economy. It has been referred to by Desai (1987) as being an economys Engine of Growth. It supplies plant and machinery for other industries, equipments to build up infrastructures, automobiles, aircrafts, and a host of other tools and equipments. The engineering industry has widened its base across a broad spectrum and inducted the latest technology in many areas including, electrical and electronics, mechanical, transportation, industrial and other miscellaneous engineering sectors. According to Mahapatra and Biswal (2007), the development of an economy and the achievement of self-sufficiency in various sectors depend to a very large extent on the development of the engineering industry. Since it being such a large industry, it is also not immune from delays. The project participants in engineering projects are known to be consultant engineers, contractors and owners. Similar impacts are observed on project participants in this industry due to delays, as are mentioned above for the construction industry. The following section looks into some of the causes and effects of delays in the engineering industry. Causes of engineering delays Yates (2007) identified a list of common delay factors belonging to both the planning and operating stages of engineering projects. They are (1) Political and Social unrest, (2) Religious and Social factors, (3) Labour disputes and strikes, (4) Technologic and Economic limitations, (5) Government Restrictions, (6) Global technical delay factors (7) Changes in project requirements, (8) Lack of communication between various divisions, and (9) Miscellaneous planning delays . The author explains the above delay factors as: Political and Social unrest: Certain regions of the world are said to be undergoing drastic and violent changes in their political, economic and social environment. Situations like these limits access to foreign contractors working in large engineering projects, and hence are a cause of major delay in project execution. The author argues that the ruling party in such countries are afraid to make political decisions on social or economic reforms for the fear of jeopardising the delicate balance existing between various ethnic groups, political parties and social classes. Religious and Social factors: With the aid of engineering projects being executed in the Middle East, the author argues that foreign contractors often tolerate delays due to religious festivities in these parts of the world, e.g. during the month of Ramadan. It is in these times that local labourers are hard to hire as they are not readily available due to social and economic reasons as stated by the author. As a result engineering and construction firms often import foreign labours into these parts of the world, by which they experience both time and cost overruns. Labour disputes and strikes: Labour disputes or strikes are said to be a common delay factor in engineering industries and tends to disrupt construction or manufacturing schedule. Project managers need to identify and effectively negotiate with the labour representatives in order to stop further delays emanating from such undesirable events. Technologic and Economic limitations: These include factors such as design standards, constructability issues, performance standards, quality standards, material availability, testing, inspection and safety. On the other hand, economic limitations include factors such as inflation, escalation and the availability of cash flow. Furthermore, the level of motivation in the workforce also plays a useful role in limiting economic delays. The importance of motivation in employees has been discussed earlier in Chapter 2. Government restrictions: These include imposition of legal restrictions, regulations and interference by the local government, which tends to disrupt the manufacturing and construction in an engineering industry. Some governments such as Japan put on restrictions such as acts of protectionism, where foreign firms are not allowed to operate in their country. Other government restrictions include the requirement and inspection of certain permits, before during and at the conclusion of the end product. Global technical delay factors: The results which the author has been able to gather from a global survey of engineering projects indicated the following causes of technical delays: (1) Design modifications, (2) Weather (climate), (3) Material delivery, (4) Equipment delivery, (5) Incomplete drawings, and (6) Material quality. Changes in project requirements: This has been termed by the author as one of the most frequent causes of planning delays. Irrespective of where a project is going to be built, project owners are often indecisive in their approach during the planning stage of an engineering project. The need for project owners to prioritize projects is a critical step towards attaining timely project completion. Lack of communication between various divisions: Ineffective communication in an organisation that is planning and designing projects often leads to multiple delays. A project manager who knows how to effectively document processes helps to reduce delays along with steps like formalising the planning process, scheduling routine team meetings, assigning the project to an experienced project manager, or empowering the project manager to act as a conduit for communication. The need of having effective communication in organisations has been discussed previously in Chapter 2. Miscellaneous planning delays: Other factors that cause global project planning delays include the following: (1) Lack of political and governmental support, (2) Hidden agendas and strong individuals pushing their ideas, and (3) Lack of knowledge about planning processes and strategic planning. Legal aspects Certain contractual claims exist in the engineering industry. An example according to Smith et al (1999) includes a claim made under clause 12 of the ICE contract, which entitles contractors, in limited circumstances, to claim in respect of delay and extra cost should they encounter certain adverse physical conditions or artificial obstructions as the work progresses. In such claims there is no blame on the part of the employer or the engineer since adverse physical conditions are a neutral event, and the issue of suspending the works is merely the exercise of a contractual right. Apart from contractual claims, there are certain claims for breach of contract, for example clause 7(4) of the ICE conditions contract entitles contractors to claim for delay in issuing drawings or instructions by the engineer at the right time. According to the authors, the engineers failure to provide information at the right time is a breach of the express provisions of the contract, for which the employ er is held accountable in law.

The Parthenon Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Greeks had an eager individualistic strain that led them to high levels of creative thinking in art, science, and literature. They were by nature sensitive to beauty and made its creation and enjoyment an important and necessary part of their lives. The Parthenon is a beautiful monument noted for its perfect simplicity of design and the harmony of its proportions. 1 From the architecture, to the sculpture, to the history of this great monument the Parthenon remains a masterpiece. The Parthenon is an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin), on the Acropolis in Athens. 2 Most Greek cities had an acropolis (meaning "high city" in Greek). The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. The Greek orders are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.3 The Parthenon architecture is of the Doric order. It is the earliest and simplest of the Greek architectural orders. The Parthenon's columns give an impression of graceful solidity and power. It was built from 447 to 432 BC, under the leadership of Pericles. The Parthenon was a rectangle marble temple measuring about 102 by 230 feet. It had 17 columns along each of its sides and 8 columns on each end. 4 The distances between the columns of the Parthenon vary mathematically so that when viewed from a distance, the columns reflected optical distortions. For example, a column that was perfectly straight wou ld look like...

Bridgetone

The competitive environment for Bridgetown as well as the accounting system currently in use Prior to 1980, when the US market was dominated by US automotive manufacturers, competition in the manufacturing of automotive components was limited to IIS local suppliers. As foreign automotive manufacturers settled in the US market, competition in manufacturing automotive components became more intense.The scarcity and the expensive gasoline following the oil crisis of the end of seventies combined to the loss of the market share to foreign manufacturer intensified the competition. Mike Lewis realize that despite having reached 65% vs. 80% (the world class uptime) through the productivity program accomplished (tracking Of causes Of downtime, timing the lines , using uptime reports progress, etc. ) , ACE still need to outsource further lines : its accounting system seem to be based on manual, partial and biased measurements of inputs.It lacks effective cost accounting control supervision. I ndeed, more cost (overhead) is dedicated to lower the cost (time of processes). The accounting system seems to be incomplete because it doesn't take into account the level of overheads. 2/Explain why manifold moved from class II to lass Ill after oil pans and muffler exhaust systems had been outsourced from the CAP While the processes and uptime were reduced, overheads were not rationalized, causing manifolds costs to become 15% higher than competition.In such a competitive environment, where other manufacturer tend to lower all elements of the costs, ACE focused on only one parameter (process and time of production), ignoring the cost of overheads. These were certainly raised because of the productivity program that involved redundant skilled employees being hired into following the process, timing them, and filing reports.

Positivism vs Interpretivism

Positivism vs Interpretivism Positivism is an approach in sociology that believes society can be studied using similar scientific techniques to those used in the natural sciences. (Browne, 2006) This concept tends to produce quantitative data and Concerned with hypothesis testing. (Collis and Hussey, 2003) Interpretivism is an approach emphasizing that people have consciousness involving personal beliefs, values and interpretations and these influence the way they act. They do not simply respond to forces outside them. Browne, 2006) This concept tends to produce qualitative data and concerned with generating theories. (Collis and Hussey, 2003) Research topic Gaspar (2005) pointed out that employee in a competition environment is encouraged to work more efficiency in a company. However, Kurland. (1996) said that employees working in high competition environment will do some unethical behaviour for their achievements. Two of these research articles have different opinion, so there is a question which is high competitive whether help a company or it breaks a company down.Therefore, my research topic is â€Å"does running high competition system help a company to become successful in long term? † Application of research philosophies This topic through Positivism conducts qualitative data for exploring the relationship between competition and productivity. Researcher should use experiments methods to research this topic. For example, in a sales department, researchers can separate two different groups of the employee one of the group is getting stable salary and the other one is getting commission salary.Based on the data of two different group’s employee, to compare its working time, output and time required for specific work to see whether the competition system can increase the productivity in this company. Also, research can use surveys to collect some data such as the amount of unethical behaviour between normal working environment and high compet itive working environment to see which environment happen more unethical behaviour in a company.This topic through Interpretivism conduct qualitative data for reflecting the research like find out reasons why the productivity increases in the company. Researchers create some questionnaires for employees to get some opinions. For example, researcher asks employees why work hard even if he is ill. At the end, the researcher will sum up all of the opinion from employees to show the phenomenon. Also, researchers can directly observe employees emotion and behaviour to analyse why they have this action.For example, in a sales department, researcher sees the employee may lie to the consumer for getting more commissions which the researcher will use the opinion by itself. In conclusion, Interpretivism is a better philosophy in this research topic, because it will consider the reason why the productivity increase or employees do unethical behaviour. This result of the research is more useful for this topic. In Positivism, it just uses some data to prove the productivity increase but it cannot provide reasons to explain the relationship between competition and productivity.

Endangered Language essays

Endangered Language essays Ingrian, one of the languages of Russia, is an endangered language. When a language is classified as "endangered" it means that the language is in danger of extinction. Languages become extinct for a variety of reasons, but the most typical one is that it is no longer spoken by a majority of people in a culture or nation. Because of this its value is undermined, it is seldom taught to subsequent generations, and it eventually dies out with the few remaining individuals who can speak it. Ingrian is such a language. Ingrian is one of the smaller Finnic languages Ingria is located at the westernmost part of Russia, on the south beach of Finnish Gold of Baltic Sear, near Saint Petersburg (Agranat 2002). While a culture known as the Votes inhabited the region that is Ingria before Ingrians, with the arrival of the Ingrians in the sixteenth century. After the peace treaties of Stolbovo and Karde, Finnish peasants moved to north and central Ingria. Because of this there are Ingrians and Ingrian Finns, but both call their common language suomen kieli (inkerin)" or Ingrian, (The Ingrians 2004, 1). There are statistics on Ingrians from the mid-19th century to contemporary times. According to census records, in 1848 there were 76,069 Ingrians in Ingria but this number declined to 16,239 by 1979, (The Ingrians 2003). Of this small number of Ingrians remaining in Ingria, only 51.9% spoke Ingrian (The Ingrians 2004). However, according to a 1989 Census conducted by Ethnologue, only 302 of the 10,000-15,000 Ingrians remaining are fluent in Ingrian, (Ingrian 2003). One of the biggest reasons for the decline of Ingrians and their language is their persecution and dispersion by the Russians. Because of the location of Ingria on the Russian-Swedish border, by the early 1900s Ingria was claimed to be historically a part of Russia. As such, the Ingrians living in Ingria at t...