Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 - Essay Example In the futuristic society people’s main leisure activity is watching TV, independent thinking and reading are illegal, books are burned, and information given to the citizens is censored. The protagonist Montag, who burns books for a living, does not question such way of life. However, a meeting with a teenager Clarisse changes the main character’s point of view. Clarisse does not share the values of the society and prefers traditional pastimes of reading, contemplating and talking to people. Talking to her Montag starts to realize that even though advanced gadgets can make life easier, technology and mass culture can take over human lives. Fast development of technology gives the impression that we already live in the world described by Bradbury in the novel. It is evident in the fact that modern life cannot be imagined without TV, computers, social networks and instantaneous exchange of information. People have the impression that they already live in the future. Howe ver, the future based on digital technology and mass culture hides threats modern people overlook. Ray Bradbury more that a decade ago predicted what the course of development taken by our society could bring. In the novel Bradbury warns us about the danger of: abuse of technology that can distort reality and isolate people; consumerism that lays the foundations for the uniform pleasure-seeking society; manipulation through mass media that can result in the loss of free will. By describing the damage caused by lack of human communication, fascination with superfluous entertainment and media manipulation, Bradbury’s purpose is to prevent such conditions before they occur. For one thing, the more people rely on machines, the less they value and notice humans. As a consequence, in digital society, people are lonely and isolated from real world connections. Through the persona of Faber, English professor made redundant in

Change Management In Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Change Management In Organisations - Essay Example All this makes us a number of fronts that any huge corporate has to tackle, with its given or potential resources. Therefore, the ability to rapidly and effectively settle in to all such environmental challenges is now perhaps a very crucial factor for the success of any organization in today’s world. As a consequence, the success of an organization is not just building upon a single competitive advantage which can be derived from its production techniques and facilities or its financial backing which gives it economies of scale or negotiating strength, but rather its ability to embrace the changes that are posed by the environment. An organization which can work on ideas that are not very conventional can deal with the new situations with enough flexibility and accommodate the changes and we can consider it to be perhaps one that can sustain growth over a longer period of time successfully. Need for a change: The need to adapt ‘change’ is critical all organizatio ns which aim towards sustainable growth. Although people are progressively becoming more and more aware of an urgent need for change, in most of the cases many significant organizational change initiatives actually fail to even meet minimum requirements and are therefore unable to deliver the desired results as expected by the change sponsors. As per few studies that have been carried out, it has been estimated that somewhere around 40% to70% of the total change initiatives in huge organizations have failed (Burnes, 2000). Activities that are pertinent to the implementation of ‘change’ in an organization should primarily focus on the changing motivations and the behaviors of organizational stakeholders. Fundamentally the human resources in view of the fact that they are the most vital assets that an organization possesses which can be leveraged for the improvement of organizational outcomes. Change needs to be properly managed. It cannot just be implemented in a single wave. A radical change can be highly risky and may turn out to be a big failure as the people affected by the change may backfire to resist it and leaving no future scope of attempting to bring even a gradual one. Change management can be defined as the preamble and administration of an initiative which is designed for â€Å"renewing an organization’s direction, structure, and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers† (Moran & Brightman, 2001). Motivation to Resist Change: Despite the critical need for change and the prospective positive results that are expected to be a by-product of the change, in most cases the internal customers i.e. the human resource are always highly motivated to challenge any changes to the status-quo. Negative reactions from the employee can be highly damaging for organizations. This is due to the fact that change initiatives are commonly associated with destructive effects such as employee withdrawals o r downsizing, lower levels of productivity and psychological pressures. Machines are made to work for long hours without compromising the accuracy and quality of work, for example. A change initiative to implement a new information system may

Medical & social needs of homecare clients Essay

Medical & social needs of homecare clients - Essay Example Conclusion Medical and social needs of Homecare Clients. 1. Introduction. Home health aide has a role of assisting the client and family in managing the condition of health at clients home. This essay will describe the needs of the clients, explain the role of home health aide and relate rights of client and family to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It will also discuss culture, life style and experiences of clients while identifying common reaction to illness or disability. The essay will identify body functions, diseases and disorders and emotional or spiritual needs of patients. 2. Basic physical and emotional needs of clients. Home health aides help clients who have diverse needs so that they feel comfortable and get assistance. They include the elderly, infants, mentally ill, people with physical and developmental disabilities together with people with nutritional needs. Majority of the clients require physical assistance in form of service. They require to be bathed, dress and given a hand to conduct self grooming. The client needs to be assisted to wash their hands and perform hygienic tasks to control infections. They need someone to support them as they manage pain. The urinal system may be causing incontinence and they will need someone to help them (Harris, 2004, p. 5). Clients may have nutritional requirements. The home health aide will assist by making the right combination of food and serve them. Those with skin ailments or wounds require help to take care of the skin and the wounds. The home health aide may be required to change the dressing at the right time. The disabled and the elderly may have musculoskeletal system problem. They will need someone to assist them in mobility. The bedridden will require someone who understands the best position when turning them in bed or moving them to another location. The home health aide will give a hand in ambulation and motion. The client will be in need of a safe environment, the home health aide mak es the environment safe for the client. They can clean and arrange their house (Eldelman and Madle 2010, p. 22). The home health aide is involved in organizing and arranging appointments for the client. Organizing entails arranging the means of transport and accompanying the client to their appointments. At times, the home health aide assists in doing shopping and cooking appropriate food for the client. They give the patient company. Additionally, they keep track of medication taken and appointments with the doctors. They facilitate them to participate in certain activities as well as exercise. Because they work closely with the doctors, the home health aides are required to report on the progress of their client. They can be shown to check respiration rate and temperature for the purpose of giving a report. They follow the directions of the physician to give the correct medication. According to Ahroni (1989, p. 77), the client needs to be assisted in lifting and coordinating activ ities. They need someone to give them company. They call in for help in case of emergencies. Clients in home health care need emotional support from the home health aide. This can be achieved if they talk to them, share stories, read books, and listen to them. Emotional support is needed by the client as they cope with their condition and situation. The family too needs emotional support. Families living with the mentally ill patients, disabled and terminally ill need encouragement. The new born can be delicate to handle and people may

The most Important Legacy of Reformation for us Today Essay

The most Important Legacy of Reformation for us Today - Essay Example The protestant reformation started in Europe in the early sixteenth century1. The works of Martin Luther King’s activities that he carried out in the late fifteenth century informed the reforms. During such times, it was evident in the Roman Catholic Church that the pope had the powers to sale of penance letters to people following the fact that he was deficient of the authority to forgive sins. In those days, the priest was highly regarded more important than any other person. Therefore, anything that he did was highly regarded as of moral right and was subject to no rejection or question. In this regard, the Catholic Church considered priests more than other considered other people. Following the ever questionable issues noticed by Luther regarding the practice of the pope, Luther advocated for provision of the Bible to everyone to read for themselves. It is due to such ill beliefs and practice that forced Martin Luther to call an end to such practices. He gained many follow ers in various countries by inspiring many religious reformers to break away from the Catholic Church and develop their own ideas. ... The reformations led to various religious wars that was termed the Thirty Years War. Christians believe in the ability of God to forgive sins since he has the power to do so. However, the notion that a person can influence God to forgive another is misleading. It is the idea of forgiveness of sins as well as the massive power accorded to the pope that led to the call to reformation. Reformation is an important aspect of human life. It is of crucial importance to highlight that different reformation always follow quests of justice with regards to certain matters that affect humanity. As such, people may always engage in protests with the hope of correcting a wrong where necessary. Such issues that always bring notable protests that mark the beginnings of reformations always arise from several sources. A major factor that may push for reformation may involve political factors. This may be evident where certain issues are considered oppressive to the general wellbeing of humanity. In ad dition, several protests championing for reforms may follow differences in religious views. As such, several religious societies may collude and strongly oppose a wrongdoing that may be evident in the society. Major reformations in history came with regards to the Roman Catholic church. The church in earlier days had several provisions and guidelines hat majority of followers considered oppressive. Such did not marry well with their beliefs and the faith they had in Christianity. Majority of such issues were being steered forth by the people of high ranks in the church. Such issues were considered oppressive to the faith and beliefs that were maintained by the faithful. This brought forth major reforms in

EXPENDITURE PLANNING AND CONTROL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

EXPENDITURE PLANNING AND CONTROL - Essay Example Conclusion......................................................................................13 Appendix A: Time and Cost Calculation................................................15 Appendix B: Preliminaries cost due to the Prolongation of the Works. 15 References 16 Bibliography 17 Expenditure Planning and Control – Assignment 1 I. Introduction I have been instructed by the main contractor (‘the Contractor’) to prepare a report in relation to a construction project which has experienced significant problems from the get go, which have resulted in delay and disruptions during the course of the Works. These delays and disruptions have inevitably affected the Contractor’s ability to complete the work in a timely fashion. This report provides an independent assessment of the surrounding particulars and contract documentation with a view to resolving the matter. I have specifically been instructed to include in the report the following points: an analysis of the delays; extension of time (‘EOT’); liquidated damages; valuation of work and claims for loss and / or expense. Generally speaking, I am instructed to provide my opinion in relation to the parties’ rights and obligations under the contract. The report begins by outlining in brief the ‘Background Facts’ and issues which arose (see section II). Section III of the report provides an ‘Analysis of the Issues’. Under this section, each problem is addressed in chronological order. The ‘Procedural Issues’ are set out at section IV. Section V addresses the ‘Methods of Quantification’. Finally, section VI is the Conclusion. II. Background Facts The contract was entered into by the parties for the construction of an extension to a cancer centre at a hospital in the north east (‘the project’). The project can be more specifically summarised as the construction of an extension and some refurbishment work t o the cancer unit. The standard form construction contract used for the works is the JCT Standard Building Contract with Quantities (SBC/Q) (‘JCT05’) with sectional completion. This form of contract is generally used where the works have been designed / detailed by or on behalf of the Employer. The contract documentation is comprised of the JCT05 contract, contract drawing and the bill of quantities. The Contract Sum for the Works was set at ?4,000,000 under a firm price contract; otherwise known as a fixed price contract. The Contractor was to be paid monthly with 3% of the Contract Sum being retained by the Employer until completion. The duration of the contract was 34 weeks with a start date scheduled for 1st February 2008. The Works were to be executed whilst the neighbouring hospital buildings were to be occupied. It was specifically mentioned in the Preliminaries, however, that the Works were to be carried out with ‘as little disruption as possible to the da y to day working of the hospital’. Albeit, contractors were advised to visit the site at the pre-tendering stage in order to assess the conditions which could potentially impede the execution of the Works (see the Preliminaries). Furthermore, there is only one site entrance, which is situated along a busy road and is also on a ‘blind corner’, which requires careful supervision at the time of site deliveries. The following issues arose on site soon after the works commenced: Relevant Issues i) A delay of six weeks resulted after site conditions were found to be of poor quality which demanded that the foundations be redesigned; ii) A further five

Poetic skills Tennyson Essay Example for Free

Poetic skills Tennyson Essay To finally come to a conclusion on this question we will be referring to 3 narrative poems which are, The Lady of Shalott, The Charge of the Light Brigade and Mariana. A narrative poem is a poem that tells a story such as Mariana which tells us a story of a girl who is waiting for her lover who would not return to her. The poetic skills that can be used in such poems are techniques such as description, use of mood and atmosphere, use of words, structure (stanzas, rhythm, rhyme scheme) and style (repetition, imagery, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, metaphor, contrast, simile), also narrative skills, e. g. suspense and tension (created within the story). In The Lady of Shalott, Tennyson divides the poem into 4 parts. The first part (part 1) sets the scene and consists of 4 stanzas. The second part (part 2) also consists of 4 stanzas. In this part we are inside the tower and we meet the lady, we also learn the she has a curse on her and that she must not look out of the window. In part 3 there are 5 stanzas. Here Sir Lancelot is introduced riding and singing on his way to Camelot. The lady can not resist and goes to look at him. The curse is broken and it is upon her, The curse is come upon me, cried The lady of Shalott (part 3 stanza 5 lines 8-9) Part 4 is the climax to the story and the poem. This part consists of 6 stanzas. Here she leaves the castle, goes out into the storm and finds a boat. The river takes her far. She sings her last song and dies. She is now seen by the people and Sir Lancelot for the first time. The second poem Mariana is made up of 7 stanzas. At the start of each stanza there is a narrative voice and Marianas voice at the end. Each stanza describes a different area of her life. In the first stanza we see everything falling apart, The rusted nails fell from the knots (Stanza 1 line 3) This is a comparison to how her life is falling apart. At the end of each of the first six stanzas there are three lines which are always the same, He cometh not, she said, she said; She said, I am aweary, aweary, I would that I were dead! (stanza 1 2 3 4 5 6 lines 10-11-12) The effect could be that we start to feel sorry for this poor, wretched woman as she always says that she wants to be dead. These three lines show that Mariana is waiting for someone but he never arrives. She wishes she was dead. The whole poem is about a woman alone in her house with everything falling apart.

Construction Plan for Business Expansion | Case Study

Construction Plan for Business Expansion | Case Study BEJAY GILOI YAPP Task 1 SENARIO 1 Building economics is a small part of a much larger subject of environmental economics whereby it consists of the application of the techniques and expertise of economics to construction projects. Its is important as economics are introduced in the early design stage for the entire build team and even for the client. This is concerned with the study of man’s needs in connection with shelter and the suitable and appropriate conditions in which to live. Building economics is also important to ensure that the resources available to the industry is effectively used and not wasted. Moreover, it ensures the increase rate of growth of construction work in the most efficient manner. Consideration must be given to other economic aspects such as the roles of the profession and the division of design and construction. Furthermore, the types of development and the size of the industry and its relationship to other industries should also be considered. Lastly, it is important that the types and sizes of construction firms and the variations in building costs and its influencing factors to be considered. Task 2 SCENARIO 2 Before Mr. Hashim should purchase a new office block to expand his business, I would advice him about a few factors that he might need to consider. The factors are as follows: One of the factors that Mr. Hashim should consider is the Accessibility. The site should be easily accessible by automobile and within walking distance of some potential users. Mr. Hashim should also count in the safety of the location whereby it would be safe for potential users to work in the proposed location. Next, is the Visibility of the office block. It is important that a prominent location is required so that the users can easily identify the office block. Visual Quality is also one of the factors that should be taken as the quality of the existing neighborhood or surroundings needs to complement with the office block. For example, it is not appropriate to set up an office whereby the surrounding buildings are residential buildings. Moreover, Mr. Hashim should consider on the Site Capacity whereby the site should be large enough to provide sufficient space for the users including parking space or for future expansion. Most importantly, Mr. Hashim should consider on the rental cost or the building cost of the proposed office property. It should be reasonable or to say atleast following his budget. This is to ensure that the rentals or price of the office block are affordable so that he can run his business accordingly and in the same time his business can be profitable. Lastly, Mr. Hashim should also consider the Facilities provided around the office property. For example, the presence of restaurants, cafes and department stores which will be really beneficial for him and his workers as they will not need to travel far to have there meals during Break hours. We can almost say that the meaning of the words Value and Cost are almost similar, although when it comes to building economic terms, these two components have totally different definitions. Value is usually meant by the sum of original cost estimates and assumptions. Although in building economic terms, value can be defined as the measure of benefits that an individual or company can gain either form goods or service. In construction, value is what the building is worth based on various market rates. It can be said that the as the demand and supply for a particular building or product increases, the value will also increase accordingly. Value can also be the amount of money that say, an asset has for a certain time period whether at present or any other time. There are few factors that can affect the value of a certain building. As for example the Location of a proposed project as a 2 Story Bungalow build in the center of the city has a different Value compared to a 2 Story Bungalow built in the village. Cost can be defined as the expenses or actual cost of a given project. In other words, it can also be defined as the total price of the project itself beginning from the design process to the finishing. This can be related to the components of cost which are the labor cost, material cost, plant and equipment cost, overhead cost and also the profit. These components can majorly affect the cost. For example, during the construction process of a given project, there happens to be a major breakdown on the equipment used. This will surely affect the end cost of the project. Task 3 SCENARIO 3 Wall to Floor Area Ratio is the measurement of the total floor area built or to be built in relation to the total size measurement of the project. The Wall to Floor Area Ratio is calculated by dividing the External Wall Area (EWA) by the Gross Floor Area (GFA) and the result ratio can be used to compare the building designs. Calculations:(Floor Height = 3m) External Wall Area (EWA) = (10+10+10+10) X 3 = 120 Gross Floor Area (GFA) = (10 X 10) = 100 EWA GFA = 120100 = 1.2 Calculations:(Floor Height = 3m) External Wall Area (EWA) = (10+5+15+5+10+5) = 150 Gross Floor Area (GFA) = A (10 X 5) + B (10 X 5) = 100 EWA GFA = 150100 = 1.5 FIRST SECOND Gross Floor Area (GFA) (10 X 10) = 100 A(10 X 5) + B(10 X 5) = 100 External Wall Area (EWA) (10+10+10+10) X 3 = 120 (10+5+15+5+10+5) = 150 EWA/GFA 1.2 1.5 Based on the calculations, the FIRST floor plan is more economical because it has a lower wall to floor ratio which is 1.2 compared to the SECOND floor plan with a wall to floor area ratio of 1.5. The lower the wall to floor ratio, the more economic will be the design. Task 4 SCENARIO 4 (i) Time- Time can be defined as the given period or length of time during any construction process. Time should be discussed in detail to the client so that they may know when the construction project starts and when is the given time for the completion of the project to be done according to the deadline. (ii) Cost It is the total cost of the project to be finished up or completed. The cost of a given project should be carefully analyzed and controlled from over budgeting and causing problems to the build team and especially to the client. Cost can come from the proposed land the project to be built, the materials used for construction and other various factors. (iii)Quality It is based on the finished product and will be judged by the client itself either from the quality of design, its looks and its overall function. It is also judged through the ability of the contractor to execute the project in such a way that the finished product is according to the client expectations and that the finished product does what it is intended. The three components, Time, Cost and Quality in the construction industry do play a big role in the success of a construction project. Although, these components should be balanced to ensure the success of a construction project. For example, if we reduce the time for a given project, the cost will drastically increase and the quality of work also increase. For example, Mr. Kumar is deciding to further expand his current business. He currently owns a 2 Block Restaurant and now he is deciding to extend his restaurant. Although, there are a few factors that have to be suggested by Mr. Kumar’s consultant in order to minimize the total end cost of the project itself. It would be great for Mr. Kumar to have a specific time line for the construction of the new extension of his current restaurant. This is to ensure that expenses for the project will be used by the best way possible and that his investment is profitable. Having a very short time period of construction process would only burden him as the cost of the construction process will be a bit more expensive but in the other hand, this will result in a great quality in it. The extension of the restaurant will surely be able to have a return on Mr. Kumar’s investment if it has a short time period of construction time and will eventually incur a high price, but in the end hav e a great quality on the project. Task 5 Quality in the construction industry usually means excellence. It is the totality of the attributes of a building in which enable it to satisfy needs, including the way in which individual attributes are related, balanced and integrated in the whole building and its surroundings. Thus, it is also considered a philosophy rather than a mere attribute. For example, we tend to judge the two objects by their qualities. In the construction industry especially in manufacturing, quality can be divided into different parts such as quality control, quality assurance and many others. Quality in the construction industry can also be devided into different views, which are the customer’s view itself, the producer’s view and the government’s view. In Malaysia, we have certain certifying bodies based on the construction projects. For example, we have Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) whereby these bodies set their own regulations to con trol the Quality of work according to the views of different clients. Whereby Standards in the construction industry is more to achieving a recognized level of quality within an organization. For example, to ensure that a proper standard of insulation is done and the proper standard of carpentry is done on a house according to the given standards within an organization. For Standards, there are also several certifying bodies in Malaysia. For example, SIRIM QAS International Sdn. Bhd. And Bureau Verritas Certification Sdn. Bhd. Which is responsible of controlling the standards on the construction products in Malaysia. There are three categories of quality cost. Firstly, is the Prevention Cost whereby its main purpose is to avoid defects on the product in the beginning of production stage. It also supports activities whose purpose is to reduce the number of defects of the products. For example, this costs in put in place through methods and procedures which ensures that the product is made according to its standards, meet its requirements and that it is made according to the design. Secondly, is the Appraisal Cost, whereby it is usually influenced by a third party. Appraisal Cost or also know as Inspection Cost where its main function is to identify defective products before the products are shipped to costumers. For example, some sample of the products pass through another inspection test or quality test before being certified to be packed and shipped to the costumers. Lastly, is the Inter Failure Cost whereby this cost is divided into two, which are Internal Failure Cost and External Failure Cost. Internal Failure Cost is a result from identification of defects before they are shipped to customers while the External Failure Cost include warranty, repairs and replacements of the product.