Construction in Dubai Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Construction in Dubai - Assignment Example This paper illustrates that regardless of the dangers that await the working sector, the construction business is considered to be the backbone of Dubai's flourishing economy. Dubai has gathered much attention in recent years with their fascinating and innovative building ideas and architectural wonders, like the Dubai Skyline and the Burj al Arab, among others. Real estate and construction( 22.6%) are the largest contributors to Dubai's economy, and are considered amongst one of the key sources of employment, income and growth. Before jumping into attempting this building survey, we first need to understand and familiarize ourselves with the construction world, who are the people involved, what are their key roles, what are the challenges they face etc. Coordinating one aspect of a construction is a difficult task. But coordinating the entire process, from initial planning and foundation work, through the final coat of paint, takes someone with a lot of managerial skills. Being a co nstruction manager demands organization, attention to detail, an ability to see the â€Å"big picture,† and an understanding of all facets of the construction process, usually acquired through experience. A construction manager is the intermediary between his clients and his workers, between the architect and his subcontractors, and between the project and any regulatory personnel. A construction manager's foremost functions include planning, directing, coordinating, supervising etc. Their construction projects include, but are not limited to, buildings, residential areas, commercial, industrial structures, roads, bridges, schools and hospitals. A construction manager(CM) may take on an entire project or part of a project depending on contract. They are either salaried or self-employed people, who oversee construction projects. They supervise the construction process from its abstract stage till its completion, making sure that the job is completed within the allotted time fr ame and budget. General responsibilities of a construction manager include helping in the acquisition of land(they know what type of land is necessary and what size), to obtain permits, to hire workers and speciality contractors. A CM must review the project thoroughly before undertaking it, so he has an understanding of what will be needed along the way, and what needs to be done prior to beginning the project. Many constructions managers are given the duty to come up with a budget for the construction project. They will then come up with a detailed cost analysis to get an estimate of the cost to be incurred. This is of fundamental importance as any delays in the project may cause a considerable amount of money. A CM should be an excellent multi-tasker. He should be able to jiggle multiple things at the same time, work under stress and pressure, and have the ability to meet deadlines. It is also the construction manager's job to provide a worker friendly environment, and to come up with a health and safety plan. Safety should be of utmost importance during the architectural plan of the building. The managing contractor should be able to design out unnecessary hazards and come up with a plan to minimize, if not completely eliminate them. He needs to prepare the pre-tender stage plan, which is a collection of information about the significant health and safety risks of the construction project which he will then have to manage during the construction phase. A construction contract

Learning Plan for Autistic Children Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Learning Plan for Autistic Children - Assignment Example One of the most common conditions in the category of developmental disorders is called autism. Autism is characterized by different kinds of improvement in the verbal and non-verbal communication mastery, social interaction, self help and playing skills as well as academic (intellectual) and cognitive skills. Other observable traits include limited repetitive and extreme patterns of behavior (Boyd, R.D. & Corley, M.J. 2001, 19). It is therefore imperative that the curriculum as well as other aspects of learning the designed in such a manner as to wholly meet the needs of these children. This section examines the learning needs of an autistic child and the theories that form the basis of select learning environments with the view of creating a most apt learning environment for specific special needs of a child. There are several groups of children with special learning interaction and communication needs. These conditions may include inherent conditions such as Autism, Aspergers syndrome, Down syndrome (Autism Spectrum disorders) and various physical impairments that include, hearing disorders, blindness and dumbness. Children who are born with or who develop these conditions are faced with a myriad of challenges in relationships as well interpreting, understanding the world around them. They lack the ability to communicate effectively. Autistic children seem to be in a world of their own and are not able to make out meanings of verbal and non-verbal communications such as gestures, facial expressions, physical contacts and even words spoken by people. (Anderson et al 1987, 352-366). Their semantic skills are disoriented and they seem to be indifferent about what is going on around them and even the people who are trying to interact with them. Their behavior does not match their feelings and interacting or relating with other people becomes very difficult if not impossible. For instance, an autistic child will see another child with a toy and since the autistic child cannot express him/herself and as such cannot let the other child know that she would want to play with the toy, the only option left for the autistic child is to grab the toy by force. Autistic children's needs are hardly understood by most people around them and therefore are not acted upon on time. This can be a cause of frustration to the child and lead to antisocial behavior such as acts of violence. It can also frustrate the other party who do not understand the autistic child's behavior interprets the behavior in the wrong way. This therefore, results in a conflict because other people not in the special group category cannot comprehend autistic people therefore not able to meet their need appropriately. Autistic children have difficulties learning different words and may not show any response when words are spoken to them. Due to the these developmental disorder autistic children usually lag behind in developing self help skills such as toileting skills, eating, dressing themselves and even playing skills (Beukelman, D. & Miranda, P. 1998, 129-34). They tend to be obsessed in arranging things in a

To discuss, research and develop an argument which talks about the The Essay

To discuss, research and develop an argument which talks about the The American Dream - Essay Example On the other hand, King’s version of the American dream entailed freedom and equality between African Americans and whites. The following essay attempts to determine what it means moving to the United States today in an effort to achieve the American dream, as well as the myth surrounding its true benefits (Smith 71). The American dream is not an illusion but a reality that is subject to different interpretations because of influence from the government, the media, and academia. Recent academic literature touches on the American Dream (Smith 44). Nearly all Americans are familiar with the concept by the time they finish high school. At the same time, familiarity with the concept does not help determine if the American Dream is achievable or an individual’s misplaced idea of reality. What schools do not teach is that working hard to achieve the American Dream is the only way to overcome success barriers. Some literary works show how barriers can stop one’s progress. Other literary works show that accomplishing anything is possible through persistent desire and ambition. As a result, one only sees barriers for accomplishing the America Dream as an expected reality if one chooses influence from positive or negative literary works. Every generation has seen a multitude of immigrants in the United States full of hopes of achieving the American Dream (Smith 71). Many immigrants desire jobs with suitable incomes and benefits that can lead to a successful life. A successful life can then see their families properly fed, roofed, and educated. Other immigrants seek to set up businesses in the United States, which they hope will grow to a multimillion-dollar empire and live amongst the white elite of America. These are two of the most common perceptions of the American Dream shared amongst immigrants. Stories of a handful of immigrants who came to the United States nearly decades ago with the same vision and

Arbitrtion, mediation, litigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arbitrtion, mediation, litigation - Essay Example Litigation is a legal procedure in front of a judge such as lawsuit to solve a conflict (Freeadvice, 2011). The decision of the judge or the jury is the final resolution to the conflict. Litigation was used by the company to protect its best interest in several areas. The firm has several patents for products. The company once used litigation to protect its intellectual property when a competitor violated patent laws and created a clone of a patented product produced by the company. Litigation was also used by the company to protect itself against employees that filed wrongful lawsuits against the firm. A few years age an employee claimed he was fired due to discrimination since he was from India. I believe his claim was bogus; this employee came to work late or was absent several times every month. I worked with him sometimes, he was completely incompetent. A second technique to manage conflicts is mediation. â€Å"Mediation is a process in which a third-party neutral assists in re solving a dispute between two or more other parties† (Honeyman & Yawanarajah, 2003). The company used mediation to deal with problems with the union and issues associated with the collective bargaining agreement. A third technique that can be used to manage issues is arbitration. Arbitration has been used by the company in the past to settle salary disputes during the negotiation of key employees such as executive management positions. The use of litigation could have been more effective by eliminating the legal staff and paying a retainer to a law firm. The company spent too much money on payroll to its legal staff. The legal department should be dissolved. The company would replace a fixed cost with a variable cost by switching from a legal staff to the services of a lawyer firm on retainer. The use of mediation should be extended on a limited basis to deal with controversial customer complaints. For instance if a customer

Coursework Management Accounting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Coursework Management Accounting - Case Study Example s a break from factors not normally captured in the financial statements.The cash budget is a valuable instrument that can be used by the different offices in the company, and perhaps, it may have a bearing on the success of SPECTRA. Below is a design of a balance scorecard detailing the objectives, measures, targets and initiatives that can assist these officers in the company; Human Resources Director, Operations Director, Marketing Director, Financial Director, and Chief Executive Officer. A good balanced scorecard, typically, properly define the objectives of a company, more, the balance score should provide directions on cash balances of a company, profitability, market share amongst other important data. Secondly, the balance scorecard, based on stated objectives, should provide the measures that are in place to ensure the achievement of the stated objectives. Finally, initiatives should also be incorporated to ensure that the objectives are achieved. the scorecard designed for SPECTRA is important as it helps the firm in monitoring progress and evaluating performance. For instance, a reduction of the level of industrial action from 35% to 10 % can immensely aid the company in reducing the variable overhead costs,, which goes along the way in improving the image of the company and the profitability level. Certain pitfalls can affect implementation of the balanced scorecard, but not design of the scorecard. Niven (2006 301-302) identifies ten potential pitfalls which resonate with the case study. For instance, if SPECTRA lacks of business strategy, a lack of guiding rationale for the balanced scorecard program, lack of consistency in the management practices. In addition, the lack of proper team development and a premature linking of the scorecard to management processes can potentially lead to a pitfall. The assumptions in designing the scorecard were three and they included the following. First, the objectives in the scorecard are complimentary as one

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Summary - Essay Example Therefore a careful attempt is made by the authors to bring out all the effects that the rapid change of the family structure is making on the economy. It also states the difference between the structure of the married and the individual working class. It lays an emphasis on the role of the different genders in a family and their relationships. With the rapid change of the economy and the society there has been transformation in the role of the family members. Therefore the authors have tried to emphasize on the current change of roles in between man and woman and their implications. According to the authors, the relationship between the members of the family directly affects the market and its outcomes. The authors seem to bring clear evidence that the family as a unit is continuously aiming for maximizing their income. Taking this into consideration it can be assumed that the monetary issues are one of the prime considerations of the family members and all other goals and aims revo lve round the primary aim. Chapter four of the book, ‘‘Economics of Women, Men, and Work’ basically deals with the time allotment between the household and the labor market. The major emphasis is made on the female gender in this area. The authors have made it clear in their book that they advocate more and more female participations in the labor market. Primarily, the women are involved in the household work therefore that they do not often get time for any other job. But as the aim of the family unit, according to the authors, is maximization of income, thus the women should allocate time both for the household chores and even their career. Right allocation of time between both would not only help the women but also the family in both short and long runs. In the short run, it will help the family in maximizing their income and also in the long run these earnings will provide the women and their children a better economic viability in

What Is the Principle-Agent Relationship Essay Example for Free

What Is the Principle-Agent Relationship Essay A great majority of social and economic relationships are of the principle agent type. The principle-agent problem is a game-theoretic situation where; there is a player (the principal) and one more other players (the agents). This is the problem of how the principle can motivate the agent to act for the principles benefit rather than follow self interest. â€Å"The problem is how to devise incentives which lead to report truthfully to the principle on the facts they face and the actions they take, and act for the principles benefit. Incentives include rewards such as bonuses or promotion for success, and penalties such as demotion or dismissal for failure to act in the principles interest. † (Black, J. 2003). The actions however, may not always be apparent so it is not usually adequate for the principle to state payment on the actions of the agents. The reasons why we expect the public sector to be inefficient has to do with the incentives and restrictions of the individual and organisational levels. There are at least two important reasons why perfect contingency markets have not developed as stated by Broadway Wildasin (1984). The first reason is that the transaction costs of establishing such markets might be high relative to the number of traders. The other reason is the observable fact of asymmetric information, also known as the principal agent problem. Two particularly significant consequences of this reliance are â€Å"moral hazard† and â€Å"adverse selection†. Daniel W. Bromley (1989), states that the principal must rely on indicators of success rather than success itself (adverse selection), while the agent directs attention toward the satisfaction of proxy measures rather than toward the success of the task itself. (moral hazard). The â€Å"hazard† in moral hazard refers to the fact that the individual has an incentive to direct behaviour toward proxy measures rather than toward the desired goal. This redirection can result in creating incentives for perverse behaviour. The â€Å"adverse† in adverse selection refers to the fact that the establishment of monitoring criteria leads to perverse measurement. Individuals who wish to take out insurance possess information that insurers don’t. The insured persons (the agents) can exploit this informational advantage in dealing with insurers (the principles) in various ways (Broadway Wildasin, 1984). Moral hazard occurs when the insured can, through actions unobservable to the insurer, influence wither the probability of a loss occurring, or the magnitude of the loss. For example, a person can influence the probability of an accident by the degree of preventive action taken. If the quantity of preventive action is not observable to the insured, market failure can result. Alternatively the standard example of how the insured influences the size of the loss is medical insurance. In the event that illness occurs, the insured can overuse medical services. Adverse selection occurs when there are several different types of insured persons, distinguishing from one another by the probabilities of a bad state of nature occurring. Thus, for some persons might be high risk and others low risk, and the insurers cannot tell one from the other. Automobile insurers cannot tell careful from careless drivers except imperfectly through such indicators as sex, and family status. Equilibrium may not exist in the presence of adverse selection and even if it does it may not be efficient. A problem related to adverse selection is the simple lack of information by market participants. The diversification of the Pareto-Optimality of competitive markets assumed that individuals and firms have complete knowledge regarding the availability and attributes of all goods and factors. Such will not always be the case. Consumers may not know the implications of various products for their health or safety, nor will they have full information on the relative merits of various competing consumer items. Firms do not always know the quality of the labour force they are hiring. The provision of information has the attributes of a public good, especially the joint consumption property. Thus, information on product safety and health hazards is often publicly provided. (e. g the Food and Drug Administration). Similarly the education system provides, in addition to its training role, an informational function known as screening. That is by attaching levels of achievement to persons coming out of the education system (e. g. egrees, diplomas, grades), information is being provided to prospective employers regarding the potential productivity of the person. Presumably, the practice of licensing various professions or trades plays a similar screening role, however imperfect it is. The dissemination of information can, for our purposes, be considered as a particular type of public good. Due to the non existence of perfect contingency markets, Pareto optimality does not exist in the real world, and this may influence government behaviour. According to Brown Jackson (1990), inefficiency in the public sector arises when there is an asymmetry of information between those who demand services and those who supply them. This problem is predominantly evident in education and healthcare due to imperfect information. For instance, a patient (the principle) seeks information and advice from her GP or consultant (the agent) concerning her medical condition (i. e. health status). The doctor has specialist technical knowledge and subsequently in providing information to the patient the doctor also advises them on what should be done next. Therefore, because the doctor has the technical skills to make decisions in the patient’s best interests; in most cases they make the decisions for the patients. Had the patient been fully informed and competent enough to assess the technical options, the doctor wouldn’t have to stand in place of the patient as they would have been able to make their own decisions. The public sector consists of professional groups such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, planners etc. Each of these professions holds their own norms and standards that have a hold upon the level and quality of their services. If a lawyer puts professional standards above the interests of the client then this will result in allocative efficiency as they are acting in their own interests as agents rather than those of the principal. Another example of principal and agent is that between voters and elected politicians. â€Å"The rationale for the existence of a representative democracy is that politicians, because of their specialization, are better informed than the general voting public and stand as agents of the voters. † (Brown Jackson, 1990. p. 204). If politicians get the wrong idea about the preferences of the principles then there will be allocative inefficiency once again. In some cases, the suppliers of public services are not exploiting the customers/voters for profit but rather that in serving their own interests â€Å"they may tend to over produce or to produce a quality of service in excess of what tax payers would be prepared to pay if they were better informed. † (Brown Jackson, 1990. p. 204) Due to budget constraints, public firms do not have the financial capabilities to provide powerful incentives unlike private firms. Bonuses are not awarded for good performance nor can individuals be fired for misperfomance. Subsequently, public agencies are systematically less efficient as individuals are less complacent to be efficient or to provide the best services to their customers. Even if they do have any incentive, more often their aim directed at political goals rather than the objectives. Bureaucrats for instance, as explained by Stiglitz (2000) may not receive ample pay checks or considerable dividends from increased efficiency, but they often seem to enjoy the power and prestige associated with being in charge of a larger organization. They attempt to maximize the size of their bureaucracy by reducing efficiency. The only thing that stops them from doing this is competition between bureaucracies. W. A Niskanen, implies that the increasing centralization of government bureaucracies has reduced competition, in doing so bureaucrats can pursue their interests at the expense of efficiency and the public interest. This is an example of the principle-agent problem. â€Å"Here, the problem is, how do the citizens (the â€Å"principles†) get their employees, public servants (the â€Å"agents†), to act in their interests? † (Stiglitz, 2000 p. 202) Revise.