Identified Limitations and Threats to Validity Essay

Identified Limitations and Threats to Validity - Essay Example Corporate associations determine the information the person holds about the company, which determines the responses given in a questionnaire. The participants were at least 18 years old, and lived in Lima. This selection predisposes the respondents to certain outcomes. Reliability is affected by the stability of collected data. The responses of the recipient are bound to change during different periods. External validity refers to the extent to which the findings can be extended to other areas. The respondents were selected randomly and came only from Lima. Their responses could therefore fail to cover the behavior of customers in other cities and countries (Marquina, 2007). Questionnaires are effective for collecting large amounts of data. In this case, over 600 customers participated and each answered 32 questions. In this way the researcher was able to collect large amounts of customer views. Correlation between the different sets of data could be used to determine its reliability. However, respondents might not be willing to give responses. The researcher used two interview phases to using the same subjects. This provided more accurate responses. Interviews can be used for qualitative research. A research for CSR utilization in Nigeria used interviews as the source of information. The research method affects the quality of results collected. In this case interviews were used and the interviewer cross-examined respondents for detailed answers. In this way, the researcher collects detailed information regarding the study question. The same interview questions were used, and the previous interviewees could discuss the questions with others. This influenced their view regarding CSR in the country. The environment of the interviewees determines the quality of answers they give. In this case the respondents came from different sectors and the answers given depend on their knowledge about CSR. Respondents were from

Chinese popular culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Chinese popular culture - Essay Example Especially in immensely growing economies like China or India, college graduates are of pivotal importance. This is because college graduates are the source of talent for the countries. Due to unemployment for many reasons, the pool of talent at the college level is lost and their talents to ensure sustainable growth over the period of time go into the drain. In China, it is estimated that this year around 7 million students will pass out from colleges and universities. These numbers are the biggest since 2012, when 6.8 million students passed higher college or universities. Keeping this in view, unemployment rate in China will go above the current rate, i.e. 20%, as around 54% out of 7 million students would find it difficult to find a suitable job (Chan, 2010). In this scenario, where college graduates are still unemployed, the Chinese government has to step in and facilitate those students. Biggest advantage of unemployment that Chinese college graduates can receive is that, they are provided with funds by the government in order to empower them to start earning. But on the other hand, majority of the Chinese corporations and businesses are more leaning towards foreign talent than to trust their own pool of talent. As a result, this pool of talent is becoming a waste and the college graduates’ lifestyle has also gone below par. The perfect example of projecting this misery is that, Chinese unemployed graduates are forced to live in small colonies, where each apartment is filled with 8 to 9 college graduates. Despite of living difficulties these college graduates are facing, another dilemma they are indulging into is criminal activities. By adopting a wrongful path, these college graduates aim to make more money in a relatively less amount of time (Solinger, 1999). To meet their expenditures, these unemployed college graduates majorly depend upon the aid they receive from the government. This aid enables unemployed college graduates to fulfill their ex penditures for housing, education, food and travelling. But, due to increasing unemployment, the aid provided to the students is becoming a burden on national reserves. Chinese government reports millions of Yuan that are spent on the social security of these unemployed college graduates. On the other hand, other source of income for these unemployed college graduate is through criminal activities, purchase and sell of drugs, engaging into trash jobs which prevents the talent to reach at the top notch corporate level where the can prove to be more beneficial. Even if they find a job, it might be in the field for which they are not qualified or they do not have ambitions for. In this scenario, they fall victim to boredom at job place and their performance levels are decreased. Moreover, it causes severe depression and stress due to dissatisfaction form the job. Unemployed Peasant Laborers Peasant laborers are those laborers who work at a very basic level of country’s economy. These might include farmers and other self-employed basic level workers. These workers are considered as being the biggest victim of unemployment. This is because, these are the one who produce items of basic necessities and perform basic jobs that are pivotal for the growth of

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.

The Death Penalty :: essays papers

The Death Penalty "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." This is another way for someone to say they are supportive of the death penalty. The death penalty, to me, is revenge. It kills innocent people every year. Many of the families of victims do not want the criminals to be put to death. The death penalty costs more than a life sentence in jail. It is also racists. "Since 1976, there have been five hundred twenty-three executions in the United States, twenty-three in 1999 alone. There was only eleven before 1984. Then the number rose to twenty-one that year. The number of execution stayed around twenty then dropped to eleven in 1988. Then it steadily rose from there to seventy-four executions in 1997. That was the highest since 1976."(Death Penalty Information Center, P.1) There are many different methods of execution used by the government. The most common is lethal injection used by thirty-four states. Electrocution is another method, which is used by ten states. The gas chamber is used in five states. There are still two states today that use hanging as a method of execution. And two other states use a firing squad. The death penalty is also extremely racist. There have been significantly more executions of minorities than white Americans. Capital punishment also goes against the Constitution of the United States. Amendments eight and fourteen state that no cruel and unusual punishment can be inflicted, and no state can deprive any person of life liberty or property. The death penalty clearly takes these privileges away from American citizens. "More than 2000 people are on death row today. Virtually all are poor, a significant number are mentally retarded or other wise mentally disabled. More than forty percent are African American and disproportionate numbers are Native American, Latino, and Asian." (American Civil Liberties Union) It does not seem fair that only these people are dying. The Constitution states that everyone should be given a fair trial. These statistics do not prove to me that these people had a fair trial. Everybody makes mistakes. If a jury makes a mistake and a person is falsely accused of murder when they find out they messed up they want to take the

Price trends of personal computers Essay

Charles Babbage invented the first computer in the 19th century. Since then various models have evolved and advancing technology has created machines that can achieve superhuman tasks within seconds leaving no room for error. These processing machines have revolutionized all aspects of human lives starting from simple typing and calculations to enabling complex business transactions and connecting millions of individuals to huge volumes of data and information available at their fingertips. An individual can now access unlimited information through the Internet, communicate online through emails and chats, carry on business meetings sitting in their homes with delegates located at the other end of the globe through video conferencing and reach out to millions of potential consumers for their products and services with the help of e-commerce applications. The computer has come a long way in the past few years and the increased utility and broadened scope has raised the market demand for this gadget in the global market. Market Demand for Personal Computers The market demand for personal computers has witnessed huge increase in the past few years. Initially computers were purchased by only a handful of individuals and organizations limited to government and large corporations. This was largely accountable to the huge costs involved in acquiring a computer added to the space constraint that it posed due to its big size. The computers would occupy a single room with too much wires and power requirements that required heavy maintenance and careful handling. However, with advancing technology the size of computers began to get smaller and smaller and the manufacturing of smaller processing chips made this possible. The smaller size of computers made it possible for the consumers to purchase for their businesses and eventually for their homes. Today the economy is greatly driven by the computers and their all-pervading applications that have transformed the way business strategies are designed and implemented. The e-commerce and online training and learning applications have created a huge market demand for computers in all spheres of life. This gadget has made it possible for individuals to carry on working from the comforts of their homes without having to commute to their offices on a regular basis. Schools, colleges, other educational and training institutions, along with shops and establishments, malls, small or big business enterprises cannot do without computers. Most business establishments have computerized their operations and departmental processes to catch up with times and reap the extraordinary benefits of faster and accurate processing of work. The rapid advancement in the telecommunication sector too has made a big impact on the sales of computers. The availability of high-speed broadband connectivity along with cheaper rates has boosted the market for these machines both in developed and developing countries. The sales of computers have gone up in the past few decades owing to these factors. Human beings by nature are possessed with the desire to have the latest technology and this holds much credence with the high tech savvy younger generations who are the prime user groups and consumers of these gadgets. The more advanced the technology the greater the appeal it holds for this group of consumers. The first personal computer MITS Altair 8080 was launched in the year 1975 and only a few thousand machines were sold within a period of 1 year of the launch. The market for personal computers has now reached to more than 4. 4 million units of personal computers sold in the year 2007 (source: just4business. com). The market share for macintosh gradually declined from 3. 2 percent in the year 1999 to 1. 98 percent in the year 2004 and the IBM personal computers gaining stronghold over the market. Source: Ars technica Price trend of computers Pricing of a product is an important determinant in establishing the market share and personal computers too have witnessed a steady fall in the price segment largely to attract greater market share. The pricing trend in the computer industry is to a great extent influenced by the rapid pace of advancing technology that renders the existing one obsolete in matter of a few years. The users are left with no other option but to upgrade their existing machines or invest in new improved versions equipped with latest features and enhancements. This trend is unique to the computer industry and can be evidenced in the regular pace of new models and versions that have in fluxed the market within the past one-decade. The massive supercomputers have given way to smaller desktops that rapidly paved the way for portable laptops and notebooks. Another essential factor that has influenced the pricing trend of computers is the universality in applications of computers today. The wide range of tasks and areas in which the computers have found universal acceptance has created a huge demand for these machines. The growing demand and increasing applications thus play a significant role in determining the price of computers. Initially the price of supercomputers ranged approximately between US$ 5 million to US$ 25 million. With advancing technology and increased usage the price of computers started dropping heavily. The price of personal computers has been witnessing a downward curve in the past few years despite growing demand. A survey carried out by the German Association for Information Management, Telecommunications, and New Media the number of computers sold in the year 2007 reached 4. illion units. The prices have dropped owing to the increasing demand and supply of various models in the market. Owing to the huge market demand for personal computers many suppliers have entered the market manufacturing on a large scale resulting in increased supply of machines. Moreover, the computer industry being very dynamic in character accounts for new models featuring enhanced technology and improved capabilities being introduced at a rapid pace. This renders the old models obsolete requiring regular upgradation and feature enhancements. The extraordinary pace at which technology is producing new versions and chips having increased processing capacities the market are always flooded with new models and new technology. If the supplier wants to reap benefits from the market he needs to keep the models within accessible price range to lure the customers into buying his product. High price ranges will shift the consumers to other models having similar features or even better the assembled personal computer that can be very cost effective for the consumers. Too many alternatives and choices available in the market have spoiled the consumers to a great extent. The Gartner report on computer sales states that the ongoing replacement cycle has defined the increasing sales of personal computers. It is observed that the last strong phase for the sales of personal computers was in the year 1999 and the recent years have witnessed increasing sales of laptops and notebooks as replacement to their desktop computers. More and more suppliers have in fluxed the market with new models and features in laptops and notebooks and the prices of these categories of computers have dropped by nearly 25 percent since 2006. This strategy is aimed at attracting more consumers to buy their brands and the manufacturers also realize that since the consumer has several alternatives available to him price can be an important decision making factor in influencing purchase. The basic law of demand and supply influences the principle of price economics. There are many theories attached to pricing strategies adopted by businesses globally but the fundamental principle lays the same for all products or services. â€Å"Many factors affect the quantity and type of goods producers supply and the quantity and types of goods consumers buy, and all these variables are integrated into one unit: price. In a free market, prices are based on the interaction of supply and demand, which themselves are based on individual judgements and values, not on executive caprice. Prices are not subjective† (Saraka, 2008). Conclusion The 21st century has witnessed many changes in the computer industry with new enhanced operating systems making their way into the market and better-equipped hardware attracting the consumer attention. The market share for both personal computers and laptops increased steadily with exploding demand from all corners of the globe.

Telecommunications – Mobile Phones – Engineering Report

Title: Engineering Assignment Historical Development of the Mobile Phone Author: J. Naumovski Date:25/11/2012 Class:Year 11 Engineering Abstract: This Report will examine the Historical development of the mobile phone in telecommunications, such as the History, safety, Use in everyday life and the innovations. Introduction: Cell phones, commonly known as mobile phones or wireless phones, are hand-held phones with small built-in antennas that connect to bigger antennas at a cell tower.Unlike home phones, cell phones can be carried from place to place without the need to be plugged into a lan-line to make a call. This makes them a good choice for people who want to be in touch with other people even when they are away from the house. How Do Cell Phones Work people ask? Not many people know it, but cell phones are actually two-way radios similarly like the walkie-talkies from past decades, yet much more advanced. When you talk into your cell phone receiver, it registers your voice and c onverts the sound into radio waves. Without this you cannot hear the other person.These waves travel through the air until they reach a receiver, which is usually found at a base station. This station will then send your call through a telephone network until it contacts the person you wish to speak with. When someone places a call to your cell phone, the signal travels through the telephone network until it reaches the station closest or near you. The station sends the radio waves out into the neighboring areas; this will be the closest tower in your area. These radio waves are then picked up by your cell phone and converted into the sound of a human voice.Cell phones are a vast improvement over the telecommunications technology of the past, and are daily becoming a fixture of modern life. As always, communication is vital, and cell phones will help you to better communicate with the key people in your life. Using a cell phone is one of the first steps you must take to participate effectively in the emerging global economy. Analysis The History of Mobile Phones The history of mobile phones shows a deep understanding of Telecommunication and the development of devices which are connected wirelessly to a public switched telephone network.The transmission of speech by radio has a long and excessive history going back to Reginald Fessenden's invention and shore to ship demonstration of radio telephone, through the Second World War (WWII) with military use of radio telephone links. Hand held radio transceivers have been available since the 1940’s. Mobile telephones for automobiles became available from some telephone companies in the 1940’s also. Early devices were bulky and consumed high power and the network supported only a few simultaneous conversations.Modern cellular networks allow automatic and pervasive use of mobile phones for voice and data communications. In the United States, engineers from Bell Labs began work on a system to allow mobile users to place and receive telephone calls from automobiles, leading to the inauguration of mobile service on June 17, 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri. Shortly after, AT offered Mobile Telephone Service. A wide range of mostly incompatible mobile telephone services offered limited coverage area and only a few available channels in urban areas.The introduction of cellular technology, which allowed re-use of frequencies many times in small adjacent areas covered by relatively low powered transmitters, made widespread adoption of mobile telephones economically feasible. The advances in mobile telephone can be traced in successive generations from the early â€Å"0G† services like MTS and its successor Improved Mobile Telephone Service, to first generation (1G) analogue cellular network, second generation (2G) digital cellular networks, and third generation (3G) broadband data services to the current state of the art, fourth generation 4G) native IP networks. Safety and Risks Associ ated with Mobile Phones When the first cell phones were made in 1984, there were many health risks. Cell phones emit radiation that could be harmful. No testing had been done prior to releasing these phones to the public. The radiation could possibly lead to brain cancer with long-term use. Cellular phones give off an electromagnetic energy which is a type of non-ionizing radiation. This is similar to the radiation naturally found in thunderstorms. The RF electromagnetic energy that cellular phones create can penetrate through a body.The main factors for the depth of penetration and how much is absorbed come from how close the phone is held and how strong its signal is. It is possible that cell phones can cause serious health issues such as cancer, epileptic seizures or sleeping disorders, changes in brain activity, reaction timing but none of this has been proven, this is all a assumption because of the Radio Activity the cell phones give off. Using cell phone whilst driving could cause serious driving accidents. They may also interfere with medical equipment. This includes pace makers, defibrillators and hearing aids.Mobile phones also cause massive amounts of interference will aircrafts. This is why as a safety procedure they must be turned off during flight so devices can still remain operational. Innovations over History: The mobile phone is a wondrous device of technology which historians track 40 years of amazing innovation and a growing number of vintage mobile phone collectors fascinated by the choice and diversity. This piece of research sets out to serve both communities. Below is the 6th edition of research into the most historically important mobile phones. It’s a uniquely global view.It is the history of cellular radio seen through the evolution of mobile handset innovation. The research is far from complete and contributions are welcome on additional information about the mobile already identified and those ground breaking mobile phones t hat should be included. Many of the mobiles identified are still relatively easy to acquire at auctions whilst others are starting to become harder to find. Timeline from 1973-2012 of Mobile Phone Innovations 1. First Prototype portable radio telephone that took the mobile out of the car and into the hand (1973) 2.Motorola Dynatac 8000X – turning a vision into a practical mobile phone (1983) 3. Technophone EXCELL PC105T – taking the mobile from the hand into the pocket (1986) 4. Motorola MicroTAC – some firsts in size and design (1989) 5. Orbitel 901 – the first GSM mobile and the first to receive a commercial SMS text message (1992) 6. Motorola 3200 – the first GSM hand portable (1992) 7. Nokia 1011 – Nokia’s first GSM hand portable (1992) 8. Anon – The world’s first mobile with a lithium-ion battery (1992) 9. Motorola m300 (& Siemens m200) – World’s first mobiles at 1800 MHz (1993) 10.Hagenuk MT-2000 â₠¬â€œ The world’s first mobile providing a game to play (1994) 11. Nokia 2100 – 1st phone with Nokia tune (1994) 12. Nokia 9000 Communicator – the first mobile to make a reality of the mobile office (1996) 13. Siemens S10 – the first mobile phone with a full colour screen (1998) 14. Nokia 7110 – the first effort (WAP) at taking the Internet onto a mobile (1999) 15. Kyocera VP210 – the first mobile offering video telephony (1999) 16. Nokia 8850 – Introducing style into the design of mobiles (1999) 17. Motorola L7089 Timeport -Bridging the Atlantic for travelers (1999) 18.Samsung SPH-WP10 – The world’s first wrist watch mobile phone (1999) 19. Ericsson R380 – The mobile that blazed the trail for the SmartPhone (2000) 20. Ericsson T36 – the first mobile with blue-tooth (2000) 21. Samsung SCH-N300 with Verizon – the first commercial A-GPS (2001) 22. Siemens SL45 – the first mobile with MP3 player ( 2001) 23. Blackberry 957 Internet edition – the mobile that made a reality of push e-mail (2001) 24. Sharp J-SH04 – first to discover the consumer love affair with the camera phone (2001) 25.Matsushita P2101V – World’s First 3G Mobile Phone and use of 2100 MHz spectrum (2001) 26. Sharp Mova SH251iS – The first 3-D screen on a mobile phone (2002) 27. Motorola Razr V3 (2004) – Setting a trend for thinness (2004) 28. Vertu Ascent – Turning the mobile phone into a luxury item for the super-rich (2004) 29. Samsung MM-A700 – Turning speech into text on the mobile phone (2004) 30. Neonode N1 – First mobile with a finger swipe to unlock (2004) 31. Motorola C113a – Making the mobile phone affordable to the world’s poorest (2005) 32. Nokia N92 – The dream of mobile TV (2005) 3. Samsung B600 – The world’s first 10 MP camera (2006) 34. BenQ S88 – First mobile with OLED display (2006) 35. App le i-phone – igniting the smartphone and mobile data revolution (2007 36. Samsung SCH-B710 – First 3-D mobile phone Camera (2007) 37. The T-Mobile G1 Smartphone – Arrival of the Google Android Operating System (2008) 38. Samsung SCH-r900 – The world’s first LTE mobile (2010) 39. Samsung Beam (I8520) – The world’s first mobile with built-in projector (2010) 40. Nokia 808 Pureview – A 41MP camera to advance camera phone picture quality (2012) 41.Sharp Pantone 5 107SH – World’s first mobile with built in radiation monitor (2012) The Smart Phone Era Android Android is an open source platform founded in October 2003 by Andy Rubin and backed by Google, along with major hardware and software developers such as Intel, HTC and Samsung. That forms the Open Handset Alliance. The first phone to use Android was the HTC Dream, branded for distribution by T-Mobile as the G1. The software included on the phone consists of integra tion with Google's applications, such as Google Maps, Calendar, and Gmail, and a full HTML web browser service.Android supports the execution of native applications and a pre-emptive multitasking capability. Free and paid apps are available via Google Play, which launched in October 2008 as Android Market. In January 2010, Google launched the Nexus One Smartphone using its Android OS. Although Android has multi-touch abilities, Google initially removed that feature from the Nexus One, but it was added through a firmware update on February 2, 2010. Phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S III was so highly anticipated, sales hit 8 million within first weekend in 2012. iPhone/ iOS In 2007, Apple Inc. ntroduced the original iPhone, one of the first mobile phones to use a multi-touch interface. The iPhone was known for its use of a large touch screen for direct finger input as its main means of interaction, this meaning a touch screen as its main form of use. Instead of a stylus or keypad as typical for smart phones at the time. It initially lacked the capability to install some applications, meaning some did not regard it as a Smartphone. Adobe flash was one of its bigger issues. However in June 2007 Apple announced that the iPhone would support third-party â€Å"web 2. applications† running in its web browser that share the look and feel of the iPhone interface. A process called jail breaking emerged quickly to provide unofficial third-party applications to replace the built-in functions, otherwise known as cracking the phone. In July 2008, Apple introduced its second generation iPhone, iPhone 3G, with a much lower list price and 3G support. Simultaneously, the App Store was introduced which allowed any iPhone to install third party applications; these were however both free and paid for, Over a Wi-Fi network, without requiring a Computer for installation.Applications could be browsed through and downloaded directly from the iTunes software client. Featuring o ver 500 applications at launch date, the App Store was noted and became very popular, and achieved over one billion downloads in the first year, and 15 billion by 2011. In June 2010, Apple introduced iOS 4, which was brought to you on the new iPhone, iPhone 4S, which included APIs to allow third-party applications to multitask with an improved display and back-facing camera, a front-facing camera for videoconferencing, and other new innovations.In early 2011 the iPhone 4 allowed the handset's 3G connection to be used as a wireless Wi-Fi becon or hotspot. The iPhone 4S was announced on October 4, 2011, improving upon the iPhone 4 with a dual core A5 processor, an 8 megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p video at 30 frames per second, higher phone capability allowing it to work on both GSM & CDMA networks, and the Siri automated voice assistant. Mobile Phones in everyday life Mobile phones are also known as lifesavers as they can help people in emergencies.If you get stuck in the middle of the road and find no one for help, you can just use a mobile phone and call for help or assistance. Mobile phones are a comfortable way of communicating over a long distances. Along with the obvious convenience and quick access to help in emergencies, mobile phones can be both economical and essential for travellers trying to stay connected to news from across seas. In Japan, mobile phone companies provide immediate notification of earthquakes and other natural disasters to their customers free of charge. In the event of an emergency, disaster response crews can locate trapped or njured people using the signals from their mobile phones or the small detonator of flare in the battery of every cell phone; an interactive menu accessible through the phone's Internet browser notifies the company if the user is safe or in distress. We have also have been downloading Java games and video clips to our mobile phones. Several online mobile phone shops have come up to cater the incre ase in demand for the best mobile phone handsets and ear pieces and the most reliable and cost-effective. Result Summary Historically there has been many significant development Innovations to mobile phones over time.Much of the recent Mobile phones have caused risk issues, which means the constant use of mobile phones can be very hazardous to the person. Yet with the sheer numbers of users with mobile phones is uncanny it shows us as a society cannot live without our mobile phones. By analysis we came to know that mobile phone have both positive and negative aspect. We cannot live without its help. We need them in each and every step so that we can perform our work much more easily. With the help of mobile phones we can also call whoever we wish and ask about last minute things.We may take pictures at anytime in case we don’t have a digital camera. We have the ability to communicate instantly in an emergency. If we have a good plan, we don’t need a home phone. Cell ph ones are good to carry if you break down somewhere. New phones have calendars, and planners and alarms so you now you can throw out the ones at home. Having mobile phone it can cause many problems. Mobile phones save our time but we should try to use the mobile in good things only not in bad one. It is one technology which has enhanced our lifestyle not overcome us.We should take benefits of several innovations of this technology in this globalized world. Mobile phone in a way is very demanding and is getting its place in the market regularly no matter it changes its features, price and others. Conclusion/Recommendations There is no telling how cell phones will evolve over time, and how they will affect the future, but it is safe to say that they certainly will be changing. Over the past few years cell phones have evolved from something you simply call someone on, to now being almost like mini computers, with a large variety of capabilities.One idea that others have for the future o f cell phones include having a super fast charge, with as little as a 10 second charge time. In conclusion mobile phones are easily acceptable new trend and it plays a vital role for every individuals. 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