Globalisation Pros and Cons

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(This is preferable to a separate attachment. ) Student ID | |Course code and title: BUSS 5300 – Global Business Environment | |School: International Graduate School of Business |Program Code: DGMK | |Course Coordinator: You-il Lee |Tutor: You-il Lee | |Assignment number: 2 |Due date: 10 / 5 / 10 | |Assignment topic as stated in Course Information Booklet:Assessment 2: Individual Report | Further Information: (e. g. state if extension was granted and attach evidence of approval, Revised Submission Date) |   | I declare that the work contained in this assignment is my own, except where acknowledgement of sources is made. I authorise the University to test any work submitted by me, using text comparison software, for instances of plagiarism. I understand this will involve the University or its contractor copying my work and storing it on a database to be used in future to test work submitted by others. I understand that I can obtain further information on this matter at http://www. unisa. edu. au/ltu/students/study/integrity. asp Note: The attachment of this statement on any electronically submitted assignments will be deemed to have the same authority as a signed statement. |Signed: Stephen Andruchowycz |Date:9/5/10 | Date received from student |Assessment/grade |Assessed by: | | | | | | | | | |Recorded: |Dispatched (if applicable): | Globalisation is a force which brings an array of benefits and costs on a global scale, with developing countries generally bearing the majority of these costs. This essay will argue that while many of the benefits of lobalisation are felt around the globe, they are m ore beneficial to developed countries than third world countries. Likewise the negative consequences of globalisation are felt more heavily in third world countries than in developed countries. These benefits and cost are incurred on economic, political and socio-cultural levels. Many see globalisation as a primarily economic phenomenon, involving the increasing interaction, or integration, of national economic systems through the growth of international trade, investment, and capital flows. (Kirdar, 1992, p. 6) However, one can also point to a rapid increase in cross-border social, cultural, and technological exchange as part of the phenomenon of globalisation. Whether people fear globalisation or not, they cannot escape it. It is driven, above all, by the extraordinary changes in technology in recent years – especially computer and communications technology. For a society to achieve, it must use this technology to its advantage. To be able to do that, it must be globally engaged. As Alexander Downer said in his speech on harnessing globalisation power, â€Å"globalisation is an irreversible trend, it is not something that should be viewed as a juggernaut bearing down on the lives of ordinary Australians. † (Downer, 1998) The effects of such a phenomenon are widespread and felt in different ways by developed and developing countries There are many economic effects that result from globalisation that affect all nations on a global scale. Free trade is a phenomenon closely tied with globalisation. Countries remove their trade barriers, such as tariffs, so that all countries can begin to specialise in their most efficient production areas, resulting in maximum profit through global trade. Among the major industrial economies, sometimes referred to as the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, 65 percent of the total economic production, or GDP, is associated with international trade. Economists project that, in the U. S. , more than 50 percent of the new jobs created in this decade will be directly linked to the global economy. (Hopkins, 2002, p. 56). Certainly these figures show that globalisation is a major benefit to developed countries, but in many third world countries, it is argued that though jobs are being created, agricultural, subsistence jobs are being wiped out and replaced with ‘dollar per day’ multinational corporations, and further, that such corporations are merely widening the gap between the rich and poor. Critics of globalisation argue that despite the supposed benefits associated with free trade and investment, over the past hundred years or so the gap between the rich and poor nations of the world has gotten wider. In 1870, the average income per capita in the world's 17 richest nations was 2. 4 times that of all other countries. In 1990, the same group was 4. 5 times as rich as the rest. Hill, 2010, p. 31) By the late 1990’s the fifth of the world’s people living in the highest income countries had 86% of world GDP, 82% of world export markets, 68% of foreign direct investment, and 74% of world telephone lines. The bottom fifth of the world’s people earned 1% for the first three categories and 1. 5% respectively. (Waters, 2002, pp. 3-4) Of course we must be wary that there are exceptions to this trend. China’s opening to world trade has bought it growth in income from $1460 a head in 1980 to almost $4500 in 2005, and in 1980, American’s earned 12. 5 times as much as the Chinese per capita, by 1999, they were only earning 7. times as much. (Evans, 2001, p. 80). Nonetheless there appear to be strong forces for stagnation among the world's poorest nations as a result of globalisation. A quarter of the countries with GDP per capita of less than $1,000 in 1960 had growth rates of less than zero from 1960 to 1995, and a third have growth rates of less than 0. 05 percent. (Hill, 2009, p. 31) Market failure is another major issue that is common in western economies, and impacts on other countries rather than themselves. Market failure is when thos e who are producing or consuming goods or services do not have to bear the full costs of their actions, such as the cost of pollution. Free trade encourages firms from advanced nations to move manufacturing facilities to less developed countries that lack adequate regulations to protect labour and the environment from abuse by the unscrupulous. (Dowling, Hill and Lieche, 2009, p. 31) This effectively means that transnational corporations are able to pollute third world nations and destroy their environment with minimal or no cost. Attempts to stem global pollution have been implemented such as the Kyoto Protocol, which sets binding emission targets for developed countries (Horton and Patapan, 2004, p. 86) but nonetheless, the majority of developed countries impact on developing countries in this way to some extent. In this regard it can again be seen that the benefits of globalisation on an economic level are skewed in favour of developed countries. However, this does not mean under-developed countries do not benefit at all. Another issue that arises for developing countries is that falling trade barriers allow firms to move manufacturing activities to countries where the wage rates are much lower. For example, Harwood Industries, a US clothing manufacturer closed its US Operations which paid wages of $9 per hour and shifted manufacturing to Honduras where textile workers received 48 cents per hour (Hill, 2009, p. 27) The majority of developing countries continue to experience falling levels of average income. Globally, from the late 1970s to the late 1990s, the average income of the lowest-income families fell by over 6 percent. By contrast, the average real income of the highest-income fifth of families increased by over 30 percent. (Hill, 2009, p. 28) However, it has been argued that while people in developed countries may regard this situation as exploitation, for many people in the developing world, working in a factory is a far better option than staying down on the farm and growing rice. (Stiglitz, 2002, p. 4) Nonetheless, it is a clear case of where the benefits of globalisation for developed countries far outweigh those that arise for developing countries. In fact the only clear indicator that suggests developing countries are benefitting from globalisation more-so than developed countries is in regards to their quality of life. There is evidence which shows that a number of developing countries have benefited from globalisation, and this is supported by quality of life statistics. Through globalisation, many people in the world now live longer than before and the standard of living is far better. Further, per capita GDP growth in the post-1980 globalisers accelerated from 1. 4 percent a year in the 1960s and 2. 9 percent a year in the 1970s to 3. 5 percent in the 1980s and 5. 0 percent in the 1990s. (Dollar and Kraay, 2001, p. 1) The non-globalising developing countries have done much worse than this, with annual growth rates falling from highs of 3. 3 percent during the 1970s to only 1. 4 percent during the 1990s. Indeed, throughout the 1990’s till today, eighteen of the twenty-four globalising developing countries have experienced growth, many of them, quite substantially. (NA, 2004, p. 236) However, the growth most have experienced is minimal in comparison the growth being experienced by developed countries. Certainly there are ways in which globalisation does bring benefits to developing countries on an economic level. However, overall it is clear that the benefits are felt more heavily in developed countries and the costs are felt more heavily in developing countries. This is much the same case when regarding the social and cultural effects of globalisation. Globalisation opens people’s lives to culture and to all its creativity – and the flow of ideas and knowledge. Although the spread of ideas and images enriches the world, there is a risk of reducing cultural concerns to protecting what can be bought and sold, neglecting community, custom and tradition. (Hirst & Thompson, 1996, p. 256) it is widely asserted, and indeed frequently taken for granted, that we live in a ‘global’ village where national cultures and boundaries are dissolving, we consume ‘global’ brands, corporations have to be competitive in a ‘global’ market place and governments have to be responsive to the needs of the ‘global’ economy. In any case, globalisation produces a tension between sameness and difference, between the universal and the particular, and between cultural homogenisation and cultural heterogenisation (Subhabrata & Linstead, 2001, p. 684) Americanisation is a major example of such cultural homogenisation, acting in many ways which destroy global culture. Globalisation has increased transmission of popular culture easily and inexpensively from the developed countries of the North throughout the world. Consequently, despite efforts of nationally-based media to develop local television, movie, and video programs, many media markets in countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America are saturated with productions from the U. S. Europe and a few countries in Asia. (Tomlinson, 1999, p. 98). Local critics of this trend lament not only the resulting silencing of domestic cultural expression, but also the hegemonic reach of Western culture and the potential global homogenisation of values and cultural taste. (NA, 2005, p. 1) A report by the UN Educational, Scientific and cultural Organisation showed that the world trade in goods with cultural content almost tripled between 1980 and 1991: from 67 billion dollars to 200 billion dollars. (Akulenko, 2008, p. 1) At the core of the entertainment industry – film, music and television – there is a growing dominance of US products. The World Trade Organisation rules do not allow countries to block imports on cultural grounds, which means there is nothing standing in the way of Western culture overtaking and eradicating the cultures of developing countries. It is argued that this could mean the end of cultural diversity, and the triumph of a uni-polar culture serving the needs of transnational corporations (Tomlinson, 1999, p. 134). Clearly globalisation is benefitting developed countries by allowing them to spread their culture and influence on a global scale. However, for developing countries, their culture is in many ways being eroded and replaced with the typical Western culture. However, supporters of globalisation argue that it does not make sense to talk of a world of 6 billion people becoming a monoculture. The spread of globalisation will undoubtedly bring changes to the countries it reaches, but change is an essential part of life. It must also be noted that globalisation is not all one-way traffic. Global products are absorbed into and change western life – including such phenomena as Latinisation and Japanisation. (Hopper, 2007, p. 82) Similarly many of the arts and foods from developing cultures have become ingrained into Western society, presenting opportunities for developing countries to increase their cultural exporting. For example, curry, an Indian cuisine has become a global food eaten world-wide. However, Americanisation is a far greater cultural force which brings many benefits to Western countries. The impact of developing countries cultures is far smaller and there is the risk that Westernisation could lead to the destruction of the cultures of a number of developing countries. Another effect of globalisation is a global improvement in communications and technology. On the one hand, the electronic revolution has promoted the diversification of information as people in nearly every country are able to communicate their opinions and perspectives on issues, local and global, that impact their lives. (NA, 2005, p. ) Political groups from Chiapas to Pakistan have effectively used information technology to promote their perspectives and movements. On the other hand, this expansion of information technology has been highly uneven, creating an international â€Å"digital divide† in such things as differences in access to and skills to use the internet. (NA, 2005, p. 1) Often, access to information technology and to telephone lines in many developing countries is controlled by the state or is available only to a small minority who can afford them. (Hoogvelt A, 1997, p. 46) Thus, it can be seen that the technological benefits of globalisation are also being felt much more by developed countries than developing countries. This is the same case when regarding the effects of globalisation on a political level One of the biggest political issues surrounding globalisation, which particularly impacts on developing countries, is that many sovereign countries have lost control of their economies and that such control has shifted to more powerful countries, multinational firms, and international financial institutions. The logic of this concern suggests that national sovereignty has progressively and systematically been undermined by globalisation, leading to growing cynicism among political elites and their citizenries, especially among poor developing countries. (Pere, 2010, p. ) Critics argue that today's increasingly interdependent global economy shifts economic power away from national governments and toward supranational organisations such as the WTO, the EU and the UN. Unelected bureaucrats now impose policies of the democratically elected governments of nation-states, thereby undermining the sovereign ty of those states and limiting the nation's ability to control its own destiny. (Hill, 2009, p. 30). Globalisation has seen state power decline as transnational processes grow in scale and number. The power of TNC’s, with annual budgets greater than that of many states, and is the most visible sign of this change. As economic and political life becomes more complex, many traditional functions of state are transferred to global and regional international organisations. (Gupta, 1997, p. 6) In this environment, developing countries are losing their influence on a national and global scale towards organisations largely controlled by developed countries. In this way, it is again clear that developed countries benefit from globalisation more so than developing countries. However, if these supranational organisations turn their focus more towards aiding developing countries, a number of benefits could result. At the international level, supranational organisations such as the World Bank and IMF must pay more attention to the reality that globalisation has generated extremes of inequality of assets and income across the spectrum of developing countries. (Gupta, 1997, p. 06) International lending and grants could be more explicitly focused on cutting subsidies that benefit the rich, on encouraging and financing market-related land reform, and most importantly providing investment and policy advice for effective public education. There is also a need for developed countries of the OECD to thoroughly review their neo-mercantilist trade policies. (Pere, 2010, p. 1) There is enough empirical evidence to show that protection of agriculture and textiles discriminate against the poor of developing countries. The poor and vulnerable in developing countries could also benefit from international financing of countercyclical safety net programmes, subject to certain conditions. These would include a solid record of sound fiscal policy; the political capacity to undertake such programmes free of corruption; and a long-term fiscal capacity to service any debt that might be incurred. (Pere, 2010, p. 1) If these policies were instated, developing countries would benefit from globalisation in ways that match or exceed the political benefits that developed countries receive as a result of globalisation. Clearly globalisation is a force which brings an array of benefits and costs on a global scale. However, it is also clear that developing countries are, in many cases, bearing the majority of these costs while developed countries are feeling the majority of the benefits. While there are a number of economic, socio-cultural and political actions which could be taken to ensure developing countries benefit from globalisation to a similar extent to developed countries, as it stands, there can be no denying that globalisation is a force which favours developed countries over developing countries. Bibliography: Akulenko. E, 2008, Cultural Aspects of Globalization, Accessed 5 May 2010, < http://emiliaakulenko. wordpress. com/2008/10/22/cultural-aspects-of-globalization/> Dollar. D and Kraay. A, 2001, Trade Growth and Poverty, Accessed 5 May 2010, http://www. imf. org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2001/09/dollar. htm Dowling. P, Hill. C and Liesch. D, 2009, International Business, Mc-Graw Hill, New York Downer. A, 1998, Annual Trade Lecture by the Minister for Foreign Affairs: Harnessing Globalisation's Power, Accessed 5 May 2010, Evans T, 2001, The politics of human rights: a global perspective, Pluto Press, London Gupta. S, 1997, The Political Economy of Globalization, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Massachusetts Hill. C, 2009, International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace, Mc-Graw Hill International, New York Hoogvelt At, 1997, Globalisation and the Postcolonial World: The New Political Economy of Development, Macmillan Press Ltd, London Hopkins A. G. , 2002, Globalization in World History, Pimlico, London Hopper. P, 2007, Understanding Cultural Globalization, Polity Press, Cambridge Horton. K and Patapan. H, 2004, Globalisation and Equality, Routledge, London Kirdar U, 1992, Change: Threat or Opportunity: Economic Change, United Nations Publications, New York. Linstead S & Subhabrata B, 2001, Globalization, Multiculturalism and other Fictions: Colonialism for the new Millennium, RMIT University, Melbourne N. A, 2004, The Globalisation Debate, The Spinney Press, Thirroul NSW 2515, Australia N. A, 2005, Introduction to Globalization – After September 11, Social Science Research Council, Accessed 5 May 2010, Pere. G, 2010, The Positive and Negative Consequences of Globalisation, Institute for Global Dialogue, Midrand. Stiglitz, J, 2002, Globalization and its Discontents, Routledge, Allen Lane, London Tomlinson. J, 1999, Globalization and Culture, University of Chicago Press, Chicago Waters M, 2002, Globalization, 2nd Edition, Routledge, Fetter Lane, London

Confederacy Theory

These analysts fear that China's improving military capableness risk undermining current security Hyannis predicated upon realism's hegemonic stably theory. Hegemonic stably argues that because the united States possesses overwhelming economic and malpractice might, the international order has remained relatively stable (Snyder 2009, 6-7). Liberalism and interstate cooperation has flourished because security has been guaranteed by the united States, who acts as an arbiter in local or regional disputes.Of late, however, US hegemony is waning. After two failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a global economic recession, the relative power losses of the united States coupled with the economic and militaristic rise of China has realist analysts predicting deepening security dilemmas between China and her neighbors and China and the US (Christensen 1999, 49-51; Braver 2007/8, 44 Newer 2009, 206-207).The ‘security dilemma' narrative contends that declining US power and influence in East Asia will precipitate increased nationalism, instability, and conflict, and the emergence of a new great power capable of challenging the US will accelerate the decline of the us-backed liberal order (Snyder 1999, 10-12). Accordingly, a security dilemma follows logically with the decline of a hegemony. However, as China continues its ascent and the US seems poised to decline, the stability of the international order has remained relatively in tact.In fact, rather than undermining or challenging the liberal international order, China seems eager to participate in the existing structure (Liana 2007, 5-20). China is not adhering to Sun Tutu's maxim that a rising power will increasingly flex its military muscle. Instead, â€Å"China's behavior challenges existing arguments†¦ On power transitions, which assert that a rising state is likely to use force† (Braver 2007, 47). Accordingly, the predominate Yosemite theories of realism and neo-liberals are falling to adequately account for China's peaceful and nonviolent behavior given Its gains In relative power (Newer 2009, 207).If a different theory can more accurately explain China's peaceful rise despite relative power gains, than perhaps the very notion of a security dilemma can be effectively overcome. This essay will challenge hegemonic stably and Introduce the nascent concept of confederacy theory and Its gulden principle of a ‘prosperity-interest'. This essay will then demonstrate that prosperity-interests are effectively maligning the traditional resent of a security dilemma in Taiwan and in China by elevating prosperity and a security dilemma are a self-fulfilling prophecy – if you expect security concerns to be paramount, they will be.However, while this narrative predicts increased tensions, the reality presents a far different picture. Security dilemmas are being normalized by an expanding commercialism that priorities growth and prosperity over conflict. Confederacy Theory Con federacy theory was presented by Squids Snyder who reflected that the actions of states in the current global order do not properly fit into extant systemic theories. Snyder argues that the liberal international order constructed post WI is no longer being singularly supported by US hegemony.Instead, the international order is currently buttressed by what Snyder calls ‘a confederate structure composed of a cluster of liberal states engaged in vigorous commercial rivalry (Snyder 2009, 15). The role of the United States has shifted from being the system's underwriter to simply being its largest participant. At the center of the current international order are nations interacting and integrating commercially at unprecedented levels while simultaneously competing against one another to make gains in relative prosperity.The nucleus of this order is not composed of the United States, nor will it be controlled singularly by China or any rising state. Instead, power resides in a cohes ive commercial league of nations centered around the strongest Western powers plus Japan. â€Å"This league is a major power configuration that has altered competitive dynamics such that commercial integration†¦ Not military opposition and revision, has become the dominant competitive strategy' (Snyder 2009, 34).The Cold War marked an era wherein acquiring guns at any cost meant acquiring security and power – hence why the Cold War is the apotheosis of realism. Today, however, the obvious reality that money buys guns is trumping the strategic imperative of having guns. In the current global order, wealth is power, and in order to maximize wealth, countries are seeking â€Å"the desired benefits derived from membership and inclusion in the commercial order† (Snyder 2009, 19). The sheer magnitude of commercialism dictates that in order to compete nations must Join in so as not to be left behind.A country's strength â€Å"to a large degree hinges on [its] ability t o integrate itself into he dominant liberal commercial order,† (Snyder 2009, 16). In order to prosper and be competitive, nations must appeal to foreign direct investment (FED), attract the brightest minds from around the world, invest in human capital, invest in foreign companies, attract overseas firms, reciprocally trade in raw materials, acquire cheap energy, etc. (Myers 2010, 2-7). For a state to enhance its power and security, it must enhance its access to economic and commercial resources.Failure to engage with this league of nations means a failure to economically grow; and a failure to grow dads to instability, both domestically and militarily. Accordingly, the guiding principle to security and power isn't simply owning a gun, it's possessing the wealth and prosperity to buy a gun any time you need. Prosperity & The Security Dilemma – What does this mean for Security Dynamics? Despite underlying shifts in the distribution of power between nations, â€Å"the ba sic represents the nucleus of a new order predicated upon prosperity, not military power.In this system, â€Å"the most powerful driver of competitive behavior relates not to survival, but prosperity and commerce† (Snyder 2009, 16). To this point, confederacy theory seems in line with neo-liberalism. However, while integration can exist along a wide spectrum of interests, the principle phenomenon in confederacy theory focuses on the magnitude of commerce rather than on inter- governmental relations and the concept of institutional peace. Commercialism inherently requires a heavy degree of institutionalizing, but the important factor is that each state retains its sovereignty.A security dilemma is avoidable not because the institutions themselves mitigate conflict, but because commerce becomes the entrap arena wherein â€Å"the balance has shifted from guns to butter† (Snyder 2009, While liberals optimistically await the end of competitive inclinations, confederacy theo ry argues that competitive dynamics persist, but only in reaction to economic pressures rather than traditional military capabilities. â€Å"Every state still prefers to make gains relative to rivals† in order to maintain a prosperity gap (Snyder 2009, 24).Accordingly, security interests are not abandoned for absolute gains; only, â€Å"prosperity interests have eclipsed security concerns while competition has shifted to immemorial rivalry' (Snyder 2009, 34). Because competition and relative gains remain despite collaboration and overwhelming interaction, the security dilemma isn't simply removed from the equation. Instead, what confederacy theory argues is a normalization of traditional security concerns because a state's viable strategic options are fundamentally limited.If participating in commercialism provides the means to economically prosper, then it logically follows that states will conform to systemic requirements in order to be included. While institutions like th e World Trade Organization exist to ensure fair trade raciest, what is more fascinating are how nations are conforming their behavior to unwritten rules or best practices in order to increase national competitiveness economically. In order to attract capital and investment, nations must demonstrate political stability and economic liberalism.For instance, nations must have a consistent and enforceable legal system; they must protect intellectual property, promote innovation, and enforce banking and finance norms. In short, â€Å"capital follows opportunity†¦ [and] seeks out political stability' (Snyder 2009, 20). Military posturing r even the threat of instability inherently limits national competitiveness in attracting capital and growth. China's GAP the year before the Attainment square incident grew 1 1. 9%; in the two years following Attainment, GAP grew merely 4. 1% and 3. 8% respectively (Workloads).Security dilemmas will still exist, but countries literally can not affo rd to act upon fears at the risk of substantially limiting their ability to continue to prosper relative to other nations. â€Å"Even those who might arguably have Justifiable reason to fear one another?as the US might be wary of China's rise?none can actually afford to act on Hess fears in the ways Unrealism expects† (Snyder 2009, 19). Concerning the security dilemmas that may arise from China's military modernization, none is more precarious than the China-Taiwan relationship.China has continued to emphasize its ‘One-China' policy as a top priority, and to demonstrate their resolve, China has hundreds of missiles pointed at Taipei to ensure compliance to the 2005 ‘anti-cessation' law threatening force if Taiwan proceeds with formal independence (Rigger 2006, 1). Realist analysts view the region as a powder keg waiting to erupt. To highlight the depth of concern, realists note that even characteristics of the traditional security dilemma are heightened as defensi ve weaponry, which is usually not considered a move towards escalation, is seen as overtly threatening (Christensen 2009, 51).Despite these ominous trends, Taiwan is actually moving closer to China rather than distancing itself (Rigger 2006, 2-4). Though Taiwan is experiencing increased nationalism, which should fuel resentment and conflict, traditional realist concerns over military balancing are not their immediate concern. There is an emerging paradox in Taiwan wherein as the number of people identifying themselves as Taiwanese increases, there is a simultaneous decreasing desire for formal independence.Shelley Rigger investigated this phenomenon and concluded that a generational gap exists in Taiwan wherein the younger population (18-35), though increasingly identifying themselves as Taiwanese, looks upon China with pragmatism and rationality rather than traditional aggression. Rigger does note that, â€Å"there is powerful logic†¦ That as Taiwanese lose their emotional at tachment to Chinese identity, they will be less interested in interacting† with China. Such a powerful logic', however, is rooted in an obsolete model of systemic theory.Instead, Rigger notes that the emotional component that normally triggers resentment and distrust in these instances is being replaced with increased pragmatism. In a survey Rigger conducted of 18-35 year old Taiwanese residents, 73% of respondents said they would encourage increasing cross-strait economic engagement (Rigger 2006, 29) as a means to improving Titan's economy. Additionally, a majority of respondents said they'd be willing to work or study in mainland China.In a subsequent survey asking what is their most pressing concern, majority of 19-30 year old Taiwanese residents cited ‘personal economic concerns' as the number one issue; only 7% of respondents cited political tensions with China. Rigger concluded that for the younger generation of Taiwanese issues of unification and independence â₠¬Å"are of little concern to them†¦ They are far more interested in pragmatic issues involving economics, employment, and education† (Rigger 2006, 27). Accordingly, the trend of ‘Atomization' that realists fear has instead produced immense optimism about the future of China-Taiwan relations (Rigger 2006, 4).As the elder generation of Taiwan residents slowly cedes power to a younger and less historically minded generation of politicians, businessmen, and military officers, there is a greater likelihood that hostilities will be minimized by a rationality and pragmatism that recognizes cooperation and commercialism as the means to economic prosperity. China & The Security Dilemma been the principal drivers of China's very high level of international economic integration. In turn, the pragmatic imperative to continue rapid economic growth†¦ As gradually led China to participate more actively and cooperatively' (Lang 007, 147). This ‘pragmatic imperative' expla ins why, in the military realm, â€Å"China has been less belligerent than leading theories of IR might have predicted† (Braver, 2007/8, 45). Taylor Braver examined all instances, since 1949, in which China used force during territorial disputes. He concluded that China rarely exploits its military superiority and has instead opted to offer concessions rather than leverage or utilize military force (Braver 2007/8, 45).In the instances where force was used, China had suffered a ‘negative shift in bargaining power', meaning China's relative power was lessened by he the military modernization of a rival (Braver 2007/8, 47). Framer's conclusions directly challenge realist claims. China has only used forced when its relative power has declined and not when its power has increased! This study reinforces the notion that though security dilemmas may still exist, China will not be the instigator of tensions.The United States or Taiwan may view China's actions as heightening or e levating security concerns, but in reality, China acts simply to maintain a security balance rather than to increase their own first-strike capability. While examining the role of the PLAN in crafting China's policy toward Taiwan, Ellis Coffee notes that while the PLAN is largely responsible for coercing and deterring Taiwan from independence, the Plan's aggressive statements and military exercises are mostly for show rather than a precursor to action Coffee 1997, 64-68).Coffee points out that there is â€Å"no concrete evidence that PLAN leaders have pushed for military action against Taiwan,† and that â€Å"logic does not point to this conclusion† Foe 1997, 68). The Plan's military posturing may benefit its budget and influence, but â€Å"any military action aeries the danger of escalation†¦ Its costs are likely to be enormous. † Accordingly, the PLAN flirts with threatening statements, but it is not courting the idea of actual military aggression. The ce ntral problem in trying to understand The Party security thinking lies in an inability to see how the PLAN would be able to harness even its most impressive new capabilities to prevail – at an acceptable cost – in a conflict† (Newer 2009, 206). The higher the costs for a host nation in initiating conflict, the less likely offensive action will be pursued (Braver 2007/8, 78); as a result, without including imperialism and its role in providing growth and prosperity, the existing realist equation used to predict conflict is utterly inadequate.Both statements and military modernization efforts are being interpreted using traditional realism (Newer 2009, 206-207); however, the reality screams of a different truth. Today, the economic costs of aggression are mitigating security concerns – China learned this truth briefly after Attainment Square, and they have been wary of aggression ever since. China – Prosperity as a Strategic Imperative The secret to C hina's meteoric rise, according to William Overshot, has been emulating global best practices in economic development (Overshot 2012, 134).China's economy has grown 14 fold over the past 30 years sustaining a roughly 10% annual growth in GAP. Such immense prosperity is directly attributable to a strategy China is both the most pure form of prosperity-interest, and the first to openly acknowledge that the military prerogative takes a backseat to domestic prosperity. One of the most pressing domestic security and economic concerns for the ICP is â€Å"sustaining adequate Job growth for tens of millions of migrants, new entrants to the ark force, and workers laid off from state-owned enterprises not worth saving† (Myers 2010, 4).Accordingly, China launched, in 2000, a ‘Go Global' strategy which sought to encourage Chinese firms to invest overseas, and to attract overseas investments into the mainland. The Go Global strategy makes China better able to â€Å"seek more profi table ways of investing its massive accumulation of foreign exchange reserves, [to] gain access to foreign technology and management skills to help domestic firms become more efficient and internationally competitive, and most importantly, [to] acquire energy and raw materials† (Myers 2010, 4-5).By the close of 2004, over 80% of the world's top 500 companies have invested in China (Snyder 2009, 23). In 1975 China's net trade revenues were $15 billion; by the close of 2006, trade totals eclipsed $1. 5 trillion (Snyder, 2009, 23) – an increase of roughly FED 1983 totaled a mere $636 million; in 2008, FED totaled $92 billion (Myers 2010, 4). Additionally, the Chinese government estimates that there are currently 286,200 foreign companies currently operating in China employing more than 42 million Chinese citizens (Myers 2010, 4).These figures illustrate that China's rise has been dependent on attracting foreign capital and external resources. Newer argues that more than si mply an economic need, China's mass importation of materials and energy is part of a systematic strategy to force resource rich neighboring nations to rely on China for their own prosperity (Newer 2009, 208-209). This reliance, argues Newer, forms a dependency in which China guarantees regional stability and nonviolence by ensuring that no neighboring nation would attack China because that nation's economy is utterly dependent upon China's import and consumer power (Newer 009, 208).What Newer fails to appreciate or note, however, is that China has come to equally depend on these neighboring nations much in the same way. Dependency theory is often presented negatively in IR (often used to explain how the strong ‘North' exploits and suppresses the weak ‘South'), but it is not necessarily a bad thing. Dependency implies an overlap of shared interest. China has negotiated a $41 billion with Australia for its liquefied natural gas; and they have agreed too $5. 6 billion deal with Manner, a Chinese border-nation, to export energy from Manner's leading energy consortium (Myers 2010, 5).The fundamental shift in power transition theory demands why, in today's world, would any country stab a trading partner in the back after formalizing massively beneficial commercial exchanges? Conclusion Somali pirates have resurged lately disrupting the flow of oil from the Middle East. Because great power prosperity is heavily reliant on this flow of oil, the Gulf is now being protected by Chinese, European, and American warships all coexisting in this small waterway to protect material resources that quite literally fuel each nation's economic growth.Traditional realism should predict conflict in the gulf considering oil is currently one of the most coveted natural resources. However, rather than nation is happy to avoid conflict so long as oil flows unobstructed. Commercialism if effectively minimizing traditional security concerns. What will ultimately determine China 's rise is not a security dilemma, but whether its domestic reforms can keep pace with economic realities that dictate national growth or stagnation. China has become aware of such a reality and has opted to pursue prosperity.

Mercedes Benz India Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Mercedes Benz India - Case Study Example The case bring into focus the issues that the Chief Information Officer of the global automobile company’s India subsidiary faces while catering to the decision of the top management officials of shifting the global automobile company’s India based manufacturing operations from the already existing site in Pune to the newly acquired sites at Chakan. The world’s twelfth largest car maker in terms of production volume was one of the first foreign automobile companies to enter the Indian market through the process of formation of a joint venture with Tata Engineering Locomotives Company (TELCO). The company focused on evolving growth in the company by the process of manufacturing of various models of automobiles falling mostly to the commercial segment over the next couple of years/. Around the year 1994, the company focused on the process of development of the E-class luxury sedans for the company’s Indian portfolio. Owing to the significant growth in the number of first generation entrepreneurs handling successful businesses in the Indian market as well as the significant growth in the number of Indian high net worth individuals over the recent years, the market of India belonging to the luxury automobile segment appeared highly appealing to the luxury carmakers all over the globe. Most of the luxury carmakers around the globe, felt that the luxury automobile market in India is ripe for investments due to the rising number of high net worth individuals market and will increasingly contribute to a significant amount of growth for the company. This led to a rise of investments in the Indian market by luxury car makers around the world thereby significantly increasing the competition that is already existing in the Indian market. The Mercedes Benz India, which is the Indian subsidiary of the world’s twelfth largest car maker in terms of production volume, Daimler AG undertook an internal sur vey. The internal survey that was undertaken by Mercedes Benz India forecasted a highly favorable rate of growth in terms of production and sales for the company’s luxury segment portfolio. This prompted the organization to focus on the acquiring of new production facilities within the Indian landmass in order to significantly augment and catalyze and capitalize on the growth opportunities and prospects with regards to the forecasted demand for the company’s portfolio belonging to the luxury vehicles. However, a series of uncertain macro economic factors which got initiated in the middle of the year 2007, due to the subprime crisis in the United States significantly created a shortage of cash flow for the highly capital and credit intensive automobile sector all over the world. The global crisis had a spillover effect on the organization’s various other product portfolios, thereby creating the scenario of non sustainability and uncertainty for the companyâ€℠¢s predicted forecasted growth rates. Overview of Porter’s 5 Forces Model The Porter’s 5 forces model increasingly falls in the domain of strategic management, the processes, tools and tactics of which are increasingly employed by organizations

Response to the Guidelines and Syllabus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response to the Guidelines and Syllabus - Essay Example Outlining the resources also promotes cohesion by allowing learners and educators to read from same primary sources. Clear definition of course objectives, which the guideline offers, are also significant to achievement of the objectives as this helps both learners and educators to focus on specific goals. Outlining key learning processes also prepares students for the course. In addition to effectiveness of outlined purpose and communicated process, offering the grading criteria is significant to helping the students meet their expectations in test results. This motivates students’ input into course materials as well as in discipline and offers a fair evaluation basis. The guidelines are also clear on class procedures, assignment submission, and availability of writing assistance, and the developed standard policies for the program are sensitive to needs in a learning environment and the necessary discipline. The daily course syllabus also offers a basis for preparation, among students and the tutor, and for evaluation of achievements. The guidelines and syllabus are therefore sufficient to facilitate behavior and activities towards achieving objectives of the course. The document is however long and this may be a barrier to communicating its content because many students may be discouraged from reading the document. A more summarized document may better meet the

Bacholer of education (birth-5) organisations commuities and Essay

Bacholer of education (birth-5) organisations commuities and communication-literature review - Essay Example a as a whole, closely looking at its road networks and reasons for road congestion before delving into ways to avoid cause of accidents by children including the use of restraints. The capital of the Greater Western Sydney, Parramatta is considered as the region’s business services centre and is undoubtedly quite busy. According to the most recent census conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) the city had a population of 18,448 people. It is therefore inevitable that, just like every other busy city in the world, Parramatta is cumbered with the problem of traffic congestion. People in Parramatta use various forms of transport including; road, rail and water. Road remains the busiest as people cycle while others walk with others travelling by bus. As a result of this exceeding congestion, Parramatta has the slowest commuter times as well as the highest levels of city pollution, eventually affecting family life and the economy as a whole. The particular areas of weakness that greatly accelerate congestion include a shortage of entry points into the city, nine major choke points at the converging points of west-east roads, few full length west east arterial roads (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 2002). Round abouts are also fairly common in the city hence is another cause of congestion. In general, Sydney’s inner west suburbs are well known for having the worst traffic congestion and Parramatta is one of them. Although accidents are less common, the city is also home to many families hence it is dangerous for children. Currently, Parramatta is going through a development program that will focus mainly on transport within the area to encourage economic growth. Traffic management on all roads in New South Wales, of which Parramatta is part of, is managed by the Roads & Traffic Authority (RTA) but the body delegates its duties to City Council of Parramatta to regulate transport locally. The city council resurfaces roads,

Public Relations Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Relations Plan - Essay Example What the public thinks of one school carries a weight that could make or break it. To cope with the demand for information, public relations has become an indispensible tool for schools and organizations all over. With this, schools can maintain an aura of trust, credibility, and cooperation with the general public as well as the people inside the school. This is important in many ways because who you know and who knows you really count in any business. A single remark from a parent could ruin a school, not enough exposure to the public could limit the number of students coming to the school, and a bad image could discourage potential students from even considering enrolling to that school. It goes on and on. With proper public relations, all those can be avoided. Communicating with the Community It is imperative that the school maintains contact with the people inside and around it. That means talking and listening to everyone from the staff, the faculty, the administration, the stu dents and their families, and the community in general. The school must strive to empower everyone with information about itself, its current status, and the status of its students. It must also increase the amount of interaction between the school and community, in effect increasing the involvement and support of the community in the school’s affairs. This can be achieved by holding meetings and events that could serve as forums where people can discuss about the important things relevant to the school. For the teachers and staff, Faculty and staff meetings could be held monthly or as needed to keep everyone updated and to provide an outlet for discussion; for parents, Parent-Teacher conferences can be done regularly to bring them up to speed with their children’s performance, any events in school to look out for, and to discuss better ways to help the children have the best education; Giving recognition to the achievers is also a form of feedback. It gives a sense of pride and lets parents know that their child is doing well, while the student gets motivated to study harder; the students should also have a say through student forums and other such activities; to keep the school in the eyes of the community in general, some of the most concrete ways are distributing school publications or newsletters, student ambassador programs, and participating or hosting community events; other ways that are important would be cleaning up the school’s image through an awareness campaign or community outreach program, instructing the teachers to be more open to students’ and parents’ concerns by offering a listening ear to them, or putting up a ‘Questions, comments or suggestion box’ (or any equivalent) wherein anyone can voice a concern at any time. All the while, the school itself provides the information in an open manner with enthusiasm and a visible concern for the proper education of the students. Crisis Management The best way to handle a crisis is preventing it, or failing that, preparing for it. Crisis aversion is the primary focus for crisis management. The school needs to look for possible crises that may occur and take the necessary steps to prepare for it. For incidents beyond the control of the school, steps can also be taken to mitigate the damage that can be caused. First, prevention is the key. Check the safety of

Online Discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online Discussion 2 - Essay Example y part describes the expectation of linguistics learners to have simple languages so that they can easy apply their comprehension in literature (Shemshadsara, 2012). To that effect, the tutors compromise the standards of language proficiency in order to impress the learners. It shows teachers as being selective in developing their teaching programs instead of maintaining the prescribed schedule to develop critical and analytical skills in students (Cameron, 2001). The objective of the article is to first articulate the fact that linguistics is a challenging field of study. Secondly, it aims at developing constructive perception of teachers and students with regards to linguistics in order to develop skills that challenge the community beyond the classroom environment (Fairclough, 1995). This article demonstrates an understanding of the needs of sequential stages of learning, and suggests a low level proficiency requirement for elementary classes. The ultimate aim of the article is to trigger a paradigm shift for both the students and learners about languages by providing solution to the emerging challenges. The article addresses different categories of audience, with a variety of reasons. First, it exposes the attitude with which teachers discharge their duties. It focuses on pointing to teachers their real experiences in teaching with the hope that they can improve on their attitudes. The second target group is students. It focuses on developing a sense of proactive participation of students in the acquisition of linguistics and literature skills. The third target group is that of the authors of various literatures. It recommends the use of simplified languages for the low level literature and linguistics classes to develop relevant skills in a progressive manner. The strengths of the article is evident in its understanding of the linguistics and literature challenges. In the introductory section, Cots (2006) describes the tasks as problematic. Secondly, it

Are we free or determined Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are we free or determined - Essay Example Though many philosophical points and theories are presented on this topic and this tradition exist throughout the world. It is observed that the determinism and free will are mutually exclusive to each other. The term determinism got wide meanings and there are two types of determinism, one is hard determinism or incompatibilists and the other one is soft determinism or compatibilists. Hard determinism is a belief, which says that the free will is an illusion but hard determinism says that both ideas can be coherently reconciled. The free will is believed to be metaphysical truth of independent agency or it is defined as the feeling of agency that human experience when they act. The concept of free will plays a central role in our thinking and our views about the world. On the other hand, determinists believe that the level to which human beings have influence over their future is itself dependent on present and past. And it is also described as a term that tells all events in the world are the result of some previous event, or events. And this shows that freedom of human beings is just an illusion. I believe that human are determined and not free will. It is sometimes believed that determinism demands that humans or individuals have no influence on the future events, but this concept is not correct. Determinism is that our past influences our future, and this is a true concept, even if we look it in our own lives. Many philosophers have given their views on this topic, including Omar Khayyam, Thomas Hobbes, Gottfried Leibniz, David Hume and Daniel Dennett etc. If we look at the emergentist or the generative philosophy, we will see that the free will does not exist in it,2 but we can see its illusions because of the generation of infinite behavior from the interaction of finite-deterministic set of rules and constraints. And the unpredictable behavior of deterministic process leads us to the insight of free will. Though, we know that the free will is an ontological entity and it does not exist in real.3 According to some people, determinism is usually negated with morals and ethics. On the other hand, people say that determinism is simply the sum of the pragmatic scientific results, which had made it devoid of subjectivism. As we known that there are no hard-set rules and regulations for morals and ethics and they are different in different cultures, and this makes them different from the physical rules, which are pre-defined and hardly change under any circumstances. But still their existence means that they were a certain result or product themselves. This is due to a comprehensive time period of social development, which is witnessed today, and also a convergence of events, which are created to generate the very idea of morals and ethics in the minds of people. An example of determinism is genetic determinism, where we can now found a scientific connection between one's genes and one's actual and/or potential physical traits (hair and eye color, disease susceptibility, etc.). And this knowledge is used throughout the world for further research. The theory of determinism

Essay for maritime law Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

For maritime law - Essay Example First, let us consider the case of Barrack. Barrack was merely a buyer of vodka and it was meant for presidential election. He had accepted the offer made by Dimitry and had undertaken to bear the profit or loss as expected from the trading point of view. But since the good was not yet delivered to Barack, he can definitely claim compensation, but that is subject to the deal he had with Dimitry. Maritime law is actually an aspect of the international law and cannot be considered a municipal or domestic law. The international aspect of the maritime law can never be denied and it gives it a distinctive flavor. In the doubtful cases the court of one country will look into the examples or rulings of another country for the requirement of idea or assistance. Except to the degree that it is bound by the international conventions like Hague, each country can adapt to the maritime law that think is favorable. Hence, what maybe valid for Russia, may not be applicable for USA and vice versa. But since the bill of lading is considering the U.S. law hence, it can be considered that Barrack will have a definite advantage. In many cases the pilot effort has been made by the International Maritime Committee, which is more commonly known ass Comità © Maritime International (CMI). This contains the maritime law associations of about 30 nations. The work of the committee is to primarily draft the international conventions which relate to the subjects of maritime law. When these drafts are prepared it is then submitted to the government of Belgium which then holds a diplomatic conference and this draft is discussed and amended as per the requirement of the international maritime trade. These regulations are an international system of navigation. In extra fields a lot has been achieved in order to guarantee the international consistency through the confidential agreements willingly adhered to by the affected parties; the

Introduction to Art-Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Art-Questions - Essay Example The method was first used in China and in Japan during the ninth century (James et al., 1997). 2a. Andy Warhol's famous "serigraph" of Marilyn Monroe was made in what way? The serigraph is the manner of attaching a stencil in a finely woven fabric, which is also attached in a frame. The paint will then pass through the fabric and create an image on the tee shirt, paper, or board on the other side of the screen. In the case of the serigraph of Marilyn Monroe, which was done by Andy Warhol, it was done through photographic stencils in which he used a photo of the subject and specialized chemicals in order for the image to stick on the silk screen (Lazzari & Schlesier, 2012). b. What is another name for the process called serigraph? Screen printing or photo silkscreen printing (Lazzari & Schlesier, 2012). c. What material is used in making one? The main material in screen printing is a stenciled image in a very fine woven fabric. In order to create an image in a material, paint or ink m ust be used to attach the image in a material. Also, a squeegee will be used in pushing the ink or paint unto the other side of the woven fabric (Lazzari & Schlesier, 2012). 3. The expensive process of making handwritten letters on stretched calfskin as the only form of communication was replaced with the invention of movable type in 1450. (a) Discuss two benefits from the invention of movable type and how that invention's benefits are similar to the more recent development of the personal computer and the Internet? The invention of the movable type by Johann Gutenberg during 1450 was and is revolutionary. There were many benefits brought by the movable type, and one of these benefits includes the increase in the production of printed materials and documents. In this manner, offices were able to reproduce copies of their documents and were able to save a file for their own self-keeping. It was considered as an efficient manner in the reproducing and preserving documents. The second benefit of this invention was that it had economic benefit for every business industry. It had allowed the publication of books and other printed materials, such as newspaper by bulk, which had eased the process and lowered the cost. This invention of the movable type had a similar impact on the current usage of personal computer and the Internet in terms of the ease in the production of printed or written materials. Aside from this, as the movable type had aided in the production of books, personal computers, and the internet had also made the availability and the production of books easier and more accessible (Blossom, 2011). 4. The 1841 daguerreotype of Maria Edgeworth was one of many that began to be produced at that time and they became a serious threat to portrait painters. (a) Why ? The daguerreotype was invented by Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, which used the copper sheets, that are silver-plated and contains iodine. This causes the plate to be sensitive to light, and as it is exposed to the camera, the images are developed through the warms vapor of mercury. This processed had opened its way to the creation of much sturdier and long-lasting portraits. It was also commercialized, allowing the greater public to immortalize their images. For this reason, the portrait painters became threatened with the new process of reproducing portraits. However, it did not push through, but became one of the leading inventions and influences in the field of photographs (Nelson, n.d.). 5. If you were a

DVD Technology Essay Example for Free

DVD Technology Essay It is truly a fact that we are living in this modern world which all technologies are advanced and improved. One of these technologies is in the DVD technology. Before, we normally used CDs as main novelty to the PC’s world but now, DVD is more used and preferred by multitudes of masses due to its admirable features which the CD doesn’t have. DVD was formerly represented as Digital Video Disc but then changed into Digital Versatile Disc and is considered as the next generation of the optical disc storage technology which is predicted and awaited to quickly substitute the CD-ROM disc along with audio compact disc around the following several years. DVD contains 4. 7 information’s gigabytes on one of its both sides or sufficient for a 133-minute movie. Having two layers on every of its both sides, it will keep up to 17 gigabytes of audio, video and other data. DVD-Video is the typical term for the DVD format designed for full-length motion pictures and which will drive with our television set. The DVD-ROM keeps computer information and is read through a DVD-ROM drive which is connected to a computer, the DVD-RAM is the writeable version while the DVD-Audio is a player which is designed to substitute our compact disc player (see Bellis, Mary. â€Å"DVD†. http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/bldvd. htm). A DVD with correctly structured and formatted video substance is a DVD-Video. The DVDs with correct structured and formatted audio are termed as DVD-Audio discs. And everything as well is named as a DVD-Data disc as well as the other types of DVD discs which have video (Wikipedia, free encyclopedia. August 27, 2006). The purposes of this study are to: (1) know the history of DVD technology; and (2) be acquainted with its useful features and its functions; and how it is being distinct from CD. History The invention of DVD was all started in early of 1990s which two high-density optical storage standards were being technology advanced: the first one was the MultiMedia Compact Disc which was supported by Sony and Philips; and the second one was the Super Density disc which was approved and accepted by Time-Warner, Hitachi, Pioneer, JVC, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, Thomson, and Matsushita Electric. The IBM president named Lou Gertsner has exerted an effort to join and bring together the two companies to back up solitary standard, getting ahead a repeat of the expensive and inflated format war amongst Betamax and VHS in 1980s (Wikipedia, free encyclopedia. August 27, 2006). In 1994 of May, Philips and Sony promulgated that they would be willingly and jointly develop a newfangled high-density medium popularly known as Digital Video Disc or DVD. This new technology was considered as the successor to compact discs or CD-ROM for computers and substitute laserdiscs and VHS tapes in the amusement industry. Just like a CD, DVD discs have similar diameter-about 120mm and thickness is about 1. 2 mm- just as Compact disc has but DVD is more advance and useful due to its capability to use both discs’ sides for data storage. The large video games which need and require a number of CDs would merely necessitate only one DVD disc. Later on, newfangled technology’s development instantaneously induced dilemmas of a political nature. The Warner Home Entertainment and Toshiba declared their own project to work out the same but yet precisely distinct from DVD technology at the same time. Associations like the Hollywood Digital Video Disc Advisory Group had a sensible and rational interest in this technology’s development. Movie suppliers started to stir up disagreements and controversies which concern the essential of copy protections in the DVD requirement and description. But then, Sony was the first to display its DVD technology. In 1995, John Eargle explained and illustrated the presentation which was conducted at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show. In his writings entitled â€Å"The Great DVD debate† stated that: â€Å"its color and sharpness was more than a match for the Laserdisc â€Å". But Eargle’s attention was on the technological requirements which had been formally and legitimately promulgated in December of the same year. The DVD’s intensification and enlargement data density was credited to a laser of a color advanced in the light spectrum and a technology that were being technologically advanced with 3M which permit the laser to be focus again to one second â€Å"layer† in the disc. It has a double-layer disc which amplifies the volume and dimensions to 7. 4 gigabytes. Throughout the spring of 1995, the disagreement of both developers had been stimulated through Toshiba’s personal growth and advancement of a two-layer disc named as SD or Super density (Chapin, R. â€Å"History of DVD†). DVD recordable and rewritable DVD recordable and DVD rewritable denote to DVD optical disc formats which can be â€Å"burned† either rewritable or write once format. DVD recordable is an overall name which denotes to both rewritable and writes-once formats, while DVD writable denotes solely to rewritable formats. The DVD promoted and marketed as 4. 7 GB might seem to keep not more than that for the reason that manufacturers quote the volume of a writable DVD disc utilizing decimal prefixes instead of the binary prefixes utilized by number of software. On the other hand, a 4. 7 GB DVD can be able to accumulate 4. 7 billion bytes, utilizing the binary prefixes which has similar capacity is approximately 4. 38 GiB (Wikipedia, free encyclopedia. August 18, 2006). Dual Layer Recording Dual Layer recoding permits DVD-R and DVD+R discs to accumulate and put in storage extensively more info or data which is capable of 8. 5 Gigabytes per disc, when contrasted with 4. 7 Gigabytes designed for single-layer discs. The DVD-R DL or â€Å"dual layer† was technologically advanced for the DVD Forum by the Pioneer Corporation while the DVD+R DL or â€Å"dual layer† was technologically advanced intended for the DVD+RW Alliance by Sony. Below are the two figures of DVD-R DL and DVD+R DL (Wikipedia, free encyclopedia. August 28, 2006). Figure of DVD-R DL Double Layer DVD+R Its Restrictions The DVD-Video includes four corresponding systems designed to limit and constraint the DVD user in a variety of procedures and these are the Content Scrambling System, Region codes, disabled user operations (UOP) and Macrovision. *Content Scrambling System* It is a Digital Rights Management or DRM plan make used on various DVDs. It make uses a weak, proprietary 40 bit stream cipher algorithm which has successively been compromised. It was in 1996 that the system was presented and established (wikipedia, free encyclopedia. August 26, 2006). *Region Codes* it is the programming practice, chip, physical barrier, or code which is make used to stop or block the playing media designed for a device which comes from a place where it is introduced and distributed on the version of similar device distributed in another place. It is a kind of a form of vendor lock-in (Wikipedia, free encyclopedia. August 26, 2006). *Disabled User Operations* DVD-Video permits the disc to identify or indicate whether or not the handler may carry out any operation like skipping chapters, rewinding or forwarding, selecting a menu which is fundamentally any function on the remote control. This system is named as Prohibited User Operations or User Operation Prohibitions. *Macrovision* It is a company which makes electronic prevention plans and was established in 1963. The term is occasionally used to denote to specific video copy prevention plans which were technologically advanced by the company. Its features Some of the DVDs main features are: (1) copy protection built into standard; (2) DVD-ROM for improved multimedia and games applications; (3) every format uses a common file system; (4) DVD-Audio for advanced quality music, graphics and other features and surround sound and optical video and many others; (5) Backwards compatibility with current CD media and many others (see DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)†. http://www. usbyte. com/common/dvd. htm#Introduction). Hence, DVD it is widely used now globally. ______________________________________________________________________________ References: 1. Bellis, Mary. â€Å"DVD†. http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/bldvd. htm) 2. †DVD†. August 28, 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/DVD 3. Chapin, R. â€Å"History of DVD†. http://www. miqrogroove. com/writing/History%20of%20DVD. html 4. â€Å"DVD recordable†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. August 18, 2006http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/DVD_recordable 5. â€Å"Content Scramble System†. August 26, 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Content_Scrambling_System 6. â€Å"DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)†. http://www. usbyte. com/common/dvd. htm#Introduction

Education in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Education in Pakistan Essay Education in Pakistan is overseen by the governments Ministry of Education and the provincial governments, whereas the federal government mostly assists in curriculum development, accreditation and in the financing of research. The article 25-A of Constitution of Pakistan obligates the state to provide free and compulsory quality education to children of the age group 5 to 16 years. â€Å"The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such a manner as may be determined by law†. [3] The education system in Pakistan is generally divided into five levels: primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high(grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate or SSC); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary (School) Certificate or HSC); and university programs leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees. [4] The literacy rate ranges from 87% in Islamabad to 20% in the Kohlu District. [5] Between 2000—2004, Pakistanis in the age group 55–64 had a literacy rate of almost 30%, those aged between 45–54 had a literacy rate of nearly 40%, those between 25–34 had a literacy rate of 50%, and those aged 15–24 had a literacy rate of 60%. [6] Literacy rates vary regionally, particularly by sex. In tribal areas female literacy is 7. 5%. [7]Moreover, English is fast spreading in Pakistan, with 18 million Pakistanis[8] (11% of the population)[8] having a command over the English language, which makes it the 9th Largest English Speaking Nation[9] in the world and the 3rd largest in Asia. [8] On top of that, Pakistan produces about 445,000 university graduates and 10,000 computer science graduates per year. [10] Despite these statistics, Pakistan still has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world. [11] Education Expenditure as Percentage of GDP Public expenditure on education lies on the fringes of 2 percent of GDP. However, the government recently approved the new national education policy, which stipulates that education expenditure will be increased to 7% of GDP,[22] an idea that was first suggested by the Punjab government. [23] Author of an article, which reviews the history of education spending in Pakistan since 1972, argues that this policy target raises a fundamental question: What extraordinary things are going to happen that would enable Pakistan to achieve within six years what it has been unable to lay a hand on in the past six decades? The policy document is blank on this question and does not discuss the assumptions that form the basis of this target. Calculations of the author show that during the past 37 years, the highest public expenditure on education was 2. 80 percent of GDP in 1987-88. Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was actually reduced in 16 years and maintained in 5 years between 1972–73 and 2008-09. Thus, out of total 37 years since 1972, public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP either decreased or remained stagnant for 21 years. The author argues if linear trend were maintained since 1972, Pakistan could have touched 4 percent of GDP well before 2015. However, it is unlikely to happen because the levels of spending have had remained significantly unpredictable and unsteady in the past. Given this disappointing trajectory, increasing public expenditure on education to 7 percent of GDP would be nothing less than a miracle but it is not going to be of godly nature. Instead, it is going to be the one of political nature because it has to be invented by those who are at the helm of affairs. The author suggests that little success can be made unless Pakistan adopts an unconventional approach to education. That is to say, education sector should be treated as a special sector by immunizing budgetary allocations for it from fiscal stresses and political and economic instabilities. Allocations for education should not be affected by squeezed fiscal space or surge in military expenditure or debts. At the same time, there is a need to debate others options about how Pakistan can invent the miracle of raising education expenditure to 7 percent of GDP by 2015. [24]

Construction Essays | Value Management Risk

Construction Essays | Value Management Risk Value Management Risk Rationale for Study Throughout my 4th year of the Honours Degree Quantity Surveying Programme, I found the Value and Risk Appraisal module very interesting especially the topic of Value Management. I had never really come across this topic before and only heard the term used a few times but didn’t really know what was involved. From undertaking that specific module, it seems that Value Management is mostly used as a tool to achieve Value for Money for Clients. Working for a Contractor for 4 and a half years now, I have only ever seen Value Management used on one Construction Project and this is the one that I am currently based on just now. From my experience, I feel that Value Management has a lot of advantages for Contractors as well as Clients and I wanted to find out why it is not being used to a great extent by Contractors. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Indicative Title Value Management: A Contractors Perspective 1.3 The Aim To determine the reasons as to why Value Management is not being greatly used by Contractors in the Construction Industry. 1.4 The Main Objectives In order to achieve the above aim the following objectives must be met: To identify the key principles and elements of Value Management. To identify techniques and working practices adopted and to identify the benefits of Value Management. Examine the reason as to why Value Management is not widely used in the Construction Industry. Critical analysis of the views of Main Contractors about the benefits or short comings of Value Management. To propose recommendations for improved implementation of Value Management for Contractors. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW VALUE MANAGEMENT 2.1.1A Definition â€Å"Value Management is a style of management particularly dedicated to motivating people, developing skills and promoting synergies and innovation, with the aim of maximizing the overall performance of an organization.† The Institute of Value Management [online] http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007. Value Management is a team based â€Å"process-driven† methodology. Its incentive is to deliver a product, service or project at â€Å"optimum whole life performance and cost without detriment to quality.† By using teams of experts in the Construction Industry, this allows the Value Management process to identify â€Å"design and construction solutions which offer the best value for money with regard to the functional requirements of the Client† Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice Value Management plays a key role in the Construction Industry for continuous improvement and innovation. The Background Concept Value Management originated in the United States of America in the late 1940’s and the process was originally used in the manufacturing industry. This was soon adopted by the Construction Industry in the UK by the start of the 1990’s as various studies highlighted â€Å"between 36% and 45% savings on estimated construction cost to the Client† Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice The concept of ‘Value Analysis’ was introduced by Lawrence Miles in the 1940’s. Miles, a Purchase Engineer working for the General Election, had to find ways to tackle the material shortages which was due to the Second World War. Miles sought to find alternative materials that would provide the same function. This proved effective as Miles found that many of the alternative products he was finding were of an equal, if not better quality than that originally proposed. In addition to this he found that many of these alternatives were at a lower cost. Dallas (2006) states that a short while later, people realised that not only did the technique provide a way to substitute alternative materials but it was also an excellent way to reduce costs while still maintaining the necessary functionality. This system would involve ‘value’ and ‘analysis’ and based on this Miles developed the definition of ‘Value Analysis’. â€Å"An organised approach to providing the necessary functions at the lowest cost.† Kelly, J.R. Male, S.P. Graham, D. (2004) Value Management of Construction Projects. To further enhance this Miles provides further definition: â€Å"Value Analysis is an organised approach to the identification and elimination of unnecessary cost.† Kelly, J.R. Male, S.P. Graham, D. (2004) Value Management of Construction Projects. Key Principles of Value Management The institute of Value Management states that the key principles of Value Management are different from other styles of management in that they include attributes that are not normally found together: Management Style Emphasis on teamwork and communication A focus on what things do, rather than what they are (functional approach) An atmosphere that encourages creativity and innovation A focus on customer’s requirements A requirement to evaluate options qualitatively to enable robust comparisons of option Positive Human Dynamics Teamwork – encouraging people to work together towards a common solution Satisfaction – recognizing and giving credit Communication – bringing people together by improving communication between them Fostering better common understanding and providing better group decision support Encouraging change – challenging the status quo and bringing about beneficial change Ownership – the assumption of ownership of the outcomes of Value Management activities by those responsible for implementing them Consideration of External and Internal Environment External conditions – taking account of pre-existing conditions external to the organisation over which managers may have little influence Internal conditions – within the organisation there will be existing conditions which managers may or may not be able to influence Degrees of Freedom – the external and internal conditions will dictate the limits of potential outcomes and should be quantified. Effective Use of Methods and Tools Means of achieving outcomes The Institute of Value Management [online} http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007 From this we can see that Value Management brings Construction teams together and gets them to communicate more effectively with each other, this in turn will have a beneficial effect on the Project. The functionality of a Project will be more focused on being able to achieve Value for Money. Value Management Techniques Function Analysis ‘Function Analysis is a powerful technique in the identification of the principal functional requirements of a project’ Seeley, I. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice. Second Edition. Function analysis is basically a brain storming session with all people involved in the construction project and is used to determine the main needs of a project in order to focus on alternative options that are less expensive although still achieving the functionality as required. FAST Diagrams Seeley (1997) states that the FAST (Functional Analysis System Technique) has evolved from the functional analysis approach as it establishes a hierarchy of functions in order of importance. FAST diagrams are a more effective way of showing the main important functions and needs of a project. Bolton (2002) stated that function analysis was key to success in a workshop and always uses a FAST diagram. Pasquire and Mauro (2001) cite Norton and McElligott (1995) who suggest that the use of FAST may provide more benefit in the early stages of a project but not so much in the construction phases. It is also highlighted that FAST diagramming requires experience and training on the part of the facilitator to ensure it accurately depicts the function of the project. Another constraining factor is the time required to complete FAST diagrams. Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Is One Day Enough? The Argue for Shorter VM/VE Studies. Value Management Workshops Value Management Workshops are one of the main techniques of Value Management. This will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 2.2. Benefits of Value Management After several post-project reviews with Contractors and Consultants, Kelly Male identify various positive aspects of the Value Management process. The most significant of these are: Proof that the initial design was indeed the best Peace of mind to the owner that he was receiving good value for money Introduction to higher quality products Best up-to-date technology at least cost A clear focus on project objectives An alternative view of the design Improved project programmes Improved site management structures An opportunity for a detailed analysis of the required project Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice. The Institute of Value Management indicates that Value Management has already been successful in achieving Value for Money for such Clients as BP, British Airways, Pfizer, Stanhope and various water and rail companies. This has resulted in the public sector adopting Value Management techniques in order to cut down construction costs and achieve better Value for Money. Benefits of Value Management according to the Institute of Value Management focus on greater communication and understanding within the Construction team but do not seem to focus on the cost benefits; Better business decisions by providing decision makers a sound basis for their choice Improved products and services to external customers by clearly understanding and giving due priority to their real needs Enhanced competitiveness by facilitating technical and organisation innovation A common value culture thus enhancing every member’s understanding of the organisation’s goals Improved internal communication and common knowledge of the main success factors for the organisation Simultaneously enhanced communication and efficiency by developing multidisciplinary and multitask teamwork Decisions which can be supported by the stakeholders The Institute of Value Management [online} http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007 ‘Sir Michael Latham’s report ‘Constructing the Team’ (1994) states the benefits of Value Management and includes Value Management as a factor which is critical to the success of projects in providing the basis for improving value for money in construction.’ Hogg, K. (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Nottingham, The Nottingham Trent University. Value Management is still not being used to a great extent in the construction industry despite the great number of benefits. ‘The reasons for the apparent hesitance of the industry to adopt Value Management on a greater scale are unclear since the benefits of Value Management appear to be widely recognised and the practice continues to be promoted at a high level.’ Hogg, K. (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Nottingham, The Nottingham Trent University. Value Management Workshops ‘Before a VM workshop commences information has to be gathered to determine its objectives and deliverables and therefore what shape and form the workshop will take.’ Male, S. Kelly, J. et al (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: A Good Practice Framework for Clients and Practitioners Value Management Workshop Structure Kelly (1996), details the key stages involved in a Value Management Workshop; Value Management workshops are characterised by a three stage process: The Orientation and Diagnostic Phase in which the value manager prepares for the study by: meeting with the project sponsor and key players who will be involved in the study, reviewing documents, conducting interviews and briefings and preparing the agenda for the Workshop Stage. The Workshop Stage is where alternative or complementary views on the value problem are brought together through a structured team based activity facilitated by a value manager and progressed through the application of specific team based techniques. Innovative ideas are brought forward to satisfy the functional requirements identified against a backdrop of the value criteria uncovered. A workshop report will be produced including an Action Plan to ensure that value solutions and options will be implemented in the post workshop phase. The Implementation Phase in which the Action Plan is followed through by those responsible for the investigation and implementation of ideas. Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes The International Benchmarking Study (1998) identifies the Implementation Phase as one of the key areas in which Value Management fails. At this stage the Value Management team have identified and adopted various approaches to ensure that the Value Problem is minimised as far as possible through various meetings and workshops in the previous phases. At this point an implementation strategy will be discussed with the relevant parties and if possible those involved in the implementation will be interviewed and identified in the action plan at the close of the workshop phase. Value Management Intervention Points There are three main stages of Value Management workshops and they all produce a great deal of information that is discussed between the Construction parties to find alternatives ways of constructing the building and focusing on achieving Value for Money. These stages are described on the next page. Strategic Briefing The Strategic Briefing stage deals with identifying the broad scope and purpose of the project and its important parameters. The focus is on determining the strategic needs and wants, and the role and purpose of the project for the Client. Project Brief The Project Brief translates the Strategic Brief into construction terms, specifying performance requirements for each of the elements of the project including spatial relationships and details: ‘A summary of the relevant parts of the Strategic Brief document The aim of the design. This would include priorities for project objectives The site, including details of accessibility and planning The size and configuration of activities Outline specifications of general and specific areas A cost centred budget for all aspects of the project including all elements of the construction project Servicing options and specification implications e.g. security, deliveries, access, etc.’ Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes Outline Sketch Design The Outline Sketch Design (OSD) workshop is a value review of the initial plans, elevations, sections, specification and cost plan of the proposed building using the signed off Project Brief as a reference point. Kelly (1996) explains what should be involved in an OSD Workshop: ‘As statement of the design direction The site layout and access, identifying ground conditions and planning constraints A detailed cost plan and schedule of activities Dimensioned plans, elevations and sections An outline specification for environmental systems The risks and a risk management strategy The procurement plan The project execution plan with key milestones Performance measure.’ Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes Benefits of Value Management Workshops This is an extract from a journal that describes the benefits from an actual Value Management workshop that took place: ‘All team members confirmed their commitment to continuous improvement. Only three did not feel that it had been as a result of the workshops. The team unanimously believed that more options had been explored within the team and all agreed to that being as a result of the workshops. A principal finding under the section of workshop effectiveness agreed to by all members of the team, was that the workshop provided a good basis for teamwork, created and atmosphere of equality, ensured open and frequent communication and focused the participants on action and achieving results. The team members that indicated team working, cultures and communications as issues prior to the workshops agreed that they had all been resolved through the facilitated workshops.’ Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Value Management Workshops and Partnering Conundrums. From this extract we can see that there is a great deal of benefits for all parties by using Value Management workshops. There are also advantages to a VM workshop if the environment is isolated, these include: It focuses the team on ‘the project’ Gestation occurs during the workshop process It commits the team Militates against partial attendance Continuity is ensured. Male, S. Kelly, J. et al (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: Research Results of an International Benchmarking Study RDT Pacific (2007) stated that there are other advantages of Value Management and Workshops. ‘Value Management consistently provides significant improvements to projects: Average capital cost savings of 14% (NSW Government Research) The forging of dedicated, synergistic project teams Auditing on the project brief and the decision making process Provision of additional functionality within existing budget allocations Development of a structured process to move projects efficiently to the next stage and ultimately completion.’ RDT Pacific [online] http://www.rdtpacific.co.nz/services/servicesportfolio/valuemanagement.shtml Accessed on 5 October 2007 From this research we can see that there is a great deal of benefits of using Value Management for all parties involved in a Construction Project. It is the intention of this research paper to find out why Value Management is not being used a great deal by Contractors and therefore this research will provide beneficial when it comes to interviewing Contractors on their views of Value Management workshops. A comparison will be made between the benefits and disadvantages of Value Management in the Research Analysis chapter in order to suggest suitable implementation of this process for Contractors. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Secondary Method of Research The Secondary Research Method proposed includes investigating historic papers and publications to assess the extent to which Value Management is used in the Construction Industry. Information will be obtained from books, journals, websites and lecture notes. The Glasgow Caledonian Library will be used to obtain books. The RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) and various websites will be used to obtain journals and information on Value Management. These methods of research are being used as they are readily available. About 6 books from the Glasgow Caledonian Library were used for research and a lot of information was found, however, the negative aspect of using books is that the information may not be up to date. Lecture notes from the Value and Risk Appraisal were used for the Literature Review in order to explain the processes of Value Management. They were produced by Professor John Kelly who either wrote the notes from his own experience or took extracts from books. A great amount of information was found from the internet on Value Management and this was also used to prepare the Literature Review. Information from the internet can be up to date although the disadvantage is that it can be someone’s opinion and may not be entirely true. Journals on Value Management were found on the RICS website, Athens and also on the Construction and Building News websites. Some journal information was also taken from the Glasgow Caledonian Library. The advantage of Journals is that there was a lot of information available and people’s views are expressed which is helpful for determining any problems that exist in Value Management. This research will increase the author’s knowledge and understanding of Value Management and will also give an insight into the varying views on the subject. 3.2 Primary Method of Research The initial Primary Research Method proposed for this paper is to use actual Construction Project Case Studies in an attempt to find out how beneficial Value Management was for those projects. A few case studies were found on Projects that have used Value Management and they will be used to determine whether Value Management has been a success or not for the Project. Case Studies are useful for this research as they can be used to compare and also get people’s views on Value Management. A second Primary Research Method proposed for this paper will involve interviews with relevant Construction Industry personnel to gain their views and perspectives of Value Management in Construction Projects. Suitable candidates will be mainly Contractors who have worked with Value Management on their previous Construction Projects and also the Chairman of the IVM (Institute of Value Management) in order to achieve the objectives of this paper. The purpose of these interviews is to gain a greater insight into the Value Management process and how there can be an improved implementation for Contractors. It is important to choose the correct questions to collect data to prepare a relevant analysis. Interviews are better for communicating as you are face to face to a person and the interviewer is responsible for getting the quality of information that is required. A disadvantage of interviews however can be arranging meetings with the suitable candidates as they may not always be available when you are. To control this, contacting the interviewees at the earliest opportunity is always recommended. 3.3 Research Methodologies Rejected Having chosen the above methods for research it is important to note that alternative options such as questionnaires and electronic surveys were considered for potential sources of information. However, it was felt that these options would not provide the quality of response and feedback that the other methods would for this research. Questionnaires and electronic surveys would require time to fill in and most construction personnel would probably not have the time required to complete them or would simply disregard the emails or paper copies as they would feel it would be too time consuming. Another disadvantage of these research methods is that the questions could be interpreted the wrong way or the quality of answers could not be as good as asking someone in person. CHAPTER 4 PROGRESS TO DATE PLANNED FUTURE WORK Progress to Date At this stage, the indicative title, main aim and main objectives have been agreed. Research was undertaken throughout the summer on the topic of Value Management and the relevant materials were collected. Books, journals, case studies and website information were read and notes taken from each to form the basis for the literature review. The literature review has now been completed and also most of the information for the Date Analysis Chapter in the Final Dissertation report has been collected, such as books, journals, website information and journals. Everything required for the Dissertation Interim Report is now complete. 4.2Research Methodology The final piece of methodology to be collected will be from interviews with Construction personnel which are still to be agreed and also the interview questions need to be created. These are both due to happen at the start of the New Year and the planned interviews should take place towards the end of January 2008 at the latest. 4.3Research Analysis and Results Once the interviews have been conducted, an in depth analysis of the views will be undertaken, along with analysis of the information of other Construction personnel from the data collected via journals, case studies and books. This section will be undertaken from February 2008 4.4 Conclusions and Recommendations At this stage, it will now be time to come to a conclusion and give recommendations on how to implement Value Management for Contractors. This section will be undertaken near the end of March 2008. 4.5 Structure of the Final Dissertation Below is the structure proposed for the final Dissertation document to be submitted in April 2008. Chapter 1 – Introduction Chapter 1 introduces the rationale for study of the dissertation topic and the indicative title. It also determines the main aims and objectives, the research methodologies to be used and a structured breakdown of each chapter. Chapter 2 – Value Management Chapter 2 will focus on the background of Value Management and mainly on the key principles, techniques and advantages and disadvantages of this topic in the Construction Industry. Chapter 3 – Value Management Workshops Chapter 3 will focus on value management workshops in the Construction Industry and highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of this approach for Contractors. Chapter 4 – Value Management in Previous Construction Projects Chapter 4 will focus on case studies of previous construction projects that have used Value Management. They will be used to determine whether Value Management has been beneficial or not in the completion of the Projects. Chapter 5 – Research Analysis and Results Chapter 5 will analyse the information and feedback obtained from the interviews to be conducted. Chapter 5 will also compare the responses to identify the differences in opinion. Chapter 6 – Conclusions and Recommendations Chapter 6 will set out the conclusions that have been established with reference to previous chapter literature research and the interview feedback responses. Chapter 6 will also discuss to what extent the aim and objectives have been achieved in this research paper. The author will finally give recommendations for improved implementation of Value Management for Contractors. References This section provides a list of all references used for this research which are quoted within the paper and will also provide readers with the sources of views and opinions expressed as a follow-up or extended research on the topic. Bibliography This section will provide a list of all other references used in preparation of the paper but not directly quoted. Appendices The appendices section shall provide the reader with supplementary information to that provided within Chapters 1 to 5. Programme of Future Work Produce research questions for interviews – Start January 2008 Conduct research interviews – End January 2008 Data Analysis of interview results other research methods – February 2008 Conclusions and recommendations – End of March 2008 Final Dissertation hand in – April 2008 LIST OF REFERENCES Dallas, M.F. (2006) Value Risk Management: A Guide to Best Practice Hogg, K. (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Nottingham, The Nottingham Trent University. Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Is One Day Enough? The Argue for Shorter VM/VE Studies. Hunter, K. Kelly, J. (2006) Value Management Workshops and Partnering Conundrums. Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice Kelly, J. (1996) Value Risk Appraisal Lecture Notes Kelly, J.R. Male, S.P. Graham, D. (2004) Value Management of Construction Projects. Male, S. Kelly, J. et al (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: Research Results of an International Benchmarking Study RDT Pacific [online] http://www.rdtpacific.co.nz/services/servicesportfolio/valuemanagement.shtml Accessed on 5 October 2007 Seeley, I. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice. Second Edition. The Institute of Value Management [online] http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007. BIBLIOGRAPHY Adam, E. (1993) Value Management: Cost Reduction Strategies for the 1990s Dallas, M.F. (2006) Value Risk Management: A Guide to Best Practice Hogg, K. The Nottingham Trent University (1999) Value Management: A Failing Opportunity? Kelly, J. Male, S. (1988) A Study of Value Management and Quantity Surveying Practice Male, S. Kelly, J. Fernie, S. Gronqvist, M. Bowles, G. (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: A Good Practice Framework for Clients and Practitioners Male, S. Kelly, J. Fernie, S. Gronqvist, M. Bowles, G. (1998) The Value Management Benchmark: Research Results of an International Benchmarking Study Seeley, I.H. (1997) Quantity Surveying Practice The Institute of Value Management [online] http://www.ivm.org.uk/vm_whatis.htm Accessed on 18 July 2007.