Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Project Cost Management - 1646 Words

Project Cost Management Review pages 273, 274, and 275!!! EV PV AC EVM RP CV SV CPI SPI The Importance of Project Cost Management IT projects have a poor track record for meeting budget goals. The CHAOS studies found the average cost overrun (the additional percentage or dollar amount by which actual costs exceed estimates) ranged from 180 percent in 1994 to 56 percent in 2004; other studies found overruns to be 33-34 percent. What is Cost and Project Cost Management? Cost is a resource sacrificed or foregone to achieve a specific objective or something given up in exchange Costs are usually measured in monetary units like dollars Project cost management includes the processes required to†¦show more content†¦Sample Cost Estimate See pages 265-270 for a detailed example of creating a cost estimate for the Surveyor Pro project described in the opening case Before creating an estimate, know what it will be used for, gather as much information as possible, and clarify the ground rules and assumptions for the estimate If possible, estimate costs by major WBS categories Create a cost model to make it easy to make changes to and document the estimate Determining the Budget Cost budgeting involves allocating the project cost estimate toShow MoreRelatedProject On Project Cost Management857 Words   |  4 PagesProject cost management is a series of activities for estimating, allocating, and controlling costs within the project. It allows determining and approving budget for the project and controlling spending. For example, in construction project cost management it is vital to estimate cost of materials, equipment, salary of workers, etc. (McConnell, 2010). Project cost management deals with the cost of the resources needed to complete an organization’s projects. Project cost management also considersRead MoreProject Cost Management1667 Words   |  7 Pages|MBA 513 – Project Cost Management | |Project Manager: Manager or Leader? | |How the collaboration of management and leadership skills makes a great Project Manager. | | Ednaline Concepcion | |12/12/2009 Read MoreProject Cost Management2196 Words   |  9 PagesOverview of Project Cost Management According to an accounting textbook, cost is defined as a resource sacrificed or foregone to achieve a specific objective. It is something given up in exchange. It is necessary for project managers to understand project cost management since project costs money and consumes resources. There are reasons for project cost overrun and these are as follows: * Not emphasizing the importance of realistic project cost estimates from the outset. IT project cost estimatesRead MoreProject Management : Project Plan Cost Management Essay1065 Words   |  5 PagesProject budget With the Sim4Project our team utilized a proper plan cost management, by employing certain procedures to control the project’s cost. The cost management influences the project manager’s decisions and project output. We used weekly meetings and strategic budget management to decide on which resources were valuable and which did not meet the criteria. Other factors impacted the cost management for sim4project such as organizing resource time and to what percent the resource contributedRead MoreProject Management -Project Cost Estimation2686 Words   |  11 PagesProject Management Word Document Subject: Project cost estimation, budgeting cash flows Names of Group members: Nilay Shah Sharad Tiwari Mayur Kakkad Nishant Agrawal Amit Sharma Submitted to, Prof. Deepak Jakate Introduction Project Definition: Why, What, How? How does a project get started? How do you know what it is supposed to achieve? How do you know what approach is required? How do you know that it is a good idea in the first place? How will you know if you succeededRead MoreCost Duration Analysis Of Project Management843 Words   |  4 Pages Cost Duration Analysis In field of project management, there are a plethora of mechanisms under perpetual reevaluation. One specific segmentation of project management under such scrutiny pertains to cost duration, which is the time and monetary costs of completing individual tasks within the project’s critical path (IBM Knowledge Center, 2016). The process of monitoring and evaluating the time and financial impacts of each task is referred to as cost duration analysis (IBM Knowledge CenterRead MoreProject Management : The Iron Triangle Of Cost, Time, And Quality907 Words   |  4 PagesHistorically, project success has been directly tied to the Iron Triangle of cost, time, and quality. While most of the articles reviewed for this study refer to these standards for success criteria, the overwhelming majority find that they are not enough to fully define what success is. Atkinson (1999) defined two types of errors in project management and places using the Iron Triangle as success criteria into the category of not doing something as well as it could be done. This comes from anRead MoreWhy A Project Can Fail Such As Poor Cost Management3409 Words   |  14 PagesTask 1 P3, M1 Their are many reasons why a project can fail such as poor cost management. This can cause a project to fail because it can cause the project to go either over-budget or under-budget. Going over-budget will cause the most problems for the project as it could leave the without any money for important resources which will stop the progress of the project. It could also cause the company to go bankrupt of they where relying on the project to stay in business and its not ready in time becauseRead MoreProject Lifecycle Management Solution For Capital Planning Project Delivery, Cost Control, And Facilities And Real Estate Management1077 Words   |  5 Pagesas â€Å"The best-in-class project lifecycle management solution for capital planning, project delivery, cost control, and facilities and real estate management.† Oracle’s Primavera Unifier provides governance across all project phases, from planning and building to operations and maintenance (Oracle’s Primavera Un ifier, n.d.). It is consistently used throughout the organization and fits well into its portfolio. This system is classified as a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and wasRead MoreProject Management Methodology For Reducing Organizational Change Implementation Costs And Save Resources Essay957 Words   |  4 Pagesuse project methodology to lower costs and save resources. Fully customizing a project, versus having no methodology at all, can make a firm’s project success rate soar from 66 percent to 82 percent. A project manager (PM) identifies what tasks will help a firm meet its goals, and assigns responsibility for completing those tasks. It is important to choose a project management methodology (PMM) that fits needed criteria, but to also customize that methodology to specific company and project needs

Monday, December 23, 2019

My Family, My Little Brother, My Hero Essay - 574 Words

Ever thought about what a hero stands for or who heroes are? I have. I was challenged a week ago to come up with my hero for an English paper. After countless, antagonizing hours pondering the true meaning of this topic, I know what the word hero stands for. A hero is a person you look up to, someone who is honorable, benevolent, and hardworking. This person will battle evil everyday. This evil may be causing the world to end, or just the world as he knows it. I know a person who personifies all of these characteristics, thus making him my hero. My hero is my thirteen-year-old little brother Sam. I know people may call me crazy for naming a thirteen-year-old boy, let alone my little brother, my hero, but Sam contains the kindest and†¦show more content†¦Sam cried, begged, pleaded, and even got down on his knees while asking my parents for a dog. When my parents finally conceded, Sam jumped for joy, and we brought Sean home immediately. Sam possesses this extreme kindness an d willingness to help others that I find wonderful. It is one of the main reasons I admire him and an example that I attempt to conduct myself by. Although I admire Sam’s humility and kindness, I admire most his perseverance and overcoming all obstacles set in his path. Sam was born without vision in his left eye. Before a child is born, the blood vessels that form his or her eyes dissolve. However, in Sam’s case, the blood vessel in the left eye did not dissolve and instead formed a stalk covering his retina. At the moment, the loss of his sight is immutable. Surgeries have become possible to remove the stalk, however, they are exceedingly adverse and his sight cannot be recovered. Sam does not let this condition stop him from doing, and excelling, at everything. According to medical science, Sam should not be able to play sports such as baseball and tennis due to his lack of depth perception. Nevertheless, Sam excels at these sports as well as many others and receive s accolades for his performance. To the eye, Sam is a normal thirteen-year-old boy, but this is a result of tons of hard wok. The overcoming of these many obstacles and the hard work he hasShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Michael Harvey s The Hero Essay1118 Words   |  5 Pagesthink of a hero, I think of someone who is not only mentally strong, but has the endurance to go the distance. We all have has some heroes in our lives. Just ask any kid these days who their hero is. I am sure you will hear a familiar name such as, Superman, Spiderman, Ironman and the most recent one my son says is the Avengers. They are the best superhero in the world, but I say to my son what about all the hero that are no on the TV. He looks at me like I have lost my mind. I look at the hero, and IRead MoreMy Mom Shehnaz Soni Is An Everyday Hero946 Words   |  4 Pagessuperman, but a hero can be anyone. A hero can be an average person doing something good like picking up someone’s wallet when you have dropped it. Another example would be someone who fights crime and fights fire. These everyday unsung heroes generally do these things because they have good intentions, even if it is for little reward or fame. I have a close family member who bears the qualities needed to be an everyday unsung hero. My Mom Shehnaz Soni is an everyday, unsung hero because she hasRead MoreMy Mom Is My Hero992 Words   |  4 Pagesand everyone has a different hero. Some people’s heros may be someone famous or someone in a book. My hero just happens to be my mother, Naomi Peterson. She raised me and continues to raise me into the person I am and the person I am becoming. She taught me from a very young age how to be a hard worker and to help others. For obvi ous reasons she is my idol and hero. When I think about the qualities of a hero, I think of someone who is courageous, loving, and selfless. My mom is all of these and moreRead MoreA True Hero : Martin Luther King Jr.1001 Words   |  5 PagesA hero is arguably one of the most important sparks in an individual’s life. These heroes come from an array of places whether it be books, movies, or reality. Similarly, the definition of a true hero can vary from person to person. Some individuals define a hero as fictional character who is invincible, dresses in a cape, or can fly. Others even define a hero as a member of the military. Many people around the world have heroes however, the definition of a hero to me is not a man in a cape but realRead MoreMy Grandpam My Grandma, My Best Friend1230 Words   |  5 Pages My grandma was, and is, my best friend as well as my hero. Ever since I was little my fondest memories have always been about my grandma and the countless hours we’d spend together. We’d do everything from playing card games, to matching socks, to cutting up melons for the whole family to eat on a hot summer day. From an early age I always knew that she was my hero, but I never really thought about what that meant. My grandma was my hero for many reasons. She never, ever let me forget how lovedRead MoreThe Hero Of Jesus Christ1100 Words   |  5 Pageshave a hero they admire and strive to be like. Often these heroes are people such as athletes, celebrities, world leaders, and family members. These ordinary people become heroes because of desirable attributes they exhibit. These characteristics are ones that people can relate to, characteristics that give birth to a desire to elevate oneself to be a hero to others. Such is my hero. My hero was born long ago to two devoted parents that loved him dearly. Life was not easy for him or his family; neverthelessRead MoreThe Character of Don John in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing827 Words   |  4 Pagesillegitimate brother of Don Pedro, causes most of this upset and trouble. Don Pedro is an important nobleman from Aragon. He is a long-time friend of Leonato and is also close to the soldiers that have been fighting under him (the younger Benedick and the very young Claudio). Don Johns first words suggest he is socially isolated and emotionally cold. I thank you, I am not of many words, but I thank you. After Leonato and his family had welcomed the smallRead MoreEssay on My Hero, My Grandpa1681 Words   |  7 PagesMy Hero, My Grandpa I have so many memories of my hero, my grandpa, but a few stick out in my mind. Ever since I can remember, my grandpa always wore the slippers. He wore shoes too, but at the Sunday dinners at my grandparent?s house, he always wore those slippers. I could hear him as he gently shuffled his way across the hardwood floor and came out of the kitchen to give us all hugs and kisses. The suede slippers were the color of coffee with a dash of cream to lighten them up. On theRead MoreWhat Makes Someone A Criminal?1461 Words   |  6 Pagesone in the communities eyes. Brotherly Love is a movie about a star basketball player named sergio and his friends and family. June is the oldest brother of his siblings and he takes care of them. In the laws eyes he is a criminal but in the eyes of the community and to his family he is just someone who is taking care of his family the only way he knows how. June is an outlaw hero for many reasons such as his age, looks, and his lack of care for laws. Brotherly Love is a movie about a the numberRead MoreLove Is Patient. I Was Raised In A Highly Religious Family.1022 Words   |  5 PagesLove is Patient I was raised in a highly religious family. I have attended church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night since the Sunday after I was born. I was always taught that faith, hope, and love were the three cardinal virtues of my entire life. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, we are told, â€Å"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Change in Indian Family Free Essays

Change in the Family structure and Familial relation in India. Introduction Family structure is the way that a household or a family is set up. It is different for every family as families may have single parents, may have both parents or may have step parents involved. We will write a custom essay sample on Change in Indian Family or any similar topic only for you Order Now The family is a basic unit of society. The study of the change in the family structure in India is quite complex. With the increase in the urbanization and industrialization, the concept of the family in India, which once created and maintained a common culture among the members of the family, is undergoing change. The family life or the family structure has remained the integral part of the Indian Society with the spirit of family solidarity. For generations, India has had a prevailing tradition of the joint family system. Usually the oldest male member of the family is the head of the joint Indian Family system. He is the one who makes all the important decisions of the family. After the urbanization and the economic development of the country, India has witnessed a break up of traditional joint family into more nuclear like family. Cohen, Yebudi A, in his book â€Å"Shrinking Households†, he said that households have reputedly been shrinking in size for ten thousand years or more , right up to the present , and this is a result of an evolving technology that requires fewer co-operating people to secure food, rear children and look after them. The Objective of Study The specific objective of this study is to understand the change in family structure in India and its familial relationship. How to cite Change in Indian Family, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Curleys wife book Essay Example For Students

Curleys wife book Essay I think there are many characters that stand out as being weak in many different ways in the book with either physical or mental weaknesses, and occasionally both. Candy clearly is easily dictated as Carlson proved, but I think the presentation of Curleys wife and Crooks is more intriguing.  Steinbeck also presents Curleys wife as a doll her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages which has the effect of objectifying her. We also find out that Curleys wife is used in the book. She was picked up by somebody who said they were going to make her a movie star, and then they didnt send her a letter, showing how she was a pushover and nave, and then Curley found her, and made her his wife, and that is the only identity Steinbeck gives her in the book(as the wife of Curley) which I think emphasises he does to show her as an inferior by not giving her a personal identity so that we cannot relate to her- she is objectified. We will write a custom essay on Curleys wife book specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Possibly due to having little experience with other men, Curleys wife married very badly, and doesnt get on with Curley Sure I gotta husbanswell guy, aint he? She says sarcastically, and added to Curleys paranoia that she will cheat on him (shown on page 62-Slim said well you been asking me too often. Im getting God damn sick of it) and in addition, due to the fact that she is the only girl on the ranch she is isolated and very lonely. Curleys wife hangs around the bunk house, possibly in order to make friends with the workers, but appears to have weaknesses in her skill in conversation, so finds the easiest way to communicate is by flirtation, and as a result she makes few friends on the ranch as they are wary of her, despite her not showing any definite intention of wanting to cheat on Curley; this leaves Curleys wife with the losers on the ranch: bunch of bindle-stiffs, while the rest of the men go out and have a good time and she is not even accepted by this group she looked from one face to another, but they were all closed against her and her ability to get along with people is a huge weakness ,meaning she has no support, and little chance of escape from her isolation. This might make the reader either sympathise with her, or distance themselves from her. Another of her weaknesses that is shown when Crooks ask her to leave is her insecurity and poor morals. She turns on Crooks and threatens to get him strung up on a tree so easy aint so funny the punishment for attempted rape in order to assert her authority. Steinbeck might have done this to turn us against Curleys wife so we could see the trouble she could cause by her female status, and it has the effect on the reader of making us lose any sympathy for Curleys wife. Although there is always a sense that Curleys wife is slightly evil, Candy calls her a tart at the beginning of the book: Curleys married a tart and Steinbeck brings her onto the scene when Crooks is opening up, and makes things turn sour and then finally when she dies Steinbeck seems to show that she is at peace: the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face, and finally time stops/slows down as though there is peace Throughout the rest of the book however and after this Steinbeck makes everything very dramatic, with all the animals reacting The horses stamped and snorted and they clashed their halter chains and every thing happening in such a short space of time. .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b , .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .postImageUrl , .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b , .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b:hover , .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b:visited , .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b:active { border:0!important; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b:active , .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc1b2093e5b1fd7bb750b4363207bc66b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How does Shakespeare make Romeo and Juliet dramatically interesting for the audience?Steinbeck might have done this to have the effect on the reader of thinking that this was the right thing to happen, and had happened according to fate similarly to how he twists fate to make it seem that what George did (shooting Lennie) was right by making it happen at sunset when opportunities are closed and later having Slim, a Godlike figure, condone the killing. Also by alienating Curleys wife the reader is not particularly upset by this event. A feminist however, might react completely differently to the portrayal of Curleys wife and think that she is portrayed unjustly and that women are victimised in this book. I think that it is just symbolic that Curleys wife is a girl to isolate her from a society, which at that time was male orientated, and fit in with her part, and it does not dictate in any way how women should be treated today.  The idea that Crooks is shown being slightly crippled, accentuates his weakness, also he is coloured and shown as being completely independent, and not particularly interested in getting involved with other members of the ranch, with the exception of the odd game. Crooks main problem is that he is depressive. He is stuck in his ways, and does not have the motivation or is too weak to break out of his bonds. Steinbeck shows this very effectively using structure by introducing him rubbing his spine with liniment, and leaving him rubbing his spine with liniment, trapping him in this fixed routine. Even when Lennie and Candy come to his rescue, he doesnt have the drive to pursue what they suggest after being humiliated by Curleys wife. In addition to this he is not ambitious and has a very low ego, and thinks dreams to be futile, and so attempt to torment Lennie, and put down Candys aspirations, and this makes the reader slightly wary of him, and not very trusting; he is also shown as being slightly evil Crooks, face lighted with pleasure in the torture  A weakness Crooks shares with Curleys wife is that he is isolated/has no support there aint a coloured man on this ranch and apart from Lennie who is controlled by George, Crooks is seen by Everyone to be lower than them on account of his colour, and for this reason he withdraws into his room as a place of security, and then his bunk when his room is invaded. Crooks also finds it hard to communicate with people, partly because he is shy and humiliated which makes him feel lonely, and maybe justifies his insecurities and depression.  The presentation of Crooks fits in with racist the pre-second world war depression Steinbeck is describing, where dreams are futile as poverty is extreme, and a common dream is shared. The American Dream of a piece of land and independence but rarely achieved, and is probably why he is presented like this.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Development of a Network-Based Laboaratory Management System for the Engineering Laboratories of the University of the Assumption Essay Example

Development of a Network-Based Laboaratory Management System for the Engineering Laboratories of the University of the Assumption Essay It is the study of how we deal with scarcity, or how we use our limited resources. These resources are those things that can be used to produce goods and services. (p. 10) An economizing organization calls for an excellent management style to optimize profit and productivity for an organization to survive – either for profit or non – profit. Wherein productivity – the key to business profitability – is the result of how we can manage the processes for producing goods and services and is driven by implementing innovations (Watson, 1994, p. 17). Maximizing competitive advantage and minimizing competitive disadvantages methodology is one of the keys to attain productivity and profitability of an organization by increasing net profits, reducing expense costs, increasing process efficiency and effectiveness, maximized utilization of resources and the likes. This process involves internal and external environment scanning which calls for evaluation. This evaluation will utilize statistical analysis to enumerate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) present in the organization and out of the results, draw a solution. This entire process is called strategic management (Wheelen and Hunger, 2002, pp. 80-85). Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons (1998) found out that the integration of information technology helps to define the competitive strategy of successful firms. Furthermore, they added that Information Technology supports an organization’s competitive advantage. (p. 74) Heskett (1986), viewed investment on communications networks, databases and information technologies intensify strategic advantage. Furthermore, He observed that the database a service firm possesses can be a hidden asset of strategic importance. We will write a custom essay sample on Development of a Network-Based Laboaratory Management System for the Engineering Laboratories of the University of the Assumption specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Development of a Network-Based Laboaratory Management System for the Engineering Laboratories of the University of the Assumption specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Development of a Network-Based Laboaratory Management System for the Engineering Laboratories of the University of the Assumption specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The value of information is of importance to a strategizing organization that is why (Capron, 2001) he introduced as new component of economics. (p. 3). Similarly, Oak (2008) emphasized that computers have changed the way we work, be it any profession. Computers play a vital role in every field. System integrations enable organization to perform processes in peak rate. (Watson, 2002) The conceptualization of the study entitled â€Å"The Development of a Computer-Based Laboratory Management System for Chemistry Laboratories of the University of the Assumption† emanated with the management theories cited. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The proponent, first and foremost and above all, would like to thank his LORD GOD Almighty for the gift of time and wisdom, and opportunity HE bestowed upon him. Also, the proponent would like to express his sincerest appreciation and gratitude to the following persons: * Engr. Joseph M. Calilung, Dean of the School of Technological Studies, University of the Assumption for being his mentor and a father as well. * Engr. Danilo M. Guzman, for the encouragement and assistance. * Engr. Eleazar C. Nabong, MEP-MEM for not letting him down during time of hopelessness, and for his unselfish sharing of his expertise. Ms. Daphne R. Tadeo, a good friend for the corrections of his grammatical glitches. * Engr. Romano Gabrillo, Engr. Nancy M. Santiago and Engr. Magdalena Gatdula for bringing out the best in him and for the patience. * Engr. Ivy Mar Ramos for the untiring assistance to his queries. Last but not the least his family – Nanay Lourdes, Tatay Freddie, Maraya, Joy and Melody for staying late with him when he wrote this paper. Abcde Krizia E. Lumanog his love of his life, for the inspiration. Ferddie Q. Canlas Bulacan State University Malolos, Bulacan May 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Pagei Approval Sheetii Executive Summaryiii Acknowledgmentv Table of Contentsvi List of Tablesviii List of Figuresix Chapter 1: Introduction 1. 1. Company Profile1 1. 2. Objectives of the Practicum 1. 3. Significance of the Project2 1. 4. Definition of Terms4 Chapter 2: Practicum Program 2. 1. Practicum Schedule5 2. 2. Type of Job Undergone6 Preliminary Stage Distribution and Accumulation Stage Analysis and Interpretation Stage 2. 3. Problems Encountered, Lesson Learned and Solutions7 Chapter 3: Practicum Project 3. 1. Background of the Study9 3. 2. Statement of the Problem10 3. 3. Objectives of the Project 3. 4. Scope and Limitations11 3. 5. Problems Encountered, Lessons Learned and Solutions12 3. 6. Presentation of the Existing System13 3. 7. Presentation of Survey Results20 3. 8. Recommendation on the project26 Chapter 4: Summary and Conclusions44 References46 Appendices A. Survey Questionnaire48 B. Interview with the In-Charge of the Chemistry Laboratory52 C. Letter of Acceptance for Practicum55 D. Certificate of Practicum Completion56 E. Certificate of Statistical Validation and Analysis57 F. Certificate of Proof Reading58 Curriculum Vitae59 LIST OF TABLES Table 3. 7. 1. Respondents22 3. 7. . 1. Students Overall Rating23 3. 7. 2. 2. Rating Scale for Efficiency, Effectiveness and Reliability24 3. 7. 2. 3. Paired Sample Test (Students) 3. 7. 3. 1. Chemistry Teachers25 3. 7. 3. 2. Paired Sample Test (Teacher)26 3. 8. 1. Table of Recommended Components28 3. 8. 2. LMS Summary of Menus and Shortcuts31 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2. 1. 1. Gant Chart for Activities from January 2009 to May 20095 2. 1 . 2. Gant Chart for Activities from June to October 20096 3. 6. 1. Left Side of the Storage, Request and Issuance Area13 3. 6. 2. Right Side of the Storage, Request and Issuance Area14 3. 6. 3. Transaction Processing on Chemistry Laboratory15 3. 6. 4. Transaction Processing – ID System16 3. 6. 5. The Record Keeping Office17 3. 6. 6. The Record Keeping Office (Cont. ) 3. 6. 7. Labeling of Chemicals18 3. 6. 8. Labeling of Tools19 3. 8. 1. The LMS 1. 0 Architecture27 3. 8. 2. The Proposed Floor Plan and Office Layout29 3. 8. 3. The Splash Screen30 3. 8. 4. Login Window31 3. 8. 5. The Main Window34 3. 8. 6. The User Account Window35 3. 8. 7. The User Account Table Window 3. 8. 8. The Student Information Window36 3. 8. 9. Attendance Monitoring Window37 3. 8. 10. Attendance Monitoring Report 3. 8. 11. Request and Issuance Window38 3. 8. 12. The Borrowers Window39 3. 8. 13. The Category Window 3. 8. 14. The Index Window40 3. 8. 15. The Purchase Window41 3. 8. 16. The Inventory Window42 3. 8. 17. The Attendance Window (Logger)43 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the background of the company where the proponent conducted the study, as well as the objectives and the significance of the practicum. 1. 1. Company Profile The University of the Assumption (U. A. ) is a private Archdiocesan Catholic university located at Unisite Subdivision, Del Pilar, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines. It was founded on January 12, 1963 and is the first and only Catholic Archdiocesan University in the Philippines and in Asia. It is a non-profit and non-stock educational institution. Its current president is Bishop Roberto C. Mallari, D. D, also the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Pampanga. The School of Technological Studies where the proponent is assigned is a cluster under the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. It is consist of three (3) departments namely; Architecture and Interior Design, Engineering and Computer Studies. 1. . Objectives of the Practicum As an academician, the practicumer would like to accomplish the following before the end of the practicum: 1. Contribute to the school administration in bridging the gap between the theoretical and laboratory requirements of each engineering programs of the cluster, following the paradigms set by CHED and PAASCU by means of integrating computerized processes. 2. Conduct evaluation to existing laboratory p rocesses and procedures to spot areas that need improvements in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and reliability. 3. Conduct research that will contribute to the improvement of the â€Å"existing† laboratory processes based on the results of accumulated data during the evaluation process. 4. Translate problem solutions found on the research conducted, into a computer based system that will answer the issues of efficiency, effectiveness and reliability. 1. 3. Significance of the Project The value of a study, a research or an invention can be measured by its significance, the degree how it alleviates the operations and processes of the existing system, and the acceptance and capability to respond to and satisfy the needs of the users also called beneficiaries. According to Bishop Jeremiah the Hermit, â€Å"The most valuable thing on earth is time, because everything is acquired in time and all of mans business is dictated by time. You could have food, clothing, fabulous homes, wisdom, and have all you want, but if you do not have time, it means you have nothing. † He also added that the worst thing on earth for man is the loss of time. Because by wasting time, we cannot acquire  anything;  we  cannot  have  anything;  by  losing time, we lose everything. We even lose ourselves. (†The Value of Time,† n. d. An educational institution caters an intangible product called service. But what makes an organization different from its contemporaries is how expedient, accurate and satisfactorily it conducts its processes. This can be intrinsic and extrinsic in nature, meaning how the organization deals with itself and how the organization deals with the customers or stakeholders. Although an educational institution e nvironment differs from the industrial setting and from a business setting, a common denominator can be drawn from them – increasing profit and decreasing cost. Minimizing astage of resources such as papers and human efforts due to inefficient systems is one of the ways of decreasing costs. The ability to expediently process customer transactions and even interdepartmental transactions increases profit. Proper allocation of resources such as buildings and rooms can both address the issue of profit and costs. Failure to accomplish any of these areas will result to a company’s loss. Process is time – bound. Efficiency and Effectiveness is being dictated by time. Reliability, security, availability and access of data, and processes affect time. University laboratories try to mimic the industrial setting for the students to experience and to practice with. These are the places where most of the university’s assets and investments are housed. Students – also known as the clientele primarily accessed the laboratory services, tools, equipments and other facilities. Providing a strategic front end to the students may provide expedient response to request and issuance of equipments and supplies. Monitoring, inventory, scheduling and management of laboratory supplies and process will be found on the backend of the system. However, anyone may argue that the process mentioned can be done using the paper based or manual system. Strategically speaking modernized, competitive and service-oriented laboratories may find this method deficient and even expensive. Inconsistencies on records will poke another issue. On the other hand Computer-based management systems will provide not only attractive infrastructure to customers but also efficient and economic resorts. Also maximization of the available resources thru proper scheduling will also be an advantage. Data stored on the database will be used for future decision making process, and will balance the â€Å"in† and â€Å"out† of resources. It is but a waste of resources if computers deployed on the university’s chemistry laboratories will just be used for simple encoding and internet surfing. The proponent has a strong conviction that the uses of high end computer should be maximized and not merely for word processing and the likes. 1. 4 Definition of Terms PAASCU – Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities CHAPTER 2 PRACTICUM PROGRAM 2. 1. Practicum Schedule The practicumer’s immersion commenced on January 8, 2009 and expected to end on June 8, 2009. The practicumer’s daily schedule will start at 8:00 am until 5:30 pm in a â€Å"flexi-time† basis. Figure 2. 1. 1 and Figure 2. 1. 2 shows the Gantt chart of the practicum activities: Figure 2. 1. 1. Activities from January 2009 to May 2009 Figure 2. 1. 2. Activities from June 2009 to October 2009 2. 2. Type of Job Undergone One of the school’s prime objectives is to attain higher form of recognition to each academic performance and to adhere to standards set forth by accrediting organization. This endeavor entails a lot of evaluation and benchmarking to areas that need special attentions and improvements. Moreover, satisfaction of each student-clientele is also of great concern to private higher educational institutions (HEI’s). Thus, its financial sustainability and the ability to continually provide quality education services, depends on the patronage of its students. The engineering department of the University of the Assumption is gearing towards PAASCU Accreditation. As a preparation, the department should be able to perform internal evaluation from its faculty line-up up to its facilities and services. The proponent was assigned to assist the department to examine papers and evaluate engineering laboratories. Laboratory evaluation results vary from one laboratory to another. The dean of the Technological Studies (which is also the practicum adviser of the proponent) found out that the Chemistry Laboratory which caters not only the engineering programs but also other departments has the most areas that need to be improved. As the proponent framed the solutions to initial problems found, the Person in Charge of the Chemistry Laboratory and the industrial adviser both agree hat there is a need to computerize some processes within the Chemistry Laboratory. If not totally eradicate the problems, at least minimize them or expedite some processes. The proponent was asked to design database solutions with effective front and backend application for the laboratory and centralize process by introducing network infrastructure. 2. 3. Problems Encountered, Lesson Learned and Solutions Transform ing problem-solution into a software solution is not an easy task to do, and sometime is not always the real solution. It will incur costs when technology is being employed. Thus, improper analysis will lead to reverberating problem results. An interview with the Person in Charge of the Chemistry Laboratory was conducted (see Appendix B) to elicit problems that need to be analyzed. The following are the problems found arranged in order of complexity: 1. Inventory Processes – usually takes months to finish 2. No centralized and systematize database management system 3. Record Keeping of Issuance and Request 4. No basic tracking of students entering the laboratory 5. No clear reservation process and procedure 6. Manual laboratory scheduling processes CHAPTER 3 PRACTICUM PROJECT 3. 1. Background of the Study It is but wise to comment that an organization operating without technology is lagging behind its competitors. Prevalence of IT and MIS department will prove the benefits computerization and telecommunications can bring to an organization. Expedience on transactions does not only satisfy and impress stakeholders but also cutting cost on the side of the organization. The proposed Network-Based Laboratory Management System for Chemistry Laboratory is a study that will amalgamate the three components of the computer system namely; Hardware, Software and Peopleware. The proponent strongly agrees that these three are inseparable. The study would design front and backend application to be developed using Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0. It is a network-based application that can be implemented either with wired or wireless infrastructure. Centralized storage and retrieval of information will be done using MySQL Database. Again, the study would frame front ends for student’s attendance monitoring within the laboratory using barcode reading technology and reservation of room and tools. An interface is also included for personnel dealing with requests and issuance of tools and supplies, and the reservation of laboratory room. Thus, maintaining integrity and veracity of data. This study would produce an application that would serve more less two thousand students utilizing the chemistry laboratory each year. 3. 2. Statement of the Problem The study entitled The Development of a Network-Based Laboratory Management System for Chemistry Laboratories of the University of the Assumption, would like to answer the following questions: 1. How to identify the strength and weaknesses of the current chemistry laboratory management systems on the following area: a. Laboratory utilization and scheduling b. Laboratory supplies, tools and equipment inventory and issuance processes c. Laboratory accession d. Laboratory Record Keeping 2. Is there any significant difference as perceived by the respondents of the study between the current chemistry laboratory management system and the proposed Network-Based Laboratory Management System for Chemistry in terms of : e. Efficiency f. Effectiveness g. Reliability 3. 3. Objectives of the Project The project aims to develop a Network-Based Laboratory Management System for Chemistry Laboratories of the University of the Assumption Specifically the project aims to: 1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current laboratory management system and to determine the areas that will need enhancement. 2. Evaluate the current system using the data gathered from the people involved with the laboratory utilization and management. 3. Draft guidelines and solution to address the problems found and elicited from data gathered. 4. Create an integrated system for the following processes: request and issuance, inventory and control, laboratory scheduling and utilization, laboratory accession and record keeping. 3. 4. Scope and Limitations The study underpinned the underlying principles that could help analyze the problems of the current system. These lead to the blueprinting of the requirements for a development of a system that would answer these constraints. Synthesizing all the former principles found on past researches and publications, the proponent had framed a solution. Moreover, these principles boxed the project, and determined the scope and limitation of it. The project focused on the development of LAN and computer based solution to the management of the engineering laboratories of the University of the Assumption. Thus, the application to be developed will be applicable and custom – tailored to the University’s laboratory set-up and requirements. This management solution is open – ended for future integration but currently limited to request and issuance, scheduling and utilization, accession and record keeping. It can’t be accessed from the internet. Implementation of total laboratory security is not covered by the project; a separate study should be conducted to realize this endeavor. Similarly, budgeting and financial endeavors of the laboratory is not covered by the project, but it can somehow assists in the decision-making process based on the inventory system posed by the proposed project. Also, the inspection of the condition, content, composition and actual counts of each apparatus, tool and other related objects requested and returned is not covered by the study, therefore, it requires human predisposition to determined whether the former needs replacement, recalibration and other similar actions. The system would only track the maturity of each stock as entered by the encoder. However, the assurance whether older stocks were issued first or not is still in the control of the person in charge of the transaction. 3. 5. Problems Encountered, Lessons Learned and Solutions Migrating into a computerized system will entail a lot of process and other requirements. Problems encountered by the proponent in implementing the proposed system are: 1. Labeling supplies and tools with barcodes 2. Reconstruction of the laboratory to meet the requirement of the current system 3. Procurement of barcode readers, finger scanners, networking equipment 4. Networking processes to meet networking topology required The said problems hindered the expedience in evaluation and pilot testing of the new system. The proponent made a proposal to the management regarding the need to adopt the new system. With the assistance of the industry advisers, needed materials for the realization of the said endeavor were properly channeled. 3. 6. Presentation of the Existing System The chemistry laboratories were located at the first floor of the Cruz Building. The storage, request and issuance is located at the middle of the laboratories as shown on figure 3. 6. 1 and figure 3. 6. 2 Figure 3. . 1 Left Side of the Storage, Request and Issuance Area Figure 3. 6. 2 Right Side of the Storage, Request and Issuance Area Students are entertained on the windows. Each transaction is recorded to logbooks (See Figure 3. 6. 3). Student assistants perform the preparation of request, answer queries and record transactions on logbooks. On the other hand students are as ked to fill up forms depending on transactions being conducted. These will be the basis for record keeping Figure 3. 6. 3 Transaction Processing on Chemistry Laboratory Students are asked to leave their ID’s when borrowing tools and equipment. Figure 3. 6. shows the system on borrowing. Figure 3. 6. 4. Borrowing Process – ID System The office of the in charge of the laboratory is also located where tools and chemicals are housed. This is also the record section, where all present and past transactions are kept. Figure 3. 6. 5 and Figure 3. 6. 6 show the condition of the said office. Figure 3. 6. 5 The Record Keeping Office Figure 3. 6. 6 The Record Keeping Office Chemicals and other tools are labeled with masking tapes for identification. Tools are stored on cabinets with markings. Figure 3. 6. 7 and Figure 3. 6. 8 depict the housekeeping and segregation of tools and supplies. Figure 3. 6. 7 Labeling of Chemicals Figure 3. 6. 8 Labeling of Tools Based on the interview (see appendix B) and initial investigation conducted by the proponent, it is notably found that the laboratory is having problems on the following areas: 1. No recordkeeping of supplies, only tools and equipment. 2. Inventory records are inconsistent 3. No logging in and out records of laboratory accessions by students 4. Presence of forms for request and issuance as basis of record validation and reference 5. All processes are being done manually – paper based and log book transactions 6. No reservation policy. Mr. Gilbert Changcoco – the in charge of the chemistry laboratories asked the proponent in computerizing laboratory processes 3. 7. Presentation of Survey Results The perception of each respondent – Students, Faculty and Administrators is of greater importance, more than anything else in the framing of the study and of the application being developed by the proponent. Whether the proposed system was able to answer and satisfy the clamor of then clienteles to expedient transaction processing and reliable information is being relied on the feedbacks and evaluation of the respondents. The researcher strongly believes that there is a need to integrate computerization on the chemistry laboratory processes. Appendix A shows questions being poked to the respondents. Same set of questionnaire is given to Students, Faculty Members and Administrators. Both systems – the current and the proposed were evaluated using the same instrument – Efficiency, Effectiveness and Reliability. With the aid of Engr. Diana B. Pangilinan, MBA – the director of the Academic Research Office Department of the University of the Assumption, the survey results were processed using SPSS v17. Engr. Pangilinan also interpreted the result (See. Appendix E) 3. 7. 1 Respondents A. Students The proponent used the Slovin’s Sampling Formula in determining the number of respondents. A 7% margin of error was also used. Thus, n=N1+Ne2 Where, N = is the total population under investigation n = is the sample size to be surveyed e = is the margin of error (usually from 1% to 10%) Substituting the values will yield, n=2701+270(. 072) = 116. 2290 However rounding 116. 2290 will give 116, thus the proponent is confident with the sample size. Respondents are all engineering students. The 116 student respondents were picked randomly. Table 3. 7. 1 and Graph 3. 7. 1 show the breakdown of the respondents. Table 3. 7. 1 Respondents| Course| No. of Respondents| Percentage| BS Computer Engineering| 58| 50%| BS Electronics Engineering| 10| 8. 62%| BS Industrial Engineering| 30| 25. 85%| BS Civil Engineering| 18| 15. 52%| Total: 116 100% Graph 3. 7. 1 – Distribution of Respondents Per Course B. Chemistry Teachers and Administrators There were 2 administrators participated the evaluation. The remaining 8 are Chemistry Teachers. 3. 7. 2. Evaluation of Students to the Current System and Proposed System The following tables will show the overall mean rating of students to the two systems under study and the significance of the difference among the ratings. Table 3. 7. 2. 1 Student’s Overall Rating| | | Mean| N| Std. Deviation| Std. Error Mean| Remarks| Pair 1| Efficiency (Current)| 1. 8545| 116| . 65668| . 06097| Needs Improvement| | Efficiency (Proposed) | 4. 3642| 116| . 47878| . 04445| Outstanding| Pair 2| Effectiveness (Current)| 2. 0961| 116| . 80455| . 07470| Needs Improvement| | Effectiveness (Proposed)| 4. 4618| 116| . 33349| . 3096| Outstanding| Pair 3| Reliability (Current)| 2. 1897| 116| . 83706| . 07772| Needs Improvement| | Reliability (Proposed)| 4. 4267| 116| . 39151| . 03635| Outstanding| Table 3. 7. 2. 1 shows that the proposed system outshined the current system with an outstanding remark on each area using Table 3. 7. 2. 2 as basis. Mean Value| Weight| Verbal interpretation| 4. 20 – 5. 00| 5| Outstanding (O)| 3. 40 – 4. 19| 4| Very Satisfactory (VS)| 2. 60 – 3. 39| 3| Satisfactory (S)| 1. 80 – 2. 59| 2| Needs Improvement (NI)| 1. 00 – 1. 79| 1| Poor (P)| Table 3. 7. 2. 2 Rating Scale for Efficiency, Effectiveness and Reliability Table 3. . 2. 3 shows the following analysis: All p values are below 0. 05 (the set level of significance): The null hypotheses are rejected in favor of the corresponding research hypotheses. Conclusion: The proposed system is significantly rated higher than the current system in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and reliability by the student evaluators. Table 3. 7. 2. 3 Paired Samples Test| Areas| Paired Differences| T| df| Sig. (2-tailed)| | | 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference| | | | | Mean| Std. Deviation| Std. Error Mean| Lower| Upper| | | | Pair 1| Current Efficiency – Proposed Efficiency| -20. 7759| 7. 57358| . 70319| -21. 47047| -18. 68470| -28. 552| 115| . 000| Pair 2| Current Effectiv eness – Proposed Effectiveness| -16. 56034| 6. 70793| . 62282| -17. 79402| -15. 32667| -26. 589| 115| . 000| Pair 3| Current Reliability – Proposed Reliability| -8. 94828| 4. 24642| . 39427| -9. 72925| -8. 16730| -22. 696| 115| . 000| 3. 7. 3 Evaluation of Chemistry Teachers and Administrators to the Current System and Proposed System The following tables will show the overall mean rating of chemistry teachers and administrators to the two systems under study and the significance of the difference among the ratings. Table 3. 7. 3. 1 shows that the proposed system outshined the current system with an outstanding remark on each area being evaluated. Table 3. 7. 3. 1 Chemistry Teachers and Administrators Overall Rating| | | Mean| N| Std. Deviation| Std. Error Mean| Remarks| Pair 1| Efficiency (Current)| 2. 3125| 10| . 64617| . 20434| Needs Improvement| | Efficiency (Proposed)| 4. 4250| 10| . 23717| . 07500| Outstanding| Pair 2| Effectiveness (Current)| 2. 7286| 10| . 74824| . 23661| Satisfactory| | Effectiveness (Proposed)| 4. 3429| 10| . 38214| . 12084| Outstanding| Pair 6| Reliability (Current)| 2. 250| 10| . 73077| . 23109| Satisfactory| | Reliability (Proposed)| 4. 3750| 10| . 31732| . 10035| Outstanding| Table 3. 7. 3. 2 shows the following analysis: All p values are below 0. 05 (the set level of significance): The null hypotheses are rejected in favor of the corresponding research hypotheses. Conclusion: The proposed system is significantly rated higher than the current system in terms of eff iciency, effectiveness and reliability by the Chemistry Teachers and Administrators. Table 3. 7. 3. 2 Paired Samples Test| | | Paired Differences| t| df| Sig. (2-tailed)| | | 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference| | | | | | Mean| Std. Deviation| Std. Error Mean| Lower| Upper| | | | Pair 1| Efficiency (Current) – Efficiency (Proposed)| -2. 11250| . 78936| . 24962| -2. 67717| -1. 54783| -8. 463| 9| . 000| Pair 2| Effectiveness (Current) Effectiveness (Proposed)| -1. 61429| . 99215| . 31374| -2. 32402| -. 90455| -5. 145| 9| . 001| Pair 3| Reliability (Current) Reliability (Proposed)| -1. 65000| . 90676| . 28674| -2. 29866| -1. 00134| -5. 754| 9| . 000| 3. 8. Recommendation on the project Based on the result of the evaluated conducted by two groups of people. It is strongly suggested that the proposed system should be adopted by the Chemistry Laboratories of the University of the Assumption. During the evaluation periods, suggestions were given for future enhancement of the proposed system. One of these is to link the system to the university’s property custodian and to the finance department for the updates of records on procurement of supplies. Moreover, the system is also requested to be link to each student account for the collection of fees on breakages and damages made to some tools. The Laboratory Management System 1. (LMS 1. 0) Architecture LMS 1. 0 is Client-Server Architecture that utilize MySQL Database System as repository of data. Both the client and server applications are built using the Visual Basic 6. 0 programming language. Each component can be connected using either Wireless (802. 11) Network or Wired (Switched or Hubbed) Network. Figure 3. 8. 1 shows the Architecture of the proposed system, and Table 3. 8. 1 in dicates the minimum and mandated requirement for the proposed system. Figure 3. 8. 1. The LMS 1. 0 Architecture Component| Requirement| Operating System| Server: Windows XP or Server 2003Clients: Recommended is Windows XP | Hard Disk| Server: Minimum of 160, solely for MySQL Installation aloneClients: Minimum of 60| Processor| Server: Minimum is Pentium 4 or any equivalentClient: Minimum is Pentium 4 or any equivalent| RAM (Memory)| Server: Minimum 2GBClient: Minimum 256MB| Input Devices| Any compatible barcode readerSolely Digital Persona Finger Scanner U. are. U 4000B for finger readerAny compatible mouse and keyboard| Table 3. 8. 1 Table of Recommended Components Office Layout The proponent also would like to simplify and ease the transaction processing within the laboratory premise. Figure 3. 8. 2 shows the ideal floor plan and office layout that can be adopted alongside the proposed System. The proponent also suggested some fixture arrangement and major rearrangement of the office layout. Areas enclosed with ovals are not present to the current floor plan of the chemistry lab. Issuance area for other laboratories is also noted to minimize intrusion of students on the laboratory, basically to secure tools and maintain orderliness within the premise. Figure 3. 8. 2. The Proposed Floor Plan and Office Layout Screen Shots This portion would like to give a brief eye view of the Laboratory Management System (LMS) 1. 0 Application for both Chemistry Request and Issuance Office and Student Access Application The Splash Screen The splash screen (Figure 3. 8. 3) shows the title of the application and the author of the software. It usually loads the needed resources for the program to run. Figure 3. 8. 3. The Splash Screen The Login Window The login window (Figure 3. 8. 4) authenticates users that log into the system. Usernames and passwords entered are verified against the database. Figure 3. 8. 4. Login Window The Main Window The main window (Figure 3. 8. 5) caters different functions. Primarily it contains menus and other essential shortcuts needed by the user. The application for students slightly differs from the application used by the Request and Issuance Office. Table 3. 8. 2 summarizes the menus and shortcuts present in each main window. Menus and Shortcuts| Request and Issuance Application Window| Student Access Application Window| Function| Menus and Sub Menus| File * Show Shortcut Pane * Log Off * Exit * Shutdown Computer| | | Shows Shortcut Pane when hidden or closed. Switch users. Logs off current userCloses the entire applicationShuts down the compu

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Impact of Offshoring on Employment Essay Example

The Impact of Offshoring on Employment Essay Example The Impact of Offshoring on Employment Essay The Impact of Offshoring on Employment Essay The Impact of Offshoring on Employment BY jamtebl 2354 What is the impact of offshoring on employment (in the offshoring country)? Use empirical evidence to support your answer. The development of globalisation of recent years has seen the ever increasing frequency and extent of offshoring by Multi National Enterprises (MNEs), involving the contracting out of different stages of production that were previously performed within a production unit to foreign subcontractors (Foster 2012). Reductions in the cost of international trade created and outpouring of low skill, labour-intensive anufacturing to developing countries. Factors such as the removal of trade barriers, reduction transport costs, and advances communication technology have made it possible to divide production into component stages, locate these production stages Brainard and Ricker (1997). Becker et al (2012) note that there is considerable agreement among economists that fragmentation of production, and offshoring production stages, is likely to affect the employment and wages across countries. There is however disagreements over the expected direction of these effects. Offshoring mainly involves tasks carried out by ow skilled labour, as such, the relative demand for low skilled labour would decline and contribute to a widening wage gap between skilled and unskilled labour. The central argument of this essay, is that despite standard, zero-sum claim (Brainard and Ricker 1997) that multinationals are exporting US (or other industrialised countries) Jobs to low-wage countries, the impact of offshoring is relatively limited, and MNE that engage in extensive offshoring actually increase their levels of relative demand for skilled workers in the onshore country (Feenstra and Hanson 1995). The effect of offshoring on overall employment shifts is analysed by Becker et al (2012) who found that MNEs with employment growth abroad also expanded Jobs at home, whereas ones those that shrink abroad also cuts Jobs at home. Their Study of German MNEs between 1998 and 2001 substantiate their claim: Over the time period, overall employment in Germany increased by 4. 3% on average across all sectors, whereas in MNEs employment increased by 11% over the same period. The highest rates of employment growth was seen in MNEs who were expanding their offshore employment (OE), who experienced 19. growth, whereas MNEs who were contracting the OE saw a shrinkage rate of 6. 1%. Their findings are consistent with two competing explanations as to the increase of onshore employment in firms expanding their OE: Firstly MNEs with favourable factor-market access shocks abroad and resulting foreign expansions may gain competitiveness in global product markets, allowing them to expand also at their home locations. Secondly, MNEs might suffer global product market shocks and in response change employment in the same direction at all their locations. Evidence suggests that each xplanation accounts for roughly half of the observed changes in employment in On the other hand, Macmillian and Harrison (2009) observed that over the period 1982 to 1999 onshore employment of US multinationals shrank by almost 4 million jobs. During this time, the number of workers hired by affiliates in developing countries increased and wages paid to these workers declined. Brainard and Ricker (1997) had similar findings; that whilst US based MNE employment grew by 11% overall between 83 and 92, onshore employment actually decreased by 12. 5% within the US. However, at the time of publishing only a third of all US multinationals had any productive actives in developing countries and for those firms that had OE in developing countries, onshore employment actually increased 13%. This increase was seen in skill-intensive areas, whereas the increase in OE was labour-intensive. These facts are consistent with the hypothesis that US MNEs are exporting low-wage jobs to low-income countries. Macmillian and Harrison (2009) do whoever, further suggest that other factors such as import competition and falling investment goods rices were central to the falling levels of US employment. Their findings suggest that the on the links between offshoring and onshore employment is varied, and that the effect depends on both the type and the location of foreign investment. HiJzen and Swaim (2007) note that even if offshoring doe not typically result in net employment losses at the level of the industry or even the firm as already suggested, this does not necessarily mean that workers do not encounter significant adjustment difficulties. A study by the OECD (2007) demonstrates that intra-industry offshoring is onnected toa demand for high skill levels. HiJzen and Swain (2007) state that this suggests that some of the workers whose Jobs are lost due to the technology effect from offshoring may lack the qualifications required by the Jobs created by the scale effect. (The scale effect being what happens to firms inputs, as the firm expands production). A study by Straus-Kahn (2002) analyses changes in the skill composition of sectorial employment associated with offshoring. Her main results correlate with those previously analysed; international outsourcing has had a strong negative impact on he demand for unskilled labour in the France. The regression analysis she undertook indicates that offshoring has contributed considerably to the observed decline in the within-industry share of unskilled workers in France. It accounts for 25% of the inter-industry shift away from unskilled workers and towards skilled worked between 1985. She does however acknowledge most of increase in the gap between skilled and unskilled labour is due to other factors, other than offshoring, such as skill-based technological progress, through increased R. HiJzen et al (2005) lso highlight the role of R as an explanation to the increase in the skills gap appears as increases international outsourcing and technological change can be induced through R. Another area that warrants analysis is the effect of offshoring has on the labour force developed in the USA over the period 1979-1990. He shows that relative wage and relative employment of high-skilled workers has increase. This positive correlation of relative employment and wages suggests that a shift of the demand curve for high- skilled labour has taken place resulting in a shift along the supply curve, as depicted. This pattern was subsequently found for other countries also (Foster 2012). Figure 1: Plot of Relative Wages against Relative Employment in the USA (1979-1990). Source: Feenstra, R. (2010) Offshoring in the Global Economy: Microeconomic Structure and Macroeconomic Implications. Cambridge: MIT Press. One explanation is attributed to an increase the use of computers and other technological advances, causing a general skill-biased technological change, for shift in demand. Another however, is due to the change in relative demand for labour, which occurred due to the forces of globalisation, and in particular the increase of ffshoring of low skilled Jobs to other countries (Foster 2012). The Stopler Samuelson model states that an increase the relative price of a commodity, raises the return or earnings of the factor used intensively in the production of the commodity (Salvatore 1995). Therefore, in a country with a high degree of skilled labour, an increase in openness, through offshoring, would be expected to increase the returns to skilled labour, further widening the wage gap (Foster 2012). This in turn promotes the view that there tends to be a negative impact f offshoring on the relative wage (defined as the ratio of high-skilled to low-skilled or of non-production to production workers) of unskilled workers. Greenway et al (2008) identified the reduction in wages of low skilled wages, the negative aspect of offshoring (on the I-JK) based on analysis of over 66,000 1-JK. The effect in a drop in wages is negated by the net gains from offshoring due to the increase in levels of employment, which they assess to be worth 100,000 extra Jobs with additional annual turnover of ElObillion in Britain today. These figures, whilst positive for the economy s a whole, are not entirely applicable to evaluating the impact on employment. This essay has demonstrated that the effects that offshoring has on the employment in the offshoring country. The literature surveyed all recognizes the shift in demand, towards high skilled labour, in the onshore country, changing the overall composition of the workforce. The effect on over levels of employment however is negligible, with potentially a small increase. This contravenes the view that offshoring simply exports jobs out of from the onshore country. The degree to which technological changes ave evolved the composition of the work force has played Just as a significant role as the process of offshoring itself, and is perhaps the reason why some studies a produced contradicting results. Overall, I found that a statement by HiJzen and Swaim (2007) perhaps best summarieses the issue: the productivity gains from offshoring are sufficiently large that the Jobs created by higher sales completely offset the Jobs lost by relocating certain production stages to foreign production sites. Becker, S. , Ekholm, K. , and Muendler, M. (2012) Offshoring and the Onshore Composition of Tasks and Skills, Journal of International Economics, Vol . 90, No. 1, pp. 91-106 Brainard, S. , and Ricker, D. (1997) U. S Multinationals and Competition from Low Wage Countries, NBER Working Paper Series, No. 5959 Feenstra, R. and Hanson, G (1995) Foreign direct investment, outsourcing and relative wages NBER working paper No. 5121 Macroeconomic Implications. Cambridge: MIT Press Foster, N. (2012) Offshoring and Labour Markets, 3rd FIE special International Economics Source: http:// www. fiw. ac. at/fileadmin/Documents/Publikationen/Spezial/3. FIW- Special_offshoring 28/4/13] Greenway, D. Gorg, H. , and Kneller, R. (2008) Offshoring and the UK Economy. GEP, Leverhulme Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy. Source: nottingham. ac. uk/gep/documents/reports/gep-offshoring- report-06-08. pdf [28/4/13] HiJzen, A. , and Swaim , P. (2007) Does Offshoring Reduce Industry Employment? GEP, Leverhulme Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy. Paper No. 2007/24 HiJzen, A. , Holger, G. , and Hine, R. (2005) International Outsourcing and the Skill Structure of Labour Demand in the United Kingdom, The Economic Journal, Vol. 5, NO. 506, pp. MacMillan, M. , and Harrison, A. (2009) Offshoring Jobs? Multinationals and US Manufacturing Employment Tufts University, Department of Economic, Working paper OECD (2007), OECD Employment outlook, Chapter 3, OECD: pans. Salvatore, D. (1995) International Economics 5th Edition, London: Prentice Hall Straus-Kahn, V (2002) The Role of Globalisation in the Within-Industry Shift Away from Unskilled Workers in France in Baldwin,R and Winters, L. (eds) Challenges to Globalization: Analysing the Economics, Chicago: Chicago University Press

Friday, November 22, 2019

Metropolitan museum of arts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Metropolitan museum of arts - Essay Example sed as a central place, where these materials can be easily accessed by the general public for purposes of research and information up date (Backhaus, 11). This discussion will focus on an analysis of a piece of art work stored in the Metropolitan Museum, in New York the United States of America. The Metropolitan Museum is located in New York City in the United States of America. It is considered among the largest museums in the world, with a collection of over two million various pieces of art work from different parts of the world. The main building of the museum located along Manhattan is considered one of the world’s largest sources of art galleries. It is separated into seventeen departments, which each department exhibiting a specific piece of art work. The exterior part of the museum was constructed using stones, which are painted using a white water-based paint. In the interior one is welcomed by white clean shelves of various sizes and shapes, exhibiting various forms of art works. From a personal perspective, the museum has a feature similar to the buildings that were constructed in the early and the late 1800’s such as the White House, which was constructed using large stones and beatified using a whitish water-based paint. This form is building design could have been chosen as a result of the fact that such designs dominated the early and late 1800’s: Such designs were preferred by French architectures, who were considered the best architectures in the world during that period. The museum features cultures from various parts of the world for instance; ancient Egyptian art works African art, Asian, European, American art work as well as a collection of modern art works that have been considered eclectic. Pieces of art work are organized in accordance to their cultures and timeline, in a manner that makes it easy for viewers to identify and understand their significance. The arrangement of the art works within the Museum as well as its

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Strategic management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic management - Coursework Example The article gives an illustration of Mintzberg model which tends to be in a limited context. However, the context is seen to be a valid prescription for success in strategic management. The article is important as it illustrates the factors that result to variation in strategic management, and it also attempts to give the valid prescriptions for success. The author is a lecturer at United States international university. The varying business environments tend to alter the way various organizations conduct business. Strategy is an area of management characterized by controversial theories. The article does not question the essence of strategy. The article states that strategy should reflect the demands of an organization. Strategy should be dynamic. Strategies tend to evolve as the organizational patterns also change. The approach to strategy making, can normally take a deliberate end, which tends to be more rational. The other approach is the trial and error type of approach. An organization can normally follow a specific approach, or may combine both. The article is important in relation to strategic management, as it depicts the controversial theories associated with strategic management. It also gives the different approaches to strategic management. The authors; Marius Pretorius is an associate Professor and Rachel Maritz is a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria. The article gives an illustration of company strategies, these strategies can be as a result of deliberate internal decisions, they may also depend on one extreme, and, however, there are those that may emerge as a result of external forces. The article uses an example to illustrate how a company moved from the emergent to a more deliberate strategy, despite the external forces that tend to influence its decisions. Looking at Alcan’s organizational structure, it is evident

Monday, November 18, 2019

Company Analysis ( MGM Resorts) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Company Analysis ( MGM Resorts) - Essay Example There is a significant dependence on the ability of the standard resorts to generate the operating cash flow to repay the fund capital expenditures, financial debts and the provision for the excess cash flow for future economic growth and development. In the MGM resorts, there have been significant investments in standard procedures for adding entertainment, new restaurants, nightlife promotions, as well as other new characteristics and facilities. Moreover, there has been a regular capital investment to maintain the standard qualities of the hotel rooms and the civic spaces. The generation of cash flows by the standard domestic resorts of MGM in the year 2012 advanced than the previous year and the year 2010 and there is an expectation that the efficient and effective trend will continue into the coming years despite the constant economic declines. The visitation to the Las Vegas rose significantly up to 2 percent in the year 2012, and the room inventory has been optimum with inadequate new rooms supply planned in the recent years. . Despite the constant concerns, concerning the economic instability in the state of China, and the accomplishment of the latest smoking limitations in Macau there is an expectation that the Macau market platform should continue to expand or rather grow. In the year 2012, the speed of growth declined a little bit but the casino revenue for the Macau market still raised over 14 percent in the year 2011. It shows that over the years of the development of the MGM resort it has been consistently making profits no matter the challenging conditions of the current market. It is due to the competence of the top management that strives to maintain a competitive advantage. The competitive advantage is constant at the MGM resort due to the facts that it actually considers the welfare of its customers (Vogel, 2001). Most of the customers at the MGM resort prefer value to the price

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Effects of Reintroduction of Capital Punishment in the UK

Effects of Reintroduction of Capital Punishment in the UK The legal and political effects of re-introducing capital punishment into the British Criminal Justice System. Acknowledgement I would like to thank Ms Rebecca Greenhalgh of the charity group Amicus, who provided endless assistance with source materials and statistics reflecting the psychological effects of being on ‘death row’. Amicus is a charity based organisation that assists the lawyers of families of death row prisoners and also provides help with coping with the stress that goes hand in hand with the anticipation of execution. Help is also provided in order to assist with prison visits and other initiatives for the benefit of raising awareness of the unconstitutional status of Capital Punishment in the USA. Appetiser â€Å"I remember the pounding fists of the wooden railings that kept the mob out of the sand covered courtyard. I can still smell the burning embers of Ellion’s pages as they rose above the various bonfires that lined the outskirts of the crowd. These were the ashes of testimonies given by Ellion during the trial but I mourned no loss, for as long as Ellion was alive, his words, teachings and truths would never be lost. I took the final steps of my life knowing above all else that my path was great. I chose to dwell on only one sight and it was not the mob and their deafening cries as they yelled the word HERETIC alongside the din of the executioner’s drums. Nor do I remember the sight of the wielded axe and the faceless man who held it high above my head, ready to strike away at the last of my breath. I remember, but one thing, I remember as I looked up at the distant Minoton in flight, I witnessed it soar up into the skies that at last, to me, boar the eeriness that I could comprehend. I now knew that it was the eeriness that comes with the discovery that these were not the skies that had known of our forefathers. The last words I ever spoke resounded in the ears of the peoples of Giddo Kaata for all time. â€Å"For Peace and Knowledge.† With that the drums halted and the crowd was silent. I closed my eyes as I knelt and felt a slight breeze, then pain and, as I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a vast world of perpetual darkness, and I feared nothing. Live long Ellion, the man for whom I die. Live long, and recite your chronicle.† Extract from ‘The Heretic’ by Nicola Louise Tysoe (unpublished, copyright Nicola L Tysoe) Contents Page (Jump to) Introduction Part 1: The legal effects of the re-introduction of capital punishment into the  British Criminal Justice System 1.1 History 1.2 Effects of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the ECHR 1.3 Comparison with USA, the need to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998 1.4 The Legal Consequences for Britain as an EU Member State and a brief mention of the recent Turkey situation 1.5 The legal effects of International Law Treaties Part 2: The Political Effects of the Re-introduction of Capital Punishment into the British Criminal Justice System 2.1 Internal Politics 2.2 The European Policy with Turkey as an example 2.3 The Alterations of the International Political Alliances with the UK 2.4 Resultant Weakness of the UK’s participation in international politics 2.5 A USA/UK Alliance Introduction The death penalty was abolished in 1965 as a result of the Sidney Silverman (MP) private member’s bill. The debate on the concept of re-introduction did however take place although with increasing failure and with the current governance of the Human Rights Act 1998, the question is now posed, what would be the legal and political effects of the British re-introduction of the death penalty? In order to answer this question it is important to give a brief overview of the history of death penalty reform in order to become aware of the core issues that motivated changes in the law that profoundly stretched over a period of time that included the Napoleonic wars, the industrial revolution, the rise of an educated, middle class, two world wars and their aftermath of social enlightenment. The importance of this exercise will be to also reveal the type of social and political climate that would form the necessary pre-requisite for inspiration to finally abolish the death penalty. Further to this, the effect of the ECHR and the Human Rights Act 1998 will be assessed and comparison with the wording of the US Constitution will provide the subject of analysis for contrasts between pro and con death penalty policies as well as illustrate how capital punishment is allowed in a country that has a Bill of Rights. In light of the UK’s commitments to the ECHR, the legal consequen ces of re-introduction of the death penalty will be revealed in part one, with a complimentary description in Part 2 of the political steps that the UK would have to take in order to realise this hypothetical goal. Part One will end by giving a description of the contrasting commitments under international law treaties. As already explained, part two will discuss the political consequences for the British re-introduction of the death penalty. This means that, as well as stating the steps required for realisation of a death penalty policy, there will be a detailed analysis of UK internal politics, as well as the Country’s relationship with the political, international community and current weaknesses. The purpose of this exercise will be twofold. In the first place, it will be necessary to fully understand the position of the UK in global politics and, in the second place, this understanding will, give way to a more accurate representation of the political, international impact of re-introduction of Capital Punishment to the UK. Part One: The Legal Effects of the Re-introduction of Capital Punishment 1.1 History 1.1.2 The early days – reducing the scope of the offence The first death penalty reforms were introduced by Samuel Romilly in 1808, who sought to remove this form of punishment from over two-hundred various crimes. These crimes were referred to as England’s â€Å"Bloody Code† and included such offences as remaining in the company of gypsies for a minimum of one month[1], the vagrancy of soldiers and sailors[2] and ‘strong evidence of malice’ in children ranging between the ages of seven and fourteen years. Following this early era of reform the early 1830s saw the removal of the penalty for petty crimes such as shop lifting, sacrilege and the theft of mail. The emphasis at this time was a clear campaign to remove the disproportionate trends of the criminal justice system. The result of these reforms did however reveal a higher instance of convictions but it is widely held that poverty and starvation were an additional contributing factor to the occurrence of these lesser crimes[3]. The reforms continued through to 1843 with the removal of gibbeting, which entailed the public display of the executed dead in cages and, finally, by 1861 the death penalty remained for only four separate and serious offences, which were murder, arson in royal dockyards, piracy with violence and, treason[4], of which the latter two crimes continued to carry the death sentence until the enactment of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. 1.1.3 Limiting the mode of execution As well as limiting the number of crimes that fell within the scope for the death penalty, the methods of execution were also reduced. In 1868, public hanging was outlawed[5] and the punishment of being hung, drawn and quartered was condemned to the history books in 1870[6]. By the start of the 20th century the compulsory form of death for murder was hanging. 1.1.4 A picture of the early 20th century dilema There did however exist the discretion of the jury to aid the ‘recommendation to mercy’ but this was fully reversible by the Home Secretary[7]. Further to this, appeals in the Court of Appeal were to be heard only once and only for the points of law that had amounted to the prima facie case for conviction. House of Lords appeals were strictly allowable at the exclusive discretion of the Attorney General who was to decide whether the particular case involved significant points of law that merited further examination[8]. The result of any successful appeal was the reduction of sentencing to that of life imprisonment but the Home Secretary did later obtain the power to obtain the opinion of a medical panel to determine the mental capacity of the condemned offender[9]. 1.1.5 After the world wars The issue of controversy over the death penalty did not once again grab full media and political attention until after the end of the second world war, when capital punishment became a focus of the British media[10]. The delay in reform was of course a direct result of the suspension of legislative reform that took place during the war, and was the ultimate reason for the shelving of the original 1938 Commons vote to abolish the death sentence over an experimental period of five years[11]. Following the war there were in fact a number of lobbies both for and against the death penalty as well as overall concerns over the innocence of many of those condemned to die. To date, since 1945, there have been three posthumous pardons for Mr Timothy Evans in 1966[12] and Mahmood Mattan and Derek Bently in 1998[13]. 1.1.6 The emergence of new but flawed limitations to Capital Punishment In 1948 the then Labour Government created the Royal Commission on the death penalty but it was not until the election of the Conservative Government when a true legislative compromise was introduced in the form of the Homicide Act 1957. This act was in fact a direct result of the gross miscarriages of justice that had taken place in the years since the war and acted to reduce the scope of the sentence to a mere six kinds of murder. The first was murder executed in the furtherance of theft, followed by murder as a result of shooting or causing an explosion. The third scenario was murder carried out within the course of resisting arrest or while attempting to escape. The fourth and fifth was the murder of a police officer or prison officer while in prison and finally, the sixth murder charge that carried the death penalty was when there were at least two murders on separate occasions. It is clear that the ethos behind this restriction was to reserve the most profound of sentence to the most acute and extreme manifestations of the crime of murder, thereby theoretically condemning to death those few criminals who were deemed to deserve to die[14]. There were however three problems associated with this so-called compromise. In the first place, while this rationale was a step up from the carte blanche capital punishment of all murderers it is clear from analysis of the selected forms of death bearing murders that there was no justifiable reason for such a profound distinction between murder by stabbing and murder by gunshot wound. Secondly, the ultimate flaw here was that the distinctions were wholly based on the actus reus of the crime and not on the mens rea with the result that, in order to avoid the death penalty, perpetrators would become aware of the law and choose their method wisely. Thirdly the provisions of the Homicide Act 1957 did absolutely nothing to curb the suspicions of miscarriages of justice that remained for such cases as that of James Hanratty, who was executed in April of 1962 for shooting Michael Gregsten[15]. Finally, the last executions in Britain, which were of Peter Anthony Allen and Gwynne Owen Evans took place in August 1964 who together murdered John West while robbing his home earlier in the same year. 1.1.7 The abolishment of Capital Punishment in the UK In 1965 Sidney Silverman produced his private members bill that proposed a five year trial for the abolishment of the death penalty, which was indoctrinated in the Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Act 1965. A further vote in 1969 in the House of Commons sealed the fate of the death penalty in Britain as it slipped into the history books and was abolished for good. This status followed in 1973 in Northern Ireland and neither portion of the British Isles have looked back since. 1.1.8 Since Abolishment While there have been more that ten attempts to reintroduce the death penalty in the UK, the last pre-Human Rights Act, Commons vote for hanging as a result of shooting a police officer on duty resulted in a 197 majority in favour of continued abolition. In addition to clear political favour against hanging, there are a number of high profile cases that, since the abolishment of the death penalty, would have resulted in death by hanging but were later revealed to have been gross miscarriages of justice of which the Birmingham Six is one of the most notable examples. Until the enactment of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the death penalty remained in force for treason and piracy with violence although at no point in the time since the abolishment for murder were these sentences ever carried out. Finally, sovereignty over the matter of the death penalty was officially removed in 1999 when Jack Straw signed the Sixth Protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights and in 2002, the Thirteenth Protocol was also signed. The full effects of this are set out below in part 1.2. 1.2 Effects of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the ECHR 1.2.1 Relevant Provisions of the ECHR, Identifying the relationship between the original convention and further human rights provisions. 1.2.1.1 The general applicable provisions The preamble of the ECHR (European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) states that signatories: reaffirming their profound belief in those fundamental freedoms which are the foundation of justice and peace in the world and are best maintained on the one hand by an effective political democracy and on the other hand by a common understanding and observance of the human rights upon which they depend; being resolved, as the governments of European countries which are like-minded and have a common heritage of political traditions, ideals, freedom and the rule of law, to take the first steps for the collective enforcement of certain of the rights stated in the Universal Declaration†¦ The concept of a foundation for justice and peace, as is stated above and was written in 1950, did not at first encompass abolishment of the death penalty but this changed with the enactment of the sixth protocol, which directly concerns the abolishment of the death penalty as an extrapolation of the more general provision under Article 2 of the Convention and stipulates the basic right to life. Article 2(1) states: â€Å"1. Everyones right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.† It is this breadth of wording that facilitates both wide interpretation and, in relation to the right to life in particular, a wide scope for discretion to exclude or include issues based solely on the political climate of the day. Indeed, at the time of the assignation to the ECHR in 1951, the campaign for the abolishment of the death penalty did not gather huge momentum in light of this provision. 1.2.1.2 The Addition of formal, specific ratifications on the abolishment of the death penalty. Jack Straw MP signed the 6th protocol of 1983 on January 29, 1999, in which Article 1 states that: â€Å"The death penalty shall be abolished. No one shall be condemned to such penalty or executed.† While the provision is extremely clear cut on this basis, there was an exception provided for under Article 2 of Protocol 6, which provided that: â€Å"A State may make provision in its law for the death penalty in respect of acts committed in time of war or of imminent threat of war; such penalty shall be applied only in the instances laid down in the law and in accordance with its provisions. The State shall communicate to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe the relevant provisions of that law.† The exception to the death penalty abolishment to times of war was repealed following ratification of Protocol 13 in 2002, which came into force on 1 July, 2003.[16] This therefore made it also contrary to the European Convention to legislate for lawful capital punishment during times of war. 1.2.1.3 The overall impact of ratification of specific death penalty provisions Prior to enactment of the Human Rights Act 1998, ratification of the ECHR alone meant that recourse could only be had to it when raised at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. In relation to Articles 8 on the right to privacy and Article 14 on the prohibition of discrimination, there is a myriad of case law on this point, some of which was successful such as P v S Cornwall County Council[17] on the coverage of gender reassignment as falling within the scope of Article. However some cases did fall prey to the overtly wide provisions of the ECHR and failed. An example is that of Grant v Southwest Trains Ltd[18] in which it was held that the definition of ‘sex’ under the provision of Article 14 did not encompass sexual orientation. With regard to the 6th and 13th Protocols, there exists no such danger of judicial discretion in the exercise of provision interpretation for the simple reason that the wording of these annexes are sufficiently precise to ensure that all signatories to these protocols will harbour citizens who may consciously rely on the provisions under EU jurisdiction. It will however be shown in part two that, despite this misgiving, there is a further political tool for the inclusion of abolition of the death penalty at European level, which is that indoctrination facilitates the use of this policy as a condition of EU Membership. It is in precisely this area that Turkey is having severe setbacks on their journey to EU Membership, and this is set out below under Part 1.4. 1.3 Comparison with the USA the need to repeal the human rights Act 1.3.1 Brief Background of the legal circumstances that permit the death penalty in the USA. 1.3.1.1 Judicial interpretation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments – Furman v Georgia[19] The death penalty in the USA is constantly debated on account of there being heated disagreement over whether or not Capital punishment is caught by the Eighth Amendment, which states that: â€Å"Excessive Bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted[20]†. The Fourteenth Amendment (Section 1) is also relevant for the consideration of applicable Constitution provisions that regulate the rights that are affected by the imposition of the death penalty. This states that: â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities o citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.[21]† In 1972, the case of Furman v Georgia[22] it was held that the imposition of the death penalty did amount to ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ that contradicted the Eighth Amendment and was also a moral affront to the perceptions of justice by the American people. Justice Brennan remarked that: â€Å"Today death is a uniquely and unusually severe punishment. When examined by the principles applicable under the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause, death stands condemned as fatally offensive to human dignity. The punishment of death is therefore cruel and unusual, and the States may no longer inflict it as a punishment for crimes.[23]† In relation to the Fourteenth Amendment, it was successfully argued that the obvious disparity in the provision of adequate legal advice was a clear cause of depravity of due process. The crux of the argument on this matter surrounded the fact that the rich would be able to afford the best legal advice, the poor would be provided with the best legal advice and the middle classes would receive little aid and with their more modest financial resources, were able to afford counsel, although not the best. 1.3.1.2 Reinterpretation – Gregg v Georgia[24] The decision of Furman v Georgia was however overturned in Gregg v Georgia[25] in which Justice Brennan maintained his stance and dissented. The judgement was however split eight to three, and of those who lent a hand to re-impose the death penalty it was stated that the Georgian law on the matter did not impose a cruel or unusual form of punishment as the death penalty in general constituted a form of retribution that would not be against the morals of the American people and that arguments against its effects as a significant deterrent were deemed to be inconclusive and therefore, unreliable. With regard to retribution, Justice Stewart quoted from his own concurring opinion in Furman v Georgia, in which he stated that: â€Å"The instinct for retribution is part of the nature of man, and channelling that instinct in the administration of criminal justice serves an important purpose in promoting the stability of a society governed by law. When people begin to believe that organized society is unwilling or unable to impose upon criminal offenders the punishment they deserve, then there are sown the seeds of anarchy of self-help, vigilante justice, and lynch law[26]† As retaliation to the above notion of anarchy, Justice Stewart quoted from the dissenting answer by Justice Powell, who said that in relation to anarchy: â€Å"Retribution is no longer the dominant objective of the criminal law,[27]† but neither is it a forbidden objective, nor one inconsistent with our respect for the dignity of men[28]† With regard to the accusation of breach of the Fourteenth Amendment, the Georgian statute was deemed to have been precise enough to prevent the capricious and arbitrary application of the death penalty on account of there being specific guidelines for the jury on the matter of deciding the case. On the basis of this argument is was therefore held that there was adequate ‘due process’ that would prevent the death sentence from falling foul of the Fourteenth Amendment. On this matter, Justice Stewart stated that the Georgian Statute: â€Å"†¦focus(es) the jurys attention on the particularized nature of the crime and the particularized characteristics of the individual defendant. While the jury is permitted to consider any aggravating or mitigating circumstances, it must find and identify at least one statutory aggravating factor before it may impose a penalty of death. In this way, the jurys discretion is channelled. No longer can a jury wantonly and freakishly impose the death sentence; it is always circumscribed by the legislative guidelines†¦[29]† 1.3.2 Commentary of the Re-interpretation in Gregg v Georgia[30] GreenhalghÙ ­ states that there are two problems with this interpretation of Amendments in Gregg v Georgia.[31] Firstly, the opinions of the concurring judges weakly distinguished the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment with the death penalty on the basis of the mode of execution. Recently, Georgia has abolished use of the electric chair and now only the lethal injection is the acceptable mode of execution that may be carried out in this State[32]. However, the method of execution continues to be the wrong focus for the ascertainment of Criminal Justice and the Supreme Court fully failed to argue that the deprivation of life or punishment, where the result is actual death, was both cruel and unusual. The method of execution is therefore irrelevant and need not have been dissected as a point of distinction in law[33]. Secondly, Greenhalgh continues by stating that there was equally wrongful focus on the determination that due process under the Fourteenth Amendment was fulfilled on the basis of ten aggravating circumstances that were to correctly guide the jury. There was equally inadequate examination of the argument over ability to afford the better counsel for the defence[34], as well as complete disregard for the issue of race disparity on death row[35]. The correct path to have taken was that due process is never fulfilled where counsel for the defendant is faced with the task of saving a man’s life every time he acts within his duty in a capital offence trial. Further to this, due process is equally flawed where the prosecution is set the task of persuading the jury to condemn the defendant to death. The argument here therefore, is that, in non warlike scenarios, and where self defence does not enter the equation, no one should be required to engage in the facilitation of involuntary k illing as part of their career. There is also a second argument, namely that due process extends beyond the trial and continues throughout the sentence so that appeals may be lodged where new evidence comes to light. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont stated in 2001 that he was greatly concerned over the fact that, since 1976, 85 prisoners on death row were exonerated on the basis of new evidence and that a number of these had occurred only days before execution[36]. He asserts that the issue is not one of a mere state or two, but is nationwide, thereby making academic analysis of the US system an ideal national focus as opposed to mere State-to-State comparison. The Senator states: â€Å"The appalling number of exonerations, and the fact that they span so many States—a substantial majority of the States that have the death penalty—makes it clearer than ever that the crisis I spoke of last year is real, and that it is national in its scope. This is not an â€Å"Illinois problem† or a â€Å"Texas problem.[37]† Clearly, for those that are exonerated after death, there is utter futility and pointlessness with the exception of empty and shell like, posthumous dignity. In order to combat this, the Innocence Protection Act was passed in 2001 with the aim of: â€Å"†¦reducing the risk that innocent persons may be executed. Most urgently, the bill would afford greater access to DNA testing by convicted offenders, and help States improve the quality of legal representation in capital cases.[38]† This is once again an attempt to gloss over the deprivation of due process that is taken at the point of death and is clearly a savage desire to retain the death penalty to the expensive extent to installing legislation for the purpose of ensuring as fair a trial as possible. 1.3.3 Comparison with the ECHR – The requirement to abolish the Human Rights Act 1998 Like the wording of Article 2 of the ECHR, the scope of meaning for the vocabulary of both the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments is utterly imprecise. This therefore allows for the common but unannounced practice of reverse judgement whereby a decision is reached prior to the submission of counsel for both the prosecution and the defence and ratio are devised in order to justify he finding in law. However, unlike the ECHR, there is no express prohibition of the death penalty, as located under protocols 6 and 13 to the Convention, which means that the whole question of abolishment lies in the exclusive hands of the Supreme Court of the United States. Therefore, as a matter of jurisdiction, the Supreme Court is set the task of independently interpreting the Constitution, whereas the EU has made it perfectly clear that this issue is far too profound to be considered judicially. 1.3.4 Is the UK’s only recourse to repeal the Human Rights Act? The result for the UK is therefore clear and repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 would be wholly necessary in order to re-introduce the death penalty. This is explained in more detail under part 1.4 in relation to the full spectrum of legal requirements and consequences of re-introducing the death penalty in the UK. 1.4 The legal Consequences for Britain as an EU Member State and the Current Turkey Situation 1.4.1 The Legal Consequences for Britain The standpoint of the EU on the concept of the death penalty is outwardly precise and any attempt of the UK to introduce this form of sentencing would cause a direct breach of protocol 13, thereby going against the policy under the s 3 (1) of the Act, which states that all legislation is to be read as being in accordance with the provisions of the ECHR. The enactment of incompatible legislation would fall foul of investigation by