.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Essay Example He never had the opportunity to see his mother as she died soon after his birth. His father, Mr. Thomas Button, horrified by his elderly features, abandoned him right away at the doorsteps of a retirement home. A kindhearted black woman, Queenie, then took the responsibility and raised him all along. He soon realized that instead of growing older, he was aging in the opposite direction. He met a beautiful little girl, Daisy, who later becomes the love of his life. At times, several events break them apart. He went to Murmansk where he had an affair with a married woman, Elizabeth Abbott. He also had the opportunity to witness war when on the Chelsea ship crew. Later on, Thomas Button revealed that he was Benjamin’s real father, and left him all his possessions upon death. Growing through age in the opposite directions, Benjamin and Daisy meet up again in their forties. It was then when Daisy gave birth to a girl named Caroline. Soon after her birth, Benjamin realized that she needs a father who would age with her and leaves them. However, he visited them after a long time when he had grown up into a boy. He later dies as an infant in Daisy’s lap. The ending of the film depicts the replacement of the clock at railway station (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). ... He managed to get a decent job on the ship and had an affair with a beautiful woman. He survived war and had a beautiful daughter like other normal people. Another major theme was the desire of man to reverse time without realizing the consequences. The depiction of a backward running clock at the very beginning of the film was a beautiful illustration of this concept. He witnessed more and more deaths, as he grew younger with time. It was not possible for him to share the joys of life with his only daughter, Caroline. Through his narrative, Benjamin also tries to tell that no matter how hard the circumstances, a person can be what he wants to be. The scene portraying abandoning of Benjamin by his father due to ugly appearance reveals the darker side of human nature. Everyone dies eventually. Though he was born different, his aging in the opposite direction never favored him to overcome time. Barsam and Monahan have noted the commonality of a narrative as, â€Å"even those narrative films bearing an overt ideological message or a dark theme are designed to engage an audience with a story† (65). As this film is a narration of a life story, all these themes including many other experiences of joy and sadness succeeded in keeping the audience captured. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a fantasy drama employing a narrative structure. According to Barsam and Monahan, a narrative is, â€Å"structured into acts that establish, develop, and resolve character conflict† (28). Although multifaceted storytelling over limited course of time is quite complicated, the director made an excellent effort to maintain conformity in the story structure. The sequence of events in the movie aimed to keep intrigue and

Monday, October 28, 2019

Project management success factors Essay Example for Free

Project management success factors Essay Housing is the critical issue in global urbanization which have a tremendous impact on the environment – both during construction and through out their. As the key element in urban development, housing plays a vital role in attaining the goal of sustainable development. Effective of project management is becoming increasingly important for sustainable housing to remain competitive in today‟s dynamic business environment. This paper attempt to establish a theoretical framework for project management success factors in sustainable housing development. Review on past literature on the subject were carried out to build the existing research works on the area and to establish critical success factors of project management best practices. At the end of this paper, a new area of managing sustainable housing for future direction of this research was identified. A list of critical success factors for project management practices for sustainable housing development was established. Keywords: Sustainable Housing, Sustainable Development Project Management, Critical Success Factors. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Housing, as human basic need, is a very important issue of people‟s everyday life. In 1948, the United Nations, in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights, stated that â€Å"everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . Housing provision is one of the major challenges facing developing countries. Under the Seventh Malaysia Plan (1999-2000) and Eight Malaysia Plan (2001-2005), Malaysian governments are committed to provide adequate, affordable and quality housing for all Malaysian, particularly the low income group. This is in line with Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlement and Habitat Agenda (1996) to ensure adequate shelter for all. In order to be sustainable, housing initiatives must be economically viable, socially acceptable, technically feasible and environmentally compatible (Choguill, 2007). In the other hand, housing encompasses the immediate environment, sanitation, drainage, recreational facilities, and all other economic and social activities that make life worthwhile (Olejado, 2003). The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987) report, Our Common Future has led to a world-wide notion of the concept of sustainable development (Meldon, 1998). However, it has been argued that the history of the concept of sustainability can be traced back to the terms â€Å"stationery† or â€Å"steady state economy† used by the nineteenth century political economist (European Environment agency, 1997). Today there are over 300 published definitions of sustainable development, the products of diverse world views and competing vested interests (Moles and Kelly, 2000). Fundamentally, sustainable development addresses three major areas; I. People living today are entitled to justice and equal rights; II. Environmental degeneration must be alleviated or eliminated; and III. Future generations must not be impoverished as a result of current actions (Redclift,1987). Our Common Future explores how sustainable development â€Å"is not a fixed state of harmony but rather a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are made consistent with future as well as present needs† (Moles and Kelly, 2000). In other words, (WCED, 1987, 8) it‟s defined as â€Å"development which meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†. The Commission not only observed that environmental problems need to be addressed, but also socials problem, such as inequity, property, non-prosperity and the violation of human rights, that are related to explosive population growth and the enormous expansion of environmental harms caused by human activities. According to the Commission, solving these problems requires global economic growth whilst respecting ecological constraints (Klunder, 2004). Other studies, (Ding, 2008) defined sustainable development is as a concern of attitudes and judgment to help insure long-term ecological, social and economic growth in society. While the term of sustainable development is well known and widely used, there is no common understanding and approach for it. The perception of sustainability especially when it comes to what â€Å"needs† is regarded as important varies much by different nation and even different people with different points in time, economic, social and cultural backgrounds (Zinkernagel, 2001). The detail of what comprises sustainable development is very context – specific and the same condition and practice cannot apply everywhere. Therefore, sustainability has its diverse implications in every corner of the world and in every sector of a society (Bell and Morse, 2003). For construction sector, the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (1990) explains sustainable as directed towards the reduction of the environmental and health impacts consequent to construction, buildings and the built environment. Such construction processes would bring environmental responsibility, social awareness, and economic profitability objectives to the fore in built environment related projects (Langston and Ding, 2001). There are various definitions of sustainable housing; The European Union defined sustainable housing in the following perspective: construction (e.g. Quality of construction), social and economic factors (e.g. Affordability and psychological impacts) and ecoefficiency (e.g. Efficient use of non-renewable resources) (VROM, 2005). Previously, IHBC (1998) definitions  present the general factor of a sustainable housing practice that is applicable under various circumstances, depending on the conditions where it‟s implemented (Larasati, 2006). Basically, all these definitions were carry out the idea of Principle 15 of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on The Human Environment: â€Å"Planning must be applied to human settlements and urbanization with a view to avoiding adverse effects on the environment and obtaining maximum social, economic and environmental benefits for all† (UNEP, 1972). A sustainable house is cost-efficient over time, comfortable, cheap to maintain and complements our unique environment (Queensland Government, 2004). â€Å"Sustainable Housing† is a new concept in developing countries and unearthing projects covering all aspects of sustainability proved to be difficult (Ebsen, 2000). For housing that make up a great proportion of building, sustainable housing could be defined as housing practices, which strive for integral quality (including economic, social, and environmental performance) in a broad way (John, Croome Jeronimidis, 2005). The focus on sustainable housing implies a perspective of flows (Klunder, 2004). From this viewpoint, a sustainable  housing is characterized by the minimization of the environmental impacts of material use, energy consumption and water consumption during the whole service life of the building. 2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT Malaysia is a developing country heading towards industrialization. The growths of industries bid rapid housing expansion due to the high demand from the customer. A good housing area has to fulfill the health aspect from the building, drainage, clean water supply, domestic waste management and suitable ventilation. The quality of housing and it‟s social, economic and environmental performance is critically important to sustainable development. However, the lacks of practices of project success factors in housing development activities may often bring about water, air and land pollutions thus affecting the natural environment, health and quality of  life. These issues are often raised today as problems of uncontrolled development of housing growth as concern for the environment is not considered. With this concern in mind, housing and other social services become priority in today‟s development programmes which aimed at improving the quality of life and contributing towards the formation of a caring society. However, the issue of sustainable housing are still new and not that familiar in our country. With referring back the house being built in the past decade, those houses were not meeting the essential criteria of sustainability and unfortunately, there are little to none; in depth studies for this matter. Although the homes that create may look good and be cheap to build, they are poor value if they weather poorly, have high energy and other running costs, are expensive to maintain and cannot adapt to changes in use. According to Maylor (1999) those organizations that are most resourceful in seeking out best practices and making those aspects work for them will be the most successful. Although project management has proved its success in many construction projects, there is however some problems associated with the manner in which the system has been selected and/or implemented (Noum S. et al., 2004). Here, critical factors of successful project management were establish to develop a new area of managing sustainable housing for further studies of this research to ensure its potential for future sustainability. 2.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS Based on the problems stated above, two main questions are formed as below: 1) What are the critical factors that are required for the successful implementation of sustainable housing practices? 2) What are the critical factors project management best practices in sustainable housing development? 2.2 OBJECTIVES There are two objectives for this paper: 1) To identify factor that are required for the successful implementation of sustainable housing practice. 2) To establish the success factors that determines the best practices for project management in sustainable housing. 3) To establish guideline for project management best practices for sustainable housing. 3.0 FACTORS EFFECTING PROJECT SUCCESS Nowadays, companies are increasingly using projects in their daily work to achieve company goals. The only way organizations can be driven to achieve excellence is by keeping an eye on competition and world best practice in all aspects of the business (Bendell et. all, 1998). Recently more and more organizations are recognizing that translating corporate strategies into actions requires project management. Consequently, it is vital that projects are successful (Baccarini, 2003). Critical success factors are important influences that contribute to project success. So, critical success factors are the set of circumstances, facts or influences which contribute to the project outcomes. According to Mobey and Parker (2002), to increase the chances of a project succeeding it is necessary for the organisation to have an understanding of what are the success factors, to systematically and quantitatively assess these factors, anticipating possible causes and effects, and then choose appropriate methods of dealing with them. Once identified, the success of the project can be achieved. Generally, the success of a construction project depends on a number of factors, such as project complexity, contractual arrangements, and relationships between project participants, the competency of project managers, and the abilities of key project members (Chua et al., 1999). Bayliss, (2002) in his report said that successful project delivery requires the concerted effort of the project team to carry out the various project activities, but it is the project manager who, at the center of the project network, is responsible for orchestrating the whole construction process. Possessing the core project management competence would help to define the ability of project managers to deliver good performance towards the attainment of project success. The search for factors that influence project success has been growing interest over the past decade. Among researchers that have tried to a certain extent to identify success factors for project management are Pinto and Slevin (1987,1989), Cooke-Davis (2002), Muller and Turner (2003), Belassi and Tukel (1996) and etc. Success factors are those input to the project management system that lead directly or indirectly to the success of the project or business. Belassi and Tukel, 1996, categorized success factors into four main group. These are factors relating to the project, project managers, organization, and external environment. Others researcher, Chan et al., 2002 identify a set of project success factors; project team commitment, contractor‟s competencies, risk and liability assessment, client‟s competencies, end-users needs and constraints imposed by end user. As referred to the ten critical success factors developed by Pinto and Slevin (1986), Pinto and Mantel (1990) suggest that â€Å"these critical success factors were found to be generalisable to a wide variety of project types and organizations†. Their model is one of the most widely quoted lists of critical success factors (Muller and Turner, 2007). However a single set of project success factors may not be suitable for all industries (Lim et al, 1999; Hartman et al, 1996). Liu and Walker 1998 suggest that as industries operate differently, â€Å"a set of critical success factors may not be transferable from one project to another project†¦only generic areas can be identified and used as broad guidelines.† A comprehensive review of the literature research on success factors of project management was conducted. Table 1 gives lists of the critical success factors developed in the various literatures. Several researchers have identified the factors that significantly determine project management success. Based on the frequency analysis, the critical success factors are prioritised as shown in Table 2. Table 1. Summary of literature reviews from various author‟s for project success Author‟s Pinto Critical Success Factors Belassi Cooke- Baccarini Andersen Hyvari Turner Khang Slevin Davies (1999, et al., Muller (2002) 2003) (2006) (2005,07) Moe (1987,89) Tukel (2006) (1996) (2008) Project Understanding √ √ Top Management Support √ √ Information/Communication √ √ √ √ Client Involvement √ √ √ √ Competent Project Team √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Authority of the Project Manager/Leader Realistic Cost and Time Estimates √ Adequate Project Control √ √ √ √ √ √ Planning/Controlling Project mission /common goal √ √ Project Ownership √ √ √ √ √ √ √ feedback √ √ √ √ √ √ √ or empirical basis. Table 2: Prioritisation of CSFs Critical Success Factors Prioritised Occurrence No. Frequency of Rank 1 Competent Project Team 8 1 2 Authority of the Project Manager/Leader 6 2 3 Project Understanding 5 3 4 Top Management Support 5 3 √ √ Remark: â€Å"√ † critical success factors that is determined by the authors either on a conceptual Sr. √ √ √ Monitor performance and √ √ √ Adequate Resources √ √ √ Risk Management √ √ √ Problem Solving Abilities √ √ 5 Client Involvement 5 3 6 Project mission /common goal 5 3 7 Adequate Resources 4 4 8 Realistic Cost and Time Estimates 4 4 9 Information/Communication 4 4 10 Project Ownership 3 5 11 Monitor performance and feedback 3 5 12 Planning/Controlling 3 5 13 Risk Management 3 5 14 Adequate Project Control 2 6 15 Problem Solving Abilities 2 6 The frequency analysis in Tables 1 and 2 revealed that there are only one critical success factors in all frameworks in common which is competent project team. The analysis also showed that authority of the project manager/leader is prioritised in rank 2. The analysis further revealed that 5 out of the 8 frameworks have four critical success factors in common: Project Understanding, Top Management Support, Client Involvement and Project Mission/common goal. The Adequate Resources, Realistic Cost and Time Estimates and information/Communication success factors have their presence in forth frameworks respectively. The other critical success factors (namely, Project ownership, Monitor performance and feedback, Planning/Controlling and Risk Management) are presented in very few frameworks (Table 1 and 2). Meanwhile, the other two factors were not commonly found in the literature which is adequate project control and problem solving abilities. 4.0 FACTORS OF PROJECT SUCCESS FOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING The subject of project management is vast and numerous authors continuously add to the body of literature on the subject. According to the Project Management Institute (2004), the discipline of project management can be defined as follows: Project management is the art of directing and coordinating human and material resources throughout the life of a project by using modern management techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, cost, time, quality and participation satisfaction. Project management best practices may be described as optimum way of performing work to achieve high performance (Ramabadron et all., 1997). According to Dey (2002), current project management practices of organizations in the industry sector do not always ensure success. The main problems with projects planning and implementation have been cost and time overruns and quality non-achievement. Dey (2002) stated that the main contributing factors are: ï‚ · Expansion of the scope and subsequent quality increases of input resources; ï‚ · Engineering and design changes; ï‚ · Underestimation and incorrect estimation and ï‚ · Unforeseen inflation ï‚ · Project size and complexity and etc. Dey, (2002) illustrates projects management growing popularity has stimulated interest in how companies compare in their application of project management process, tools and techniques. Successful project management can contribute towards project success but is unlikely to be able to prevent project failure (de Wit, 1988). The various variables affecting the success factors are identified in the  previous section. There are Project Understanding, Top Management, Support Communication, Client Involvement, Competent Project Team, Authority of Top Level, Realistic Cost and Time Estimates, Adequate Project Control, Problem Solving Abilities, Risk Management, Adequate Resources, Planning/Controlling, Monitor performance and feedback, Project mission /Common goal, and Project Ownership. Furthermore, a new conceptual framework that includes the indentified variables of project success is shown in Fig. 1. Its show that variables project success can influence a variable of criteria measuring sustainable housing. Figure 1: Framework of Project Management Success Factors in Sustainable Housing. Project Management Success Factor Criteria Measuring Sustainable Housing: Competent Project Team Authority of the Project Manager/Leader Project Understanding Top Management Support Client Involvement Project mission /common goal Adequate Resources Realistic Cost and Time Estimates Information/Communication Project Ownership Monitor performance and feedback Planning/Controlling Risk Management Adequate Project Control Problem Solving Abilities ï‚ · Energy Efficiency ï‚ · Use of Materials ï‚ · Water Efficiency ï‚ · Disposal ï‚ · Site Issues ï‚ · Green ï‚ · Traffic ï‚ · Outdoor environment and Indoor environment Project Management Success Factors in Sustainable Housing Economically ; are cost-efficient over the lifespan of the dwelling Environmental/Ecology ; are resource efficient in terms of materials, waste, water and energy Social/Community ; are safe, flexible and comfortable for people with varying abilities * Critical success factor of project management were establish to come out the best practices in new area in Sustainable Housing. An extensive literature survey on sustainable housing also has been carried out to select criteria measurement frameworks for this study. The relevant literature has revealed that different researchers have adopted similar sustainability criteria‟s framework that consider on three basic themes of the sustainable construction; social, environmental, and economic. Below, there are a few literatures findings in term of criteria of measuring sustainable housing: 1. Winston (2007) have carried out some important characteristics of sustainable housing include: sustainable land-use planning; resisting scattered settlements; housing close to employment and public transport; higher residential densities; sustainable construction; high standards of energy efficiency in use of dwellings; housing availability, affordability and quality; access to green space, and a high quality residential environment. Many sustainable building indicator sets are derived from conceptual models (Winston and Pareja, 2008). 2. Blaauw (1997), the following environmental theme are derived from a workbook for sustainable building and housing: Energy, Use of Materials, Water, Disposal, Site, Green, Traffic, Outdoor environment and Indoor environment. 3. Building Environmental Science Technology (B.E.S.T), formulated residential green building guidelines: Emphasize the reduce, recycle, re-use, renewable; use energy, water and resource efficiently; healthy indoor air quality; building has affordable community; development creates a sense of well-being; the home remains reasonably affordable and cost effective. 4. (Bennett and James, 1999) Effective sustainability measurement should consider the complete triple bottom line of economic, environmental, and societal performance which is: a) Social Sustainability ï‚ · Healthy internal environment ï‚ · Safety (personal, household and environmental) ï‚ · Provision of social amenity ï‚ · Provision of recreation amenity ï‚ · Accessibility to jobs and amenities b) Economic Sustainability ï‚ · Cost efficient over time ï‚ · Adaptability with min. cost ï‚ · Affordability ï‚ · Job creations and local economy c) Environmental Sustainability ï‚ · Energy efficiency ï‚ · Water efficiency/Conservation ï‚ · Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions ï‚ · Waste management / recycling ï‚ · Material efficiency ï‚ · Pollution prevention– noise, water, air ï‚ · Optimization conservation of land ï‚ · Protect and enhance biodiversity ï‚ · Reduction of car dependency 5. Green Building Manual from the US Department of Energy (DOE) Public Technology, Inc. (PTI) include the following points: ï‚ · Site Issues: selection of building sites, landscaping, watershed, site materials and equipment ï‚ · Building Design: building systems (heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, electrical and plumbing systems) and indoor environmental quality ï‚ · Construction Process ï‚ · Operations Maintenance ï‚ · Economics Environment: energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, construction costs, building maintenance management savings. For the purpose of this research, eight aspects of criteria sustainability that can be used to analyze sustainable housing , were derived from the six environmental themes that are distinguished The National Measures for Sustainable Building (Hendriks, 2001): ï‚ · Energy: reducing the demand for energy, promoting the use of sustainable energy resources and using energy efficiently ï‚ · Materials: more efficient use of materials, reducing waste and removing it responsibly ï‚ · Water: reducing water usage, preventing land drying up, and protecting water quality ï‚ · Indoor Environment: improving air quality, improving thermal comfort, and reducing noise levels. ï‚ · Surrounding Environment: supporting bio-diversity, strengthening the perception of the environment (including maintaining old townscapes) and reducing nuisance (noise, wind, odor) ï‚ · Miscellaneous: improving the flexibility of the home with regard to accommodating new functions and improving safety It is expected that study of project management best practices in the extent of project success could lead toward meeting criteria of sustainable housing. This approach in sustainable housing area will provide much needed information to local authorities to take more effective control of housing issues. 5.0 CONCLUSION The implementation of success factors for project management in sustainable housing is important in other to ensure project success. Apparently, the sustainable housing is one of the major contributors to the development of any country. Unfortunately, in our country Malaysia, the issue of sustainable housing development is still new and not yet the proactive action had been taken to develop the housing sector in sustainable way. Thus, this research is proposed to identify success factors for project management in sustainable housing area. At the end of this paper, a new area of managing sustainable housing for future direction of this research will identified. A list of critical success factors from various authors for project management success for sustainable housing development in Malaysia was established. Further work is needed to explore in more detail which factors are important and to understand how the factors interact with each other in sustainable housing area. 6.0 REFERENCES Andersen, E.S., Jessen, S.A. (2000), Project evaluation scheme, Project Management, Vol. 6 No.1, pp.61-9. Baccarini D. (2003), Critical Success Factors for Projects. Faculty of The Built Environment, Art and Design Curtin University of Technology, Australia. Belassi W, Tukel OI (1996), A new framework for determining critical success/failure factors in projects. International Journal of Project Management. 14(3): 141-151. Bell, S and Morse, S (2003), Measuring Sustainability: Learning from Doing. Earthscan: London, UK. Bendell, T., Boulter, L. and Kelly, J. (1998), Benchmarking for Competitive Advantage, Pitman, London. Bennett M., James P. (1999). Sustainable Measures: Evaluation and Reporting of Environmental and Social Performance. Greenleaf, Sheffield, UK. Blaauw, drs. F.J. (1997), Werkboek Duurzaam Bouwen en Wonen. Alphen aan de Rijn: Samsam HD Tjeenk Willink bv. Building Environmental Science Technology (B.E.S.T.). „Green Building‟ – http://www.energybuilder.com/greenbld.htm#top Chan, A.P.C., Scott, D. and Lam, E.W.M. (2002) Framework of Success Criteria for Design/Build Projects. Journal of Management in Engineering Vol. 18 (3), pp. 122128. Choguill, C. L. (2007), The search for policies to support sustainable housing. Habitat International, pp 143-149. Chua DKH, Kog YC, Loh PK (1999), â€Å"Critical success factors for different project objectives.† Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, pp. 142-150 Cooke-Davis, T. (2002). „The â€Å"real† success factors on projects‟, International Journal of Management, 20 (3), pp. 185-190 de Wit, (1988), â€Å"Measurement of project management success†, International Journal of Project Management, Vol.6 (3), pp. 164-170. Dey, P.K. (2002), â€Å"Benchmarking project management practices of Caribbean organizations using analytic hierarchy process†, Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol.9 No.3, pp. 326-356. Ding, G.K.C (2008), Sustainable Construction-The role of environmental assessment tools. Journal of environmental management, 86, 451-464. Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and The Environment (1990), Nationaal milieubeleidsplan-plus; notitie instrumentarium + duurzaam bauwen, Sdu. Den Haag. Ebsen C., Ramboll B. (2000). International Review Of Sustainable Low-Cost Housing Projects Proceedings: Strategies for a Sustainable Built Environment, Pretoria, 23-25 August 2000 Green Building Manual from the US Department of Energy (DOE) Public Technology, Inc. (PTI) Hartman F, Ashrafi R. (1996). Failed successes and failures. PMI Annual Seminar/Symposium, Boston, PD 35, 1-5, Hendriks, (2001). Sustainable Construction. Boxtel, The Netherlands : AEnas technical publishers. John. G., Croome D.C and Jeronimidis G. (2005), Sustainable building solutions: a review of lessons from the natural world. Building and Environment, 40(3): 317-326. Khang D.B and Moe T.L, (2008). Success Criteria and Factors for International Development Projects: A Life Cycle-based Framework, Project Management Journal, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 72-84. Klunder G. (2004), The Search for The Most Eco-efficient Strategies for Sustainable Construction; Dutch lessons, Journal of Housing and The Built Environment pp 111126. Langston, C. A. Ding, G. K. C. (2001) (Eds.), Sustainable practices in the built environment, Langston, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. Larasati D. (2006).Towards An Integral Approach Of Sustainable Housing In Indonesia With An Analysis Of Current Practices In Java. Delft University Of Technology The Netherlands Lim, C.S. and Mohamed, M.Z (1999), â€Å"Criteria of project success: an exploratory reexamination†, International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 243-8. Liu, A.M.M. and Walker A. (1998), Evaluation of project outcomes. Construction Management and Economics; Vol. 16 No.2, pp. 209-219. Malaysian Government (1999), Seventh Malaysia Plan, Percetakan Nasional Berhad, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Government (2001), Eight Malaysia Plan, Percetakan Nasional Berhad, Kuala Lumpur Mylor H. (1999), Project Management, 2nd ed. London: Financial Times. Meldon, J. (1998), Learning Sustainability by Doing – Regional Integration by the Social Partners, European Commission and the Department of Environment and Local Goverment, Dublin. Mobey A, Parker D (2002). Risk evaluation and its importance to project implementation. Int. J. Productivity and Performance Manage., 51(4): 202 – 208. Moles R. Kelly R., (2000), Towards Sustainable Development in The Mid-West Region of Ireland. Environmental Management and Health, Vol. 11 No.5 pp 422-432. Muller R, Turner JR (2003). On the nature of the project as a temporary organization. Int. J. Project Manage, 21(1): 1 Muller R, Turner JR (2005). The project manager‟s leadership style as a success factor on projects: A literature review. Project Management Journal,36(2): 49 61 Muller R., Turner R. (2007), â€Å"The influence of project managers on project success criteria and project success by type of project.† European Management Journal Vol. 25 (4), pp. 298-307 OECD. (1998) Towards Sustainable Development Environmental Indicators. OECD Code 971998031P1. Olejado, E.O. (2003), Implication of Designs and Material Specifications on Housing Development. Proceedings: Housing Development in Nigeria Which Way Forward, Lagos State of Nigeria. 1st 2nd April, 2003. Pinto JK, Slevin DP (1989). Critical success factors in R D projects. Research Technology Management, 32(1): 31 – 36 Pinto JK. (1986). Project Implementation: A determination of its critical success factors, moderators, and their relative importance across the project life cycle (Doctorate dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1986). Pinto, J.K., Slevin, D.P. (1987), Critical factors in successful project implementation, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Vol. 34 No.1, pp.22-7. Pinto, J.K., Slevin, D.P. (1988), Project success: definitions and measurement techniques, Project Management Journal, Vol. 19 No.1, pp.67-71. PMI (2004) Guide to the project management body of knowledge. (3rd edn.). Project Ramabadron, R., Dean, J.W. Jr and Evans, J.R (1997) Benchmarking and project management: A review and organizational model, Benchmarking for Quality Management of Technology, vol. 4, pp. 47-58. Redclift, M. (1987), Sustainable Development: Exploring the Contradictions, Routlegde, London. VROM (Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning, and the Environment); The Netherlands. 2005. Sustainable Refurbishment of High-Rise Residential Buildings and Restructuring of Surrounding Areas in Europe. Report for EuropeanHousing Ministers‟ Conference held in Prague, Czech Republic, 14 -15 March 2005. Winston N., Pareja M., (2008). Sustainable Housing in the Urban Context: International Sustainable Development Indicator Sets and Housing, Social Indicators Research; Vol. 87 Issue 2, p211-221 World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), Our Common Future, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Zinkernagel.R (2001), Indicators to measure sustainable development in urban residental areas. Thesis for the fulfillment of the Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy. Lund University : Lund, Sweden.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Greenland Shark Essay -- science

The Greenland Shark Sharks live in almost every part of the oceans, from coastal environments to deep-sea habitats. They also live in the warm waters of the tropics to the cold frigid waters of the polar region. The Greenland shark, also known as â€Å"somniousus Microcephalus,† lives in the dark, cold waters of the North Atlantic (I 65). The Greenland shark belongs to the order Squaliforms, more usually known as dogfish sharks. There are 70 species in this order, which includes the spied sharks, spiny dogfish, Sleeper sharks and lantern fish (I 50). Greenland Shark Classification: Kingdom: Anamalia Phylum: Cordates (possessing a notochord) Sub Phylum: Vertebrates (possessing a back bone) Super Class: Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Class: Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous skeleton) Subclass: Elasmobranchas (ribbon like gills) Super Order: Selachii or Selachimopha (shark shaped) Order: Sqauliforms Family: Sqaulidea Species: somniousus Microcephalus (I 185) The shark’s habitat largely depends on the water temperature this allows its habitat that ranges from the Polar latitudes to the North Sea in the east and the St. Lawrence River in the West. The Greenland shark has also wonders south as far as the waters off Cape Hatteras and has also been found in the Gulf of Maine. The shark usually lives in cool water ranging from 2-7deg Celsius (II 63). However the sharks has also been found in the waters in the Artic Circle. (I 65) Typically the Greenland sharks live at extreme depths. In the winter months the Greenland sharks can be found at the surface and at the edges of ice burgs and glaciers. The sharks will also enter fjords during these months. However in the warmer months of summer, the sharks dives back to depths and lives at an average depth of 100-400 fathoms and has been caught in water as deep as 600 fathoms (II 63). Depending on season and water temperature, the shark’s habitat moves. The diet of a Greenland will eat almost anything that it will come across. With its slow swimming body plan, it includes bottom living shellfish, but it also hunts seals, porpoises and other small whales and sea birds at the surface in its diet (I 65). These sharks also eats many kinds of fish, such as capelin, char, herring, halibut, lumpfish and even salmon. There has even been fast swimming fish found with its tail bitten off inside ... ...heir vision is not needed at that depth in the dark water (I 77). These parasites might actually help the sharks. These parasites are biolumiscent and they might attract those fast swimming fish to the oral side of the shark. With out these parasites it is possible that the sharks could not catch as many fish as it does, due to its slow speed. On top of the parasites on its eyes, the Greenland shark also has poisonous flesh. To get rid of the poison n order to eat it, the flesh must be boiled and dried several times (II 63). If the meat is not prepared correctly, it can cause, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, tingling and burning sensation of tongue, throat and esophagus. It can also cause muscular cramps, respiratory distress, coma and death (III Vol 25, 905). This shark may not kill you when it’s alive, but you have to careful when it’s dead. References 1. Parker, Steve and Jane. The Encyclopedia fo Sharks. A Firefly Book: Buffalo, 1999. 2. Castro, Jose. THe Sharks of the North American Waters. Texas Univerisity Press: US, 1983. 3. Britanica, 15th Edition. Micropedia: Chicago, 1990. 4. Allen, Thomas B. The Shark Almanac. Lyoness Press: NY, 1999.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Physics of Fiber Optics :: physics light fiber optic wire

History Of all the pioneers of this industry, none stand out as the primary leader of discovery or development. This competitive environment was an integral part of this field's progress. Not all discoveries were harbored as proprietary. There was a great deal of information that flowed amongst the leading scientists developing this technology. Here are some of the key players and some of their contributions: Claude Chappe, French Engineer invented the Optical Telegraph, which used a series of semaphores mounted on towers to relay messages between towers Alexander Graham Bell,patented an optical telephone system in 1880. Not a very practical invention that was superseded by wired communications, which were more effective at the time. Daniel Collodon and Jacques Babinet were able to show that light could be guided along jets of water. John Logie Baird (ENG.) and Clarence W. Hansell (U.S.) patented the idea of using arrays of hollow pipes or transparent rods to transmit images for television or fascimile systems. Heinrich Lamm was the first person to demonstrate image transmission through a bundle of optical fibers. Holger Moeller applied for a Danish patent on fiber-optic imaging, but was denied based on other research Abraham Van Heel and Harold H. Hopkins presented imaging bundles in the British Journal Nature at separate times.Van Heel later produced a cladded fiber system that greatly reduced signal interference and crosstalk between fibers Brian O'Brien American physicist who inspired and collaborated with Van Heel on the cladding concept. C.Wilbur Peters, physician Basil Hirschowitz and Lawrence Curtiss developed glass clad fibers while pursuing the development of the endoscope for inspecting the stomach. Alec Reeves invented digital pulse-code modulation, which was an integral part of optical communications. He further theorized that higher frequencies were possible for fiber optic communications. Stewart Miller's group at Bell Labs worked to develop gas lenses to focus laser beams along hollow waveguides for long distance communications Charles K. Kao focused his study on fiber attenuation and the ability to reduce the signal losses. He theorized that the eventual loss of signal could be reduced to less than 20 db per kilometer. At that time, the average loss was about 1000 db per kilometer. With this published position the industry embraced this challenge and were able achieve this attenuation threshhold within four years or so. Physics Of Optics While investigating the use of fiber optic technology, it is important to understand the fundamental rules of optics. Some of the leading scientists of their time viewed light from two main perspectives.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Family and Issue

The first Issue is all about the genealogy of Kamapua`a. He was the enemy of the Lava Goddess Pele who lived in Kilauea. -The second Issue is the story of how his mother was born and kapu’d for the king but she fell in love with the King’s brother and gave birth to 3 children and a pig child. The youngest child was taken to the sky and turned into a kind of rain while the others were adopted into grandmothers home. The grandmother says a chant and Kamapua`a gains powers to change body forms. The third Issue is about the Pig- Child using his powers to plant a whole taro patch with his youngest borhter in a single day, as to where the older brother trying to do it by himself would have taken several days. Kamapua`a finishes both gardens single-handedly.This issue also show the love between him and his family, they treat him very nicely and praise him for all that he does. This issue ends with Kamapua`a stealing chickens from nearly the whole island. He will be going for t he Kings chicken coop next. -The fourth issue is about how the pig continues to go out and steal chickens, continuously getting closer to the kings roost when he finds a mystical chicken that he leaves. He rested for 3 days because he was tired of chasing chickens. He the got up and raided Kailua. The people of Kailua came thinking that Kamapua`a did it but he changed into a sick looking pig. The pig then went and raided the kings chickens and got seen and chased by the guards -The fifth issue is about how the King sends armies to kill a little pig but cannot overcome the magic powers of Kamapua`a. Kamapua`a is constantly outsmarting his opponents.He is found sleeping under a rock and is taken prisoner, being stabbed with a stone dagger the whole time. That is where the fifth issue ends. -In the sixth issue Kamapua`a was dead and came back to life, killing everyone who was against him. He then sailed to Kauai and found one of the chiefs daughters who had fainted. He brought her back to consciousness and made her his woman. In this issue he meets his new father in law and learns of his brother in law who causes terror and havoc on the island. Kamapua`a tells his wife that he will go to challenge, she objects but it will not be enough to stop him.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Research Paper on Corporation and Security of Staff Devices

Research Paper on Corporation and Security of Staff Devices Research Paper on Corporation and Security of Staff Devices Abstract In the past, people could only use computers owned and managed by a company, and no one would think of lugging in their personal computers (PC) to use in the company. However, today, many things have become quite different. Many employees use personal devices such as tablets, smart phones, and many other gadgets that promote efficacy in communication. The use of these handheld devices by the staffs within an organization has provided services as well as a constant connectivity to workers. Despite the merits of new technological devices in a corporation, they are presenting new threats to the corporate assets (Mitchell, 2004). Research Problem The employees’ personal devices are causing ongoing concern in most companies concerning information security. For example, there are sensitive corporate information which can easily be transported as well as lost by using these devices. However, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement in most organizations has led to an increasing number of expensive security incidents. The main problem in this case is that most corporations are still relying on the staff personal devices such as personal laptop for business (Loader, Biggs, 2002). These ancient devices do not have the same security level than those of the company leading to serious security threats to corporate information. This research proposal will discuss on the use of personal devices within the corporate as well as the security issues associated with the use of these devices (Burke, 2006). The issue of security level has become very problematic to many organizations since the employees using these devices usually jeopardize company security through loss and theft, malware, spam, phishing and Bluetooth (Zachary, 2004). It is evident that the use of staff personal devices is growing rampantly and affecting the corporate of all sizes. Therefore, the organizations that allow their staff to bring in personal organization in the premises should ensure that there is proper security implemented to control these risks (Quigley, 2008). From the research collected in various organizations, it is indicated that about 93% of the staffs have mobile devices that connect to the corporate networks and 67% allow personal devices to connect to corporate networks. It is also evident that the staff personal devices are causing challenges especially for the corporate IT security department (Mitchell, 2004). Most of the companies that allowed personal devices to access their networks, it was reported that the employees used their own smart phones, tablets, and other devices to handle business information leading to security issues (Zdziarski, 2008). The most common challenge faced by the IT corporations include the secu rity breaches particularly regarding the corporate information, tracking and controlling access to corporate and private networks, and managing personal devices containing the corporate as well as personal data and applications (Relationship and Resource Management in Operations, Securities Institute Operations Management, 2003). Aim of the Research The research proposal will discuss the corporation reliance on staff using their personal laptop, smart phones for business purposes. The justification for focusing on this issue is that the employees’ personal devices seem not to possess the same security level like those of the company. The aim of this research paper is to contribute to the understanding of various risks issues that are brought upon by using personal devices within an organization (IFPO, 2010). Significance of the Research Most staff members often feel comfortable using their own devices as opposed to using the corporate machines. In the United States of America, about 46% of the businesses are today allowing their staffs to use personally owned PCs (Steinberg, 2007). Several researches in this sector, such as the information technology research and advisory company continue reporting that in the future, employers will require their employees to supply their own devices to be used for business purposes (Lee, Swartz, 2007). Today, the significance of using personal computers is mainly focuses on the factors of choice and convenience for employees as well as saving costs for the employers. Most corporations rely on the staffs’ personal devices because they cause a significant time shift in the working behavior of the employees (Keyes, 2010). However, some corporations that allow staffs to carry their personal devices in the company have become successful in certain respects (Winch, 2010). For ins tance, the devices enable employees to conveniently send and reply to emails at any time, and from any location. This particularly applies to situations where the staff members are taken to do a field research by the organization (Reddy, 2010). Personal devices have enabled catching up on emails to be quite easy and fitted with employee performance. By using the devices, employees quickly handle even the most challenging tasks by relying on the personal devices for communication while managers can obtain prompt responses to their enquiries as well (Keyes, 2002). The other benefit of using personal devices in corporate is that the users will find the devices to be always at hand as compared to big machines implemented within the organizations. Therefore, staff members tend to have ready access to the businesses, personal information as well as check on the organizations latest business figures. The ready access to information offers a greater choice in a way the staff members work (Mahmood Szewczak, 2010). Research Methodologies Mobility can bring both advantages as well as risks to the corporate. As the staff members bring their personal devices into the workplace, most organizations are motivated to encourage the use of these devices for business purposes because they increase employee productivity within the premises (Lucas, 2012). Personal devices especially the portable ones can give the employees access to the corporate resources and continuous collaboration with business partners. The other advantage of using these devices is that they reduce the IT costs by allowing employees to often pay for their own personal devices rather than rely on the ones provided by the company. Therefore, most companies save IT spending on the device purchases and communication services (Zdziarski, 2008). The research also showed that the use of personal devices for work has become very consistent across all the sampled companies (Winch, 2012). Little variation was seen in the number of businesses claiming that they have p ersonal devices on their corporate networks, from the smallest business, which is about 65 % to the largest 68%. Corporation reliance on employees using their personal laptops and smart phones would promote productivity as this allows flexibility and mobility (Wolowitz, Tharp, Rubin, 2010). However, over-reliance on employees’ personal gadgets would compromise the security of corporate data and information. Therefore, the corporate needs to recognize that when the employees connect mobile devices to the organizations systems, the devices must then be treated just like any IT equipment with appropriate security controls (Keyes, 2010). The security issues of these devices should be addressed by the corporate at the outset because the devices used may become a point of security weakness, which threatens to disclose business information. It is evident that most hackers have discovered that the staff members carrying their personal devices to the corporate may have linked both business and personal data within the system (Snoyer, 2004). Therefore, it would be easy for the hackers to get more and more information regarding the corporate. Given that personal devices platforms have not been natively designed to provide comprehensive security, hackers have a strong incentive of developing new techniques or create the mobile-centric malware for the devices (Zdziarski, 2008). Access to Data The access of data to this research proposal will be gained by using both the primary and secondary sources. The data will also be collected using interviews and questionnaires for the corporate who allow their workers to bring in their personal devices to the organization. Access to these data will not be conditional because many corporate have for many years endured security issues in regards to allowing the staff to bring in their personal devices to the organization (Burke, 2006). Ethical Issues In the research Employees can compromise the security of a corporation by abusing their personal devices in various ways (Schultz, 2006). For instance, they may use these devices for other functions other than the stipulated official purposes. Blogging and spending so much time on social networking sites are other forms of abuse that eat into staff working hours and bring unnecessary costs to the organization (Melky Harnest, 2010). These issues can be addressed by pre-programming the devices or network proxy for authentication and access control. Conclusion Employees who bring their personal computers within the corporate usually do this for personal convenience and they are privy to the fact that they are publicizing their preferences even to hackers. The number of organizations that allow their staff to use their personal devices such as smart phones and iPhones are at an all-time high because these companies tend to give the employees greater say over their used devices. Today, workers on the other hand are also driving the tablet sales and point to tablets as the preferred method of consuming content. Caution should be taken by the corporations and employees to ensure that corporate information is secured away from the reach of hackers. Visit our research paper writing service which will help you with writing a research paper on any topic and discipline. Just visit our writing company!

Monday, October 21, 2019

Value Neutrality for a counselor

Value Neutrality for a counselor Introduction As far as counseling is concerned, it should be known that it is human nature to have different opinions. This is based on the fact that there have been different positions that have been taken based on the issue of value neutrality. In this case, there are people who argue that counselors should not express their values or even criticize clients (Fretz, 2001, p. 46). Mostly, this is as far as their behavior is concerned.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Value Neutrality for a counselor specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, there are other professionals who argue that expressing moral judgment is acceptable and therefore appropriate. Clients always come to see counselors with different problems and the issue of value neutrality always determines the outcome of counseling on such individuals. When a client is criticized for his behavior, he/she might think that he is being judged which i s not good. Other clients will not have a problem when counselors express their moral judgment because they might take it positively (Blackburn, 2001, p. 23). This implies that both instances can have different implications when looked at from an ethical decision making perspective and point of view. Discussion It is acceptable for a counselor to remain value neutral about various issues. These issues can revolve around child abuse, abortion, domestic violence, adultery, suicide and others. It should be known that we are all obligated to remain neutral on various issues. This means that we should not pass judgment to anybody more so as far as clients are concerned. Clients have different principles that guide them and this means that they will always stand by them no matter what. In this case, it therefore implies that a good counselor should always be self aware as time goes by. The aspect of self awareness should be the focus because clients’ principles will be the turning point (Blackburn, 2001, p. 31). Counselors are supposed to develop effective competencies that will enhance their work as time goes by. This will help in the provision of effective counseling services to different and diverse clients. In a broad perspective, a counselor can remain value neutral about issues because everything begins with the awareness of their own assumptions, values and different biases (Lent, 2008, p. 72). For clients to be satisfied with the services that counselors are offering them there should accommodation of diverse arguments and opinions. As far as this aspect is concerned, counselors should be able to confront their own albeism.Advertising Looking for coursework on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because it can make them hold different expectations of clients that they are going to deal with. When this is not dealt with effectively, it will ultimately hinder different cl ients’ ability to reach their full potential. Counselors are faced with different and diverse problems that are based on individual client needs (Blackburn, 2001, p. 69). This means that a counselor who is faced with these issues has different options. Most notably, there is brainstorming and referral of cases among counselors that can help to sort out complex issues. Conclusion When somebody is confronted by complex issues, there is always a way by which they can be sorted out. In this case, counselors can approach the dilemma based on the principles that their profession stands for. Decision making plays an important role in solving complex issues in any profession and counselors should be equipped with good skills for long term sustainability (Blackburn, 2001, p. 47). There are various factors that might make a counselor refer a client. Ethical issues and the complexity of the problem that is being dealt with are some of the most notable factors that have always led to ref errals. Multiple causes towards a problem might require a lot of brainstorming which will therefore lead to referrals. If referral is not an option, it means that the counselor should come up with a viable solution (Lent, 2008, p. 93). In this case, it will be necessary for the counselor to look at different and available alternatives that will help in problem solving. Reference List Blackburn, S. (2001). Being good: A short introduction to ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Fretz, B. (2001). Counseling Psychology. New York: Brooks Cole.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Value Neutrality for a counselor specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lent, R. (2008). Handbook of Counseling Psychology. New York: Wiley

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Top 5 Overlooked and Rewarding Healthcare Careers

Top 5 Overlooked and Rewarding Healthcare Careers think outside the box if you have a passion for healthcare, but want to avoid more typical career paths. this field is filled to the brim with fascinating opportunities for all different skill sets. here are 5 careers that showcase the career diversity of industry. is one right for you? medical transcriptionistthis position consists of typing up doctors’ audio recordings into medical reports; it is vital to maintaining smooth administrative activity and coordinating care across disciplines. the more you work, the more you’ll make; the average earnings for this position are around $36,000. the perks include flexible schedules, the ability to work from home, and affordable training programs that can certify you in just a few months.dietitiandietitians studying the science of nutrition and food. in this profession, you work with clients to assess their health needs and goals, develop plans of action and exercise, and advise them about their diets. the average salary is $59 ,000. dietitians can work in all kinds of institutions, from hospitals to long-term care, colleges to program offices. you may also be able to work part-time and set flexible hours. you’ll need a degree and a license in order to practice.healthcare it specialistthe growing tech needs of the healthcare industry mean that specialized it professionals can find rewarding, lucrative work in this field. responsibilities include installing and maintaining records systems and networks, providing support to coworkers, and securing industry certifications like cmaa and cehrs. salary can range from $37,000 to $59,000 annually.midwifemidwives are childbirth specialists trained in monitoring pregnancy, birth, and post-partum care. positions exist in hospitals, birthing centers, and even remotely in various homes. the on-call hours can be demanding, but scheduling is flexible and the work is undeniably rewarding. salaries can run as high as $96k, and the field requires licensing and regula r certification updates.medical codermedical codes are used in healthcare to identify procedures and health issues for insurance and billing purposes. the average pay is $50,000 annually, more with specialized certifications; coders work in hospitals, institutions, and related office settings. make sure you find a worthwhile training program that will provide you with support and job placement after graduation.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Wind farm coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Wind farm coursework - Essay Example This report will begin by a summary providing the background and the crucial processes needed in the wind farm besides provision of reason to invest in the venture. The introduction will incorporate description of the project, its requirements, importance advantage and disadvantages as well. As a matter of fact, outlining the objectives of the report will form a fundamental section of the introduction. Adequate models for calculations such as correlation, regression and other statistical estimations are used and shown as well. This entail all stages ranging from the data collection on the properties of wind in the region to the financial budget estimations. Numerical methods have been reviewed in order to achieve results from the accurate limits of estimations. Being that this was an original result that depended on variables of different characteristics, incorporating assumptions was necessary so as to guide the research process. Stating the assumptions presented the criteria applied in the process and targeted offering guidelines in the analysis phase. A wind farm entails a group of wind turbines assembled in the one location at appropriate intervals and used to generate energy from wind through transformation. A greater wind farm might contain hundreds of individual wind turbines and occupy a protracted area of hundreds of square meters, though the land amid the turbines might be engaged in agricultural together with other purposes that do not interfere with the operation of the turbines. Wind power is a plentiful, extensively circulated energy resource that has no fuel cost, no adverse releases and water use. Wind’s disadvantages are greatly connected to its flexible characteristic and the element that the best regions for producing wind energy are always found distant from major cities and urban centers. Wind swiftness and path can alternate by the season, diurnal and hour and hence demand standby from power generation sites

Friday, October 18, 2019

Semco Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Semco Company - Essay Example What would be the likely consequences of the changes in the short and medium term? It may help your answer if you consider key differences between your chosen case and Semco. One of the most important characteristics of the firm’s human resources management is the freedom related with the participation of employees in the organizational projects. Employees can choose the type of work that suits better to their needs and their time – referring to the time available on a daily basis for work, an issue particularly important for women with children. Furthermore, the firm’s top management is not accurately informed on the personal details of employees – a fact that could be criticized negatively by theorists and practitioners in the HR management sector. In accordance with the comments of the firm’s owner, R. Semler, ‘we could decide to find out which is which and who is who, but for two good reasons we never bother; first, the employment and contractual relationships are so complex that describing them all would take too much time and trouble; second, we think it’s all useless information’ (case study, p.64). The structure of the firm’s HR management can be compared to the open-source software – everyone can enter the firm and participate in its profits – the performance of each employee is depended on his/ her own ambitions and targets. Rather than trying to monitor employees in all their activities within the organization managers in Semco try to communicate with them quite often and give them the chance to participate actively in the firm’s key strategic decisions. The structure of the firm’s HR framework is not similar with others in the market. In fact, people with limited time or those that were working for the firm in the past have equal chances to participate in the development of the firm’s projects. The firm supports the development of industrial democracy giving the chance to

Women in the French Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women in the French Revolution - Essay Example The French Revolution is commonly considered in the light of governmental changes and democracy; however another important aspect of this war was the women and the way that their rights were affected. There has been significant interest in the role of women during this time, particularly women writers who attempted to promote their opinions and desires through writing. Although women played a significant role in the French Revolution of 1789, this contribution was neither acknowledged nor rewarded. Instead, the concerns of women were relegated to the sidelines, and those that attempted to express or desire their own rights were suppressed1. Although the French Revolution brought about change for the country and resulted in the creation of a constitution, and a declaration detailing the rights of men, it was until 1944 that females were legally considered to be French citizens. Consequently, while the political environment of France was focused on the social change occurred as a resul t of the revolution, females were fighting for their rights, and striving for their voices to be heard2. The changing roles of women The French Revolution spurred many ideas about the role of women and significant debate about the way that women should be treated in society. Although many of these concepts were not new, but had been debated in the previous century, the change that accompanied the French Revolution increased passion and urgency in these ideas and brought them to the forefront3. The dominant culture in France prior to the Revolution as well as after it, considered females to be important in the domestic arena, and that it was not right for them to be involved in any public sphere4. However, the 17th century was the beginning of women gaining knowledge and seeking education for themselves. Women began to engage in discussion about subjects that had previously been beyond their reach, such as politics, science, literature and philosophy5. Because of this, women were beg inning to form strong opinions of their own, and were gaining the strength to speak out against their male counterparts and against those in authority. A number of women played a significant political role during the French Revolution, despite the expectations of their society, which felt that females should be passive in terms of political expression6. All-female clubs In 1791, mid-way through the French Revolution, Etta Palm d’Aelders was responsible for the creation of the first club that was exclusively for females, known as the Society of Friends of the Truth7. Another club was formed in 1973 named the Society for Republican Revolutionary Women, which was created by Pauline Leon and Claire Lacombe. This club was strongly focused on the Revolution, and females who joined swore an oath of loyalty to the Republic and to the society. One argument that the co-founders of the society made was that women should have the right to bear arms and to govern. Less than five months af ter the society was first created a law was passed outlawing all women’s clubs8. Feminist movement During the French Revolution, the approaches that women took to their rights were significantly different, and can be broadly grouped into three categories. The first were theorists, such as Gouges, who focused on writing and on promoting the rights of women in general. The second group were female militants who believed that women should be heavily involved in fighting, and imagined armies of women battling against the enemies of the republic. The final group were

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Hamlets negative perception of women in Shakespeares epic Hamlet Essay

Hamlets negative perception of women in Shakespeares epic Hamlet - Essay Example Leaving vulnerable roles for women and giving them no personal agency are the kinds of things for which Shakespeare has attracted much criticism over the years. Hamlet is the name of one such Shakespearean tragedy which clearly is a critically acclaimed success, but keeping in pattern with its predecessors, female characters in this play also are inferior to their male counterparts. Strangely enough, women are often introduced and portrayed as antagonists to the leading hero of the play who have either done something wrong to infuriate the male hero or are just simply misinterpreted and treated negatively. In Hamlet too, both leading female characters, Gertrude and Opehlia, are portrayed in a negative light. Both are singularly vulnerable compared to other main male characters and have no personal agency. It is suggested that Ophelia contributes to Hamlet’s anguish by betraying him on her father’s insistence, but actually Hamlet proves to be the source of her pain. The hotheaded aggressive hero of the tragedy causes Ophelia more emotional distress than she could ever cause to him and also contributes to her tragic demise. The purpose of this essay is to augment this argument that Hamlet has very negative attitudes towards women because he perceives them in a markedly flawed manner. The following discussion will explore and prove this argument in special reference to one female character, Ophelia. Prince Hamlet’s anger is made emphatic by the succession of Claudius to the throne whom he believes to be the murderer of his real father. To cap the matters, Gertrude also marries Claudius. However, irony is that she is not aware of the fact that the man she is marrying is the murderer of her husband. But, Hamlet still blames her vehemently believing he is betrayed by his mother. His personal ideology and belief about women is quite degrading and insulting, but he does not acknowledge this great weakness in his personality. According to Freud†™s psychoanalytic perspective on personality, myriad experiences of youth or early family life have huge repercussions and play a momentous role in structuring a road-map for the future. Freud’s biological mother was quite beautiful and when once, he inadvertently saw her naked, everlasting impression of attraction and love was casted on his mind. His positive impression of women and the way he acknowledges their beauty and intelligence in his work stems from that early experience (Friedman and Schustack 70). In the same way, the bitter experience Hamlet shared with his mother in the form of her agreeing to marry Claudius cultivates this everlasting belief in his heart that all women are traitorous creatures who are not to be loved, appreciated, and believed. This belief structures a roadmap for his future life too which is evident in the way he goes on to treat Ophelia, another important woman in his life. Hamlet’s rancorous relationship with his mother develops emo tional deficits in him. This is because the kind of attachment he has with Gertrude as a son affects him deeply and shapes his behaviors. He clearly does not share healthy cumulative experiences with Gertrude, due to which he ends up developing a warped sense of attachment and psychological connectedness with Ophelia. Gertrude is not to be blamed here, of course, for negatively influencing her son. This is Hamlet’s innate disposition to perceive things negatively taking them for what they are not in reality. This is why his relationship with Ophelia is so affectionless. A long journey consisting of many manipulative schemes is undertaken by Hamlet to reach his objectives and seek revenge on his enemies. One of those

Discrimination in employment and labour market segmentation Essay

Discrimination in employment and labour market segmentation - Essay Example This research aims to evaluate and present inequality in workplaces that has been observed as a global scenario. The level and seriousness of these inequalities are however dependant on specific cultural and social realties relating to the workplace. This resultantly forms inequality regimes within the organisation. These are basically organisational meanings, processes, actions and practices which lead to bias on the basis of gender, class or race. It has been observed that in due course of time organisations automatically tend to develop these kinds of regimes which are unequal with others at various aspects. In contemporary organisations in Europe and all across the globe, these inequality regimes are denoted generally by gaps in salaries, powers and respect. Kertesi & Kollo has reported that there was substantial growth in inequalities within the organisations in Central and Eastern Europe. It is interesting to note that these trends are observed in Europe even in organisations w hich work towards specific social causes. Ferree and Martin and Scott have provided evidences suggesting inequality regimes prevalent in egalitarian feminist organizations. This must be read together with the fact that the larger vision of these organisations are bringing in gender equality. This observation suggests the extent to which labour market is segmented inequality is prevalent in work environments and confirms the existence of labour market segmentation in Europe. ... In contemporary organisations in Europe and all across the globe, these inequality regimes are denoted generally by gaps in salaries, powers and respect. Kertesi & Kollo (2000) has reported that there was substantial growth in inequalities within the organisations in Central and Eastern Europe. It is interesting to note that these trends are observed in Europe even in organisations which work towards specific social causes. Ferree and Martin (1995) and Scott (2000) have provided evidences suggesting inequality regimes prevalent in egalitarian feminist organizations. This must be read together with the fact that the larger vision of these organisations are bringing in gender equality. This observation suggests the extent to which labour market is segmented inequality is prevalent in work environments and confirms the existence of labour market segmentation in Europe. Acker (2006) has defined organisational inequality as â€Å"systematic disparities between participants in power and c ontrol over goals, resources, and outcomes; workplace decisions such as how to organize work; opportunities for promotion and interesting work; security in employment and benefits; pay and other monetary rewards; respect; and pleasures in work and work relations†. As mentioned earlier the extent of disparities in these factors will differ with organisations. It has been observed that out of these factors the most reported ones are inequality over goals and resources. Inequalities in organisations are both direct and indirect in nature. The direct implication of inequality is the formation of inequality regimes as mentioned before. It has been widely approved by researchers that on the job inequality does not constrain its causal roots to the behavioural traits of the employees.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Hamlets negative perception of women in Shakespeares epic Hamlet Essay

Hamlets negative perception of women in Shakespeares epic Hamlet - Essay Example Leaving vulnerable roles for women and giving them no personal agency are the kinds of things for which Shakespeare has attracted much criticism over the years. Hamlet is the name of one such Shakespearean tragedy which clearly is a critically acclaimed success, but keeping in pattern with its predecessors, female characters in this play also are inferior to their male counterparts. Strangely enough, women are often introduced and portrayed as antagonists to the leading hero of the play who have either done something wrong to infuriate the male hero or are just simply misinterpreted and treated negatively. In Hamlet too, both leading female characters, Gertrude and Opehlia, are portrayed in a negative light. Both are singularly vulnerable compared to other main male characters and have no personal agency. It is suggested that Ophelia contributes to Hamlet’s anguish by betraying him on her father’s insistence, but actually Hamlet proves to be the source of her pain. The hotheaded aggressive hero of the tragedy causes Ophelia more emotional distress than she could ever cause to him and also contributes to her tragic demise. The purpose of this essay is to augment this argument that Hamlet has very negative attitudes towards women because he perceives them in a markedly flawed manner. The following discussion will explore and prove this argument in special reference to one female character, Ophelia. Prince Hamlet’s anger is made emphatic by the succession of Claudius to the throne whom he believes to be the murderer of his real father. To cap the matters, Gertrude also marries Claudius. However, irony is that she is not aware of the fact that the man she is marrying is the murderer of her husband. But, Hamlet still blames her vehemently believing he is betrayed by his mother. His personal ideology and belief about women is quite degrading and insulting, but he does not acknowledge this great weakness in his personality. According to Freud†™s psychoanalytic perspective on personality, myriad experiences of youth or early family life have huge repercussions and play a momentous role in structuring a road-map for the future. Freud’s biological mother was quite beautiful and when once, he inadvertently saw her naked, everlasting impression of attraction and love was casted on his mind. His positive impression of women and the way he acknowledges their beauty and intelligence in his work stems from that early experience (Friedman and Schustack 70). In the same way, the bitter experience Hamlet shared with his mother in the form of her agreeing to marry Claudius cultivates this everlasting belief in his heart that all women are traitorous creatures who are not to be loved, appreciated, and believed. This belief structures a roadmap for his future life too which is evident in the way he goes on to treat Ophelia, another important woman in his life. Hamlet’s rancorous relationship with his mother develops emo tional deficits in him. This is because the kind of attachment he has with Gertrude as a son affects him deeply and shapes his behaviors. He clearly does not share healthy cumulative experiences with Gertrude, due to which he ends up developing a warped sense of attachment and psychological connectedness with Ophelia. Gertrude is not to be blamed here, of course, for negatively influencing her son. This is Hamlet’s innate disposition to perceive things negatively taking them for what they are not in reality. This is why his relationship with Ophelia is so affectionless. A long journey consisting of many manipulative schemes is undertaken by Hamlet to reach his objectives and seek revenge on his enemies. One of those

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Opposing Styles of Supervision Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Opposing Styles of Supervision - Research Paper Example   McGregor's Theory Y and X McGregor's Theory X says that an average person dislikes work and will avoid it as much as he/she can and therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organizational objectives whereas Theory Y says that there are people who show strong commitments towards their work and need rewards for boosting their performances further (Douglas Mcgregor - Theory X, Y, 2010). Theory X and theory Y point towards the necessitate of using contrasting management styles in an organization. In other words, a supervisor should change his strategies judiciously so that each employee will get the message that good works will be complemented whereas poor performances will be punished. For example, suppose an employee is reporting late continuously. The supervisor should give some punishment to that employee in order to motivate him to change his behavior. On the other hand, suppose another employee stay back to complete a work even after th e regular time, he should be complimented. In the first case, the employee belongs to the X category whereas in the second case, the employee belongs to the Y category. Suppose the supervisor failed to punish the employee X. X will repeat his mistake till he gets any warning or punishment from the supervisor. He may think that the organization is not much serious about late coming and therefore he can continue his behavior without any problems. Same way suppose the supervisor failed to notice the good work of Y. Y will think that he may not get any compliment or reward for his better works and there is no point in continuing that behavior. On the other hand, if the supervisor, complement the better work of Y, then he will get more energy to repeat such good works in future also. Autocratic Supervision vs. Participative Management â€Å"Authoritarian supervision, in general, is characterized by the relatively high degree of power wielded by the supervisor over the workgroup. Democra tic supervision, on the other hand, is characterized by a sharing of power through participative decision making† (Sales, n.d, p.275). In autocratic supervision, management makes all the decisions without seeking any inputs from the employees whereas, in participative management, the organization welcomes and respect the opinions of the employees while taking any decisions. It is difficult for a supervisor to remain autocratic or participative all the time. Based on the demands of the situation, the supervisor should change his supervising strategies. For example, suppose a supervisor wants to prepare an estimate for a particular project. It is better to seek the opinions of the employees about the possibilities of completing that project in the most feasible manner in order to prepare competitive estimates. It is not necessary that the supervisor may aware of all the options available for the completion of that project. The employees can advise the supervisor about the easies t and cheapest ways of completing a project so that the organization will be benefitted at the time of the preparation of the estimate and also at the time of execution of the project. On the other hand, suppose the organization wants to schedule some overtime work for finishing off some urgent work.  Ã‚  

Whipping Boy Essay Example for Free

Whipping Boy Essay Race separation and hierarchy has been a big part of our world history and is still a problem in some countries. In the older days, race decided whether you were a human being or just a â€Å"tool† to others advantage. In the 1800 century was there a change in the American history, where slaves were becoming freemen, and the short story â€Å"The Whipping Boy† describes in fiction how it may or may not have been in the change of history. The whipping boy concerns a family slavery farm, where they have three slaves Mikey, Tommy and Martha. One day on the farm a boy from the Union comes to the farm and breaks the news, that they are freemen and they can do whatever they want. The news thrills Mikey and Tommy, but Martha is still a bit insecure about the situation, because she is taking care of the old Mrs. Gage, who lives on the farm with her son Master Sterling Gage. Master Sterling Gage is not at the farm when the news arrives, and Martha is therefore concerned for old Mrs. Gage, that she will starve to death. The three slaves stays on the farm, and one day, when Mikey is laying on the couch inside his former masters house, with a bottle of bourbon, Master Sterling Gage returns home and catches Mikey in the act. He gets furious and hits him. Master Sterling Gage goes out of the house, to saddle his horse because he has to go into town, but Tommy and Mikey attacks him from behind and nearly kills him. Martha breaks it off, and they escape instead, they do not make it far until some confederate soldiers stop them, and they kill the three freed slaves. The story is set in the middle of the 1800th, which also in real time had meaning in history. The civil American war started in 1861. It all started when several states abolished slavery. The new president Abraham Lincoln wanted all states to be free from slavery, but some states disagreed, they resigned from the Union and became the confederate states with Jefferson Davis in front as their president. Now th ere was two opposite poles against each other, and the civil war began. The war resulted in releasing all the slaves in the confederate states also. A confederate fanatic murdered Abraham Lincoln a week after the war was over, but he died a hero to many.1 This you easily can relate to the short story â€Å"The Whipping Boy†. A boy from the union (Abraham Lincoln’s side) informs the slaves that they are freemen and they starts a riot on the farm† It was the day after the boy from the Union had come to the farm to let the slaves know they were freemen†2. Afterwards they escape the farm but bumps  into some confederate soldiers (Jefferson Davis’ side) that later on kills the free slaves. â€Å"Tommy was shot when he drew Sterling Gage’s pistol while they were being questioned. â€Å"3 You get this information, probably to relate to the real time history, when confederate soldiers still thought that race should be a main key in the society, and there should be no changes made. We follow in our short three slaves: T ommy, Mikey and Martha. Tommy and Mikey are working in the field, while Martha is inside their master’s house, serving the old Mrs. Gage. Martha and Mikey have had an affair, but their master Sterling Gage have been beating Mikey, when he found out. Martha is the quiet one, with most sympathy among the three slaves. She is the one begging Mikey and Tommy not to kill Master Sterling Gage, when they are beating him up â€Å"†Mikey,† Martha Begged, still pulling at Tommy’s arm, â€Å"Tell him to stop†Ã¢â‚¬ 4. Tommy and Mikey on the other hand is very straightforward, they want revenge for the things that they have been experiencing through the years on the farm â€Å"He had grown alongside Sterling as a young boy and had considered him a friend until the day Sterling had pilfered some sugar from the larder.†5 Master Gage Sterling is the person running the farm. He owns it, but is away allot and must therefore have Martha taking care of his old and demented mother Mrs. Gage. He has this static controlling aura, and makes the reader fear him. The short story makes the reader feel sorry for the slaves; because it is from their point of view, it is written. We hear about how tragic Mikey’s childhood was at the farm, and how they have to work hard every day to serve their master. When they then escape from the farm, the reader feels that justice has been done, but then feels sympathy with the slaves, when the confederate soldiers slaughter them. â€Å"The Whipping Boy† is a short story, which we can relate to a certain time in history. We can draw lines to the real world and see a connection and in the short story, it is the same people it is about and the same characters, and titles on the persons. Slavery is a problem still but the time in the 1800th was a time of big changes, and have been a very important landmark through history.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Threat from Naturalised Wildflowers on Roadside Verges

Threat from Naturalised Wildflowers on Roadside Verges The Threat from Naturalised Wildflowers used on Roadside Verges for Native Forests and Agriculture. The naturalised vascular species of flora throughout New Zealand at present has similar totals to the native species (Williams Cameron, 2006), and newly naturalised species are being discovered at an increasing rate (Howell, 2008). Approximately 19% of all naturalised species are presently recorded as environmental weeds (Howell, 2008). Unfortunately, these statistics can, incorrectly, give the impression that New Zealand environments are inundated with an abundance of diverse weeds. Rather, the majority of naturalised plants, together with weeds, still inhabit a mere fraction of the wild-land habitats throughout New Zealand (Williams Wiser, 2004). In the centuries to come, it is predicted that weeds and other naturalised floras will increasingly occupancy areas of New Zealand, even for millenniums as has appeared to have occurred with Europe’s naturalised plants (Pysek Jarosik, 2005). The general origins of naturalised flora species were as decorative garden and feature pl ants (Howell, 2008), as such they commonly are present near human settlements (Timmins Williams, 1991). When random wild-land sites were surveyed few, if any, environmental weed species are generally found (Sullivan, Williams, Timmins, 2006). This suggests that environmental weeds are generally in the initial stages of infiltration into New Zealand’s environments, thus, there is an opportunity to curb further dispersal. Methods of long distance dispersal differ among environmental weed and naturalised flora species, however, the planting and sowing of naturalised flora species, particularly the wildflower varieties, on roadside verges both facilitates the establishment and acts as corridors for the dispersal agents of these species, for instance stock, people, and vehicles (Overton, Smale, Whaley, Fitzgerald, McGlone, 2002). It has been estimated that the naturalised flora species which are present along roadsides are disproportionately early naturalisations that were originally stock-dispersed, and from either or both recent or current agricultural use. The total richness of naturalised flora species on roadside verges can be reflective of habitat and aspects of the neighbouring land use (Ullman, Bannister, Wilson, 1998). Roadside verges, as well as riparian margins and various other ‘waste’ areas, contain patches of wild habitats that can act as reservoirs for naturalised flora species in what is otherwise intensively managed rural environments. However, some studies are indecisive when it comes to naturalised flora species utilising roadside verges as linear dispersal corridors autonomously of the neighbouring land. Rather, naturalised flora populations along roadside verges generally imitate the adjacent land and the naturalised flora communities present on that land. However, there wil l certainly be exceptions to this rule. One example in New Zealand is the Kaffir lily (Schizostylis coccinea) present in mid-Canterbury. This lily is spreading beside roads utilising the irrigation ditches (Webb, Sykes, Garnock-Jones, 1988). Roadside verges present an unusual, generally uninterrupted continuity of a mono-habitat. Given the variety of wild habitats that roads pass through, it is thought that this is indicative of a present absence of nearby sources that can be used for the purpose of propagating, or a propagule, for these species in the area. The role of propagule pressure at local scales in species distributions is well detailed by Levine (2001) in a related riparian structure (Levine, 2001). However, it is vague as to whether various ornamental naturalised flora species that are restricted to roadside verges could maintain their populations without the support of propagules from proximate cultivated sources, especially when it comes to competition from species that are more abundant, such as pastoral grasses, which disperse onto the roadside verges from the neighbouring land. Regardless of the typical dominance of species from neighbouring environments, roadside verges are not merely expansions of adjacent habitats (Angold, 1997) (Parendes Jones, 2000). Roadside verges are frequently continuously disturbed and possess altered soil conditions, particularly in close proximity to the traffic lane. They typically have high light availability, specifically verges next to high-traffic roads (Parendes Jones, 2000). This makes the proximal roadside zone a highly specialised habitat, which in the temperate zones of the Southern Hemisphere is normally occupied by ruderal, or pioneer, flora species generally originating in Eurasia, but they vary with regards to local climatic conditions (Wilson, Rapson, Sykes, Watkins, Williams, 1992). Over in Australia, tropical grasses often establish on roadside verges and before spreading into neighbouring open woodland (Amor Stevens, 1976). Generally, woody varieties of naturalised flora are more uncommon on roadside verges than herbaceous species; however, species such as pines and eucalypts (Healey, 1969) can be frequent on roadside verges, provided there is consistent available moisture and low disturbance rates. Such species as Cotoneaster spp. tend to be most common on roadside batters, which are generally less disturbed by roadside maintenance than the flat areas (Sullivan, Williams, Timmins, Smale, 2009). Naturalised plant species that are present on roadside verges can endure there as wild populations, yet they still may not infiltrate into the surrounding areas of agriculture and native environments. It is possible that filtering effects may be especially strong in climatically severe locations, even where the neighbouring short flora could give the impression that it is open to invasion. Herbaceous roadside naturalised flora are likely to be ephemerals, and are not able to penetrate neighbouring native vegetation, whereas successful invaders are inclined to be less ephemeral (Winqvist, 2003) and functionally similar to native species (Godfree, Lepschi, Mallinson, 2004). When it comes to prairie flora with a mix of native and naturalised ruderal species, the naturalised species are more likely to occur on roadsides than the native species (Larson, 2002). It is possible that similar patterns occur within New Zealand; however, ruderal species either native (Wardle, 1991) or naturalis ed on roadside verges are uncommon. On the other hand, where filtering effects are not as strong, the distribution of naturalised flora along roadside verges may alternatively suggest the initial stages of an invasion into the adjacent flora. In Europe, herbaceous flora could possibly be invaded from 50 to 100m from the roadside verge (Tyser Worley, 1992) and non-native evergreen woody species in the United States, invaded deciduous forests 120m from the roadside verge plantings (Foreman Deblinger, 2000). The effects of planting roadside verges with naturalised plants is exemplified in a study conducted by Sullivan, Williams, Timmins, Smale (2009) regarding the extent of Russell lupins (Lupinus polyphyllus) which has spread from gravelly roadside verges of the Mackenzie Basin into the adjacent degraded tussock grassland, riverbeds will also function similar to roads as key linear corridors for the spreading of plants (Sullivan, Williams, Timmins, Smale, 2009). In other circumstances, the discrepancy between naturalised flora on roadside verges and the neighbouring flora may be rather noticeable. Ruderal species are often limited to roadside verges or, for brief distances, into the neighbouring disturbed woodland in environments both different (Wester Juvik, 1983) and comparable to New Zealand (Pauchard Alaback, 2004). Whilst generally the Eurasian ruderal species do not establish within New Zealand forests, and it is more likely that the roadside verges will be invaded by shrubs and vines that possess comparable features to the native flora present (Williams, Nicol, Newfield, 2001). Within New Zealand naturalised flora on roadside verges are influenced by both climatic and altitudinal gradients (Wilson, Rapson, Sykes, Watkins, Williams, 1992) (Ullman, Bannister, Wilson, 1995). As the environmental responses are comparable to the responses documented in Europe, it has been recommended that establishment of all obtainable roadside verge sites by the naturalised species has occurred, regardless of the comparatively short time-span since their introduction to New Zealand (Ullman, Bannister, Wilson, 1995). However, this is unlikely to be true for all naturalised flora within New Zealand as generally there is a strong correlation concerning the time from naturalisation and habitation on roadside verges, as well as for the reason that there are numerous new naturalisations found on roadside verges (Williams Cameron, 2006). Roadside verges regularly offer the primary and closest opportunity for naturalised plants to establish past the restrictions of agriculture in what is an intensively managed landscape. 25% of recent naturalisations between 1989 and 2000 were gathered from roadside verges (Williams Cameron, 2006); though in part this is because of some sampling bias. The formation of an environment which naturalised flora will find favourable initiates with the construction of the road itself (Greenberg, Crownover, Gordon, 1997). A frequent effect of road construction is an elevation in the levels of the water-table on roadsides which aids the establishment of naturalised flora particularly in wetlands (Buckley, Crow, Nauertz, Schulz, 2003), whereas in more arid areas, the runoff delivers water and/or nutrients which then promotes the growth of naturalised flora (Williams Groves, 1980) more so than with natives (Angold, 1997). More often than not in New Zealand (Ullman, Bannister, Wilson, 1998), as well as in other parts of the world, naturalised grass species are some of the more commonplace roadside verge species (Tyser Worley, 1992), as the altered environment and roadside management is beneficial for them, more so than some of the other naturalised plant species, for instance woody species (Angold, 1997). In Westland, New Zealand, within the pakihi vegetation, the construction of roads has assisted the establishment and coverage of naturalised species by altering drainage patterns (as is the case with Carex ovalis) as well as increasing nutrient availability due to the soil disturbance (as with Holcus lanatus) (Williams, Courtney, Glenny, Hall, Mew, 1990). Roads themselves offer a way of accessing the land for a variety of modes of transportation from large vehicles to animals, and all may transport the seeds of various flora which are then deposited either haphazardly or specifically in various locations. Thus, it is possible for a species to invade more rapidly along roadside verges than across the landscape overall (Guthrie-Smith, 1953). This is indicated by the naturalised flora diversity and abundance found along the more developed roads (Tyser Worley, 1992) where the volume of traffic is greater, though the more developed roads may also possess a more altered and more regularly disturbed habitat along the roadside verge, as well as a higher density of human habitations. A mode of dispersal for various seeds and whole seed heads is the capability to be transported via some form of attachment, particularly to vehicles, specifically the smaller seeds which can be transported by the tyres of vehicles and in the soil itself that is a dhered to them (Schmidt, 1989). As a result, the seeds present on vehicles can originate from various habitats, and a small number of these species, comparatively, are found on roadside verges, yet the seeds of most naturalised species found on roadside verges are also persent on vehicles (Schmidt, 1989). Vehicles are capable of transporting not just the small seeds of naturalised flora species, which are more commonly than not grass species, but urban garden species as well which are generally wind dispersed (for instance Buddleja davidii) or dispersed via animals (such as Pyracantha spp.) (Wardle, 1991). The manner in which vehicles act as dispersal agents can be of particular concern to managers of natural areas, for example, in Kakadu National Park, they have found the seeds of roadside weeds in the tyres as well as the mud on vehicles (Lonsdale Lane, 1994). Unfortunately, a traditional method of washing cars is merely cosmetic, and does nothing to stop the spread of naturalised species via vehicles. As a result it is improbable that something can be done regarding seeds on private vehicles except in special circumstances, the most effective method to protect sensitive areas is to keep vehicles out altogether (Parendes Jones, 2000). Alternatively the approach of disregarding the dispersal vectors altogether and focusing on discovering the originating populations of naturalised species in sensitive areas (Lonsdale Lane, 1994) is possibly the best tactic in New Zealand, however, this may be unreasonable for locating naturalised species that have been spread by four-wheel-drive or ‘off road’ vehicles on tracks away from established roads. People who not only use roads but also the methods employed to maintain roads, principally the use ‘slashers’ on the roadside, are significant vectors for dispersal of naturalised species on roadside verges. Naturalised flora species are particularly dependent on these practices for their vegetative spread, species such as domestic hops (Humulus lupulus) within the Buller catchment, Nelson (Sullivan, Williams, Timmins, Smale, 2009). However, domestic stock is still the primary vector responsible for the dispersal of naturalised agricultural seed species in other parts of the world (Tyser Worley, 1992) (Pauchard Alaback, 2004), because they were preceded the introduction of stock transportation vehicles in New Zealand (Guthrie-Smith, 1953). While currently stock droving is not really practised within New Zealand, it is still possible for stock to disperse the seeds of naturalised species when they get transferred around (Tyser Worley, 1992). For naturalised species of flora to be actively planted and sowed on roadside verges, for the use in methods such as erosion control and even via the dumping of garden waste, has resulted in some significant invasions of flora, for example in the United States, Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) was used on roadside verges for erosion control and bank stabilisation. However, it quickly became a problem due to its rapid growth rate and capability to displace native plant species (Williams, Timmins, Smith, Downey, 2001). Japanese honeysuckle is also a problem in New Zealand (DOC, 2014). Russell lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus) is another species commonly found on roadside verges throughout New Zealand and presents a threat to native areas. As they are an aggressive species presenting a particular threat to Canterburys braided riverbeds, with the potential impacts it could have these ecosystems. Roadside verges are among the areas of habitat suitable for use by environmental weeds and naturalised flora species as they advance their invasions into areas of natural vegetation within New Zealand’s landscape. Consequently, the protection of New Zealand’s sensitive and valuable conservation reserves from invasion by environmental weeds and naturalised flora species would definitely be advantaged by the control of planting and sowing roadside verges with naturalised wildflowers, particularly when used in combination with other weed control methods in neighbouring habitats that would be suitable for naturalised species. Carrie Page