Greek society Essay Example Essay Example

Greek society Essay Example Paper Greek society Essay Introduction In Greek society, slavery was view as being a normal part of everyday life. Slave labour was considered an essential need when it came to the economic and social success of the Greek city-states. There were a variety of roles, which were carried out by the slave class, some of these included agriculture, crafts, mining, and domestic work. This essay aims to explore the attitudes of the Greeks regarding slavery and its institutions, where and how slaves were acquired, the treatment of the slaves and possible implications if the practice of slavery had been abolished. Despite frequent misconception the majority of Greek slaves were in actual fact, not Greek at all. Many were prisoners of war, captured after the fall of besieged towns and cities and taken back to be later sold on the slave market. As Homer1 discusses in his poems piracy, kidnapping and warfare were all common sources of acquiring slaves. Slavery is the dreaded fate of the women of the royal household of Troy, after the fall of the once great city as is told by Euripides2 . [. ] Talthybios: You have now been allocated, if this is what you feared. Hekabe: Alas! For what city of Thessaly or Phthia or the land of Kadmos are we destined? [. ] (Dillon Garland 2005:351 11. 42) Although this is an extract from a play, Hekabe’s fear that she feels for the sealed fate of herself, her daughters and daughters-in-law was a very real part of life. As Thucydides3 also discusses, when the Athenians captured Melos, the men were killed and the women and children enslaved. There many other cities that the Athenians as well as other city-states obtained their slaves, some of theses are Thrace, Scythia, Illyria, Colchis, Caria and Lydia. Greek society Essay Body Paragraphs Kidnapping was also very common, although the families of the hostages were sometimes given the opportunities to pay a ransom for their release, many still ended up as slaves. Children born to enslaved parents were also considered as slaves, another method was exposure, unwanted, sick, or weak babies to be abandoned by their parents. The practice, though inhumane by contemporary opinion, was considered normal. Those children who were found by slave traders or shepherds were possibly taken, raised, trained in some skill and later sold for profit. Although, debt slavery had been abolished in the Attica by Solon’s4 legislation, it still would have existed in other parts of the Greek world, such as Crete5. There is some argument among modern day historians as to the actual size of the slave population, due to the lack of vital evidence, such as a census. There is however a number of documents where the writers allude to the reader to a figure. Thucydides6 for example tells of some 20,000 Athenian slaves, most of whom were manual labourers deserting. He also points out in later documents that there were more slaves in Chios than any other city besides Sparta. Despite the lack of evidence Finley7 estimates a figure more like 60-80,000 slaves for the whole of Attica. On average it can be seen that most small farmers or landowners would have had at least 1 slave and wealthy households approximately 10-20. In an unusual case, Nikias8 owned some 1000 slaves, which he would hire out for work. The type of things that many slave traders and owners looked for when acquiring slaves were their characteristics which slaves possessed such as a placid temperament, attractiveness, youth, health, submissiveness, strength and so on. Depending on the skills and abilities of a slave would have a huge impact on the type of work that they could possibly carry out and the price that one could be sold for. Slaves however who were elderly, weak, sick or injured, stubborn were consid ered unfavourable as they would more than likely cause their masters trouble. The roles carried out by slaves were numerous and some were especially dangerous such as working as a crewmember on ships or in mines or quarries. A slave could expect a life of misery and danger, with many thousands killed. There were also a number of criminals or slaves with constant bad behaviour working in the mines, due to the conditions as it was assumed that they would not live very long. In agriculture and farming slaves worked as farmhands or shepherds. Hesiod9, in his Works and Days explains to a small farmer the greater value of a slave woman over a wife. First of all you should acquire a house and a woman and an ox for the plough, – A female slave, not a wife, who can follow the oxen as well. (Dillon Garland 2005:331, doc. 11. 8) Skilled slaves could also work as artisans and run shops for their masters, while slave labour was popular it in no way replaced free labour instead slaves com plimented the free labour workforce with free men in most Greek cities – except Sparta – working alongside slaves working the land, in retail trade or as artisans as Plutarch10 describes. As far as working as a slave went, one of the most prestigious roles, was being a domestic or household servant. These were among some of the most well treated slaves, some acquiring a sense of trustworthiness and responsibility, a few even obtained freedom for their loyalty and hard work. A good, well-behaved slave was treated as part of the family, were even allowed to take part in the family rituals like the sacrifice. A female had vastly different roles to that of male slaves. These would have included cooking, sewing and crafting, serving food, entertaining as dancing or flute girls, childcare, cleaning, shopping and fetching water. In wealthier households they could also specialize in being housekeepers, cooks or nurses. Women were greatly disadvantaged in Greek society due to t he underprivileged status in the social hierarchy, with even wealthy free women often secluded in their own homes. Unquestionably female slaves would often have a harder time than men and were frequently the target of sexual exploitation or physical abuse from their masters and or other members of their household. In these instances children born from master-slave liaisons would undoubtedly have been exposed. Slave girls could however rise to a certain level of trustworthiness, many wealthy women sought out confidantes in their slave girls, as Euripides11 expresses in his character Medea. It is likely that women and female slaves would have tied together, with the common exclusion from the masculine world of public affairs, regardless of social status. Occasionally household slaves were also given the privilege of being buried in plots next to their masters and mistresses upon their deaths. Aristotle12 spoke of slaves as the chattel property of the master, and thought this may have been the case, there were distinct and well protected laws when it came to slaves rights, or the treatment and punishment of slaves. For instance, though slaves could be very badly beaten they could not however be killed, instead slaves were treated according to their status and the temperament of their masters. Slaves were forbidden to enter the gymnasium or public assembly, they could not freely marry or have children, they could also not use any name other than the one their master gave them and most unfortunately for slaves was that they could only give evidence in a trial under torture. There were however special temples and sanctuaries that slaves could go to seek refuge and appeal that they be resold if their masters were particularly abusive to them13. One very important point to make is the difference between slaves, metics, helots and serfs. Metics were either foreigners, who migrated to cities other than the one where they were born or freed men. The metics could own slav es, ran businesses, had access to certain festivals. The restrictions for the metics were that they could not vote, own land or houses and needed a prostate or citizen patron. The ‘metoikian’14 tax made the metic class very powerful, as the revenue from this tax went to the state. Serfs had rights, they possessed money, could marry and divorce, serfs could also marry with free women. The helots were however not foreigners or slaves, they owned land and outnumbered the Spartans considerably, but they were still subjected to a state of servitude. Herodotus15 notes that the Spartans despised artisans and considered those who learnt crafts and their descendants as inferior to other citizens. Xenophon16 also shares these views in his account of Lykourgos. [. ] 7. 2 But at Sparta Lykourgos forbad free men to touch anything to do with making money, and instructed them only to think about those activities which provide cities with freedom. (Dillon Garland 2005:347, doc. 11. 5 7. 2) The Spartans were renowned for their harsh treatment of the helots despite relying upon them for produce and crafts, as well as occasionally in times of warfare to supplement their army, with an estimation of 35,000 serving at Plataea17. Because of the sheer number of helots the Spartans were aware of the potential threat of revolt, Thucydides18 accounts, the Spartans proclaimed that the helots nominate all those whom they considered had fought well in the Spartan wars, under the belief that these men would be granted freedom the helots picked out about 2,000 who later disappeared. Servile labour was a large part of the social and economic makeup of the classical Greek period, with most households owning at least one slave. Krates19, in his play The Wild Animals, promises automation of items as the alternative to slaves, mimicking Aristophanes position of slavery being taken for granted. Time constraints have unfortunately limited the depth of this essay, and prevented the fur ther examination of slaves in Greece at this time. 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6 Reasons Why Truck Drivers Leave Their Jobs

6 Reasons Why Truck Drivers Leave Their Jobs It may not always look like like it from the outside, but trucking is tough. Life on the road with the radio blaring might seem a bit fun, but along with some of the perks can unfortunately come a lot of downsides. According to recent studies, here are the top reasons a truck driver might leave a trucking job. It won’t come as a surprise that most truckers cited more than one reason when asked about their biggest job complaint.1. Pay and PerksRoughly half of drivers surveyed say that making more money was their number one consideration when leaving one job for another. Benefits are also a huge consideration: 34% of truckers surveyed succumb to the lure of better health coverage.2. No Time at HomeThis is another big factor- roughly 41% of drivers say more time at home becomes a huge priority. Even if money is a major motivating factor for most people who do leave, only about 20% leave for that reason. Time at home is often much more of a factor.3.  Not Jiving with a Superviso rPeople leave people- not companies. If a driver doesn’t mesh well with his supervisor, that can be a very difficult situation to sustain. Personalities are important and finicky, but the workplace is surprisingly about relationships. Make these work, and people will be more likely to stick around.4. Dispatch DissatisfactionIf a driver is not getting dispatched or scheduled the way they prefer, this can be a huge annoyance. A lot of this can be solved with new computer technologies that streamline the process.5. Not Being Paid FairlyPerhaps a driver didn’t get paid for detention time or other â€Å"duties,† this can really drive an employee to frustration- even quitting- especially if it happens multiple times per month.6. OverregulationService rules for when a driver is allowed to drive, sleep, etc. can really put a cramp in a trucker’s style. Single rules don’t always universally make things better for truckers. When these get too onerous, even e xperienced veteran doctors can turn tail and leave- and the profession suffers.Those are just the main reasons. Sometimes truckers just want to retire, or leave the transportation industry for something else to get a change of pace. For some, health problems require a different kind of working style. Trucking is one of the most common jobs in every state, and one of the most physically and emotionally grueling, at times. For those who stick it out, the benefits can be rewarding. But sometimes, when the bad outweighs the good, it’s time to look to another path.

Japan Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Japan Civilization - Essay Example rpretation of culture and history, the Tokugawa period was unique with regards to the way in which Edo-art, theater developed, and government sponsored and supported arts flourished during this time. Firstly, with regards to art during this particular period, it is something of a deviation from traditional Japanese art; yet, at the same time, it was a movement that sought to re-integrate an understanding and appreciation for the most traditional aspects of Japanese culture. Whereas the arts were not officially supported by the government prior to this period, the Tokugawa period saw a time in Japanese history in which landholders were the ones that were ultimately the pinnacle of society. Within such an interpretation, these landholders had to shoulder the majority of the tax burden. As such, once these taxes were received by the government, artists were supported, at least in small part by the proceeds of these taxes. In such a way, it comes as little surprise that the portraits and etchings that they engaged invariably were concentric upon the subject matter of harvesting, planting, and the manual labor that is oftentimes evidenced in fields or on farms. As a result of the growth of wealth derived from a thriving merchant culture, a desire for amusement was born within Tokugawa society. One of the most prominent outgrowths of this desire for amusement is with regards to the theater that came to such a level of prominence during this period of Japanese history known as the Kabuki (Nenzy 12). Within this theater, lavish displays of passion, costumes, and intrigue were represented directly to a new class of people who had grown as a direct result of the policies and constraints that the shogun had encouraged by the development and evolution of this â€Å"new† society. Many have argued that no other aspect of culture represents the Tokugawa era better than the Edo woodblock images that were churned out in such volume during these times. These images would,

Philosophy of Mass Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Philosophy of Mass Communication - Essay Example Mass Communication is believed to be a task of delivering information, ideas and attitudes to a sizable and diversified audience via use of media developed for that purpose which seems much difficult than to communicate through face to face. The revenue of mass communication comes from the following sources. However people living in advanced nations are also interested to make charitable contributions to organizations such as Save the Children, UNCF and Autism Speaks that partially performing mass communication activities. The people nevertheless, have to make a rational decision in terms of paying for public donations such as mass media or charitable donations. The value of making a public donation needs to be kept in mind because it is largely responsible for keep the national systems running throughout the world. Mass media although seems simple but also has its own code of ethics and conduct, which the companies have to follow and the audience, will judge them as well. Donating to mass media appears reasonable as everyone nowadays is interested to believe in mass and social media. Charitable donations nonetheless have their own significance and importance and funding them is equally important regarding provision of support to media. As being a part of same country, every person has to perform its duties towards those who are being going through several downturns and problems of life. Therefore before donating, any person should consider his or her monthly income, his or her own personal expenses, and then should decide the level of donation he or she can make and should also perform a detailed research about legitimacy of the companies to which he or she is going to make a donation. The next step that is to be done is to see which organization requires the most and the donor has to donate ac cordingly and reasonably. The right of every organization needs to be considered in a local city at least. Roles of Railroads The railroads on the other hand, played an important role in the United States and It was an epic function at that time and therefore, it involved enterprises on a great scale that had quite a cash surplus too. Atlas shrugged has written â€Å"In a time between 1946-1957 in United States†. The novel was led by major characters like Dagny Taggart, James Taggart and John Galt. The basic theme of the novel was that US was experiencing a time where there was recession and facing a downward economic spiral in businesses (Notes 2013). Dagny at that time was the in charge of the Traggart Transcontinental Rail Road who was seeking to rebuild the crumbling track of Rio Norte Line. It also served for oil fields in the blooming industry of Colorado. Dagny throughout the novel shows her devotion to the railroads but faces several enemies who wanted to destroy her dreams. She has her first conflict between her brother regarding contracting with Rearden steel to build the railroads and then she had a fight with a manufacturer who was James’ old friend, She trusted Hayn Rearden more as she found her steel to be more reliable. The sensible decision needs to be made in a disturbed economic situation where Dagny faced the loss of her majority of skilled workforce. The case further worsens when the Traggart Transcontinental Railroad gets nationalized and Dagny experiences a main trauma. After seeking political aid a new law passes which takes the major competitor out of the business. Dagny however comes to know that there are certain people who want her out of the business world and she was facing huge losses. On the other hand, she starts working with Rearden in order to build the metal bridge but even then they face difficulties as the government considers Rearden’s metal to be not reliable and there again comes an end to Traggart T ranscontinental’s works and then they finally decide to invest in John Galt’s Line. After their successful attempt they find a

Local Lawsuit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Local Lawsuit - Essay Example Summary of the actions that lead to the lawsuit against Henry’s Turkey Service The U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) acting on behalf of thirty-two intellectually disabled former workers of Henry’s Turkey Services filed a lawsuit against their employer because of payment/ wages discrimination. The EEOC in their lawsuit accused Henry’s Turkey Service of deliberately paying the intellectually disabled workers less wages as compared to their able-bodied counter-parts who did the same job as the intellectually disabled workers. In specific, the EEOC accused Henry’s Turkey Service of paying each of the thirty-two intellectually disabled workers a total wage of $65 per month during the contract period, which was between 2007 and 2009 instead of the average $11 to $12 per hour, which their non-disabled counterparts got. The EEOC alleged that because of this wage discrimination at Henry’s Turkey Services, each of the thirty-two intellectual ly disabled workers accrued lost income in the range of $28,000 to $45,000 during the two-year contract (EEOC). Despite paying, the thirty-two intellectually disabled workers undeserving wage per month, the EEOC also accused Henry’s Turkey Service of verbally abusing them, physically mistreating them despite their condition, imposing crude punishments on them, and unlawfully restricting their freedom thereby interfering with the first amendment rights, according to O'Keeffe (1993). In addition, the employer also failed to provide them with appropriate health care as recommended by the labor laws and lastly, imposing on them inhuman terms and conditions in their employment contract such as forcefully housing them collectively in a substandard house. However, it is beneficial to note that the above-mentioned charges against Henry’s Turkey Service are set for trial hearing starting from March 2013. According to the studies conducted by Pimentel et al. (1992) and O'Keeffe (1993), Henry’s Turkey Service openly practiced pay discrimination, which violated the Americans with Disabilities Act that advocate for equal treatment as well as equal pay to disabled people within the American Society. The pay discrimination by Henry’s Turkey Service also violated the labor laws, which advocate for equal opportunity as well as treatment at the workplace and the international human rights law that advocate against discrimination of any member of the society based on race, gender, religion, cultural background or intellectual capacity (Cohen, 2005). Risk management by Henry’s Turkey Service There are a number of measures, which Henry’s Turkey Services could have implemented to prevent the likelihood of such a lawsuit from arising, and costing the company $1.3 million arising from the court’s verdict, which was in favor of the thirty-two intellectually disabled workers. One of the risk management strategies that the company could h ave implemented was awarding the thirty-two intellectually disabled workers same wage rate as their non-disabled counterparts who also worked at the evisceration line at the company’s premises. The equal payment is justified because a supervisor from West Liberty Foods acting as a witness for the EEOC stated that the intellectually di

The Main Contractors Estimators Action On Receipt Construction Essay

The Main Contractors Estimators Action On Receipt Construction Essay 1. Introduction 1.1 Structure of sub-contracting The Hong Kong Construction Industry are made up of mainly three layers though the process of tendering, which include the tendering from developers to main contractors and the sub-contracting main contractors to sub-contractors. In the report, sub-contracting will be further discussed. In the process of sub-contracting, the estimator of main contractors breaks down the whole construction work into various tasks. For instance, breaks down a building construction work into basement, substructure, bamboo scaffolding, superstructure and finishes. The estimator will then undergo tendering process and sub-contract these various works to favourable tenderers. In addition, quotation is a document plays a role in the tendering process. It is a priced document which derived from tender that main contractor released and can be regarded as a reduced size of priced Bills of Quantity that tenders submit to the main contractor. Since quotation contains monetary terms and which can result in several companies interest, it has to be kept highly confidential to avoid collusion or unequal situation to happen. 1.2 Role of cost estimator To clarify, it is to discuss the role of main contractors cost estimator in this report. First of all, the estimator is not merely one person but a team with, for example, quantity surveyor, project manager, contract manager and planning engineer. The roles of cost estimator before award of project are to estimate the cost of construction works, prepare initial budget, price the Bills of Quantity and arrange for man power, materials supply and plants for proposed project. After the award of project, the cost estimator will break down the works as described above, prepare sub-contacting schedule which stated the time to finish tendering of specific tasks and deadline of commencement of different work, and prepare the tender document with self estimated budget not enclosed. After the receipt of quotation, the cost estimator will select to sub-contract to the most suitable tenderer with equal basis. Besides, there is other role that is significant to cost estimator. They are to balance the quality and price for selection of sub-contractors, materials and plant, keep all the monetary details highly confidential even within the company and do not receipt of any kind of interest to avoid collusion which keep the tendering process undergoing in equal basis. 1.3 Sub-contracting procedure after receipt of quotation The general sub-contracting procedure can be illustrated by figure 1.3. After the preparation of the quotation documents and the sub-contractor list for open invitation of quotation, a request for quotation will be issued to the sub-contractors on the list. Interested sub-contractors will prepare their quotations and submit them by depositing to the bid box before the deadline set in the quotation documents. Upon the deadline for submission, a number of quotations would be received from different sub-contractors. The main contractors estimator is then started to assess and evaluate those quotations being received. The major actions of the estimator after receipt of quotation include checking of the quotations for their compliancy, errors and adjustments as well as selection of the preferred quotation by quality/price mechanism. A quotation report will also be prepared afterward. If the main contractor finally gets the tender from the client (i.e. the developer), performance evaluation may be conducted by the estimating team for future works. à ¥Ã…“-à §Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã¢â‚¬ ¡1.png Figure 1.3 Sub-contracting procedure after receipt of quotations 2. Checking of the quotations (with Appendix 1) Upon receipt of quotations from the sub-contractors, the date should be entered on the enquiry record. Basic information of the sub-contractors should be checked and the database is to be updated wherever necessary. To avoid any erroneous price submitted, the estimator of the main contractor then has the responsibility to read, check and verify the quotations for the following: Whether the quotations are in line with requirements set out in the enquires; Whether the costs are consistent If there are any errors; If the prices provided by the sub-contractor are reasonable How are the prices when they are compared with the market prices. 2.1 Checking of compliancy with requirements After the quotations are received from the sub-contractors, the main contractors estimator has to make an in depth examination on the quotations in order to assure that they are made in accordance with the enquires requirements and no alternative offer have been submitted. Any breakdowns of price should always be checked while the rates are being entered into a computerized estimating system to ensure they are correct. The quotations should also be checked against the terms and conditions (Fig.2.1.a) and content of the enquires (Fig.2.1.b) for any arithmetic errors, missing items, reality and consistency of rates, tender qualification, validity period of tender, and signatures properly provided. 2.1.1 Quotations from Material Suppliers The quotations for material supply should be recorded on a Materials Comparison Form (Fig.2.1.1.a) and in accordance with the enquires provided by the main contractor or the clients. The rates are entered during the pricing stage, and any divergence discovered from the provided enquires are to be recorded for later assessment. The estimator should check for the followings: The materials adopted comply with that stated in specification; The quantities of materials are sufficient to meet the required amount as stated in the enquires; The methods of delivering, unloading and handling of the materials comply with that required by the main contractor, special conditions for ordering and payment, and the suppliers with the most competitive prices should be contacted to ensure that they had noted all the relevant restrictions on delivery to site; The delivery dates meet with those required, otherwise additional enquires to maintain a full enquiry list may need to be sent; The intended on-site or off-site storage of the materials and settlement of payment; The conditions stated in the quotations is as same as the terms and conditions stated in the enquires and the quotations are not alternative offers. 2.1.2 Quotations from Plant Suppliers The quotations for plant supply should be recorded and on a Plant Quotations Register (Fig.2.1.2.a). Wherever a performance specification for the usage of the plants is given, the quotations should be checked cautiously to make sure that all the plants provided accomplish the enquires requirements. The estimator should check for the followings: The plants are sufficient to meet the needs of the construction programme; The wages for plant operators are included; The working hours of plant operators comply with the intended site working hours; The responsibilities and charges for maintenance are clearly identified. 2.1.3 Quotations from Labour-Only Sub-Contractors The quotations for labour should be recorded on a Domestic Sub-contractors Register (Fig.2.1.3.a) which is used as a form for sub-contract comparison. Any divergence from the enquires discovered should also be recorded for later assessment and unit rates pricing when selecting quotations. The estimator should check for the followings: The conditions stated in the quotations is as same as the terms and conditions stated in the enquires and the quotations are not alternative offers; The discounts comply with the enquires requirements; The payment basis of the labour; The ambiguities concerning the responsibilities for protections, storage, clearing up, unloading are resolved; The supporting information including the schedules of rates and the programme information are given. 2.2 Checking of errors and adjustments The main contractors estimator should check whether the quotations are basing on complete and accurate information. 2.2.1 Domestic Sub-contractors The main contractors estimator should ensure that all the items for a particular trade are priced properly, and should request the sub-contractors for any missing rates. The rates provided should be checked for consistency with the bill of quantities, and they should be realistic although the cost will vary depending on the quantities, location and timing. The main contractors estimator could withdraw or change an offer and report to the client if any obvious errors are detected or the tender document is found to be altered. The estimator may apply a percentage or add a lump sum to certain rates in cases where considerations are taken for the following: Work of specific builders which is not measured somewhere else is needed; Certain attendances are needed to be included in the measured rates; Specific trades requirement provided by the contractor; Margin for over-heads and profit are to be included in the measured rates so the estimator could spread the over-heads to works which seems to be under-measured. 2.2.2 Nominated Sub-contractors Nominated subcontractors are subcontractors required by the client to enter a contract for execution of work or the supply of things designated as Prime Cost of PC items. The main contractors estimator should ensure that the PC sum is included in the bill calculations and a percentage for profit is added to the PC sum wherever necessary. 2.2.2.1 General and Special Attendances The main-contractors estimator should also access the costs for general and special attendances. The costs for general attendances are normally provided in the evaluation of project over-heads for logistical requirements; while the special attendances are to be priced separately in the measured bills of quantities and the estimator may price the work if those attendances are properly described. Figure 2.2.2.1.a shows different types of attendances to be provided to the sub-contractor by the main contractor. These attendances should be priced in project over-heads and the amount required should depend on the sub-contractor. Therefore, the main contractors estimator should adjust the amount of lump sum or added percentage to different types of sub-contractors carefully. 2.3 Comparing of Prices 2.3.1 Comparing with Market Prices The main contractors estimator should compare the quotations provided by the sub-contractors with the market prices. 2.3.1.1 Variations in unit rates While comparing the prices, the estimator should also consider factors which may affect the rates of materials, plants, and labour. The rates for materials may depend on the suppliers locations, the sizes of the materials, the delivery costs, and whether alternative materials are to be adopted should also be considered. The rates for plants could be affected by the prices for erecting and dismantling, maintenance, and insurance of the plants in the construction sites. As for the rates for labour, they depend very much on whether skilled labour is available in the area or extra payment for labour with special skills are needed, the location at which jobs are to be carried out should also be taken into consideration. 2.3.2 Comparing with other quotations The main contractors estimator should carefully compare each quotation submitted by all the sub-contractors. A spreadsheet such as the Sub-contract Comparison Sheet (Fig.2.3.2.a) may be used for comparing as it facilitates listing, rates comparing as well as mathematical checking. 3. Selection of the quotation (with Appendix 2) Price3.1 General criteria Quality TimeIn most of the case (i.e. except in case of nominated sub-contractor), there is still a long-list of sub-contractors, who compliant with the requirements, remain after checking the quotations with the enquiries. In order to identify the preferred sub-contractor(s), hence, a short-listing with several criteria should be processed. The most significant factor is price, while other criteria include experience and qualifications, financial and resources standing, reputation and management system. 3.1.1 Price The quoted price in the quotation constitutes substantial effect on the decision making of the cost estimator. With a lower cost to hire a sub-contractor, the main contractor can turn out give a lower bid in the tender to the developer and therefore, increase the opportunity of getting the project. 3.1.2 Experience and qualifications An experienced and qualified sub-contractor on the type of work of the project means it can finish the work in a more effective way compares with those without (i.e. the completion time may be shortened due to its experience on the trade). In the case of specialized works such as demolition work and foundation work, experience is even more important. The cost estimator can evaluate the sub-contractors past performance with the company or refer to different Registers  [1]  and professional bodies for determination its competence on the work. 3.1.3 Financial and resources standing Financial standing of the sub-contractor is an important factor since inadequate working capital of the sub-contractor may hinder the working progress and lengthen the completion time. In addition, the cost estimator needs to ensure the sub-contractor is having sufficient resources (i.e. man power, material, plant, etc.) to deal with the work, especially in the case of supplier. By investigating into the liquidity, credibility and adequacy of resources of the sub-contractor, the cost estimator can so avoid delay of the entire construction of the project to minimize loss to the client. 3.1.4 Reputation and management system Reputation of a sub-contractor is generated when it provided quality services in the field. By investigating the past performance (i.e. workmanship, time management, worker and material quality, etc.) of the sub-contractor, the cost estimator can reasonably select sub-contractor(s) who can provide up-to-standard work. The management system should also contribute to the decision of the cost estimator, as proper management can generate synergy effect to the labour performance. 3.2 Establishment of the quality/price mechanism The major concern for the main contractors estimators to select an appropriate quotation is to have a quotation of both low price and good quality. Hence, in order to maintain a good balance between quality and price, a quality / price mechanism should be established to facilitate the process. 3.2.1 Formulation of the quality / price ratio The quality / price ratio should be formulated at the first stage. The ratio can depend on the complexity of the work, the degree of innovation and the flexibility. For instance, straightforward projects should be less complicated and less innovative. Therefore, the price factor should be given a higher weight. Thus, the quality / price ratio of 20/80 could be considered. Similar approach can be adopted for complex and repeat projects to obtain the ratio. Fig. 3.1 shows the relationship between quality and price for different kinds of projects. 3.2.2 Weighting of the quality criteria Different quality criteria should be weighted according to their importance to the project. Basically, there are four major criteria. They include the practice of the company, the project organization, the key project personnel and the project execution. Practice of the company comprises the organization structure, financial stability, quality assurance, resources, management systems, relevant experience of the company and etc. Project organization refers to the organization of the proposed project team and the authority level of team members. Key project personnel includes the qualifications, communication skills and enthusiasm of the team members and the extent they understand the project brief. Project execution refers to the programme, method and approach, as well as the management and control procedures of the project. To weight the criteria, it is suggested that the key project personnel can occupy around 30 to 40% of the total weight, 20 to 30% each for the practice of the company and the project execution, 15-25% for the project organisation. 3.2.3 Establishment of the marking (scoring) system After the quality / price ratio is formulated and the quality criteria is weighted at the first and second step, a quality threshold should be introduced to the marking system. It is the minimum marks that must be scored by the short-listed sub-contractors in the quality assessment so as to allow further consideration of the quotations. An assessment sheet can then be prepared for subsequent assessments of the quotations. In the assessment sheet, both the quality and price scores will be given and an overall score will be added. An unfilled assessment sheet is shown as Fig. 3.2. 3.3 Assessment of the quotations After returning the quotations from various sub-contractors, the main-contractors estimators can start to do the assessment on the quality and price. 3.3.1 Quality assessment Marks should be scored according to the quality criteria (i.e. practice of the company, project organization, key project personnel and project execution) and the weighting and marking system set down previously. If the scored mark of a quotation is below the targeted quality threshold, the quotation should not be further considered and should be discarded. However, if it is the situation that all the submitted quotations are below the threshold and there is a common failure of a specific criterion, then the estimators may re-assess the requirement to see if there is a need of amending it. 3.3.2 Price assessment Price assessment should be considered only if a quotation has passed the quality assessment. It is done in the way that the quotation with the lowest quoted price is considered to score 100 marks in this section. While for other quotations having a higher quoted price, their scored marks will be deducted with a proportional percentage. However, for particular quotations having an extraordinarily low price, they should be reviewed in order to ensure full compliance of the requirements. Finally, the quality and price scores should be totalled and the assessment sheet should be dated and signed for later auditing purposes. Fig. 3.3 shows an example of a completed assessment sheet. 3.3.3 Final assessment After all the qualified and assessed quotations have been obtained, their overall scores can be compared with an assessment comparison sheet. The sub-contractor with the highest overall score will eventually win the bid. Fig. 3.4 shows an example of a completed comparison sheet. It is seen that the assessments of different firms (i.e. firm A, B, C and D) have been done and the overall scores have been calculated onto the same sheet. Since firm A has got the highest overall score among the competitors, its quotation will be considered by the main contractor. 4. Quotation report A quotation report is used to summarize all the necessary information and evaluation result of the assessment, and as a reference for the cost estimator to refer to if finally sub-contractor is needed to be awarded. The quotation evaluation report should include the followings: The sub-contractor list established at the beginning A summary of the quotations received and opened The results of the checking and selection of the quotations The evaluated price of each quotation, showing any corrections, errors or adjustments The scores and rankings of the quotations, according to the assessment Recommendation to award the contract 5. Actions after tender is awarded by the developer If the main contractor finally gets the tender from the developer, there are still several actions that the main contractors estimator needs to do. Firstly, notification to the wined sub-contractor (i.e. the highest scorer in the final assessment) to ensure the selected team is still available. Once the award is made, advisement to all other discarded sub-contractors in writing should be processed. Secondly, the estimating team should evaluate the performance of both the selected sub-contractor(s) and the quality/price mechanism. Evaluation to selected sub-contractor can be by the way of inspection during work or after completion. The results may be used in selection of sub-contractor in future works as mentioned in Part 3. Besides, the evaluation of the appropriateness of the quality and price ratio and the weighting system can used to adjust the mechanism and improve its operation in future works. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, the main contractors estimators actions on receipt of quotations from their sub-contractors are first checking for their compliancy with the quotation documents, and sorting out any errors and adjustments. Secondly, the estimator needs to select the preferred sub-contractor(s) by considering their quoted price, experience, financial and resources standing, reputation, etc with the quality/price mechanism. Thirdly, a quotation report will be prepared afterward. And if the main contractor finally gets the tender from the client (i.e. the developer), performance evaluation may be conducted. The above actions and procedures conducted by the cost estimator can be further illustrated by the case study in the next part. 7. Case study The case is from the main contractor Chun Wo Constrcution and Engineering Limited, of project Tuen Mun Western Trunk Sewerage (DC/2009/11). The cost estimator proposed to sub-contract the installation works of temporary water and electricity of site offices and underwent the following procedure. In the first stage preparation of documents, the estimator prepared the description of required work. Simply, it includes the description and details of proposed installation works. They then decided the adaptation of selective tendering rather than open tendering as time was limited and selected two contractors in the sub-contractor list. They are Wing Wo and Sky. Lastly, they prepared the tender document of the work, which contains common items to all tender documents, including general conditions of contract, standard conditions of sub-contract, special condition of contract, general specification and standard methods of measurement, and specific item details such as particular specification, particular preamble, schedule of rates and drawings. Figure 7a is the tender document list of the work. After prepared the tender document, they issued request of quotation to the two contractors. In the second stage the selection of sub-contractor, the estimator received the quotations by bid box and checked with the compliance, errors, adjustment and price as described in previous section. They selected the criteria for the work as quality to price ratio, experience and reputation. After the comparison of those criteria, they recommended Wing Wo as the sub-contractor since it had better quality to price ratio and experienced. Figure 7b is the tender report for comparison. Since the score of Wing Wo was the highest, its director was invited to have further negotiation to assure all details were known and the same in two parties, and price adjustment had done at that moment. Finally, estimator prepared sub-contract for the work in which an item concerning wage payment was added, and signed with the director and project manager. Figure 7a Tender list Figure 7b Tender report

Diversity & Case Studies Essay -- essays research papers fc

Introduction There is no doubt that today ¡Ã‚ ¦s business world is changing rapidly and many factors are also simultaneously interacting. Perhaps these factors are created by diversity. According to the dictionary, diversity is a point or respect in which things differ. In fact, diversity in the population, the work force and the market place give many benefits for organizations. Managers are to gain more knowledge on internal diversity in order to maximize the efficiency of workforce and profit. Therefore, not only are changes inevitable while competition and improvement interacting, but also globalization is a crucial factor affecting all organizations. This essay will focus on and analyze some themes related to the diversity in today ¡Ã‚ ¦s competent business environment and a successful example will be discussed at the end of this paper. Reform of traditional management Bell and Harrison (1995) have an opinion on the  ¡Ã‚ §past leaders ¡Ã‚ ¨. In the past business world, leader were required to show that they have the strongest ability among all other staff. Centralization of power seems to be the characteristics of a leader and certain information control helps to maintain leader control and management. As far as making profit is concerned, centralization coursed a lot of red tape and poor performance. Therefore, it is about time there was a reform. Moreover, advanced technology has urged the reform of workplace nowadays. According to Casey, C. (1999), technological changes change the concept of leadership. The development of advance technology facilitates and speeds up the flow of information. Techniques, information and skills become possible to be enhanced, acquired and discarded in leaning that happens at work. Centralization of information and special skills are no longer regarded as element of leadership. As far as diversity is concerned, setting the same target, sharing the same value and mutual understanding are essential. Therefore managers and employees are encouraged to challenge top managements in terms of various aspects: such as discrimination, norms, biases and inappropriate decisions. This emphasis on employee involvement should be continued shift to have an ultimate management change: shifting the centralizing management to a more personal development and work-together basis to maximize each employee ¡Ã‚ ¦s talent and ability. In general, executin... ...tionally, diversity makes McDonald ¡Ã‚ ¦s fast food kingdom easier to management. Thus, its branches can be seen everywhere. Conclusion In a competent business environment, effective management is the key of success. The larger the organization, the harder the effective management can be achieved. However, it is possible to overcome the difficulties by executing diversity within an organization. Executing proper management control systems can facilitate the implementation of the organizations' strategies; diversity enables managers' to set their personal goals and their subordinates ¡Ã‚ ¦ within the organizations they manage. As employers and employees have to work close with each other to get benefits, appropriate strategies and training can improve the business. BIBLIOGRAPHY (2001), Module 1 Thinking Skills and General Management, University of Leicester Bell, J and Harrison (1995); B.T., Eds., Vision and Values in Managing Education, London, David Fulton. Casey, C. (1999). The changing Contexts of Work in D. Boud & J. Garrick, Understanding learning at at Work, Routledge, London Daft, R.L., (2000), Management, Harcourt Inc., USA.

A short story – The tranquil night wind

The tranquil night wind whistled gently, puffing though the strands of my hair as I slept. The luminous amber streetlights outside twitched as they projected a silhouette of tall, lofty trees prancing in the serene wind through my windows onto me. The sky was clear and the stars were easily visible as they twinkled through the night. After a day of unbearable heat and hard work done, I was in a very satisfying sleep but had awoken through instinct where I had felt that something was irritating me. I felt like I had forgotten to do something and my brain wouldn’t stop reminding, but what was it reminding me? That’s the question. I tried to ignore it but my mind wouldn’t stop sensing a feel of discomfort. I finally decided to get up and try to resolve the matter and investigate what was going on. I approached my door and just before I went to grasp the door handle I felt a slight shock run through the palm of my right hand. I abruptly pulled away and froze for a minute. It was dark and gloomy in my room so I decided to turn on the lights. With caution I flicked on the light switch and was surprised to not feel any more shocks. the luminous light bulb from the ceiling of my room glistened so luminously that I went blind for a few seconds and I just stood there rubbing my eyelids as they couldn’t cope with the sudden illumination of the room. Feel quite dizzy, I continued to attempt to open the door. I vigilantly stretched out to reach for the door handle again and this time I successfully held it firmly without any shocks. Maybe it was just my mind playing up with me? I mean, it was 3am in the morning and I wasn’t feeling too bothered as I investigated what felt wrong. I twisted the door handle but it didn’t open. I tried to twist it open again but it didn’t seem to open. At this point I was furious; I took a deep breath and pinched myself to make sure this wasn’t just another horrid dream, unfortunately it wasn’t. I took a big step back away from my door and charged towards it whilst I firmly clutched the handle and dragged it mightily. It still didn’t open. I roared in fury. I screamed for my parents but I got no reply. I repeated but this time for my siblings but I stood there without a response. No words could explain the rage I was in. I shrieked once more and I irately jolted my door which countered with a massive bruise to my foot . I fell to my feet with my head on the ground, tears recklessly flowing down my face. This wasn’t the day for someone to mess with me, not at all. I got back up on my feet and as I loomed towards the window, I heard a whisper which said â€Å"it’s just you and me† in a sonorous demonic voice followed by an awkward cackle. I brusquely stopped and jumped with fear. I hastily dived under my bed and snatched the broad metal pole I had hidden under there. I got back up and spent 2 or so minutes inspecting my room looking to see if by any chance it was anyone. Was it my conscience? Was it something outside? Or was it really some sort of spectre really talking to me? I scuttled to my open window and took a pro longed gaze outside to see if anyone was out†¦there was nobody. It was an opaque, pitch black night with the white stars twinkling above. The roads were ever so quiet. Who would be out at this time? I guess I did hear something after all, 3am in the morning and my mind seems to be playing with me; I couldn’t even open the door to go and get some water or anything else refreshing. I turned away from the window to retry the door again†¦and I heard a really deafening thump. I jerked in fright and my heart was thumping so hard that I could see it beating out of my t shirt. I gradually rotated myself towards the direction of the noise with my heart in my hands. All four windows in my room had pounded shut. Coincidence? I’m starting not to think so. I stood there in awkward silence for a good 5 minutes. Why me? I stepped foot to approach the windows and the lights flicked off. I squealed worse than those in an intense horror movie; this wasn’t no movie this was reality and I don’t know what was happening. I couldn’t see anything but a slight shadow of something behind me, shortly after that I felt a cold, icy hand on my shoulder. As I turned around, my vision instantly went blurry and I couldn’t see much but I could see something similar to a white spirit with gleaming red eyes. I fainted.

Kantian Philosophy Of Morality Essays - Kantianism, Free Essays

Kantian Philosophy Of Morality Essays - Kantianism, Free Essays Kantian Philosophy of Morality Kantian philosophy outlines the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical Imperative as a method for determining morality of actions. This formula is a two part test. First, one creates a maxim and considers whether the maxim could be a universal law for all rational beings. Second, one determines whether rational beings would will it to be a universal law. Once it is clear that the maxim passes both prongs of the test, there are no exceptions. As a paramedic faced with a distraught widow who asks whether her late husband suffered in his accidental death, you must decide which maxim to create and based on the test which action to perform. The maxim "when answering a widow's inquiry as to the nature and duration of her late husbands death, one should always tell the truth regarding the nature of her late husband's death" (M1) passes both parts of the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical Imperative. Consequently, according to Kant, M1 is a moral action. The initial stage of the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical Imperative requires that a maxim be universally applicable to all rational beings. M1 succeeds in passing the first stage. We can easily imagine a world in which paramedics always answer widows truthfully when queried. Therefore, this maxim is logical and everyone can abide by it without causing a logical impossibility. The next logical step is to apply the second stage of the test. The second requirement is that a rational being would will this maxim to become a universal law. In testing this part, you must decide whether in every case, a rational being would believe that the morally correct action is to tell the truth. First, it is clear that the widow expects to know the truth. A lie would only serve to spare her feelings if she believed it to be the truth. Therefore, even people who would consider lying to her, must concede that the correct and expected action is to tell the truth. By asking she has already decided, good or bad, that she must know the truth. What if telling the truth brings the widow to the point where she commits suicide, however? Is telling her the truth then a moral action although its consequence is this terrible response? If telling the widow the truth drives her to commit suicide, it seems like no rational being would will the maxim to become a universal law. The suicide is, however, a consequence of your initial action. The suicide has no bearing, at least for the Categorical Imperative, on whether telling the truth is moral or not. Likewise it is impossible to judge whether upon hearing the news, the widow would commit suicide. Granted it is a possibility, but there are a multitude of alternative choices that she could make and it is impossible to predict each one. To decide whether rational being would will a maxim to become a law, the maxim itself must be examined rationally and not its consequences. Accordingly, the maxim passes the second test. Conversely, some people might argue that in telling the widow a lie, you spare her years of torment and suffering. These supporters of "white lies" feel the maxim should read, "When facing a distraught widow, you should lie in regards to the death of her late husband in order to spare her feelings." Applying the first part of the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical Imperative, it appears that this maxim is a moral act. Certainly, a universal law that prevents the feelings of people who are already in pain from being hurt further seems like an excellent universal law. Unfortunately for this line of objection, the only reason a lie works is because the person being lied to believes it to be the truth. In a situation where every widow is lied to in order to spare her feelings, then they never get the truth. This leads to a logical contradiction because no one will believe a lie if they know it a lie and the maxim fails. Perhaps the die-hard liar can regroup and test a narrower maxim. If it is narrow enough so that it

Pro Guide for an Exploratory Essay on the Nature of Synthesis

Pro Guide for an Exploratory Essay on the Nature of Synthesis Previously, we discussed 20 topics for an exploratory essay on the nature of synthesis as well as 10 facts 10 facts for an exploratory essay on the nature of synthesis help you start writing with ease. In this guide, â€Å"Pro Guide for an Exploratory Essay on the Nature of Synthesis†, however, we will discuss how an exploratory essay should be written and what it really is. With that being said, let’s get started: What is an Exploratory Essay? Most paper assignments require you to be argumentative. But this is not the case with exploratory essays. These essays are more exploratory. Just to be completely clear, the main point of exploratory essays is to share information with the reader by gathering it from credible sources and inquiring about a particular topic. In other words, you shouldn’t be argumentative as you would in other essays, rather, you would explore a particular topic or idea, and share your knowledge with your audience ― asking some questions along the way and answering them accordingly. Now, let’s discuss some basics: Writing the Introduction Your introduction is one of the most important parts of your essay. It is what persuades the reader to read further. In order to write the perfect introduction, you have to answer the following questions briefly: What is the article about? Why should the audience read it? What do you want the audience to do after reading it? Answering these questions properly can make a huge difference between writing an average introduction and an exemplary one. These questions will also allow you to write your body content in detail. Here is how you should answer questions in the body: Writing the Body Paragraphs/content The Context You content should be able to clarify what your main idea is. In order to do this, you should explain the situation in a way that makes perfect sense to the reader. Keep in mind that the context should also be compelling and educational so that your readers would be interested to read further and are willing to act upon it. The Research Question Once you’ve written great context, it’s time to ask your readers research question(s). These questions should clearly communicate what you want to explore and what’s the reason behind your exploration. It’s recommended to give an overview of the sources you explored and discovered ― the sources can clear things up further. For long papers, it’s highly recommended to forecast what you explored and how you explored it. You can do this by outlining the structure of your essay. The outline should include sources and the information in those sources. Let’s take an example here: In order to find the answers to my research question, I explored the topic by reading news sources. I went further and conducted interviews with a primary source. To make my research even more credible, I studied scholarly sources. All of the information I collected from these sources gave me the ability to answer my research question(s). Although, it didn’t allow me to fully answer those questions, it helped me narrow down the subject and allowed me to learn immensely from it. Remember, you don’t need to argue in exploratory essays. Instead, you conduct a thorough research on a particular topic (or question) and then share your findings and insights with the audience. That’s what an exploratory essay is all about. Concluding the Essay Finally, you want to restate what you discovered from the sources and what kind of solutions you found to the problem/question. If you didn’t find any, then point the reader to sources that explain the answer to the question or just tell them that you would write another essay on it which would be do justice to the topic. That’s it! Now you are in a position to write an exemplary exploratory essay in no time. Just remember to proofread your content twice before submitting it.

Dutchtown High School Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Dutchtown High School - Research Paper Example From the discussion it is clear that  Dutchtown High School is located in Geismar, which is an unincorporated area in  Ascension Parish,  Louisiana.  This town has two schools, which are often ranked among the best schools in Louisiana. These are the Dutchtown elementary or Middle School and  Dutchtown High School. The school environment is an attractive scene since the Mississippi river runs across the town.  However, the area where the school is located is vulnerable to hurricanes and the tropical systems since the area is lowly elevated, and has a close location to the coast of southeast Louisiana. The town lies 23 feet above the sea level, which is slightly lower than most areas of United States.This paper discusses that  Geismar in turn is located in Louisiana, a state found in the US, which is found in the southern region. The state of Louisiana is among the most extensive and populous states of the United States. This has contributed greatly in shaping the demogr aphics patterns of Ducthtown High School in that the school boasts of a large population of students and teachers. The average ratio of students to teacher is 25:1, which is actually a moderate ratio. The capitals of Louisiana are found in Baton Rouge whereas the largest city in that state is New Orleans. One interesting political fact is that the state of New Orleans is the only state in the US whereby the three are political subdivisions known as parishes.

Control Mechanisms Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Control Mechanisms Paper - Essay Example To that end, the manager is responsible for corrective actions are needed in order to ensure that the organization (or department) is on track in terms of meeting future goals and standards of performance (Frame, 2002; Starbucks Home Page 2007). The advantage of feedforward control is the ability to predict and change the system and its elements before they affect the system. Depending on the kind of information being sought, there are a variety of tracking devices that include budgets, sales data by product line or geography, production output, quality control measures, and so on. The weakness of this control method is that variations within the system must be perfectly identified. Like other organizations, Starbucks uses feedforward control with feedback control which helps to improve performance and productivity. Feedback control is the process of evaluating performance against a set of stated objectives. Feedback control points out flaws in strategy or product offering, as well as identify changing conditions that may require an adjustment in strategy. In order for feedback control to be effective, managers at all levels of the organization receive information that is both timely and unbiased. The advantage of feedback control is that it allows the organization to control unknown disturbances. Feedback control is often used as error-controlled regulation. The negative reaction to this control is that it needs a mistake or error to appear before a manager can take corrective actions (Frame, 2002; Starbucks Home Page 2007). Concurrent control is used in database system and helps the organization to ensure that all transactions and actions are executed concurrently without violations. The positive reaction is its immediate response. In contrast to other methods, concurrent control allows immediate changes and variations if