I will Design and Carry Out my PEP on the Basis of me Being a Football Player Essay

I will design and carry out my PEP on the basis of me being a football player. I am 14 years and 6 months old and have been playing football since about the age of 5. I enjoy the game and I am quite good at it. Although I am quite good I would like to train to become better at the sport and increase my overall fitness level. I am generally fit but there is definitely room for improvement and I will look to do so. When I leave school I plan to join the British Army so I would like to become fit so that I can fulfil my plans. Over the 6 weeks that I carry out the training regime I will give it 100% and really try to improve my fitness and footballing skills. I want to make the best of my ability at football so I can enjoy what I do and hopefully it will benefit the Sunday league club that I play for. I play for Aspull Juniors. I have done so for 5 years now and enjoy playing for the team. I play in the centre of midfield and play in more of a defensive role. This position allows me to put a lot of effort in and influence the game. I am a good tackler of the ball and can pass good as well. For the job that I do on the football pitch I need to have a good stamina (so I can cope with the demands of the football math), good flexibility (so I don’t stretch my muscles when making tackles), good balance (to pass the ball and make vital tackles), strength (to out muscle opponents and kick the ball far), speed (to get to the ball quicker than the opponent), and good reaction time (this is so I can react to the ball quicker than an opponent.) My PEP should help me to improve all of these skills and as a result I will become a better football player. I have never suffered any long-term injuries of any kind and have no recurring injuries. Other sports that I enjoy to do are fishing, golf, tennis and table tennis. Although I do none of these sports competitively I am interested in them and have done for fun. PEP For my PEP I will use a pyramid session to gradually increase my fitness during the 6 weeks. I will use a badminton court as my guide and say that double the length of the court is equal to one length. I will increase the lengths as the program progresses to create an overload required to increase my fitness. I chose a pyramid session because I feel it is the most reliable way of increasing my fitness. Also I know that it will be easier to create an overload in either the amount of lengths or exercises that I do if I use a pyramid session. From when I have used this session in the past I have found that it always gives me a good workout and can be used to good effect. I will start and progress my PEP over the weeks using the FITT principal. I will increase the frequency by doing more exercises and by doing more running more often. I will increase the intensity by increasing the amount of exercise that will be done. I will do this by adding more lengths onto my pyramid session and more exercise in between. I will increase the time by putting more time into the exercises in between runs. The type will also be changed. I will change the fitness test that I will do after the pyramid sessions each week. The PEP that I have designed is one that I think will improve my overall fitness the most and also improve the skills that I need as a football player. It will start with a 5 minute jog. This jog will warm up my muscles so that they are not too stiff to stretch otherwise I will increase the chances of a ripped or torn muscle. After the jog I will move on to my stretches. They will be thoroughly carried out so not to allow any muscle injury whatsoever can occur. The stretches are one of the most important parts of the PEP and must be done with care and thought. If these are not done correctly than I will run the chance of pulling or tearing a muscle. The Pyramid Session starts by running the maximum amount of lengths you are wishing to do and then gradually working your way down until there are no more lengths to complete. In between lengths you are required to do exercises. For example, if I was planning to do 16 lengths I would do 16 lengths then a chosen exercise. After the exercise you then do 15 lengths then the exercise, then 14 lengths then a exercise and so on until there are no more lengths to complete. This Pyramid Session will progress throughout the 6 weeks of the PEP. Week 1 I will be doing 10 lengths, Week 2 and 3 I will be doing 12 lengths, Week 4 and 5 I will do 14 lengths and for the final week I will do 16 lengths. As the weeks progress an overload is created which will help me improve my fitness. The Warm Up For my warm up I will be doing a 5 minute jog around the All Weather pitch. The warm up is to warm the muscles up before stretching so I do not pull a muscle. I will time myself and be sure not to strain myself as this too could result in a pulled muscle if not careful. The Leg Exercises – Squats, Burpees, Switch Overs, Star Jumps These exercises will build up my leg muscles and allow me to put more power into a shot or long pass. These exercises will build up the strength and power in my legs and will allow me to hit a ball further and this will improve my skill as a football player. I have done more leg exercises than arm and body exercises because I feel that my legs are needed more on a football pitch. The Body Exercises – Sit Ups, Crunches The body exercises that I will do will allow me to build up my middle body muscles and will help me to become stronger and flexible in that area. This will help me when I play football because I will be able to adjust the middle part of my body easier and this will help me when I am playing. The Arm Exercises – Bench Press, Press Ups By doing these arm exercises it will improve my upper body strength and this will make it easier to shrug off opponents when challenging for a ball in a game. The exercises will build up the muscles in my arms and this can help when taking a throw-in. The Cool Down For the cool down I will do a light jog and then stretch. The cool down is to prevent lactic acid from settling in the muscles and producing cramps. This is just as important as the warm up and is needed to prevent injury after the PEP. Stretches Hamstring- I would sit on the ground then bend over front wards and touch the top of my shin, I would hold this for 10 seconds. Then I would sit up rest and then bend over front wards again only this time touching the toes rather than the shin. Quads- I would stand and balance myself against a wall with one arm then I would grab the left leg bend it backwards so the foot is touching my bum and hold for 10 seconds. Then I would stop rest and change legs. Groin Stretch- I would sit on the ground and put the soles of each foot together in a yoga sort of position. Then slowly put pressure on the inside of each leg to stretch the groin. Upper Arm- Place one arm in front of me and place the other arm underneath the arm that is held out and grab the shoulder. After this swap arms and do exactly the same. Hold each stretch for 10 seconds. Week 1 The warm up and the stretches went well and I then began my Pyramid Session. I had planned to do 10 lengths this week. I found that the Pyramid Session worked well. I completed the 10 lengths with ease but the exercises were quite challenging. At the end of all the lengths and exercises I found myself out of breath but I was pleased with the work I had done. I then went out onto the all weather pitch to do a 50 metre sprint. I did the sprint in 8.12 seconds which was a personal best. After the sprint I did a 5 minute jog and then stretched for 5 minutes. Evaluation I was very pleased with what I did this week but thought that I could handle more lengths than what I had done. The exercises that I did were quite demanding but I thought they would be easier to handle next week and was looking forward to the challenge. I was extremely pleased with the speed that I achieved in the 50 metre sprint and although it wasn’t a huge amount of time I did beat my personal best. Week 2 This week I had set myself 12 lengths to do but I wasn’t particularly worried about the task ahead. I started off with the 5 minute jog and a thorough stretch and then I began my Pyramid Session. The session went well again this week. Similar to last week I found that the exercises were again quite tough and challenging but the lengths were completed without much difficulty. After the Pyramid Session this week, I had set my self the throw/catch ball test. This was not physically challenging but I had to concentrate to get the 35 score that I got. This was not the best score I had ever had but I was pleased with the result. Evaluation I was again pleased with this week. The increase in lengths never really affected my performance this week. They were more challenging than the previous week but never caused a major problem throughout the session. The throw/catch ball test that I did was more about finding a rhythm and concentrating rather than a physical test. Week 3 After the initial warm up and stretch I moved onto another week of the 12 length Pyramid Session. This week it again never caused a huge problem but I was still tired towards the end of the session. The exercises still caused similar problems as they did in the first week and were tiring. It was this week when I began to feel an improvement in my fitness. After I completed the Pyramid Session I then went and did the muscular endurance test in the hotel foyer. My previous best at this test was 100 seconds but this week I nearly doubled that score with 190 seconds. I was extremely pleased with this result. At the end of the session I did a 10 minute cool down. Evaluation I found that the 12 lengths didn’t pose too much of a problem for me this week and I was looking forward to the challenge of 14 lengths next week. I think that the exercises again provided a challenge for me and I began to feel the improvement in my fitness. I was extremely pleased with the score I achieved in the muscular endurance test. I think that I did well this week and was looking forward to the next few weeks ahead. Week 4 Due to a Dentist appointment I was unable to complete the regime at school. As a result I set up a training course on a football field behind my house and carried out my session to the best of my ability taking the environment and lack of equipment into condition. I worked hard for 1 hour and was pleased with the workout I had. Week 5 This week was my first attempt in school of attempting the 14 lengths I had set. Firstly, I did the warm up and stretches then got started with the Pyramid Session. It began like the others had but towards the end I found that this session was a lot more tiring than the previous weeks. At the end my legs were aching and I was really tired. I had created the overload and felt the affect. Although I was tired I was pleased with the task I had done and was looking to the week ahead. The test this week was a standing broad jump. I managed to get a score of 1 metre 52 centimetres. I was quite pleased with the score although it was not a personal best. After the test I went outside where I did a 5 minute jog and stretched off to avoid cramped muscles. Evaluation I was pleased with the effort that I put in today and could feel a definite improvement in my fitness. I thought that 14 lengths were very challenging and along with the leg, arm and middle body exercises produced a Pyramid Session which would challenge me. The standing broad jump that I did was not spectacular but I was pleased with the result. Week 6 For this week I was supposed to do 16 lengths, but because I missed week 4 I decided that I would carry on with 14 lengths. I went outside and did the warm up followed by the stretches then went inside to carry out the Pyramid Session. The 14 lengths were challenging but I felt an improvement in my fitness and they were easier to complete than the lengths last week. The test for my final week was a repeat of the throw/catch ball test. I carried it out in the Sports Hall and beat the score I had gotten previously. I got a score of 33, beating the score of week 2 and equalling my personal best. Evaluation I was pleased with the work that I had done in my final week. I found that the 14 lengths in the Pyramid Session were easier to complete than the previous week. I was pleased with the level of my fitness and was pleased with the score I achieved in the throw/catch ball test. Final Evaluation Throughout my PEP I have seen my overall fitness gradually increase from week to week. I would definitely say the regime has been a success and recommend it to people wishing to improve their fitness. The Pyramid Session provides a challenge from week to week and the exercises between the lengths make it a very demanding regime. I was pleased with the work that the exercises did and at the end of the 6 week program saw an improvement in my leg muscles, middle and upper body strength. I am extremely pleased with the improvement and success that the PEP has had.

Perspectives: US and Iraq Essay

Globalization has paved the way for technology to thrive. Economic growth is rooted in a country’s ability to expand on technologies that would productively utilize its resources. As a catalyst for capitalism, technology has often been used as a benchmark for nations to determine their status of development. Among the developed countries, the United States of America (USA) is one of the leading industrial powers of the modern world. Its contributions to the scientific community have improved the lives of millions of people due to their open economy and democratic identity. However, for most Arab countries like Iraq, technological advancement is a struggle since the interplay of religion and culture in its political history has slowed down its economic progress. This paper aims to offer an insight into the glaring differences of technological advancement from the perspective of a developed and developing country. The USA is flowing with scientific innovations that cater to the different needs and wants of each individual. This is due to the fact that its educational system fosters creativity and encourages competition as scientific projects and programs are supported by both the public and the private sectors. Since it is a country that flourishes in an open economy, the government is able to allocate the country’s resources to fund projects/programs that it deems necessary to maintain the status quo. With regard to Iraq, its violent history under a tyrannical ruler has hampered its progress in the realm of technology. While it is one of the oil producing countries, advances made towards scientific innovations were slim to none. Its previous government under the late Saddam Hussein had control over most of the telecommunication systems as well as transportation and electricity so citizens were deprived of such amenities. The education system is also inadequate as the country struggles to deal with the on-going war on terror after the fall of Hussein’s regime. At present, the Iraqi government is renovating its local and foreign policies to incorporate the expansion of Science and Technology into their development plan. The government is currently in an agreement with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on a development strategy that would support scientific innovations for institutions and businesses. In addition, an education plan was also created in the hopes of expanding the scope of science-driven educational institutions within the community as well as strengthening the workforce. The plan also supports student exchange programs with Universities from top schools in developed countries. The government has also opened its doors to foreign support in advancing knowledge in the field of Information Technology, Medical and Electricity. Conclusion: In all aspects of life, the use of technology is inevitable. Regardless of whether a country is considered developed or developing, technology will always be the driving force that propels a country to succeed in their aspirations for economic progress.

Haier Performance management Essay

1.What are the specific practices of Haier’s performance management system? What are the guiding principles behind those practices? Haier, being the world’s sixth largest maker of large kitchen appliances, had 4% global market share and strong positions in the production of washing machine and refrigerators. The key success behind was Zhang, the CEO who brought the company fortunes. Several innovative human resource management practices were introduced. First, there was a set of colored footprints on factory floor. Any employee who has not performed well has to stand up on the yellow footprint and tell the employee why they have not performed well and how they will improve their performance. The employee who has performed best has to stand up on the red foot and explain why he had done a good job. One more tool used by the company to measure the performance of the employees on daily basis was to discuss with their supervisor and set clear goals of the employees before beginning of their shift. At the end of the day, they met again for assessment. Then, the employee would receive a colored face in a board s howing an informal grade for the day. For managers, their performances were reviewed weekly and the results were openly displayed at the cafeteria. Another tool used by Haier was the performance appraisal system the top 10% were promoted and bottom 10% were sent back to the training at the expense of the company. After this training if they again come under the bottom 10% then they were again given leave and this time they went to training but on their own expense. In the third review if they again come in to the bottom 10% then they were fired. Moreover, all the employees were treated as separate company and they have their different accounts and profit and loss statement. If the employees exceeded their goals then they increase savings in their accounts and when they did not reach their goals then they have debt on their account. This system was mainly designed to increase employee motivation to perform better than the standards defined. Talent pool was generated for any new opening in the company so that the best employee gets the new position. Job rotation was prevalent in the company and any employee was tested at different positions before assigning a final job. Evaluation was done by points system and any employee could be transferred out of the talent on not getting the points for minimum standards. The guiding principles behind those practices were  OEC (Overall, Every, Control and Clearance), 80:20 principle and Racetrack Model. Tha t’s mean, all performance dimensions of everyone everyday had to be considered and there were self-assessments and meetings with supervisors.  Also, Haier have their own 80:20 principle in which the 20% of the employees who were managers are responsible for the other 80% of the employees. If the employees did not perform according to the standards then their supervisors were liable for the results. Last but not least, under racetrack, the excellent employees had to keep racing and improving, creating a sense of competition. 2.Why does Haier’s performance management system work? What are the potential pitfalls of Haier’s system? Haier’s management was work and has been well received by workers as this could be reflected by the company’s success in the past 2 decades. With the new HR practices, the workers were given opportunities to display their motivation, innovative and competitive attitudes and capabilities of such kinds under Haier’s management. Also, all practices were carried put under great transparency, fairness and justice. Importance of â€Å"face† was a characteristic of Chinese cultural tradition. With the daily assessment and ranking, the sense of competition instantly increases. The results of the evaluation of workers were shown with individual names. It seemed that workers or managers of poor results would lose their faces. So the workers were motivated to do better.  The performance appraisal system the top 10% were promoted and bottom 10% were sent back to the training provided chances for the employee to improve and offer training before really fire them. Thi s was considerate and lenient. Also, the meeting with supervisors made the expectations and standards of works crystal clear. They set up, achieve and were accountable for the targets. Their performances were closely monitored, evaluated and rewarded and that’s why they were motivated. Moreover, under the 80:20 principle, the mangers had to have the courage and conscientiousness to assume responsibility at Haier. Thus, they had to be more dedicated and care more, leading to great effort and productivity for both the managers and workers. However, Haier’s management is in contrast to the old management of socialism. So there are maybe some potential pitfalls. â€Å"Face† and human relation are the two deep-rooted traditional Chinese concepts. If the Chinese employee cannot accept or adapt to the new practices, it arouse resentment among the employees. In long run, working under keen competition  may impose heavy burden to the employees, leading to stress and mental problems. A disadvantage in the footprint method is that it did not give any ranking to the employees so it would be diffi cult for decisions related to appraisals and salary increments. Sometimes, it might embarrass the employee as well. Haier ranked top 10% and bottom 10% of the employees. This could be morale.  The greatest challenge of this method is to differentiate between other 80% of the employees and this method may be biased by the recent performance of the employees. 3.If Haier expands into the U.S., will its performance management system be effective in the U.S.? Why or why not? If there is any change you would like to make, what would it be? It may not be that effective in the U.S. The U.S. culture is different from Chinese. They have low power distance and privacy is an important issue. The U.S. employees may feel being insulted if their performances are publicized, i.e. the colored footprint may not work. Also, there is higher level of performance orientation in U.S., emphasis is not put on daily performance but final result. They also enjoyed individualism and freedom so they may not like being instructed or guided too much by the supervisor every day so grievances will appear. To be more effective and acceptable, company can adopt different methods. One of them can be Graphic Rating Scale method which is the simplest and most popular method for the performance appraisal. In this method the employees are ranked on different scales such as communication, team work and skills related to their job profile. To eliminate the bias in the appraisal different ty pes of methods should be used and employees should be rated by different individuals. Rating can be done by their supervisor, peers and subordinates. Self-rating method can also be used.

Taxation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Taxation - Term Paper Example repair, maintenance and insurance costs. There are four alternative method are available to taxpayer to calculate the deduction for car expenses, which are provided in Appendix no.1. Chossing the cents for kilometer method, the amount is $7560 plus another car expenses $6500, arrives to a total amount of $14 060. Section 25-10(1) of the ITAA97 refers to a deduction for expenditure on depreciating assets. And S 40-30(1) sustains that a depreciating asset has a limited effective life and can reasonably be expected to decreases in value over the time it is used. Section 25-10(1) of the ITAA97 refers to a deduction for expenditure on depreciating assets. And S 40-30(1) sustains that a depreciating asset has a limited effective life and can reasonably be expected to decreases in value over the time it is used. Section 25-10(1) refers to a deduction for expenditure on depreciating assets. And S 40-30(1) sustains that a depreciating asset has a limited effective life and can reasonably be expected to decreases in value over the time it is used. As shown by the deductions analysis and by the computations, the taxable income equals the assessable income less allowance deductions, and is $245671.5. Considering that the tax rate is 30%, the amount of tax is $73701.5. There are no tax offsets so that total tax liability is equal to the amount of $73701.5. On 1 July 2012, it was constituted a partnership between Mary Bran (former sole proprietor) and Joe Mason. The business was previously started on 1 September 2011 by Mary Bran, and consisted of an architect’s practice, which main area of service is to provide services to home builders and small business. The business was located in Northcote and still is, and the startup costs were in amount of $ 600.000 (partly financed with debt). In what concerns the contribution of the new partner – Joe Mason, this was in amount of $ 600.000. The contribution of the new partner Joe Mason

The global warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The global warming - Essay Example ds, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, ozone, radon, and industrial smog (sulfurous and nitrous compounds mixed with water vapor and soot) (Global, 2003). Many of these pollutants are released into the atmosphere from areas of heavy industry and high traffic areas. Air pollution existed long before this, though, in the form of volcanic activity, fires, and dust-storms. This natural sort of pollution was generally able to be removed or assimilated by the functions of the biosphere. During these times, the earth was in a system that basically had minimal impact from humans. New chemicals and excess pollution since the industrial revolution, however, have taxed the threshold level of the biosphere. Acid deposition, global warming, and stratospheric ozone depletion represent unsustainable impacts on the environment. Many atmospheric scientists agree that air pollution from human sources has significantly altered the entire biosphere. Working globally in concerned international communities is seen to be key to solving the problem and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But steps must be taken to reduce the threat of global climate change at the individual, local, state, and national, as well as the international, level. Steps could be as complicated as urban design and waste management research, or as simple as planting a tree. Many cities have voluntarily taken the initiative to improve the environment by implementing greenhouse gas reduction strategies. These strategies can help communities save money as they lower the risks to human health caused by glo bal warming. As too carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere from traditional energy sources, and as the media pays a lot of attention, more and more people have been exploring energy alternatives in the form of wind and solar energy, as well as exploring more environmentally friendly options in their choice of building materials. Global warming has been a concern of science for more than a century, perhaps

Olaudah Equiano Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Olaudah Equiano - Essay Example Moreover, in these instances, we might say that freedom is imaginary. Imaginary in the sense that the subjects will, which was the core of his being, was stripped of from him as he then become a slave by none of his choice or against of his will. Here, we can begin to identify or had first identified the points or key features in the system of African slavery. It is in the reason of adopting the context of how was his will being scarce or limited for him on his state as a slave. In this manner, the idea or condition of its identity as a slave connotes with less value of his being, and that his being becomes only mechanical comparing to a puppet having its body but doesn't have a mind of its own. These instances were seen through the moment of his captivity with her sister, the trading of which he was sold as a slave and his experience then as a slave having masters that would decide for him of his actions. Second, the manner of treatment the subject experience on navigation adds more suffering he had as a slave on the boat.

Greenhouse gas emissions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Greenhouse gas emissions - Assignment Example Fluorinated gases in combination with chlorinated gases form chloro-fluoro carbon or CFC which are the major factors responsible for deteriorating the quality of Earths atmosphere. They are responsible for the depletion of Ozone layer, paving the way for harmful uv radiation in the planet. Green house gases take up and give off radiations in the thermal infrared range and hence lay the foundation for green house effect, a rise in temperature. Therefore, Green house gases greatly affect the temperature of the earth, causing an exponential rise in the planets temperature. This has resulted in alteration in surface climate, precipitation, famine and surface hydrology, transformation in the open environment, modifications in tropics, subtropics and in the monsoons, conversions in atmospheric conditions, climatic variations and melting of glaciers causing elevation of the sea level. The temperature of the planet is severely affected by these green house gases and the situation has become alarming. In view of this various countries have joined hands to reduce the use of those commodities which are responsible for the emission of GHGs. It is still only the beginning and we have a long way to march down to prevent the further deterioration of the

Shakespearean tragedies vs greek tragedies Research Paper

Shakespearean tragedies vs greek tragedies - Research Paper Example This paper aims to show elements of Greek tragedy that are present in Shakespearean tragedy, even though differences between them also exist. Macbeth Crime and punishment are the themes in Shakespeare famous tragedy, Macbeth. The lead character Macbeth is the typical Greek tragic hero because he has a tragic character flaw. This is â€Å"hubris† which also means extreme arrogance or pride that exceeds what is realistic. More accurately in ancient Greek context, it is actually a legal term that refers to actions that not only physically hurt, but also humiliate the victim, for the personal enjoyment of the abuser (Cohen, 1991). The crime therefore is not only in the harm caused but more in the pleasure taken by the abuser. In Greek tragedy, hubris, breach of hospitality, and murder are sins that are surely followed by punishment (Khare, 1998). In Greek tragedy, Paris displayed hubris when, despite the hospitality shown him by Menelaus of Sparta, he kidnapped Menelaus’ wi fe Helen, and because of this the city of Troy was destroyed. In comparison, Macbeth showed all three - hubris in his ambition to be king, murder in killing Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macduff and her children, and breach of hospitality when he murders King Duncan who was then a guest in his house. Many have likened Macbeth to Oedipus in Greek tragedy, because Oedipus was likewise guilty of all three sins. Like Macbeth, Oedipus also meets a violent death as punishment, which may be seen as the embodiment of â€Å"Nemesis† (Greek goddess of revenge) from another world (Khare, 1998, p. 196). In Greek tragedy, the Fates act as prophetesses who predict the future. In Shakespeare, the predictions are made by the three witches â€Å"or weird sisters† (Coddon, 1989). Witches are more in line with English culture and tradition, thus combining an English element with a Greek tragic element. In both instances, however, the predictions made by the Greek Fates and the Shakespearean witch es are not straightforward and have a hidden meaning that leads the hero to greater trouble. Finally, for both heroes, there is a realization in the end as well as spiritual growth, although it may have come too late for redemption. There are differences in plot between Macbeth and Oedipus, however. Oedipus committed parricide unknowingly, but Macbeth was fully aware of the evil of his deed. Oedipus reflects the classical Greek tragic element of divine intervention, which is the â€Å"perfect embodiment† in classic Greek literature. On the other hand, Macbeth is the â€Å"Renaissance† figure who â€Å"can be understood and ultimately criticised only by reference to defined standards of moral philosophy† (Sanders, 1968, p. 308). Macbeth also embodies elements of Western Christianity, whereas Oedipus reflects pre-Christian philosophy. Therefore, while Oedipus may be powerful in the ancient times because it conformed to the ethical standard of the day of Sophocles; likewise for Macbeth, which in its own style portrayed the ethical standard of Elizabethan England. The tragedy of Oedipus was the working of the gods in a divine-centric era. In Macbeth, man was the center and cause of the tragic act which reflected the Renaissance philosophy. Julius Caesar Julius Caesar is seen as a colossal hero, like Oedipus, who â€Å"

Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Business - Research Paper Example the major scholarly concern, and employees must realize that the success of their work heavily depends on how well they recognize, understand, analyze, and apply their knowledge of orality and literacy in practice. It is essential to determine how the first language acquisition and orality set the stage for the successful transition children from preschool to school environments; to understand and evaluate the changes that occur to literacy and orality in children in school environments; the impact of literate communities on the development of orality and literacy in individuals, including children; to evaluate the impact of family and social surrounding on how children treat language (Minami, 2002). That the first language acquisition and the development of orality in children sets the stage for the subsequent development of written language is difficult to deny, and the students in this module should be able to assess and discuss the changes that occur to orality and literacy in children’s transition from home to preschool. Here, the role of family is determining and even crucial, for it is in families that cultural socialization of preschool children takes place. Thus, students must realize that as soon as the child is sent to school, the emphasis of cultural socialization shifts from family to school environments and the latter become the major sources of language development and make children reshape their experiences and language patterns (Minami, 2002). Few employees possess knowledge and skills necessary to distinguish between orality and literacy and to explain conditions necessary for literacy to develop and sustain. Obviously, â€Å"whenever human beings exist they have a language, and in every instance a language that exists basically as spoken and heard, in the world of sound† (Ong, 2002), but even the richness of gesture cannot disrupt the link between literacy and oral speech language – even sign languages used by the deaf heavily rely on

Bigger, Faster, Stronger Essay Example for Free

Bigger, Faster, Stronger Essay Chris Bell who came from an overweight family narrated this film. Chris did not want to be like his father when he was younger; instead he wanted to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Chris’ older brother would beat up kids who made fun of him so he was nicknamed Mad Dog. His younger brother hated school and had a learning disability. His younger brother was nicknamed Smelly. Chris and his brothers would wrestle in their basement. Mad Dog had become football captain at his school, while Smelly and Chris began participating in body building competitions. Chris was the strongest kid in his high school and held the New York record. Chris had started to get accused of using steroids. By his senior year he was one of the strongest kids in the country. He moved to California and trained at the gym that Arnold Schwarzenegger trained at. All he accomplished with moving was landing a job at Gold’s Gym selling memberships. It was said that some move to California and live out of their cars to lift at Gold’s Gym. Chris was always against steroids, so when he found out that all his heroes had used them he was very bothered. Chris’ older brother, Mad Dog, stated using steroids while playing football at University of Cincinnati. Shortly after he quit college to pursue another dream of his which was professional wrestling. Mad Dog was the guy who got paid to make other wrestlers look good by getting beat up. Mad Dog was told he would get a contract, but never did. Mad Dog started doing drugs in addition to steroids. He said he would rather be dead than average and later attempted to commit suicide. Smelly also followed Mad Dog and took steroids. He also pursued his wrestling dream, but unlike Mad Dog he had a wife to consider. After having a son, Smelly realized that wrestling was not the life he wanted. Smelly and his wife settled down in the suburbs and opened a gym. But even after quitting wrestling the steroid usage did not stop. Chris could not understand why he was so against steroid usage, but his brothers were not. It is said that many of the baseball players were using steroids and baseball players because of this went from being scrawny to looking like wrestlers. In 2005 Congress spent 151 days in session and 8 of those they spent debating the use of steroids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention anabolic steroids kills 3 people a year and is #142 in top killers. Steroids are synthetic versions of hormones that your body produces naturally. Some side effects of steroids are acne, hair growth, and reduced sperm count. Some side effects in women are deepened voice, menstrual problem, and enlarged clitoris. Some of these side effects are not reversible. Testosterone tells the body to increase muscle size and strength and helps you recover from workouts faster. For kids some experts think steroids can stunt their growth, but it is not proven. No one has ever done studies on long-term effects of steroids. Congress wanted to pass a law that would control steroids like cocaine and heroin. In 1990 Congress passed the Anabolic Steroid Control Act. This video has not changed my opinion on steroids. My thought on steroids before watching this video was that it should only be used for medical reasons. I consider those who use steroids to gain an advantage over others in professional sports as cheaters. This video, however, did introduce me to many other types of people who use steroids such as pilots, porn stars, and musicians.

Natural resources Curse or blessings

Natural resources Curse or blessings Abstract: The resource curse refers to a complex phenomenon that resource rich countries fail to take the advantages from their natural resources. According to this term countries with abundance of natural wealth are unable to gain the benefits of having the resources that they are supposed to get in comparison to the countries with fewer natural resources. This paper describes the existence of resource curse, how to deal with this curse and its implication to development of Middle East. Introduction Even though a country with plenty of natural resources should progress in terms of GDP and economic growth at far more pace as compared to countries with far less resources or with no resources at all as compared to them, studies and experiments do tend to suggest otherwise. True, natural resources reserves do help a country raise individual living standards, economic growth, nevertheless, unless made full use of it can result in a negative GDP too. Experiments after being carried out in this regard has shown that in some countries despite resources being available in plenty their progression was not in line with it. On the contrary, countries which should have struggled to make their way through, as they had little resources or none at all, in reality have out-performed countries with abundant resources through the help of their service and manufacturing industries. While on the other hand some natural-resources rich countries have done exceptionally well as they utilized their wealth with perfection. To sum up, it can neither be said having less natural resources will mean a country can not progress nor can it be said that having enough of it will prevent a country from moving further forward. The whole thing has got to do more with whether proper utilization of it was made or not. Is there a resource curse? If a closer look is taken at some countries in the Middle Mast, for example, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Iraq, it can be seen that they all share some things in common. These countries have more oil reserves than any other countries in the world; they are governed by Islamic laws, the fate of the people lies at the hand of their leaders, and where democracy is not present at all. General people have nothing to say as to how the country would be run and armed forces are often used as a weapon by the leaders to ensure that power does not come out of their hands. Despite having natural wealth, these countries have not performed as per expectation. Still they have slow population growth and poor life expectancy than average, low quality education and health care, low market diversification, poor socio-political development indices. There are some other natural resource-rich countries, where natural resources could not bring blessings. In some African countries civil war occurred over the control of the resources which may lead to separatism. People from natural resource areas want to keep control over their resources. Thus they get engaged in conflict with their Government. The Governments abilities to perform go down badly. For instance, in Angola and Sierra Leone, some rebel groups in the area where natural recourses like diamond, gold etc are located, are engaged in different forms of crimes like extortion, drug dealing, kidnapping foreign executives of multinational companies for ransom. The revenues from natural resources can go up and down. When the prices of the natural resource rise the economy of the countries dominated by natural resources booms and again if the price falls down the economy also plummets. For instance, the price of crude oil shot up from $10 per barrel in 1998/1999 to $140 per barrel in the middle of 2008. Again in December 2008 the price plunges to $40 per barrel. On 29th of December 2009 the price was $76.19 per barrel. The wild fluctuation of the price of natural resource can have a great impact in the Governments annual development budget if the economy depends absolutely or mostly on natural resources. In the resource rentier countries, the Government does not tax the citizens because they have fixed sources of income from resource rent. They do not have to explain about their policies, rules, and laws to the public. People also do not or can not complain about their living standard, health, Government policies etc even though they are poorly served by the Government. As a result, the relationship between the rulers and public collapses. In the Middle East people can not protest against any Government policy. In fact the rulers, dependent on natural resource rent, tend to be repressive, corrupt and poorly managed. In the resource abundant countries human resources are often ignored. Instead of investing in the development of education, health and research, Government make huge expenditure on buying luxurious products, military, police from which the only rulers or elite societies get benefited. The countries which have natural resource, the giant multinational companies gather there. They want to get control over the resource to mine it by paying a token money. They try to get the control either by bribing money or other forms of gifts to the rulers of that country, or by creating pressure from their own country to the resource owner country. If the Government is not accountable to its citizens, it is very tough to avoid such pressure or the greed of bribe. Thus the multinational companies are spreading corruption in the poor, but with natural resource, countries. For example, Niko, a Canadian company is in charge of gas exploration in Bangladesh. In 2005 because of the incompetence, technical fault of Niko, two huge blowouts of gas occurred. Bangladesh faced a loss of tk7.4650 billion in local currency ($1=tk70 approximately) including gas and environmental damages. But instead of paying the compensation they gave a luxurious car which cost 10 million in local currency to the state minister for energy as a bribe to avoid compensation. There are many countries with little or no natural resources at all, which have been able to develop. Resource-rich countries like Middle East could not perform well in terms of economic growth. Even the growth of some countries with ample natural resources was negative. On the other hand countries with low natural resources performed extremely well. Most of the resource poor countries like Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong grew rapidly during the period. They achieved rapid economic growth from export industries based on manufactured products. Lack of natural resources could not be an impediment in their development. Some countries with affluent natural resources used this wealth effectively and thus they became developed. USA for example, was a resource rich country. But unlike others it used its mineral resources as a ladder of progression. Natural resources played an important role in the technological and industrial development. US made a huge investment in exploration, geological knowledge, transportation and the technologies of mining, refining and utilization. US excelled other countries in the world in mineral sector. Mineral sector contributed a lot to enhance the knowledge and technological capabilities. In the way to leadership in manufacturing, the mineral sector of the USA was an important issue. According to Wright (2004) resource extraction in the United States was more fundamentally associated with ongoing processes of learning, investment, technological progress, and cost reduction, generating a manifold expansion rather than depletion of the nations resource base. It had a great effect in the progress of education. By the nineteenth century, the education system of the US in mining engineering and metallurgy came out as the world leader. Columbia School of Mines which was opened in 1864 became the leader. Later University of California at Berkeley developed into worlds largest mining college. Wright (2004) wrote in his journal that The most famous American mining engineer, Herbert Hooverà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬an early graduate of Cals cross-bay arch rival, Stanfordà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬maintained that the increasing assignment of trained engineers to positions of combined financial and managerial, as well as technical, responsibility was a distinctive contributing factor to U.S. leadership in this sector. In 1917 a survey was conducted which found there were 7500 mining engineers in the USA. Thus natural resources contributed in the progress of law, investment and education which led to overall development in America. Considering all the evidences, it can be said that natural resource is neither a vital element of development nor a curse. Development depends on lots of factors like Government policies, accountabilities, human resource development, education, fiscal policy, manufacturing industries etc. When a Government can not rule the country properly, it becomes authoritarian and repressive. It uses the rent from natural resource to dominate the public and avoid accountability, transparency. At that time resource becomes a curse. But for this natural resource can not be blamed rather the mismanagement can be blamed. If the natural resource is utilized appropriately, it can be blessing. How can a state overcome the resource curse? Some evidences suggest that there is a negative relationship between natural resources and growth. So resources were called a curse by many researchers. But it is not always true. A country can get rid of this curse by taking some steps. The guaranteed income from natural wealth can be used as a source of investment rather than a source of public disbursement. The transformation of natural assets into manufacturing capital can lead to break the curse. The country can use the resource rent to develop the infrastructure. The country can invest the rent in different sectors like manufacturing, health, education, development of law and order, human rights. If the country can manufacture goods in a large volume, it can export them. Income from exports will reduce the dependence on natural resource. The government can launch a comfortable taxation system. It will establish the relationship between the ruler and the public. Whenever government will take money from the citizens, it will have to explain the incomes and expenses of the country. It will provide accountability and transparency. The Government can share the revenue with the local people. When the local community was given the power to handle resources of the country, it not only motivates long-term investment but also takes the pressure off the shoulder from central government, and also helps to alleviate poverty. Through the proper management of natural resources, a government can sustain the welfare of the country; can raise the life standards of the people living below the poverty line and thus make the natural resources as a blessing. The Middle East will not develop until its oil reserves run out. Discuss. Most countries in Middle East, if not all, have some things in common such as monarchy system, oil reserves, no accountability and transparency, absence of democracy, repressive. Economy of these countries relies on their oil income. As they do not rely on tax from its people, they can avoid accountability and other responsibilities to the people. Because of oil being present there in plenty and the income the government extracts from selling them to other parts of the world being more than enough for them to run their country, the government do not feel it important to build manufacturing industries in their country. But at some point down the line this oil reserve will come to an end. Then these countries will be forced to find other sources of income and only then they will really start thinking to build other service and manufacturing industries. This may open the doors for private sector. When the private sectors thrive, it will bring investments from different places which will also in turn create plenty of job opportunities. Government will have to invest for the development of human resource to cope with demand for skilled people. As a result there will be a literate society. The rulers will loose legislation blocks to investment, private employment, exorbitant regulatory barriers, poor enforcement of commercial contracts and dispute resolution, taxation barriers. The multinational companies (other than Oil companies) will be attracted to these countries to expand their businesses. Huge investment will come that will contribute to the development of the countries. Another thing, when rulers will tax the citizens, they will have to explain their policies, incomes and expenses. As a result accountability and transparency will grow up. It can lead to democracy. When the rulers will start thinking of the welfare of the public, it will help to sustain the democracy and development of the country. The example of UAE can be taken. It is expected that the oil reserve of UAE will run out in twenty years. The rulers realised this. So they are trying to move to other sectors, for example tourism. Now Dubai is one of the most lucrative tourist places. Every year millions of tourists from all over the world visit Dubai. Government are earning a substantial amount of revenue from tourism sector. Dubai is attracting the business companies from the western world. Currently Dubai is one of the best places for business. Almost all of the international companies have branches in Dubai. Thus the Government of UAE is reducing dependence from oil. Another example is Kuwait. They are utilizing the rent from oil for off-shore investment. This way they are trying to stabilize the economy. As long as the countries of Middle East will get revenue from oil, they will remain averse to make changes. They will stay in vicious circle until the oil reserve will be depleted. The sooner they realize that oil reserves are not unlimited, they will move to the way to development. Conclusion: Though some of the evidences identify natural resources as a curse, but the resources themselves are not a curse. Mismanagement of the resources makes them a curse. But there is no short term option to get out of the curse. Oil in the Middle East is a sensitive issue. When the Government will decide to use the resource for the development of the living standards of citizens, they will transform into a good government from authoritarian rulers. International pressure and internal pressure can shake the rulers. But because of having a large oil reserve, the rulers can avoid all forms of pressure. This paper has illustrated all the facts related to natural resources. According to Kirk Hamilton and Giovanni Ruta, (2006) Whatever the level of government, good management is a precondition for good performance. Natural resources are governance-intensive. Sound management of these natural resources can support and sustain the welfare of poor countries, and poor people in poor countries, as they move up the development ladder. Bibliography: Class Lecture Journals Moore, M. (2004) International Political Science Review. Revenues, State Formation, and the Quality of Governance in Developing Countries, 25(3), pp. 297-319 Sachs Jeffrey D. and Warner Andrew M. (2001) European Economic Review. Natural Resources and Economic Development The curse of natural resources, 45, pp. 827-838 Wright, G. and Czelusta, J. (2004) WHY ECONOMIES SLOW. The Myth of the Resource Curse, 47(2), pp.6-38 Online Resources Bannon, I. and Collier, P. (2003) HUMAN SECURITY IN CONFLICT SITUATIONS. Natural resources and violent conflict: options and actions [Online]. Pp.242-245. Available from [Accessed 2nd January 2010] Hamilton K. and Ruta, G. (2006) Environment Matters. From Curse to Blessing Natural Resources and Institutional Quality [Online]. pp. 24-27. Available from [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. Humphreys, M., Sachs Jeffery D. and Stiglitz Joseph E. (2007) Escaping the Resource Curse. USA: Columbia University Press. [Online] Available from [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. Sachs Jeffrey D. and Warner Andrew M. (2001) European Economic Review. Natural Resources and Economic Development The curse of natural resources, 45, p. 829

Project Planning And Challenges Facing Planners Construction Essay

Project Planning And Challenges Facing Planners Construction Essay This chapter will review the literature which has been used for this dissertation. A number of important aspects will be covered, including an overview of Construction Planning as well as determining what challenges are faced on a daily basis by construction planners. This chapter will also review research relating to Planning techniques used and software packages available within the Construction industry. 2.2 Construction Project Planning Project Management can be seen as the application of tools and techniques utilised to guide the use of resources towards achieving an intricate task within the constraints of time, cost and quality. From conception to completion, a mixture of these tools techniques is necessary to fit the task environment and project life cycle. (Oisen 1970). The British Standard for project management (BS6079 1996) defined project management as, The planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all those involved in it to achieve the project objectives on time and to the specified cost, quality and performance. The UK association of Project Management (APM) have produced a UK body of knowledge UK (BoK) which also provides a definition for project management as The planning, organisation, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all involved to achieve the project objectives safely and within agreed time, cost and performance criteria. The project manager is the single point of responsibility for achieving this. Project Management as we know today has evolved in order to plan, coordinate and control the complex and diverse activities of modern industrial, commercial and management change projects. (Lock 2007) To allow for effective planning and control of projects, a requirement for systematic and logical methods should be applied along with proven techniques, thus ensuring a successful project outcome for all concerned parties, particularly the client. Without planning it is difficult to envisage the successful conclusion of any project or the effective control of time, money or resources. Planning is also essential in order to deal with construction risks and devise safe working methods. (Cooke 2008) Project Planning is defined as the establishment of a set of directions in sufficient detail to tell the project team exactly what must be done, when it must be done and what resources to use in order to produce the deliverables of the project successfully. (Zwikael 2008). Construction planning is an essential and challenging activity in the management and implementation of construction projects. It occupies the choice of technology, the description of work tasks, the estimation of the necessary resources and durations for individual tasks, and the identification of any interactions among the different work tasks. Hendrickson (1998) believes a good construction plan is the basis for developing the budget and the schedule for work. It is therefore common to adopt a conspicuous importance on either cost control or on schedule control as illustrated in Figure 2.1. Fig 2.1 (Hendrickson. 1998) Walker (2007) considers that by having a project schedule to work to and sticking to it, you will well be on your way to delivering successful projects. This would be dependant on effective communication and efficiency at all stages of the project and with an aim to reducing risk, time and cost. 2.3 The Construction Planner Construction project planning is receiving growing attention as the limitations of formal deterministic planning are becoming more widely recognised. (Winch, Kelsey 2004). There is growing concern over the failure of construction planning to achieve its goals in spite of the considerable resources allocated to it. Deficient planning techniques are commonly blamed for this state. (Laufer, Tucker, 1987) There has been considerable debate over the last decade or so on the effectiveness of construction project planning. However, there is remarkably little research into what construction project planners actually do. Laufer and Tucker provide a critique of construction planning. They protest that:- the planning and evaluation of planning processes are non-existent there is over-emphasis on critical path methods planners lack construction experience planners have poor information gathering methods planning is control-oriented instead of action-oriented Plans are been poorly presented with overly-complex information. In a subsequent paper (1994) Laufer and his colleagues look at the definition and allocation of planning work. They found that there was no clear system at work and planning was done in a multiplicity of ways. They call for the process to be properly co-ordinated by a single individual who will own the planning process and improve communication. Winch and Kelsey (2005) believe the specialist planner has the time to do the work but incomplete practical knowledge. The line manager has the practical knowledge but does not have the quality time to carry out the task. The specialist planner has better strategic decision-making skills than the short-term decision-making focus of the line manager. They then go on to say Line managers see the delegation of key decision-making to another as a threat to their position. These problems are confirmed in Laufer (1992) wider project management study and can result in: The planner preparing a plan which has incomplete information and in-adequate decision making authority. The line manager treating such plans as merely an irrelevant forecast prepared by another. Allen Smallwood (2008) believe Construction planners and the role they perform are little understood both within the construction industry and the wider environment where construction has a daily impact. Planning occupies a central position in the functions of the manager. His responsibilities may vary with organisational philosophy and contingency but planning invariably remains an essential ingredient of his duties. (Steiner, 1979). Much Research and Development effort has been made during the last three decades but progress with techniques has not removed the dissatisfaction with the application and results of construction planning (Choudhury 1981, Mason 1984, Morton 1983). Effective construction planning demands that it is carried out by competent and experienced personnel. While the estimator must remain in charge or pricing the work, most contracts, today, are too complex for the estimator to handle the technical content of pre-tender appraisal. It is here that the construction planner has a major function. 2.4 Planning Techniques Most planning techniques aim to express the work to be done, to a time-scale; some also include resources, and perhaps cost and value. In simple terms, they intend to help control time and cost. The other major factor in project control, quality, is controlled by its own family of control techniques; and quality is related to time and cost through the skill and judgement of the project management team. Neale (1989) believes the major components of planning techniques are: Activities: literally, being busy, expending energy, consuming resources, taking time; in construction planning, this means a job to be done; for example preparing a drawing, an order to be places, a hole to be dug, bricks to be laid in a wall, a flow of water to be diverted. Activity durations: the time required for the completion of each activity Project time-scale: the time structure of the project; it is usual to give each week in the project a number (this makes calculation easier), and these then have to be related to calendar dates, holidays, etc. Event: an occurrence at a specific point in time; for example, the granting of planning consent, of the start or end of a traffic diversion. Work method: the plan must be expressed in some logical way, indicating the sequence of operations, and which activities and events are interrelated; this may be implicit (as with bar charts) or exlicit (in network analysis, where work method is usually called logic.) Resources: often called the four Ms (men, machines, materials and money) but can include overheads (for example, site accommodation), and even such essentials as managerial skill. Costs: what the work has or will cost, often derived directly from the unit costs of the individual resources. Value: what has or can be earned by payment for work done derived from the bill of quantities, the estimate or an internal budget. The calculation of value-to-date can be used as an overall measure of project progress. The following four techniques are often used in construction planning; Bar charts, Network analysis, Line-of-balance Linear programmes. 2.4.1 The bar chart/ Gantt Chart Drafting of a bar chart is popular because it produces results which are easy to understand and not too searching of the planner. Its use is limited to planning straightforward work with simple relationships between the activities. This graphical technique still forms the foundation for most resource scheduling. Its major drawback is that even minor deviations from it require extensive redrafting as a result making it more difficult to having to hand a contemporaneous bar chart that is a reliable indicator of future events. The main features of the bar chart are as follows: The activities are listed on the vertical axis Time is shown on the horizontal axis. This may be an appropriate time unit, such as months or days. Each bar is divided horizontally into two, with the top half representing when the activity is planned to take place, and the bottom shared in, as proportions of the activity are completed. A vertical movable marker line indicates the current time, thus enabling the observer to note if any activities are behind programme, and to what extent. Refer to Figure 2.2 for additional information. Figure 2.2 Typical bar chart The format of the bar chart presumes that the end user (client) can involve the same judgment that was in the mind of the planner when he was compiling it. In highly repetitive or simple work it can be implied that the users will better understand the thought process of the planner. However as project complexity increases the users ability to monitor the project in relation to the programme is reduced unless it is understood: What work is important to progress? Of the activities currently behind programme what, if any, effect do they have on overall progress? On the contrary, if most of the actual work is ahead of programme, does this mean that the current prediction is that the project will be complete in advance of the targeted completion date? The answer is definitely not an automatic yes. To provide an informed response, an understanding of the relationships between programme activities is crucial. Neale (1989) consider these deceivingly simple questions contradict issues which are at the heart of many construction disputes, namely considerations for extension of time. 2.4.2 Network Analysis Unlike a bar chart, activities are not shown on an axis of time. What the network portrays is the logical relationship between activities. Network analysis is a powerful, logical and analytical technique. It is most effective when used for complicated projects, especially those with external constraints and complex interrelationships. The technique is based on drawing the logical relationships between construction operations, and from an analysis of the relative durations, establishing which operations have the most crucial effect on the project duration. It can be drawn in a number of ways, the most well-known in the UK being the arrow diagram. Figure 2.3 Network diagram The technique is sometimes known as the critical path method (CPM), and critical path analysis (CPA). A version which incorporates a statistical method for calculating the probability that a project will be completed on a specific date is called the programme evaluation and review technique. (PERT) The identification of a critical path focuses the attention of the individuals managing the project and highlights to clients and their advisors the tasks that require to be particularly well managed with regard to time. The duration of critical path represents the shortest duration in which the project can be completed. Delays to activities on the critical path transmit directly through to extend the project completion date. This provides advanced warning of the pending delay to completion and enables the contractor (or employer) to invoke recovery action at a useful point in time rather than waiting until it is manifestly obvious that the completion date is threatened. If the employer or his Architect/Engineer (A/E) instructs additional work which affects the activities on the critical path then the contractor has grounds for a claim for an extension of time. The term critical path is widely used in the construction industry; what is not fully appreciated is how easily the critical path can change. Figure 2.4 Network diagram showing critical path Network analysis has a good and inclusive logical basis, lends itself easily to computer processing, and can be used as an effective control tool. These exceptional characteristics are also known to be its principal weakness as it is easier for the planner to be drawn into a level of planning and analysis that is much to detailed and advanced for most construction projects. 2.4.3 Line of Balance Line of balance is a specialised technique used for repetitive work. It derived from the manufacturing industry and has been found to be effective in planning work truly repetitive. Examples of success applications include planning the construction of identical floors in high rise construction, and large housing developments. Line of balance has been found to be difficult to use on projects which have a high demand for trades or operations to construct each identical unit. The problems arise not from the technique itself, but from the difficult of showing all the information on one chart, particularly when using the technique to monitor progress. When used to plan, it can be an excellent means of relating resources, activity durations and the general pace of work on site. Neale (1989). Illingworth (1993) considers the line of balance approach has largely fallen out of use in todays industry due to the fact it was designed primarily for housing and did not readily provide clear visual appreciation of the situation at a glance. Figure 2.5 -Typical line of balance diagram 2.4.4 Linear Programme (or time-chainage chart) Linear programming is a specialised technique for linear work. This is a basic tool of UK road contractors. Other successful applications include the construction of a large canal in a developing country, and it is especially useful in tunnelling. Illingworth (1993). Similar to line of balance, this is a simple two- dimensional graphical technique and can show clearly only a limited amount of information and limited degree of complexity. Figure 2.6 Linear Programme (Neale 1989) 2.5 Which technique? The experienced planner in construction needs to be aware of the techniques available, together with the value of each, both in the planning analysis role and how then can be applied to give effective control and communication to management on site. Illingworth (1993). Like any other professional, the planner has to select the right tool for the job. To make the correct decision, it is therefore a requirement to examine what is wanted in a particular situation programme. Illingworth (1993) believes the main points of this choice are as follows: Does the method aid initial analysis of the situation and especially in establishing the best sequence of events? Are deficiencies in progress shown up as the work proceeds? Can visiting management obtain and immediate view of the contract situation on arrival on site? With the preponderance of subcontractors on site today, does the programme method give assistance in cash flow control? According to Illingworth, from these questions it is unlikely to be the answer to all desires. Therefore it is said to be better to consider the situation in two stages tender planning on the one hand and the operational planning after the contract has been won, on the other. 2.6 Planning Practice In order to explore further the reality of construction project planning semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and December 2000 with 18 experienced planners from five leading UK construction firms. Most of the planners interviewed were currently involved in planning at the tender stage including assembly and presentation of the tender documentation. About half of those were also involved at the tender/ pre-construction stage. Only a few were further involved during the site works. (Refer to figure 2.7). Generally, although a number of the interviewed planners had on-site experience the typical pattern is that a planner works either at the pre-tender, pre-execution stages or on site but not simultaneously. The exceptions tend to be where planners work for some time on a single large project. In such cases it may make sense (from the employers point of view) for their work to carry on to the execution stage. Figure 2.7 Planning Practice, G.M Winch and J.Kelsey 2.7 Programming Considerations at the Tender Stage Upon receipt of tender documentation, the contractor will appoint human resources tasked with compiling a tender submission based upon the tender enquiry. One of the main individual in this team is the person accountable for producing the tender programme, the construction planner. Whether or not the contractual terms require a programme to be produced or not should be irrelevant at this stage. The tender programme is an important document produced by the contractor which is used for measuring many risk and cost related issues. In particular, the assessment of cost of the contractors time related preliminary items as drawn off the content of the tender programme. For example, the anticipated on site durations for different members of staff, periods of scaffold hire and duration for site accommodation are items that cannot be priced by the estimator without reference to the tender programme. When compiling the tender programme, the construction planner must incorporate the information supplied with the enquiry noting any specified constraints contained in either the contract bills, specification or drawings. Conflict between documents often exists and a view had to be taken on how to proceed. Clarification may be sought from the employer or his agents, assumptions made and stated along with the submission or the conflict may be ignored and the information that best suits the contractor is assumed without qualification or statement. It is accepted in the industry that many bids are won or lost on the programme duration alone. This happens frequently where a bill of quantities is being priced and the experienced contractors tend towards similar prime cost for similar items. On completion of reviewing tender documents, drawings, specification and bills, which may be typically done over a period of one or two weeks, the construction planner will establish the work scope which will be addressed in the creation of a tender programme. The main objective is to be aware of the specified period for construction. Additional to the completed programme should be a schedule of resources which corresponds with the programme and a series of method statements signifying construction techniques and equipment to be employed in carrying out the work. 2.8 Programming on Site When the contract is won, the site planning is equally important. It is usually at this point that the site manager will have his first chance to examine the methods on which the job was priced. What is important to recognise, at this point, is that planning must be seen as an addition to management. Thus the site manager must have the right to question the planning methods on which the contract was priced. To do so, site managers require the technical expertise to assess what has been put forward. In so doing, the manager concerned must, for his part, accept that if he wants to change the method from that in the priced tender, he must demonstrate that his alternative is obviously cheaper, or at least as cheap, as that priced in the tender submission. When final agreement has been reached, the planning function can be established on site and develop the final method to be adopted. This, in turn, will lead to the contract master programme and such subsidiary programmes as may be necessary. On completion of all methods being confirmed the construction planner continues to have a significant role on site. First, in developing control and short-term programmes for all organisations contributing to the contract under the main or managing contractor. Second, the construction planners cherished knowledge of how the work was originally planned makes him uniquely placed to examine the potential consequences of alterations to what has to be built. In this area he is a valuable source of information to the site quantity surveyor when assessing where possible contractural claims may arise. Today, with the ever increasing use of trade sub-contractors as well as specialist service contractors, the experienced construction planner has the option of either seeing the role as satisfying its own right, or as an essential ingredient of experience for becoming a successful site manager. Illingworth (1993). 2.9 Purpose of a Programme The values applicable to the mechanics of construction planning are similar whether you are a main contractor submitting a quotation to an employer, a sub-contractor quoting to the main contractor, or even a construction manager providing programme assist to an employer. Common principles apply when compiling a construction programme, that of methodical analysis. The contractors construction programme is an important common reference. It shows how the planner they have interpreted the contract documents and other information from which the statement of intent for construction is issued. As the key programme for the construction work, its content is of the utmost significance to all parties charged with handing over to the employer a building fit for purpose within the contract time stated. A well prepared programme is vital to every construction project. Many activities have to be cautiously defined and given a time scale, and it necessary not only to assemble and list the information but also to display it visually in terms of the contracts objectives and the calendar. The working sequences and the relationships between individual activities must be clearly conveyed in this visual presentation. The Chartered Institute of Building (2001). They consider the construction programme to be a statement of intended actions, which when properly used provides management with its plan of campaign. It should communicate with ease, providing the common reference for the timing of all activities related to the project. 2.10 Construction Planning Software An expert planner faced with the task of producing and analysing a network for a project containing only few activities will undoubtedly produce the fastest results by drawing a freehand arrow diagram and analysing it mentally. Lock (2007). He believes it is likely to take longer when using a computer because of the formalities needed to set up the new project files in the system and enter the data. David Arditi and Ann Rackas compiled a short report in May of 1986 with an aim in ascertaining the need for computer software to assist is construction planning and scheduling. This report concluded, the individual needs of a given construction company are the primary reasons for choosing a particular software package. For example, one of the participating general contractors basic requirements was to have a 40-character activity description field: a particularly individual need. They continued to suggest if a program is to survive the inevitable shakeout that occurs after the initial development and interest have peaked; it must offer the features and capacities that are required by the user. In addition, every effort should be made to make computers less mysterious and confusing as they will be dealing with the construction market. Today there are many planning software packages available to the construction industry. Asta Powerproject, Microsoft Project, Primavera, PERT Master to name a few. Each package is commonly suited to the individual needs of the planner. Some programs present a blank Gantt chart on the screen as soon as they are booted up, and it is apparent to the user that task data can be typed in immediately. Most programs allow the user/ planner to establish project durations, critical path network, allocate resources, assign costs to tasks and monitor progress throughout the project. As a result, most construction planning professionals use such packages daily. 2.11 Construction Planning Challenges Lock (2007) considers anyone planning a project of significant size will soon find out that there are a number of factors, both inside and outside the project organisation that can have an effect on the planners intentions. These are as follows: 2.11.1 External Factors Figure 2.8 External Factors (Lock, 2007) All projects are subject to risk, many of which can have an enormous impact on plans. Lock (2007) deems the following are just four from the long catalogue of happenings that can be categorised as Acts of God: An earthquake devastates a project organisations headquarters. A hurricane and flood put a project site under a metre of water and delay the start or ruin the work in progress. An influenza epidemic puts half the project workforce out of action. (Swine flu outbreak 2008 recorded thousands of people off work for over 5 days.) The project manager (a keen golfer) is struck by lightning. The national government can play an important part on the smooth running of a project. E.g. the project could be government-funded and is cancelled or abandoned through a political decision. Lock (2007) also considers less immediate concerns which are the wider and longer-term economic consequences of government policy leading to downscaling of projects, delays and cancellations in all sectors of industry. Decisions made outside the project team can also have an affect on many characteristics of planning. E.g. a decision is made at directorate level to carry out a project in a different company within the group from that initially anticipated or a strategic decision is made to cut short all new staff recruitment resulting in a lower number of available resources formerly expected to be available for projects. 2.11.2 Working Factors Figure 2.9 Working Factors Lock (2007) These are items which are likely to affect the project team on a daily basis. Examples include availability of resources, materials etc. People are believed to be a construction organisations greatest resource. Construction operations depend on the knowledge and skills of people planning and executing the work. Muir (2005.) Research has been carried out to reveal that the construction industry is typically viewed as being one of the least attractive industries in which to work. Safety plays an important part in the running of a project. Construction by nature is unsurprisingly dangerous with a high degree of hazard and risk. The Health Safety Executive believe each year: Over 1 million injuries and 2.3 million cases of ill-health are experienced by workers; Around 40 million working days are to lost; and Over 25000 individuals are forced to give up work because of injury or ill health. These cost British employers on average  £3.3 to  £6.5 billion each year. Most organisations are oblivious of these figures and are often astonished to find out what the actual costs are. Recent HSE Examples (2009) An injury to a worker using an unguarded drill cost a small engineering company  £45,000. And that was not all. The managing director was prosecuted from which two employees had to be made redundant to keep the company afloat. At the other end of the scale the Piper Alpha explosion killed 167 people and incurred estimated costs of over  £2 billion. Accidents in construction can account for 3 6 % of total project costs. 2.11.3 Contribution of effective Planning Figure 2.10 Contributors of effective Planning (Lock, 2007). Effective Planning and scheduling influences the results of a project as is promotes well-organised working. Personnel who are not trying continually to overcome crises caused by bad planning can dedicate more time to achieving high quality standards. A well-planned project stands more chance of being completed on time and on budget. 3.0 Methodology Based on the findings in Chapter Two, a questionnaire was compiled aimed towards Construction Planners, Project Managers and other Construction Professionals. The questionnaire was developed in order to reach a significant conclusion on what is happening in the industry today, confirming what challenges are faced on a day to day basis and what can be done for improvement. The author contacted various professionals in the industry whom were contacted via Chartered Institute of Building website in order to get a mixed response. A letter was sent to each individual asking if they could spare time to answer 20 questions which were related to the research. The letter can be found in appendix. In addition, an online link to the questionnaire was sent to over 40 professionals in the industry, from which over 23 people took the time to fill it in. All results can be found in Chapter 4. 3.1 Introduction The aim of this study is to analyse current planning techniques used within the construction industry and determine what influence the construction programme has in terms of project success. In order to achieve this aim, sufficient research has to be carried out. Research design is an action plan for getting from here to there, where here may be defined as the initial set of questions to be answered, and there is some set of conclusion (answers) about these questions. (Naoum 2007.) Between here and there may be a found number of major steps, including the collection of analysis of relevant data. (Yin 1994.) Developing a successful strategy was an important step towards the collection of key research information. 3.2 Research Strategy Research is the systematic and rigorous process of enquiry which aims to describe phenomena and to develop and test explanatory concepts and theories. Ultimately it aims to contribute to a scientific body of knowledge. (Bowling 2009.) There are two types of research strategies, namely, quantitative research and qualitative research. Deciding on which type of researc

Conflict in The Interior Castle by Jean Stafford Essay -- essays paper

Conflict in The Interior Castle by Jean Stafford The Interior Castle by Jean Stafford is a very disturbing but thought-provoking story of a woman who creates a separate world within her head after being severely injured in a car accident. The conflict of the story is Pansy’s attempted escape from pain. Throughout the story she develops an incredibly intricate world within her own mind. She attempts to run from the pain she feels by retreating into this world in which she has made for herself. After arriving at the hospital with severe facial and cranial injuries due to a car accident, Pansy Vanneman began to lock herself away within her head in silent, unspoken hopes of escaping the terrible pain that surged throughout her body. She spoke mainly to herself within her head and very rarely graced the nurses or attendants with any words at all. She began to wrap her entire existence around what she thought was her one true reason for living: her brain. She did not necessarily worship her mind, but it was the organ itself that intrigued her. In the accident, her brain had been unscathed and she now believed it was some magnificent being that was above anything or anyone that came in contact with her. Throughout the story, Pansy tries to escape any form of pain she feels by retreating deep into her mind, her â€Å"jewel†, as she called it. Even gazing out of the window from her hospital room causes her some form of pain. She sees nothing but death and sadness in the world as she gazes upon the cold, lifelessness of winter. Everything appears cold and dead to her. Her escape is always into her â€Å"sacred brain†, as she thought it should be called. It seemed from time to time, her brain would let her down in one way or another. The bra... ...for by throwing herself around in such ways, she ran back into her mind, hoping to escape any damage that might be done to her. Still, in the end, her brilliant brain, lying in its â€Å"shell-pink satin case†, could not save her from the pain. It couldn’t stop the physical pain of her injuries and it couldn’t block out the reality of the real world. She felt it had failed her by allowing her to be violated by such hurt as the good Dr. Nicholas had inflicted upon her. It could not even shut out the fact that she would one day have to return to the world in which everyone else lived. She lay there, in horrible pain, with what she now referred to as her â€Å"treasureless head†. Pansy believed her brain to be so superior to all things; she thought it could shut out the real world for the rest of her life. When she realized it could not do so, it suddenly lost its worth.

The Meansure of a Man (A Closer Look at Five Great Men) :: essays research papers

How does one determine the measure of a man? His accomplishments? His ancestry? His financial worth? Or do we look deep into the heart and soul of that man and determine the weight of his values, his dreams and what he has stood for in the grand scheme of things?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We will appraise the lives of six important figures in the shaping of our country. With this evaluation, we risk becoming critic and judge, but in an attempt to go beyond those things both tangible and measurable, perhaps we will be forgiven.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thomas Jefferson called him, â€Å"†¦a wise, a good and a great man.† Patrick Henry, when asked who he thought was the greatest man in Congress, replied, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ if you speak of solid information and sound judgment, Colonel Washington is the greatest man on that floor.† Despite his height and noble bearing, Washington was a quiet man who pondered long before decisions. Even with little schooling, he was an avid student of math and science. At a very early age, he was aware and respectful of decorum and manners. At 13, he copied the one hundred and ten â€Å"Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversations,† and lived by them. His mathematical and science skills coupled with attributes of respect, responsibility and strength secured him a position as a surveyor in Virginia at only sixteen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These same qualities, planted as deeply into his soul as the trees on his father’s farm, are what gave him the courage and perseverance to plunge headlong into a life filled with some of the greatest achievements in American history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At 20 years old, Washington was plodding through one thousand miles of snow, swimming ice-clogged rivers and dodging the bullets of angry Native Americans only to carry a warning message to an unwelcoming French commander in the Ohio River Valley. He was shot once, and walked one hundred miles when his horse got too weak to go on. But he finished the task laid before him. In this first mission, courage and perseverance were metals he earned to wear on his heart.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two years later he commanded the British army in the French and Indian War. As Lieutenant Colonel of the Virginia forces, he captured twenty-one French and killed ten, loosing only one man in the process. In this, he added two metals, strength and wisdom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Military battles dominated Washington’s years, and the battles both won and lost created the warp and weft of the fabric of his life.

Can You Imagine a Life Without Computer?

Imagine before the Christ when people communicated with the smoke of wood fire which even is not used to warm up in today or an ambassador travelled by a horse for a long time to provide communication between the two kings. These are strange for us who are the slaves of the computer era, are not these? Do you realize that computers have become a main part of your lives in time, too? It is amazing to see how computer come into our lives in just several decades. It is impossible to imagine a day without working on our computers or spending time with the computers.Mainly there are two reasons regarding for this enormous change because of the rising popularity of computers. The most important reason is that it makes our lives easier. First, we experienced this ease in the education life. When students research on the Internet instead of going to the library, they can reach enormous resources easily so they save time. For example, if they are reading an essay, they can change the language of the essay or reach the references with only one click instead of searching a lot of books. In addition, they can study easily thanks to the variety of programs.For instance, since some computer programs calculate basic mathematical operations faster than human brain, these are beneficial for study. Second, we experienced this ease in the business life. To illustrate, online banking has brought to ease for businessmen so they do not have to go to a bank and wait for a long time. They can also store enormous knowledge such as contracts, knowledge of customers and statistics in the hard disc. Thus, they do not need huge area or effort to store these. Furthermore, businessmen can attend their meeting in different place at the same time thanks to the online conference communication.Thus, they can gather when they want easily. Another reason why computers become so popular is that it provides opportunities for leisure time activities. Computer plays a great role in the communication a spect of our lives. Social Network is the most common area in which the computer is used in communication. The fact that you can not find anyone who has not got a facebook account is the clearest example how online communicating has become so popular with facebook. In addition to facebook, some other websites such as twitter and instagram started to be more and more popular in time.Everyday millions of people are engaged in these websites and share their activities, feeling and photographs so that other people can follow them in their leisure time. Besides, people can spend their free time on the computer to recreate. For example, Second Life which is an online game has millions of members. In this game, people create avatars and direct them. As the avatars represent how they wish others to perceive them, they can spend their all leisure time enjoyable. Moreover, people can archive both music and film in the computer.In other words, computer enables us to keep both music and film. T hus, they can reach the archives and listen to music or watch the film anytime and anywhere. All in all, since computer makes our life easier by doing something faster than us and gives a lot of chances to communicate and recreate, its popularity is increasing. In the future, it will develop even further. However, if the popularity will go on to increase, all of us will be computer addicted. These machines will be an inseparable part of our lives. We can not do anything without computer as life without air.

Marketing Energy Drinks to Americas Youth Essay

As I started collecting information for this paper, I soon realized that the energy drink industry is a very small (18 percent) part of the beverage industry, but a very dominant part to say the least. Interestingly, the major players in the industry, Monster Energy, Red Bull, and Rockstar, have intentionally veered away from the conventional mediums used to promote products. They instead have chosen marketing mediums that appeal more to their target markets and the â€Å"live life on the edge† lifestyles that they live. Monster for example, shies away from mass market advertising; instead they focus all of their sales efforts and marketing muscle on sponsoring action sports athletes, artists and musical, events and tours. All of this ties in with the company’s overall philosophy that Monster isn’t just a beverage, but a lifestyle brand (Landi). â€Å"The key is for us (Monster) to retain what we do best, which is marketing in an unconventional way and keep that feel for the brand,† said Rodney Sacks, CEO of Hansen Natural Corp. â€Å"Monster is all about action sports, punk rock music, partying, girls, and living life on the edge† (Landi). The companies that produce energy drinks are using the current popularity of action sports such as motocross, skateboarding, BMX, etc. , to showcase their products and to further brand awareness. It’s not coincidental that the demographic that participates in these sports and idolizes its professional athletes are also the same demographic that consumes energy drinks. You’ll see very few TV commercials or print ads promoting energy drinks but when you turn on the ESPN produced X-Games, just about every athlete participating is sponsored by Red Bull, Monster, or Rockstar. John Lee, director of sports marketing for Monster Energy Drink says, â€Å"We don’t do print ads or television. We strictly have promoted our brand through athletes and the events that the athletes compete in. † With our current generation (Gen – Y) of young Americans being the first to really grow up with the Web, it is important for marketeers to embrace the use of the internet as a vital marketing tool and communication medium (Ness). â€Å"This group has a lot of lifetime ahead of them and that makes their Lifetime Value (LTV) high for marketers,† says Greg Ness, Chief Strategy Officer, Burst Media. Ness was also quick to point out that, â€Å"one-third of current college students spend 10 or more hours online per week and one-fifth spend 20 hours or more online. † Ness concludes, â€Å"Their time online exceeds the amount of time they are spending watching TV or listening to the radio. † Monster has recently starting using the internet as a recruiting / marketing tool of sorts when they introduced the â€Å"Monster Army. † The Army is a â€Å"grassroots marketing outreach community that also locates up-and-coming athletes seeking sponsorship opportunities† (Campanelli). In the past few years, more than 50,000 athletes (recruits) have signed up as members of the Monster Army where more than 1,000 of them are currently sponsored through the program. â€Å"It’s been a very successful program, our Army members are out there spreading the word about our products, telling ten of their friends who in turn tell ten of their friends, it’s a snowball effect† (Lee). In addition Monster has also recently announced an exclusive relationship with the Loop’d Network, a social media platform exclusively for online sports communities. The Loop’d Network currently boasts more than 200,000 members worldwide (Campanelli). The history of energy drinks is much deeper than most would imagine. Japan is credited for pioneering the energy drink phenomenon, but the first mass produced energy drink was called Lucozade, and was launched in 1929, in the UK (Research Wikis). It wasn’t until Red Bull, which was first launched in 1987, and introduced the United States to the world of energy drinks a decade later that the energy drink industry really took off (Reuters). Red Bull might have had the first big impact on the market in 1997, but Monster, launched in 2002, by Hansen Natural Corp. has clearly made a strong impression on the market. With its initial market share of 12 percent in 2003, Monster now has a 30 percent hold on the market while Red Bull maintains 25 percent (Reuters). Past portrayals of energy drinks were for the most part all negative as energy drinks are not regulated by the FDA and most contain large amounts of sugar, sodium, and caffeine, among other things. Some brands and flavors have a caffeine content that can range from a modest 50 mg. to an alarming 505 mg. per can (Reissig). For example, an 8. 3 oz. can of Red Bull contains 76 mg. of caffeine which is about twice what a 12 oz.can of Coke contains (LeBlanc). A 16 oz. can of Monster contains about 14 teaspoons of sugar and 200 calories (LeBlanc). So what are all of these â€Å"negative† energy boosting drinks doing to our bodies? A recent study done by Wayne State University in Detroit showed that consumption of energy drinks increased blood pressure and heart rate levels in healthy adults that drank two cans a day (LeBlanc). With all of those negative aspects there must be something good in energy drinks. There is a long list of beneficial ingredients that can be found in most of the energy drinks on the market today. They include; vitamin B-complex, antioxidant vitamins C and E, the amino acid taurine, bee pollen, inositol, glucuronolactone, and herbal extracts from ginseng, guarana, ginkgo biloba, horny goat weed, milk thistle, yerba mate, damiana, rosemary, skullcap, black seed, royal jelly, and white willow, among others (Berry). The overall benefits that energy drinks are said to produce include stress relief, sobering effects, an improved love life, increased stamina, sharper reflexes, heightened alertness, virility, and they’ll stimulate your metabolism (Berry). The demographic that energy drink companies are after is rather broad. While their number one consumer fits the description of a young white male between the ages of 16 to 25, energy drink companies are broadening their marketing horizons and are now looking at men, women, and children between the ages of 12 and 40 (LeBlanc). â€Å"Younger kids see drinking energy drinks as something their parents might disapprove of,† says Jim Karwowski of Power Brands. A market that has yet to be fully tapped into is the female consumer. While the number of female consumers has grown 74 percent over the last five years, women are still considered the minority population when it comes to energy drinkers. Almost 20 percent of men say they drink energy drinks while only 10 percent of women say they do (Francella). I’ll be using information gathered from a number of different research papers as well as reports produced from beverage industry insiders to substantiate my findings on the marketing techniques being used to lure America’s youth into becoming loyal consumers. Method: During this study I coded 60 magazines. I reviewed issues of Racer X Illustrated and Motocross Action Magazine looking for ads from energy drink companies. My goal was to find print ads directly from the energy drink companies themselves that promoted their product. Once found (if found), I would evaluate what the ad was about and what demographic the ad was targeting. I watched and coded 10 TV commercials (via YouTube) in an attempt to figure out if the messages shown were directed towards a particular market. The only â€Å"corporate made† TV commercials I was able to find were from Red Bull and Rockstar. I found a variety of homemade Monster commercials but none that would have been endorsed by the corporate office. With Red Bull, four of the ads were animated and four were of Red Bull sponsored athletes. The two Rockstar commercials were based around music, one having a more psychedelic look while the other had a guitar player helping a stranded woman. My goal here was to evaluate what the ads were about and what demographic the ads was intended for. I reviewed and coded four web sites, three from energy drink companies and one from an action sports promotion company. My objective while evaluating these sites was to see what groups of people, whether it was men or women, and what age range was the information intended for. I found a vast amount of information to dissect and code from companies that are within the beverage industry. These are companies that do product reviews, market analysis, and product introductions, among other things. Two common messages that I repeatedly found in these articles revolved around college kids using energy drinks to mix with alcohol and the overall abuse of energy drinks. My objective here was to get an idea of how many college kids fall into one of these two groups. Although my options were limited due to a lack of documentation from other academic researchers, I was able to find, evaluate, and code information from four other academic research papers. I was able to find these documents after an exhaustive search using Lexis Nexis, Psychinfo, and the Social Science Citation Index via the Joyner Library. I came across a huge inventory of other academic research papers that were based on similar subjects, but to gain access to more than the first paragraph I would have had to sign up for subscriptions and pay fees. I’m hoping that my frugalness will not negatively impact my grade and hope the information that I was able to obtain and evaluate will satisfy the requirements of this paper. While evaluating and coding the different mediums I looked at the overall tone of the material. Was the tone very harsh and bold, which would possibly be directed more towards college aged males? Was the tone very light hearted and fun which would be more appealing to a younger population and/or women? Or lastly, did the ad have some sexual overtones and innuendos which could either be directed at young men or women? Results: Being a subscriber of Racer X Illustrated and/or Motocross Action Magazine for the last 30 years, I have found that I look at many of the ads in those magazines in a rather numb, non-consuming state of mind. I’ve seen the ads so many times that I know all about the companies and their products so I don’t pay much attention to them. To my surprise, after looking at 60 different magazines that were printed over a span of five years, I didn’t find a single ad that was specifically advertising the actual energy drink. I found a large variety of ads that were promoting energy drink sponsored events, but none for the drinks themselves. The majority of the sponsored events were either motocross races, action sports events, or alternative rock concerts (the Vans Warped Tour) and bands (Linkin Park). If I was to describe the age, sex, and race of the attendees of these events it would probably be predominantly 16 – 25 year old, white, males. Although I didn’t find any product ads in the magazines it was nearly impossible to turn a page and not find pictures of riders or motorcycles that didn’t have the name or logo of an energy drink showing. I felt the four animated Red Bull commercials could be perceived as trying to target the very young viewers and the female market as much as anything else. They were light hearted, funny cartoons that weren’t big, bold, and overbearing. The four Red Bull commercials featuring their sponsored athletes were very action packed and intense. They included Robbie â€Å"Mado† Madison jumping his motorcycle onto the roof of a building in Las Vegas, â€Å"B-boy Ronnie† freestyle break dancing, big wave surfer Ian Walsh, and stunt plane pilot Kirby Chambliss. While the animated commercials carried the pitch, â€Å"Red Bull Gives You Wings,† the commercials with the athletes concluded with the athlete saying, â€Å"Welcome to my World, the World of Red Bull. † These action driven commercials were in my opinion made for the thrill seeking male consumer between the ages of 16 to 25. I also found that Red Bull’s marketing plan has the brand pursuing traditional advertising such as TV commercials as its last phase of product market development (Hein). â€Å"Media is not a tool that we use to establish the market,† says Red Bull’s Vice President of Marketing, David Rohdy. â€Å"The idea is to reinforce, not introduce the brand. Only when a market is deemed mature does the company begin a media push,† concluded Rohdy. Red Bull typically creates two new TV spots each year and runs them in their â€Å"mature markets† (Hein). The four web sites that I reviewed and coded were the corporate web sites of Red Bull: http://www. redbull. com/ , Rockstar Energy Drink: http://www. rockstar69. com/ , Monster Energy: http://www. monsterenergy. com/. In addition to the three top selling energy drink brands I also looked at Alli Sports: http://www. allisports. com/ the promoter of some of the biggest action sports series and events in the world. Themes that were consistent with all four of the sites were action, youth, and energy, energy, energy. The Red Bull site was the most clean cut and professional looking site out of the three beverage sites. I’m not saying that the Rockstar and Monster sites were cheaply made, or have an unprofessional appearance, but the Red Bull site looks like something you would present to share holders of the company. It has the least amount of â€Å"boldness† of the three beverage sites, but is packed full of well filmed video clips showing off their sponsored athletes. I don’t know if the fact that the corporate base for Red Bull is in Austria has anything to do with the web sites visual appeal, but it’s definitely a different approach than its competition took. With the look and accessibility of this site and its features I felt like it was geared for an older more mature audience. I didn’t see the sight selling the sexual appeal of women as much as I did on the Rockstar site. I think Red Bull’s site would appeal to both men and women ages 15 to 40. The Rockstar site was definitely the edgiest of the three beverage sites. Just on the home page alone you see ads for mixed martial arts fights and heavy metal concerts that the brand is sponsoring. If you look further down you can watch a short video clip of five beautiful, big breasted women posing on motorcycles and race cars. There’s also links that talk about the variety of products they offer as well as links to the various music and sports events that they sponsor to include the sponsored bands and athletes that participate in those events. I felt that the Rockstar site was definitely geared for young, white, males, ages 15 to 30. Overall I thought that the site had a very harsh tone to it and women probably wouldn’t appreciate it. With a mix of the fighters and rock concert promotions flashing on the screen a viewer might even feel some rage building inside while viewing the site. The Monster site was all about speed. The home page had a constantly changing look that showcased many Monster sponsored racers. The site overall was neatly laid out. It didn’t have as clean and crisp of a look as Red Bull had but it wasn’t as busy as the Rockstar site was. The site was easy to navigate and was very appealing to the eye. I feel the overall look of the site and the message that it gives was directed more towards the young, white, male between the ages of 15 and 35. The site is very dark, as the background is black, and has a hardcore feel and tone. I think women might be turned off by that. One feature on the Monster site that is inviting to a broader fan / consumer base is the Monster Army. I think the idea of being a part of something is a selling point for many of today’s youth. I think the Monster Army is an appealing environment for both sexes with an age range of 12 to 40. The Alli Sports web site focuses on the promotion of the action sports events that they promote. Although Alli Sports doesn’t have direct sponsorship deals with any of the leading energy drink companies, all of the athletes that are sponsored by those companies participate in Alli Sports produced events. The same demographic that participates in BMX, motocross, wakeboarding, skateboarding, and other alternative action sports that Alli promotes also consume energy drinks. I feel the Alli site is geared more towards the fans of action sports which could be male or female between the ages of 12 and 40. It’s a very bright web site and has a low key and fun overall tone to it. Both the articles I found from industry insiders as well as the academic research papers that I found voiced similar issues and concerns. One issue of concern and importance addressed the use of energy drinks by college students. I was unaware of the fact that many energy drinks are on the list of nutritional supplements banned by the NCAA. Caffeine is a stimulant and college athletes will fail a drug test if the concentration of caffeine in their sample is 15 micrograms per milliliter. That would be the equivalent of slamming five to 10 cups of coffee before a game (Moritz). Another concern that researchers have is the increasing number of college students that are consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks. In the fall of 2006, 4,271 college students from 10 universities in North Carolina were surveyed about their consumption of energy drinks, alcohol, and the combination of the two. The results of the survey showed that 697 of the students had consumed one or more energy drinks within the last 30 days, and one-quarter of the students said that they mixed alcohol and energy drinks. Looking at the amount of energy drinks consumed by the two sexes it was discovered that men drank on average 2. 49 energy drinks per month while women drank 1. 22 drinks per month. Students who were young, male, white, intramural athletes, and fraternity members or pledges, were significantly more likely to drink energy drinks that those in other demographics (O’Brien, Miller). With college students’ taking heavier class loads and the ever present concern of one’s grades, caffeine abuse has been on the rise on college campuses. There has been an increase in reports of caffeine intoxication from the mass consumption of energy drinks as well as an overall an increase in the number of students that are dealing with caffeine dependence and withdrawal issues (Reissig). The poison control center in Chicago has handled 265 cases of caffeine abuse involving energy drinks in the last three years. The users’ average age was under 21 (LeBlanc). Interpretation: Based on information I reviewed, I feel that the energy drink industry is very strong and will continue to grow. I think the marketeers of the energy drinks are doing a great job at getting visibility for their products and they’re focusing on a set consumer demographic that has huge spending power. The youth and college students today are easily influenced and have a strong influence on the products their peers buy. The studies show that because these energy drink companies are gaining brand loyalty from their consumers at a young age that the odds are in their favor that they will become lifelong consumers. Taking the unconventional route to marketing may or may not be any cheaper than doing normal TV spots that Coke and Pepsi do. Either way, the leaders of the energy drink market are making it work for them. From a financial standpoint, I think the return on investment will come faster in the energy drink industry than it ever has in any other aspect of the beverage industry. Selling 8 oz. cans for over $2 a can is a quick way to make money. Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar are dominating the energy drink industry when it comes to consumer preference with white male’s ages 12 to 40, but what about the ladies? The industry has yet to scratch the surface of the young female consumer market. Granted, there aren’t too many professional female athletes participating in alternative sports yet, but there are other lines of approach that the industry needs to consider. I remember seeing a bumper sticker once that said, â€Å"Girls Kick Ass. † It is that same kick ass mentality that has made energy drinks as popular as they are today. I think it will only be a matter of time before we see one of the power players in the energy drink industry come out with a product specifically marketed towards women. Maybe a black Monster can with a hot pink claw mark rather than the green one, who knows?! I foresee the FDA getting involved sooner than later with regulations on how much sugar, sodium, and caffeine can be in each product. I don’t feel that mixing energy drinks and alcohol is that big of a problem and personally hope laws don’t get created to prohibit such mixes. I think that if an individual is going to consume alcohol irresponsibly, they are going to do it regardless on the fact that an energy drink is or isn’t part of their drink selection. Bibliography: Campanelli, M. and Lee, J. , eMarketingandCommerce. com (2007). â€Å"Social Media Tips from Monster Energy† (accessed June 9, 2009). Available at: http://www. emarketingandcommerce. com/view/106 Landi, H. , Hall, M. , and Sacks, R. , Beverage World (2009) â€Å"Monster Energy: A Mighty Force† (accessed June 9, 2009) Available at: http://www. beverageworld. com/content/view/35687/ Scribd, BevNet, Research Wikis (2006) â€Å"Research Wikis Energy Drink marketing Research† (accessed June 10, 2009) Available at: http://www. scribd. com/doc/3259151/ResearchWikis-Energy-Drinks-Marketing-Research Rajan, A. , Reuters (2009) â€Å"Hansen’s Monster Takes the Fight to Red Bull’s Turf† (accessed June 10, 2009) Available at: http://www. reuters. com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE5313N320090402 Francella, B. , CS News Online (2008) â€Å"Energy Drink Sales Growth Running Out of Steam? † (accessed June 10, 2009). Available at: http://www. csnews. com/csn/index. jsp Search: â€Å"Energy Drink Sales† Berry, B., Agri-Food Trade Service (2008) â€Å"The Energy Drink Segment in North America† (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://www. ats. agr. gc. ca/us/4387_e. htm LeBlanc, P. , Austin American Statesman (2008). â€Å"The Buzz on Energy Drinks – Energy Drinks Booming in Popularity† (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://www. statesman. com/ Search: â€Å"The Buzz on Energy Drinks† Hein, K. , and Rohdy, D. , Brandweek (2001) â€Å"A Bull’s Market – the Marketing of Red Bull Energy Drink† (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_22_42/ai_75286777/?tag=content;col1 Moritz, A. , Tribune Business News (2008). â€Å"Think Before Using an Energy Drink: Colleges† (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://proquest. umi. com. jproxy. lib. ecu. edu/login? COPT=REJTPUc2 Search in the ProQuest Research Library database: â€Å"Think Before Using an Energy Drink: Colleges† Reissig, C. J. , Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (2009) â€Å"Caffeinated Energy Drinks – A Growing Problem† (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://web. ebscohost. com. jproxy. lib.ecu. edu/ehost/search? vid=1&hid=6&sid=5b788385-77d0-43c3-8372-037638da0fc6%40SRCSM2 Search in the PsycINFO database: â€Å"Caffeinated Energy Drinks – A Growing Problem† O’Brien, M. C. , Wake Forest Univ, Bowman Gray Sch Med, Dept Emergency Med, Winston Salem, NC (2008) â€Å"Caffeinated Cocktails: Energy Drink Consumption, High-Risk Drinking, and Alcohol- Related Consequences Among College Students† (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://apps. isiknowledge. com. jproxy. lib. ecu. edu/summary. do? qid=2&product=WOS&SID=1BONI6HlgO3hemOl6fP&search_mode=GeneralSearch. Miller, K. E. , SUNY Coll Buffalo, Res Inst Addict, Buffalo, NY – Journal of American College Health (2008) â€Å"Wired: Energy Drinks, Jock Identity, Masculine Norms, and Risk Taking† (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://apps. isiknowledge. com. jproxy. lib. ecu. edu/summary. do? qid=5&product=WOS&SID=1BONI6HlgO3hemOl6fP&search_mode=GeneralSearch Ness, G. , Chief Strategy Officer, Sundog. net (2006) â€Å"Marketing to College Students 101 (accessed June 11, 2009) Available at: http://www. sundog. net/sunblog/posts/marketing-to-college-students-101/.