Thursday, November 28, 2019

Welfare Facility For Construction Worker free essay sample

ABSTRACT:Construction specialists require sufficient toilet and washing offices, a place to warm up and eat their food and some place to store work clothes. In most cases, these fundamental necessities are being regularly ignored. A cold water tap and chemical toilet are not sufficient facilities on their own. Great facilities can greatly benefit the wellbeing and prosperity and can counteract dermatitis. It should be ensures that the necessary and suitable welfare arrangements are available from the beginning and are to be maintained all throughout the entire construction phase. It is the duty of the employer to provide or ensure that the contractor is making arrangements to provide the construction workers with the required welfare facilities. If the work exceeds more that 30days or involves workers more than 500 persons, it must be ensured that the work shall not begin unless mandatory welfare facilities are available.INTRODUCTION:The construction sector has advanced from being an ace manufacturer framework to, chiefly, two recognized territories of planning and construction. We will write a custom essay sample on Welfare Facility For Construction Worker or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Modern association and separate state enactments have officially settled limits amongst outlining and construction works by unmistakably expressing the normal extent of works and measures that are rehearsed. In spite of the fact that the limit may now and again seem steadfast, repositioning of this limit has happened following the implementation of new information, advances, and practices. One new territory of information that as of now challenges the limit includes construction worker wellbeing. In particular, new wellbeing information uncovered the outline proficient noteworthy effect on specialist security. Through this learning and another outline instrument, architects would now be able to take an interest in moderating construction safety dangers. Tending to specialist security can influence ones risk introduction to harmed laborers. In light of past legitimate cases and the ideas of training norms and expert obligation, inability to utilize the new security information may prompt expanded risk presentation for plan experts inside the outline offer form arrangement of undertaking conveyance. Subsequently, the outline group ought to consider consolidating a push to plan for constru ction specialist security into its extent of work. Usage of the new security learning will prompt less laborer wounds and fatalities, and eventually a more secure construction working environment.The construction part has advanced from being an ace manufacturer framework to, chiefly, two recognized territories of planning and construction. Modern association and separate state enactments have officially settled limits amongst outlining and construction works by unmistakably expressing the normal extent of works and measures that are rehearsed. In spite of the fact that the limit may now and again seem steadfast, repositioning of this limit has happened following the improvement of new information, advances, and practices. One new territory of information that as of now challenges the limit includes construction laborer wellbeing. In particular, new wellbeing information uncovered the outline proficients noteworthy effect on specialist security. Through this learning and another outline instrument, architects would now be able to tak e an interest in moderating construction security dangers. Tending to specialist security can influence ones risk introduction to harmed laborers. In light of past legitimate cases and the ideas of training norms and expert obligation, inability to utilize the new security information may prompt expanded risk presentation for plan experts inside the outline offer form arrangement of undertaking conveyance. Subsequently, the outline group ought to consider consolidating a push to plan for construction specialist security into its extent of work. Usage of the new security learning will prompt less laborer wounds and fatalities, and eventually a more secure construction working environment.(Hayes, 2002)PAPER REVIEWThe construction sector is one among the most injury causing sector, in which productivity is generally preferred over well-being on routine on location communication. workers have a casual and verbal culture of hazard, in which well-being is once in a while communicated.(Kines et al. , 2010)Workplace safety could be improved greatly by feasible construction site layout planning (CSLP). The major researches looks into taking a shot at CSLP concentrated on creating distinctive calculations and program to produce site design choices under the single target capacity of cost. In any case, site well-being ought to be considered under the diverse facility layouts in the construction site.(Ning and Liu, 2015)A decent site design is key to guarantee the wellbeing of the workplace and effective and proficient operations. Site layout planning significantly affects efficiency, expenses, and span of construction. Construction site layout planning includes distinguishing, estimating, and situating temporary and permanent offices inside the limit of the construction site.(Sanad, Ammar and Ibrahim, 2008)Site personnel or construction laborers will invest the greater part of the construction energy inside construction sites. In the event that construction workers can move effortlessly and rapidly inside the site, it spares time and expands profitability and also safety. Streamlining the cost, security, and profitability of a project regularly depends on the ideal planning of the construction site design. Be that as it may, site design arranging—unique for every construction project—relies upon numerous factors, for example, work regions and office areas. To enhance work environment utilization and limit construction clashes, members on an undertaking must consider the requirements that every construction project involves.(Zolfagharian and Irizarry, 2014)Physical condition as a part of the workplace have straightforwardly influenced the human sense and passively changed interpersonal connections and in this way profitability. Countless workspace studies have demonstrated that laborers/clients are happy with reference to particular workspace highlights. These highlights inclination by client s are profoundly noteworthy to their profitability and workspace fulfillment, they are generally lighting, ventilation rates, access to common light and acoustic condition(Ajala, 2012)The plan of a construction site becomes a significant part in the wellbeing and proficiency of the activities, particularly when site space is limited. As construction grows, in any case, the site organization may ought to be capably upgraded at various intervals between times to suit operational necessities. Instead of considering just efficiency issues in the midst of site planning, this paper shows a plan organizing approach that ponders both safety and profitability. In any case, safety issues on construction goals are discussed and the components that add to dangerous regions are illustrated. A procedure for perfect outline of temporary workplaces is then made in joining with planning devices.(Elbeltagi, Hegazy and Eldosouky, 2004)COMPONENTS OF WELFARE FACILITIES:PlanningThe accessibility of welfare facility, their designated location in site and general upkeep must be considered at the planning and readiness phases of each construction project, before construction work (including demolition) begins. While planning for the welfare provisions, the following are to be considered:†¢ the basic nature of work to be completed a nd the wellbeing dangers related with it. For instance, think about the arrangement of showers if the task includes dangerous substances or exceptionally messy work, eg drainage maintenance, dusty destruction activities, working with polluted land or cement pouring;†¢ the actual distance the workers would have to commute to the nearest welfare facilities;†¢ the total duration of the work being carried out and number of various locations;†¢ the number of workers who would be using them;†¢ the maintenance and cleaning of the provided welfare facilities;†¢ if they need to be re-located during the construction stage. Installing and dismantling from siteArrangements are to be made for how welfare units will be moved from conveyance vehicles into position. It is desirable to mechanically move these units; if manual handling of cant be avoided then you have to deal with the hazard effectively. The plans should cover safe lifting practices and guarantee proper protection of laborers from tumbles from vehicles or the portable units.On-site PositioningThe site welfare units must be properly placed and traffic managed effectively to make sure sufficient segregation of vehicles and pedestrians.ToiletsTo the extent is sensibly practicable flushing toilets and running water are to be provided, connected with mains water and sewage systems. On the off chance that this isnt conceivable, offices with an inbuilt water supply and sewage tanks ought to be utilized. Mobile chemical toilets are satisfactory just on the off chance that it isnt sensibly practicable to make other sufficient arrangement. Toilets are to be sufficiently ventilated, illuminated and maintained in a hygienic condition. The duration between cleaning will depend upon the usage. Regular daily routine cleaning may always not be adequate.Give a satisfactory number of toilets. The number required will rely upon the number of workers on location and the kind of facility provided. Portable toilets have a constrained limit and will require emptying. The quantity of convenient toilets required relies upon the quantity of people and the recurrence of discharging. As recommended in BS6465– 1:2006 a ratio of 1 toilet to 7 persons where the portable toilet are emptied once every week.Men and ladies may utilize a similar latrine, on the condition that it is in a lockable room and partitioned from any urinals. Generally provide different toilets. Satisfactory supplies of tissue ought to be readily accessible.Sanitary waste disposal ought to be given in facility utilized by female laborers.Washing facilitiesGive washing facility beside the toilets and changing facility. Consider putting them beside rest areas if these are a long way from toilets or changing areas. They must include:†¢ a supply of clean hot and cold, or warm, water (which should be running water so far as is reasonably practicable);†¢ soap or other suitable means of cleaning;†¢ towels or other suitable means of drying;†¢ sufficient ventilation and lighting;†¢ sinks large enough to wash face, hands and forearms.Men and ladies can share sinks utilized for washing hands, face and arms. Unisex shower facility can be given in the event that they are in a different, lockable room, which can be utilized by one individual at any given moment.Showers utilized for especially dirty work, or when laborers are presented to particularly risky substances (eg development of contaminated land, or demolition of old industrial buildings which are contaminated with toxic substances etc), are needed to be separated from the main facility.Specialist facilities are needed for certain activities, eg working with lead or asbestos or tunnelling in compressed air.Drinking waterA supply of healthy drinking water ought to be promptly accessible. Where conceivable, it ought to be provided direct from the mains. On the off chance that water is stored, shield it from conceivable contamination and ensure it is changed regularly enough to keep it from getting to be stale or sullied. Where important, plainly check the drinking water supply to avoid it being mistaken for perilous fluids or water which isnt fit to drink. Give mugs or other drinking vessels at the outlet, unless the water is provided in an upward fly, which can be smashed effortlessly (eg a drinking fountain).Changing rooms and lockersEvery site should have arrangements for securely storing personal clothing not worn on site and for protective clothing needed for site work. Men and women should be able to change separately. Separate lockers might be needed, although on smaller sites the site office may be a suitable storage area provided it is kept secure. Where there is a risk of protective site clothing contaminating everyday clothing, items should be stored separately. Provision should be made to allow wet clothing to be dried. As a general rule clothing should not be placed directly on heaters due to the risk of fire. If electrical heaters are used, they should be properly ventilated and, if possible, fitted with a high temperature cut-out device.Rest facilitiesRest facilities should provide shelter from wind and rain. The rest facilities should have adequate numbers of tables, seating with backs, a means for heating water for drinks and for warming up food (eg a gas or electrical heating ring or microwave oven) and be adequately heated. Rest areas are not to be used to store plant, equipment or materials.SmokingSmoking is prohibited in enclosed public places and workplaces such as construction sites or work vehicles. HeatingRest facilities will normally require heating. Using properly maintained electrical equipment can eliminate the risks associated with LPG heaters. Inadequately ventilated LPG cookers and heaters can produce carbon monoxide, with potentially fatal results. Flammable gas may escape from leaking cylinders, which have not been properly turned off.If LPG is used reduce the risks by:†¢ using and storing the cylinders in safe, wellventilated places outside the accommodation (including overnight) or in purpose-built ventilated storage areas; n ensuring that the appliances have been properly installed, checked and maintained by a competent person;†¢ providing adequate combustion ventilation (provide fixed grilles at high and low level);†¢ checking that the ventilation provided is not blocked, eg fixed grilles blocked by newspaper or rags in cold weather to stop draughts;†¢ checking that cylinders are properly turned off when not in use; n using wall or ceiling-mount ed carbon monoxide detectors(Hse, no date)(Hse, 2007)

Sunday, November 24, 2019

mexicos new leader essays

mexicos new leader essays As a new president prepares to take power in Mexico, the biggest economic news is what's not happening. The peso is not plummeting, investors are not panicking, and people are not suddenly paying more for their tortillas or televisions. Given recent history, this is a small miracle: every presidential transition in the last two decades has been scarred by an economic crisis. Instead of fears, there are great hopes, all raised by the next president, Vicente Fox Quesada. Mr. Fox now must institutionalize the stability he has inherited. He has pledged sweeping tax and fiscal reforms, annual economic growth rates of up to 7 percent, millions of new jobs, a stable economic architecture for foreign capital, private investment in the state-run oil industry and competition in telecommunications. He also promises budget austerity, increased social spending, the rise of the rule of law, and an end to ingrained political corruption. Mexico is still very much a developing nation. Reliable electric power and potable water are sometimes hard to find. In the capital, one of the world's most populous and polluted cities, the elite live behind barricades, protected from the impoverished by armed guards. Middle-class Mexicans have less buying power than they did 20 years ago, and some of the biggest banks are shaky from a legacy of bad loans. Many small businesses are threatened by imports, credit is difficult to obtain, and millions of people scrape by on less than $2 a day. The departing president, Ernesto Zedillo, never addressed the huge structural problems of the state-run energy industries, which are inefficient and suppress competition, or of the justice system, which cannot control crime - a serious worry for foreign companies considering operations here even if they are optimistic about Mr. Fox. "He's going to have his hands full," said Peter E. Weber, vice president of Latin American operations for the FMC Corporation, a Chicago- base...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Billing and Coding for Health Services Research Paper

Billing and Coding for Health Services - Research Paper Example The interaction is described as the revenue cycle management, which is noted to take a varying amount of time to complete. Medical healthcare providers are observed to contract the healthcare services rendered with a variety of insurance companies. However, the interaction commences after the patient is treated by a physician. There is a trend towards the outsourcing of billing and coding services through the Group purchasing organizations (Reese, 2014). This has been noted to lead to significant reductions in cost. However, there is a growing need to make the billing process clearer to the patients. The codes that are defined in the diagnosis procedures are employed by the insurance companies in the examination of the medical necessity and the coverage. After the determination of the medical procedures and diagnosis, the medical biller is demanded to communicate the claim to the insurance company. Usually, medical healthcare providers utilize electronic transmission, such as electronic data interchange, to communicate the claim to the payer directly. It is integral to note that the insurance company defines the payer; thus, the insurance companies use medical claim adjusters or medical claims examiners to process the claims that are submitted. In the case of great dollar amount claims, the insurance companies examine the claim and value the validity for the eligibility of the payment via rubrics defining patient eligibility, the healthcare service provider’s credentials and the medical necessity of the claim. The approved applications are refunded for an agreed percentage that is negotiated between the insurance companies and the healthcare service providers. However, the failed claims must be communicated to the provider using an Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA). There is a difference between the rejected and denied claims; however, there is a common mistake of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

P&G Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

P&G - Essay Example Case Study: Procter & Gamble – Vizir Launch Case summary Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) corporate policies and organizational practices, both at home in the USA and globally, form the backdrop to this case involving critical decisions on introducing Vizir – a heavy duty liquid detergent (HDL) – in Europe. Although the test marketing results of a few months are encouraging, they may not guarantee the product success in view of the competition and local market conditions. The underlying point is that for a marketer, competition is as important as consumer acceptance (Kotler, 2006, pp. 168-189). In pushing through Vizir either in Germany or in the entire European market, P&G had to assess the threats from competition, risks of high investment in promotion and its impact on profitability of operations, and changes to its established organizational practices. Tools Porter’s Five Force analysis is one appropriate tool that helps us to understand threats from co mpetition (Porter, 2004). These are segment rivalry from existing competitors, potential new entrants, substitute products, bargaining power of buyers/suppliers. In a related way, the market matrix consisting of entry and exit barriers vs.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Pragmatics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Pragmatics - Essay Example But there has been an inclination to use pragmatics as a division of linguistic semiotics instead of pertaining it generally as sign systems. Another philosopher and logician named Carnap have made his own narrowing version of Morris' three branches of semiotics. It is within the field of pragmatics when the speaker receives open reference in an investigation. It is within the field of semantics when we extract from the user of the language and examine the expressions and their meanings. Finally, it is within the field of syntax when we extract from their meanings and analyze only the relations between the expressions. This trichotomy version of Morris' was the most influential (Levinson, 1983:3). Pragmatics was thought to be "the study of aspects of language that required reference to the users of the language that led to a very natural, further restriction of the term in analytical philosophy (Levinson, 1983:4). The study of deictic or indexical words such as I and you is one aspect that requires that kind of reference. There is also a view that pragmatics is the study of languages, both natural and artificial that contained indexical and deictic terms. However, an implicit version of Carnap's definition in 1960s was embraced by the movement of the generative semantics which means the investigations requiring reference to the users of a language. The history of that movement expects a historian of ideas concerning pragmatics that involves the rebirth of interest in meaning. In this period, the range of pragmatics was completely restricted to investigations that contain at least potential linguistic inferences. Definitions of pragmatics Pragmatics is the "study of language usage" while syntax is the "study of the combinatorial properties of words and their parts" and semantics is the "study of meaning" (Levinson, 1983:5). But the term pragmatics covers both context-dependent aspects of language structure and principles of language usage and understanding. There are actually various definitions of pragmatics that has continuously been improved. The first definition states that "Pragmatics is the study of those relations between language and context that are grammaticalized, or encoded in the structure of a language" (Levinson, 1983:9). In other words, pragmatics is the study of the aspects of the relationship between language and context that are useful in writing grammar. But the problem with this definition is that it excludes the principles of language usage and the very significant implications called conversational implicatures (Levinson, 1983:10). This means that the related fields such as sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics are also excluded from pragmatics. However, the only main strength of this definition is that it restricted the field to entirely linguistic matters. It handled the feature of pragmatics concerned with language usage but not the part about the principles of

Friday, November 15, 2019

Diversity and Structure of the Construction Industry

Diversity and Structure of the Construction Industry 1.1 Introduction: This chapter illustrates how unique, huge, diverse and enormously complex is the construction industry. This industry generally constitutes of enterprises and professionals whose primary objective is to build communities, roads, schools, homes, business, hospitals and including its maintenance. The construction process consists of many activities, right from the onset of the project design and right through its implementation, maintenance, refurbishment, and goes up to the eventual disposal of its buildings or in other words, the whole life cycle of the project. This industry therefore require a wide range of suppliers, contractors and including manufacturers of materials and components to carry out its activities. The industry had changed a lot in its complexity over time, but the objective of the industry remains basically the same as it was 100 years ago. However, the construction industry has a unique structure; with very few large establishments that dominate the infrastructure by carrying out works, that produces the majority of the turnover of this industry on a whole. Sears et al. 2008, p.2 state that contractors who vary widely in size and speciality accomplish the construction works. Some contractors choose to concentrate on a particular task or aspect of the construction project and are therefore referred to as specialty contractors. Others assume broader responsibility for a comprehensive work package and are referred to as main contractor. Due to the diversity present in the industry, the industry is fragmented which is a reality, the reason might be due to the adversarial short-term relationships which causes dissatisfaction within the industry and is therefore a project focused relationship. Moreover, lack of effective communication and implementation may also contribute to the fragmentation of the industry as it leads to significant negative impacts, low productivity, cost and time overruns and finally end up in conflicts and disputes. The industry also now faces new levels of complexity as it moves forward trying to keep pace with the increasing energy, material and labour costs which are to a great extend mitigated by the other industries by adopting the new technologies especially communication and information technology and also advanced management strategies. 1.2 Overview: The industry is considered to be one of the major economic sectors, which contributes a lot to the gross domestic product of the nation in respect to other industries. Cooke, and Williams, 2009, on p.3 states that the annual output of the UK construction industry is approximately  £114 billion, which represents almost 9% of gross domestic product. This industry also underpins the remaining sectors of the economy by providing the essential infrastructure and facilities on which all sectors of the economy depend. According to Potts, 2008, on p.3, this construction sector with 11.8 million operatives directly employed makes it Europes largest industrial employer accounting for 7% of total employment and 28% of industrial employment in the EU. There was also a report of the government policies, which was published by BIS (Department for Business Innovation and Skills business group sector document), stating that the UK construction industry consists of over 250,000 firms employing 2.1 million people in a multitude of roles. The sector is defined as one which embraces the construction materials and products; suppliers and producers; building services manufacturers, providers and installers; contractors, sub-contractors, professionals, advisors and construction clients and those organisations that are relevant to the design, build, operation and refurbishment of buildings. However, construction industry is very different from other manufacturing industries and therefore difficult to achieve similar performance, mainly due to its degree of uniqueness in its use, in the size, its location and complexity due to the varied non-uniform working conditions from one project to another. Therefore, it appears to be underperforming when compared to many other industries. Jones, Saad, 2003, on p.12 state that, the diversity of the construction and the variability in the production process has to be reorganised with each new construction project. For each project, a series of decisions has to be taken which take into account the clients specific requirements and the context in which the tasks are to be executed. This can make project outcomes difficult to predict and can result in short and often adversarial relationships. Cox, Townsend, 1998, on p.21 states that the productivity, value for money, and overall client satisfaction in the construction industry are fairly low compared to other industrial sectors. The factors being: low and discontinuous demand; frequent changes in specification; inappropriate (contractor and client) selection criteria; inappropriate allocation of risk; poor quality; inefficient methods of construction; poor management; inadequate investment; an adversarial culture; and a fragmented industry structure. In order to improve the performance of this industry, government had taken initiatives and had produced many reports but had not made any impact. 1.3 Reports and recommendations: The publication of major notable reports namely Lathams Report Constructing the Team (1994) and two Egan Reports Rethinking Construction (1998) and Accelerating Change (2002) produced a considerable impact in UKs construction industry and started changing its working culture. Constructing the Team by Sir Michael Latham was published in July 1994, the key issues as summarised by Holroyd, 2003, on p.39 are as follows: Clients have a role in promoting good design which provides value for money Clients should select the most appropriate procurement route on the basis of the type of project Effective design is crucial A modern contract should include: A specific duty for all parties to deal with each other Firm duties of teamwork so all can share in success A clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of all parties Easily understood language with guidance notes A choice of risk allocation Avoid variations if it is required, price it in advance Ensure fair, prompt and secure payment to all parties Avoid conflict on site and disputes if any to be resolved speedily When selecting suppliers or tenderers, consideration should be given to: Quality as well as price A lead manager Sensible tender lists No burdensome qualification procedures Value for money Cost in use Factors which determine performance include: Adequacy of safety consideration Ability of operatives Improved training Relevant professional education Adequate RD, which is properly funded Teamwork on site depends on fair treatment for all parties The liability for defects post-completion should be properly addressed Rethinking Construction by Sir John Egan delivered the report in July 1998 for the success of the construction industry. He opined that while UK construction at its best is excellent, substantial improvements can be made, and it is vital that they are made. The key issues of this report as summarised by Holroyd, 2003, on p.40 are as follows: The UK construction industry needs to improve there should be: Less fragmentation Increased profitability More capital investment More investment in RD More and better training Differentiation between price and cost Set targets for improvement and give commitment to the needs of the customer, to quality, and to people the team and the process should be integrated around the product, and management should be committed to improvement throughout the organisation The construction process should be improved by: More process repetition on projects Integrating all team members to use their skills to deliver value to the client Focus on the end product how best to achieve the desired result Continuous product improvement Implement projects correctly, suiting the site and the customer Partnering through the supply chain Once improvement starts, maintain it Improvement could be accomplished by developing a better culture in the industry: Providing decent working conditions More and better training Produce designs which considers the projects end use Standardise components where possible Improve regulatory controls Implement long term relationships The National audit office report (2001) Modernising Construction as stated by Cooke, Williams, 2009, on p.11 that a major contributory factor to the poor performance of this industry was the adversarial relationships that existed between the construction firms, consultants and clients and between contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. The report also identified that government departments and agencies to ensure collaboration, integration and value for monies in the procurement of construction services. Further, it also suggested that the entire supply chain be integrated and that risk and value must be managed in order to reduce accidents, drive out waste and improve buildability. McGeorge and Palmer 2002 on p.54 cite CIRIAs definition of buildability as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"the extent to which the design of the building facilitates ease of construction, subject to the overall requirements for the completed building. These reports produced during the various periods had contributed a lot to the growth of the construction industry. Since these reports were published, a changed performance could be clearly noticed in the activities of this industry. The findings of the report had tried to build up a challenge in the construction industry to procure projects that could achieve best value and also help in understanding the balance between quality and whole-life cost of the project. Many more studies on the performance of the construction industry were also conducted subsequently, which had identified the areas of strength and weakness of the construction industry. According to Jones, Saad, 2003, on p.2, the strength of the industry includes its flexibility and adaptability and its persistent weakness include its fragmented structure and project processes and its adversarial relationships. Furthermore, deficiencies in its performance in relation to customer focus, learning and leadership were revealed when benchmarked against other industries. 1.4 Material use: The construction industry is considered one of the major consumers of natural resources mainly the virgin materials from its surrounding environment. This will give rise to many environmental issues, which are unsustainable such as depleting natural resources, diminishing the earths biodiversity, and even cause extinction of habitat if we continue the present rate of consumption. As stated by Kelley et al. on p.298 that materials used in buildings account for some 40% of natural resource use, 30% of CO2 emissions and 40% of waste. However, the environmental issues would certainly create a vital impact on the society and hence this industry should take earnest attempt to develop a strategy to provide low carbon solutions by way of minimising its carbon footprint. In addition, the projects Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) that voluntarily decides to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment and along with its procurement policy, could contribute to the environmental success. Built environment: The paper presented by Natural Building Technologies, have quoted One Planet Living material of BioRegional and the World Wide Fund for Nature; have shown that if everyone in the world-consumed resources at the same rate that of UK, it would take the equivalent of three planets now to sustain this consumption. Hence, UK and the other western nations urgently need to take radical measures in order to reduce this present rate of consumption of resources. As we are aware that this planet has only a finite quantity of resources and therefore we in the construction industry should have a moral responsibility to ensure that industry is resourced using sustainable techniques. More over the construction industry should also insist on an environmental management system (EMS) accreditation for every project, which could help in continually, improving its environmental performance. An internal EMS audit if periodically conducted would help in checking the effectiveness and delivery capability o f the management system. The strategy paper of the UK Government, Building a Better Quality of Life: A Strategy for more Sustainable Construction by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (2000 b) as summarised by Kelly et al. 2002 on p.296 recognises the importance of sustainable construction and had challenged the construction industry to provide built assets which: Cause minimum damage to natural and social environments Minimise the use of resources Enhance the quality of life Will be acceptable to future generations 1.6 Needs: The working pattern of the society is changing quite fast and construction industry is known for adapting to change at a faster pace than other industries. Nowadays many people tend to work from home since jobs functions can be remotely performed and is quite feasible. The benefit from working at home helps in the reduction of transport movements, thereby considerably reducing pollution and traffic congestion especially during the peak hours. It is an eco-friendly option and is to be encouraged. Hence, this working culture would require housing to provide a higher quality of life and greater flexibility of adaptable living and space requirements. Therefore, in majority of existing homes, a need for up gradation would be necessary and a lot more of new homes constructed to accommodate this new culture in the coming years; for which a huge quantity of materials are required by the industry. This results in a heavy material flow. In addition, while designing a sustainable project, selec tion of materials should be made based on locally and easily available material, in order to reduce the embedded energy cost of transportation. This option would also decrease the carbon footprint of the project. 1.7 Regulations: A government publication by energy saving trust on the Code for Sustainable Homes New build housing (Relevant to: England and Wales), states that the government intends that all new build homes should be zero carbon by the year 2016. Code level 3 is proposed to become the new standards for Building Regulations in England in 2010 and by 2050; the nations entire housing stock will be virtually zero carbon. Clients, who desire to increase value of their project, could insist on the use of sustainable materials in order to acquire higher sustainability rating as mentioned in the BREEAMs code for sustainable homes. These regulations create a lot of pressure on the project management team if a proper supply chain management technique is not available.. As mentioned in the Code for Sustainable Homes (Annex B Category 3, Materials on p.37), the supply chain management and material stewardship are essential elements of responsible sourcing. Hence, the supply chain manager is to consider the consequence and impacts of using materials by analysing its life cycle (right from the point it was mined or harvested,through manufacture and processing of the material, including its use, reuse and disposed off as waste with no further value), before the material is actually used in the project. However, all timber used in the project should be 100% legally sourced and 80% for all other assessed materials. 1.8 Sustainable sourcing code: For the London 2012 games, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) had prepared a Sustainable Sourcing Code in consultation with industry leaders, sponsors and non-governmental organisations. It had been reviewing how its sponsorship and procurement activity could achieve the highest possible standards to ensure that the goods and services it procures comply with this code in meeting the sustainability objectives for the 2012 games. This code could be used as a benchmark in the preparation of a similar code of practice by the construction industry. The four core principles of the LOGOs Sustainable Sourcing Code and supporting guidelines on packaging and carbon emissions of products and services originally published in November 2007 and updated in December 2009 are as shown below: Responsible sourcing: Labour practices Health and Safety Diversity and inclusion Animal welfare and Testing Animal and plant products Timber and timber products Use of secondary products materials: Reducing waste Recycled content Packaging Waste electrical and electronic equipment Minimising embodied impacts: Environmental management Supply of products Transport Low carbon Games Healthy materials: Restricted substances and materials Heavy metals and brominated fire retardants 1.9 Controlling material resources: A material at site is money and is to be prudently handled. The cost of materials constitutes a major portion of the project cost. March 2009, p.139 states that the value of the materials incorporated into a building represent anything from 40 to 60 per cent of the final cost. Therefore, control of materials at site is a crucial element. Materials are not be wasted or lost. For proper control an effective communication between all involved for the project success namely the planning department, purchasing department, the site and the supplier is important. Responsibilities are to be clearly defined especially in buying of materials within the estimated amount since efficient buying results in savings, which in turn contributes to the profitability of the contract. Similarly hoarding of materials at site should be discouraged by initiating just in time delivery, but care is to be taken in the selection of material supplier so that the availability of bulk materials is ensured. Therefo re, materials management in construction projects is essential for its success. As Cooke and Williams 2009 on p.401 states that an essential component of materials management begins with site layout and planning. Designated areas must be allowed for material storage in order to reduce waste and damage to materials. Excessive stock of materials is a problem need to be controlled. March 2009, p.139 enumerates the reasons as to why excessive stock is to be controlled; Excessive stocks take up capital which could be better used Takes up space and absorb further capital for protection against weather Likely to be damaged resulting in unnecessary expenditure and possible delay incurred in replacement May be necessary to double handle stock to elsewhere on the site and missing the opportunity to have just in time delivery Site efficiency can be increased by effective material handling and result in costly waste reduced. Every project worth more than  £250 000 effective from April 2008 should have a Site waste management plan (SWMP), without which it would be a serious criminal offence as mentioned by Cooke and Williams 2009 on p.403 quoting The Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005 (Section 54 of Part 5). 1.10 Whole-life thinking: In addition, the construction industry need to consider the aspect of whole life costing during the procurement as the project not only consumes sustainable resources, but also generates waste in construction and demolition activities. The procurement of materials for the industry is strongly affected by environmental issues. Greater use of modern methods of construction and off-site prefabrication could be a solution in reducing the total amount of waste generated at site. Hence, the construction industry should strive to develop and implement the new paradigm of the triple bottom line namely environmental, social and economic sustainability. Green building is an innovative technology and is good to be adopted by construction industry. This approach creates a positive environmental, social and economical impact over the entire life cycle of the project. It is a holistic approach of design and considers its impact on the wider environment and community around it. This technology procures homes, which are durable, save energy, reduce waste and pollution, and promote health and well-being. 1.11 Procurement methods: One of the main problems in this industry says Cooke Williams, 2009, on p.4, is that it separates design from production far greater than other industries and is still common despite the deficiencies of traditional procurement and the benefits offered by the newer and more flexible approaches. In traditional method of procurement, the design stage is separated from production by a tendering period. McGeorge and Palmer, 2002 on p.54, also support this view and quote by comparison with other industries the separation of the process of design and construction is unique to the construction industry. Construction industry provides successful projects, the outcome of which is increased efficiency, greater borrowing capacity and payback long-term worth. The business objectives should always drive the selection of an appropriate procurement strategy, so as to procure a project to the complete satisfaction of the client. The procurement strategy so selected would depend on many factors; namely the client, the risk profile of the client, the cost certainty needed, accountability, flexibility, the type of project, time, funding, market condition, the industries capacity and capability. 1.11.1 Projects priorities: Moreover the factors that are to be considered while analysing a business objectives requirements and their relative priorities as pointed out by Kelly et al., 2002 on p.178 are as listed below: Factors outside the control of the project team Client resources Project characteristics Ability to make changes Risk management Cost issues Timing Quality and performance The choice of the strategy should ensure that control is maintained over those factors that are important to the clients perspective of the project. 1.11.2 Procurement strategy: The authors also state that the choice of the strategy should ensure that control is maintained over those factors that are of most importance to the client. After a selection is made, a strategic brief will need to be produced defining the clients project and the parameters within which the project must be realised to take the project to a success. Often less importance is imparted to the projects objectives as compared to the primary criteria of time, quality and cost. These three primary parameters form the key criteria in the selection mechanism and are interdependent of each other. Therefore, procurement strategies adopted for the project would not be able to deliver all of them as high priority. For example, fast-track solutions for a project deliver speed and time certainty, whereas the other criteria such as cost certainty and quality may be less achievable. Similarly, in projects where quality or costs are considered to be of top priority, then the other criteria are affected. Hence, if a high priority is imparted in defining the project and especially linking of the prioritisation of objectives to the business case, greater then are the chances of a successful procurement of the project to the entire satisfaction of the client. However, from the clients perspective of a project, time, quality, cost and functionality are important criteria for the success of a project. The client generally prefers the highest quality at the lowest cost and the project being completed in the shortest possible time. As earlier mentioned it is not possible to attain all these parameters together for a given project. Depending upon the clients business objectives, a suitable selection of the procurement strategy should be chosen. 1.11.3 Procurement option: If according to the client, a signature building is required for the project, then a traditional or design-bid-build strategy is an appropriate option for the project. For this project, quality would be very essential but this procurement technique adopts a sequential nature of activities, and therefore has no parallel working activity, which means that, construction could actually begin only after the design is completed as fully as possible. Hence is not suitable option for any fast track projects. However, this option fairly provides with cost certainty and time predicted. The delay experienced in completion of the project might be because considerable time is allowed for the design to take a full shape and thereafter in the preparation of detailed brief and also in the tendering procedures required to be completed before the start of the work. Therefore, an early start of the project would not be possible until the letter of intend is issued, which in turn have a knock on effect on the overall cost of the project (price escalation, inflation etc.). Sometimes the client might go in for a functional building where cost implication is to be the lowest and had to be completed before a fixed date. Here in order to meet the business objectives, a design-build procurement technique is quite appropriate, since early certainty of the overall contract price could be obtained. Moreover, as this strategy facilitates overlapping of design and construction, a faster start on site is possible resulting in shorter project duration with greater certainty of meeting the targeted date. Hence, this option is quite suitable for fast track projects but is not suitable for any complex infrastructural projects and also in projects wherein the clients brief is uncertain or inadequate. Alternatively, the client would require procuring a huge and complex infrastructural project with an emphasis on the targeted date of completion. Considering the clients business objective, the appropriate procurement route would be construction management, which is best-suited option for fast track and complex construction projects. In this procurement route, the construction work is divided into several packages, which are tendered separately to different experienced and qualified contractors. Hence, in this procurement method design, tendering and construction over lap thereby reducing the overall time of the project whereas there could be price uncertainty until the last package of the work had been awarded to a contractor. Due to the speed in completion, quality of the work would probably be effected and therefore a total quality management team would be required to ensure the quality of work during its progress. Therefore, this procurement route is not suitable for inexperience d clients and for those clients trying to transfer risk to the contractor. Therefore, the procurement strategy developed should strike a balance between risks that could cause an impact on the clients business and the projects objectives. Some projects could adopt more than one procurement option for the successful completion of the project as per the clients perspective. Traditional approach may be used in the construction of the shell and core, whereas construction management would be used for the final works. The choices made might differ between clients of various projects depending upon their knowledge and experience of the industry. The scale and diversity of those involved in this industry is too enormous and hence this contributes to enormous pressures on the project teams, to ensure that the project completion is on time, budget and quality. 1.12 Risk: The diversity of those involved in the industry namely design engineers, architects, consultants, main and subcontractors, suppliers and constructional managers is huge. However, all those who are involved in this industry throughout the world strive together to establish a strategic framework to meet the budgetary and scheduling goals of the project. Time is one of the critical factors in construction industry, which has significant legal consequences. The client sets up rigid start and finishes dates for the project and if the contractor must comply with this period, barring any delay caused due to natural calamities, or lose money by paying the liquidated damages as laid down in the contract document. During the construction process delay in receiving of materials, equipments and services may erode profits. For a successful completion of a project, lot depends on the quality of the subcontractors and suppliers. Therefore, construction organisations should ensure that an appropriate subcontractor is selected. The subcontractors selection process involves many important factors including the evaluation of their capacity and also in performing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. The risk faced in construction industry is different from that of other industries. This is quite evident while analysing the difference between manufacturing risks and construction risks as indicated by Benton and McHenry 2010, on p.2 as shown below: Risk versus reward for the manufacturing sector Risk versus reward for the construction sector In construction industry, the potential for committing mistakes is high and facing problems is magnified by the poor interrelationship that exists between all the entities involved namely, the client, architect, consultant, project manager, contractors and suppliers. The risks, if not mitigated in time, would prove disastrous and hence, recommended to be avoided at an early stage. Construction risks as mentioned by Benton and McHenry 2010, on p.3 are as narrated below: Internal financial problems Working capital problems Slow payment from the client Inferior plans and specifications Inadequate technical capabilities Insufficient information technology Lack of communication between the entities Productivity inefficiencies Work quality problems Work method problems Delivery reliability problems Bulk materials quality problems Another notable difference between the manufacturing and construction industry is the probability of failure while considering the labour element. This can be clearly understood if an improvement curve technique is performed as explained by Benton and McHenry 2010, on p.4 and p.5 for both industries, the figures of which are as shown below: Probability of failure for the manufacturing industry Probability of failure for the construction industry The improvement curve is exponential and depicts a constant-percentage reduction of labour, which means that, the workers learn how to do their job better as they produce more and more units at a lower production cost. This advantage is accomplished due to the impact of cumulative learning by experience, which is possible in the manufacturing industry. Now considering the construction industry, which is constantly changing its complexity over time, we can observ

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Middle East foreign policies :: essays research papers

Disaster! Fear! Terrorism! What seemed to be a scene from Die Hard is what struck home in America on Sept. 11. The attacks on the World Trade Center leads back to many problems with our foreign relations. Our foreign relations policies have been recently getting a lot of countries angry and frustrated, the major problem being that we interfered with Palestinian and Israeli conflicts by offering war support to Israel. Aiding one side or another is a very tricky business, especially when it involves a religious war. We should have just offered support to try bringing the two countries to peace, not military support. Amazingly, the policy of helping Israel still continues, building settlements on what everyone knew was Palestinian land and selling weapons to Israel. We should not have interfered by helping Israel and for so long. It is hard to sit aside and be a spectator during a war, but when it involves religion, I would stay out. Religious wars are fought with a deep vengeance. It would not be the first time that America has tried to stay out of a war, we have done so in more atrocious wars like the genocide put on by the Nazis. I think America intervened in Israel for more political reasons than anything else. Due to our foreign policy in the Middle East, over the years we’ve acquired many enemies and adversaries, one of them being Osama Bin Laden. When we set up military bases in Saudi Arabia during and after the Gulf War, it exaggerated Osama’s anger because Saudi Arabia houses two of the holiest Islamic shrines. The build up of this anger led to the sad tragedy of the September 11th terrorist attack on America. The point I am trying to make is that it could have been avoided if we worked on our foreign policy more with Saudi Arabia and Israel and didn’t let the anti-American resentment get so strong. What’s done is done, and the only thing we can do now is to learn from our mistakes. I believe the first order of business is to prosecute Bin Laden and his terrorist faction. The next step is to slowly remove support in Israel. I emphasize slowly because we previously helped them for many years, and can’t abruptly end it. The first thing we should wean is the selling of weapons to Israel. Selling weapons to one side of the conflict is pretty much an act of war on Palestine.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Describe marketing situations in which the use of qualitative research methods would be appropriate Essay

Describe marketing situations in which the use of qualitative research methods would be appropriate. According to Zikmund, Ward, Lowe, Winzar, Babin Qualitative research is a methodology that elaborate interpretations of phenomenal of interest without depending on numerical measurement ( Zikmund, Ward, Lowe, Winzar, Babin, 2011, pg 65 ) . It is characterised by its aims, which relate to understanding some aspect of social life, and it’s methods which generate words, rather than numbers, as data for analysis ( Patton, Cochrain, 2002 ) . In terms of marketing situations, qualitative research methods are appropriate to be used when the organization root for new product idea generation and development, strength and weaknesses of products/ brands and studying emotions and attitudes on societal and public affairs issues (qrca. org). To maximize understanding on the situation, there are two qualitative research methods that can be consider is Focus Groups and Questionnaires. With these methods, we identify the benefits as well as limitations of using these research methods. Focus groups can be define as an unstructured, free-flowing interview with a small group of people ( Zikmund, Ward, Lowe, Winzar, Babin, 2011, p71) . An approximately 60 to 90 minute discussion is led by a trained moderator with 8 to 12 relatively homogenous but unacquainted individuals who are brought together to discuss a specific topic ( Gunn, 2004) . Focus groups allow people to discuss their feelings, anxieties and frustrations, as well as the depth of their convictions, in their own words ( Zikmund, Ward, Lowe, Winzar, Babin, 2011, p72 ) . The benefits of focus groups can be presented for an in-depth exploration of new ideas, opinions, perceptions, and reactions to concepts and messaging. Focus groups often serve as exploratory research to assist survey design of subsequent quantitative research methods. Similarly, they can also be useful in validating and/ or clarifying results garnered from previous quantitative research and can be use to elicit â€Å" in their own words descriptions of products, services or issues being discussed. Conferences and other events present relatively low-cost opportunities to conduct focus groups with target audiences. There tend to be few interviewer effects on dialog because individuals tend to be influenced more by the group discussion than by the moderator. Participants are usually enthusiastic and spontaneous in their responses and groups tend to naturally cover more questions, opinions and comments than researchers could have anticipated. The disadvantage of the focus group however shows that the results from focus groups are qualitative and nonprojectable to larger populations. They require well-trained moderators to manage discussions, maintain focus, and minimize affects of the personalities and behaviours of individual participants on others and/or the entire group. Logistical and cost considerations include room and food set-up, and incentives are typically needed to encourage response. Questionnaires are not among the most prominent methods in qualitative research, because they commonly require subjects to respond to a stimulus, and thus they are not acting naturally. However, they have their uses, especially as a means of collecting information from a wider sample than can be reached by personal interview. Though the information is necessarily more limited, it can still be very useful. For example, where certain clearly defined facts or opinions have been identified by more qualitative methods, a questionnaire can explore how generally these apply, if that is a matter of interest. Ideally, there would then be a qualitative ‘check’ on a sample of questionnaire replies to see if respondents were interpreting items in the way intended. Alternatively, a questionnaire might be used in the first instance, followed by qualitative techniques on a sample as a check and to fill out certain features of the questionnaire replies. Interaction among techniques in this way is typical of qualitative research.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Jessi Benanti Essays - Laura Benanti, De, Free Essays, Term Papers

Jessi Benanti Essays - Laura Benanti, De, Free Essays, Term Papers Jessi Benanti Hello, my name is Jessi Benanti. I am from Palmdale, CA. I am a single mom that likes to spend time in the dance studio. I have many different things that I really like to do; some of those things are dancing ballet, jazz, and modern, I also do things that keep me busy like running five miles every morning so that I can keep myself healthy. I also like to play with my son and teach him new games. I have always been interested in helping people, and I have been helping people by feeding the homeless, and being a mentor in my community. I havent been able to really be a dancer like I used to because I have been taking care of my dad that just had a heart transplant and my grandma that just recently had a stroke. When I first started looking into Ashford University as the school that I wanted to attend to get my Bachelors degree, I first started focusing my schooling in the field of Psychology. When I was getting to the point of finding which degree I should go for my consoler showed me that Applied Behavioral Science program and it made me want to focus in that area. As a student that wanted to start out as being a social worker, until I finish with my masters and focus on becoming a therapist. I have always wanted to work with children. When I was younger and in therapy I have come to realize that there really isnt therapist that just focuses on children. Due to knowing that children need someone that can really help them and are able to understand their mind at their age. As I am getting into my education I have come to realize that the definition of learning has a different meaning to everyone. When I define learning I looking at it as gaining knowledge from studying, being taught by someone or yourself, and acquiring knowledge through experience. When Im in school I have learned that no matter how you are being taught a subject, either by sitting in a classroom or online you still have to work hard and at times teach yourself at times. As a person that has done classes in the traditional way of being in a classroom I have learned that you can ask questions if you dont understand what is being taught. Also in a traditional learning style you have the benefit of being able to work with other students that are in the class and that way you can have study partners and other people that might be able to show you something that you dont understand. There are also many advantages of taking classes online. When you are taking classes online you are able to work more at your own pace. When you have the flexibility of working on class work when you have time. This way you can go to work and then come home and do school work, this gives a big advantage because there are people that have to go to work during the day and they only have time to do their school work at night so they can get ahead in life. The quote Chance favors the prepared mind by Louis Pasteur, scientist has a strong meaning that people wont have sudden flashes of insight, these are products of preparation. When Louis Pasteur wrote this quote and talked about preparation he was saying that preparation is the key to a successful and very fulfilling scientific career. When looking at Chance favors the prepared mind we are also looking at there are more than one way of becoming the person that you are trying to be, either it be the traditional route of studying the academic classes or the non-traditional route of academics.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes

5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes 5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes 5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes By Mark Nichol Each of the sentences in this post demonstrates a distinct example of superfluous use of quotation marks to call attention to a word or phrase. The discussion following each example explains why the scare quotes are extraneous. 1. Companies need to reevaluate, and perhaps â€Å"retrofit,† their existing programs. Retrofit is not being used in its literal sense of â€Å"renovating to enhance structural resistance to earthquake damage,† but analogous use of the word does not require scare quotes, which are helpful only when the analogy is obscure: â€Å"Companies need to reevaluate, and perhaps retrofit, their existing programs.† 2. Such a strategy must include thinking â€Å"outside the box.† Idiomatic phrases, like single words used as nonliteral analogies, are generally understood as such and do not require special emphasis: â€Å"Such a strategy must include thinking outside the box.† 3. So-called â€Å"softer† impediments often require as much attention as technical hurdles. So-called signals that a word or phrase is not being used in a literal or customary sense. Scare quotes signal that a word or phrase is not being used in a literal or customary sense. Redundancy is not necessary, nor is it required: â€Å"So-called softer impediments often require as much attention as technical hurdles.† 4. Information should be restricted to those individuals designated as having a â€Å"need to know.† Words and phrases adopted from specialized contexts- otherwise known as jargon (such an introduction of a concept as this doesn’t merit quotation marks, either)- are either sufficiently transparent in meaning that they don’t need emphasis or definition or should be omitted in favor of clear wording; in this case, a phrase originating in the milieu of classified government documents is self-evident: â€Å"Information should be restricted to those individuals designated as having a need to know.† 5. It is imperative to understand â€Å"what to do† as well as â€Å"what not to do.† Here, the writer invites the reader to glean the key phrases in the sentence, but the gist of the statement is obvious, and the scare quotes are distracting and not at all helpful: â€Å"It is imperative to understand what to do as well as what not to do.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About NumbersWork of Art TitlesWood vs. Wooden

Monday, November 4, 2019

Recalling the functions of rhetoric Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Recalling the functions of rhetoric - Essay Example She seeks to pass an important message across to women and the society. Roiphe explains the reason why women feel superior to men, and the causes of inequality in the society in a manner that seeks to implement social cohesion. The choice of narrative type is an essay, and it plays a role in the function of rhetoric. The dramatism, form, language, tone, and symbolism used in the essay is easy to explore, especially because the essay touches on a sensitive issue that has societal ramifications. Roiphe’s essay brings together men and women separated from one another by alienation and competition. Men and women have engaged in a battle of the sexes in preceding generations. The impression of equality remains slippery, although traditionally, men are the dominant species. The social atmosphere often changes when the topic of feminism arises, and through her essay, she addresses the contradictory altercations. There is some symbolism in Roiphe’s essay when she narrates, â€Å"The hidden anti-male feelings, a result of the old system, will foul us up if they are allowed to persist† (Roiphe, 1982). Anti-male feelings refer to the distrust women have on men, while the old system refers to previous generations. Roiphe describes men as inconsiderate and untrustworthy beasts, which supports her assertion of anti-male feelings. A beast symbolizes the inhumane nature of man, and their attitude that makes them think they are the dominant species. Kenneth Burke’s concept of identification plays a role through the traditional aspect of rhetoric as a form of persuasion. Roiphe attempts to persuade women to embrace equality, and not superiority, and in consequence, identification occurs (Roiphe, 1982). â€Å"Identification† supports conventional emphases on persuasion as essential and examines rhetorics role in relations between men and women, in particular the implementation of gender equality. Similarly, Roiphe’s

Friday, November 1, 2019

Commentary on quotations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Commentary on quotations - Essay Example the rights to equality to black citizens but in modern day America, there are other problems created by the inability that still exists to resolve racial tensions and build more empathy and understanding between races. The quotations from famous works below explore some aspects of freedom and independence for all races. In this extract from a latter, John Winthrop is actually speaking of the privations endured on a ship and the relief that they were able to receive. But in these words that speak of Heaven, a Heaven that can be attained although it is necessary to pass through Hell to get to it, there is an underlying symbolism that indicates happiness and godly ends can only be achieved after much struggle and suffering. The heaven that is described in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, which aims to bring equality and liberty to every individual, can only be achieved after much upheaval and turmoil. This is especially notable in the civil rights movement and the long struggle endured by the slaves in achieving their freedom; they have literally passed through Hell and fought for the equality promised in the Constitution, so that successive generations would not have to endure the privations they did. These poignant words, drawn from the American National hymn, express the spirit of the unity and equality that the nation’s forefathers desired when they framed the Declaration of Independence. These lines clearly state the ownership of American soil is not restricted to any particular race or class, it belongs to every American, irrespective of age, sex or race. The practice of segregation which was practiced in America would therefore rise in contravention to the spirit of equal ownership of land, because it declared certain territories off bounds for slaves. Any practice that seeks to isolate members of particular group within a particular geographical terrain and refuse to let them be free would also rise in