Week One Individual Assignment Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario Essay

Week One Individual Assignment Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario - Essay Example This paper discuses budgets, ethical considerations, and other relevant information Guillermo must consider. The current budget for Guillermo Furniture Store has some serious flaws due to an imbalance between income and expenses. In the business world in order for a company to succeed in the long run its income or revenues must exceed its expenses. Guillermo has options available to him, but many of these options require radical change for Guillermo. Two options are to acquire a competitor or to merge with another company. The acquisition of a new firm has to be analyzed based on the budget of the company. The buyer has to have enough capital available to make the purchase. Merging with another competitor can help reduce overhead costs. A potential downside of merging is inefficiencies associated with organizational culture conflicts. The employees from the different business entities have different ways of doing business. Guillermo does not like the time commitments and loss of independence associated with these two options. Budgets are useful accounting tools that can help managers make important decisions. Businesses that do not use budgets can fall victims of misspending and cash shortages. Operating budgets are typically created to forecast the income and expenses of companies for the next year. When managers are dealing with strategic decisions in the long term they use budgets for longer periods of time. Techniques such as time series and regression models can be useful for forecasting purposes. The use of budgets can help managers determine how to implement process improvements to reduce cost. A budget can help a manager determine when the income of a company is insufficient to cover its expenses and make a profit. A budget can also be used by managers to determine when to buy equipment and machinery. If a company makes an above normal profit during a month it can invest more money on equipment. In

Elements influencing Robustness of the research Essay

Elements influencing Robustness of the research - Essay Example These were the elements influencing the robustness of the research; thus, are critiqued together with the elements influencing the believability of the research. In the study of Stark, Craig and Miller in 2011, the target population has been clearly identified and consisted of 10 healthy Caucasian females aged 21 to 39 years, who were not pregnant or lactating, and did not use tobacco or caffeine within 2 hours of testing (76). Samples were selected by placing flyers around the university and by word of mouth. The type of sampling is non-probability in nature, particularly convenience sampling because the researchers used the most conveniently available people as study participants. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were clearly identified as the study involved maternal choice, uncomplicated gestation of at least 37 weeks and no more than 41 weeks, and uncomplicated labor as inclusion criteria while exclusion criteria included mobility problems that limit entrance and exit from th e shower. The author believed that the sample size is too small and not adequate enough to produce accurate and representative samples. Ethical considerations were also included in the study. Ethical permission was granted for the study by the university’s institutional review board. ... Concepts such as showering, pain, labor, and suffering are were clearly defined, as well as the terms and theory. Researchers ensured that reader understands what is meant by the terms, concepts, and theory used in the study. In the methodology section, four areas were critiqued: research design, data collection, instrument design, and validity and reliability. The research design has not been clearly identified but based on the description, it is experimental in nature due to utilization of an intervention design with pilot testing. Data collection includes observation of physiologic variables during showering. It was appropriate and clearly described. Instrument design includes single-group, repeated-measures design to test the intervention with non-pregnant women of childbearing age and to allow frequent evaluation of participants before, during, and after a therapeutic shower. Results were discussed. As stated earlier, there was a pilot study undertaken. Reliability and validity testing are not mentioned in the study. Qualitative Study The qualitative study entitled â€Å"Suicide Notes among Native Americans, Hispanics and Anglos† by Olson, Wahab, Thompson and Durrant (2011) was critiqued in terms of sample and ethical considerations. Just like critiquing a quantitative study, sample and ethical considerations are some of the elements influencing robustness of the study. The sampling method and sample size have been identified. A maximum variation sampling was used as sampling method to investigate the differences and similarities in suicide notes among Native Americans, Hispanics and Anglos. A total of 69 suicide notes as sample size were included in the study. Although sample size was small, this is not

Design and Build Procurement Method

Design and Build Procurement Method If the potential readers of this dissertation within the Middle East region are going to get a better appreciation of the Design and Build procurement method, initially they must understand the advantages and/or disadvantages of this type of procurement method from both the Clients and Contractors perspective. 4.2 Arguments for Design Build Both Ndekugri and Turner (1994) argue that the Design and Build contract is often completed in a shorter duration because of the integration of the design and construction phases of a project. From a Clients perception this is one of the most important benefits this type of arrangement has to offer. Because the design/build Contractor is both designing and constructing the proposed facility, procurement and the construction phase can begin sooner than the more traditional design/bid/ and then build type of procurement arrangement. This time savings tends to results from the project being designed in phases which enables the Contractor to begin the construction works earlier. With the traditional design/bid/ construction arrangement, the Contractor does not normally start building until the Designer has completed the design and the project has been awarded. Both Saxon (2000) and the RICS Iconsult (no date) support this argument; both agree that one of the main benefits of this Design and Build arrangement is that it tends to reduce the design and construction time because they are being done concurrently and allows the Client to start earning revenue sooner than had he elected to use the traditional procurement method. According to Ndekugri and Turner (1994) another important benefit of the DB procurement method is the broad responsibility of the design/build Contractor. In traditional construction projects, problems often occur when the Designer blames the Contractor and vice versa for problems in the operation of the facility. On occasions in traditional construction projects, protracted litigation is necessary to resolve any dispute between the Designer and Contractor when they continue to blame each other for the problems. In design/build contracts, the Design and Build Contractor is responsible for both the design and construction of the project and retains the full responsibility for the outcome of the project, except for matters for which the Client retains responsibility. The Designer and Contractor are the same entity, so blaming each other does not excuse the Design and Build Contractor. The design/build Contractor is completely responsible for both construction and design defects. The Cl ient can recover directly from the design/build Contractor for deficiencies in either design or construction of the project. Therefore, the Client need not determine initially whether a defect was caused by an error in design or construction. In a more traditional construction contract, this issue must be determined so that the Client can establish whether the design professional or the Contractor is at fault. Haskell (no date) believes that another benefit of the Design and Build arrangement is that where the design and construction personnel work together and communicate and solve problems as a team, the Client will benefit from the continuity between Designer and Contractor. In a Design and Build project the same entity has the expertise to design the project as well as the expertise to build the project. Therefore they are unlikely to suffer communication problems, and because they are working as a team, they are better able to optimize the design and better able to evaluate alternative materials and construction methods efficiently. In addition to this, the RICS Iconsult (no date) believes that because the design team and the Contractor are working together as a team, the design is more likely to be buildable. Hughes (1992) argues that Design Build offers a high degree of cost certainty, encourages economical solutions, and enables value to be considered as well as price. The RICS Iconsult (no date) agrees with Hughes, and confirm that providing that the Client does not change their design brief, the Design and Build procurement method is more cost effective and provides more cost certainty than the traditional methods of procurement. Shapiro Hankinson Knutson Law Corporation (no date) also believes that another favourable feature of this arrangement, is that the design/build Contractor is liable for any additional cost that he may incur due to errors, omissions or ambiguities in his drawings and/or specification. In traditional contracts the Client warrants the sufficiency of the specification and drawings, and the Client becomes liable to the Contactor for any increased costs because of deficiencies in the drawings and specifications. In a design/build contract, the design/build Contractor is responsible for design as well as construction. The situation minimises claims for extra payment and the design/build Contractor cannot request extra compensation on account of their own mistakes or assumptions. In some instance, the design/build concept has been taken a step further, thus providing the Client with more options and/or advantages. For example, the design/build Contractor, might offer a turnkey procurement solution, this generally means that they will offer the Client a full package which includes the testing and commissioning of the facility, as well as the training of the Clients staff in the operation of the facility. The concept is that when the facility is finished and ready for handing over, all the Client has to do is turn the key. In some instances the design/build Contractor may also include in their proposal a financing deal for the project. Alternatively the design/build Contractor may offer a BOLT type arrangement i.e. they will build the project, then they will operate the facility for a given amount of time, in consideration for this, the Client will then leases the facility for the defined term and cost, then after the expiry of the term, the ownership of the fa cility is then transferred back to the Client. Schiff Hardin LLP (ii) (no date) argues that only with design/build contracts, is the Client able to obtain performance warranties because the Designer and Contractor are not in a position to blame each other because technically they are a single entity. For example it is common for the design/build Contractor to warrant that a proposed facility when completed will yield a predetermined output (e.g. process 2000 cans of coke per hour). This requirement can then be linked to the liquidated damages clause in the event that the output falls short of the predetermined output for the facility. According to the RICS Iconsult (no date), because the Design and Build Contractor has total responsibility, there will be less claims from the Contractor for the late delivery of information, particularly design information. In most design/build contracts, the contract price is fixed price/lump sums, this gives the Client some degree of price certainty. In summary, some of the proclaimed advantage of the design/build procurement include inter alia:- (i) Clients with limited access to technical consultants or their own in-house technical departments may find such contracts attractive. Similarly it is also perceived that because the design/build Contractor is responsible for design, and construction inclusive of quality, the Client will benefit from the reduced cost of third party inspectorates and contract administration, However you could argue that this is an disadvantage to the Client, because at the end of the day, Contractors and design consultants are profit driven and this situation could lead to a compromise in the quality of the project; (ii) Because the design and construction are integrated and the personnel are working together for a common goal. They are better able to optimise the Design and Build ability of a project. They are better able to evaluate alternative materials and methods of construction. Innovation and team work should result in cost savings. This could be construed to be a disadvantage to the Client, especially if all the innovation occurs during the design development stage, because it is generally only the DB Contractor that will get to see benefits for the cost savings at this stage of a project; (iii) The design/build Contractor is a single-point and both the Designer and builder are jointly and severally liable and/or responsible; (iv) In the event of a latent defect and/or litigation by the Client, the joint financial resources of a design/build Contractor will be greater than those of the individual Designer and builder; (v) Most design/build arrangements will tend to be lump sum in nature, meaning that they will usually offer greater certainty in respect of cost to the Client; (vi) Payment by fixed instalments at certain milestone stages, rather than by evaluation method, may be preferential to both Design/Builder and/or Client; (vii) In the event of a post-completion failure of the project, the Client will not be concerned to discover whether the failure is due to the design on the one hand or defective work or materials on the other; viii) From the design/ build Contractors perspective, due to the increase in risk that is inherent of a Design and Build contract, the reward will be greater i.e. more profit. However with more risk, comes more pain when things go wrong for a Design and Build Contractor; ix) From the perspective of a Design and Build Contractor, due to the specialised nature of a Design and Build arrangement, not all Contractors have the required skill set to undertake projects with the design responsibility. The consequence of this is less competition. However, from a Clients perspective this could be a disadvantage because of the likely hood of higher prices due to the reduction in competition; x) There is no need to wait until the design is 100% complete, therefore the Client will benefit from the speed at which the design gets translated into construction; xi) Theoretically there should be less of an involvement by the Clients consultants, therefore the fees from Consultants should be less. 4.3 Arguments against Design Build Clients should stop thinking that Design and Build arrangements need less input from third parties than the traditional method. Some Clients believe that because they have appointed a design/build Contractor who ultimately has a single point of responsibility, there is no need to appoint a third party inspectorate and/or cost advisor. This belief can compromise the quality of the project, as the Design and Build Contractor will attempt to complete the project as cheaply and quickly as possible. Schiff Hardin LLP (i) (no date) argues that because the Designer is no longer employed directly by the Client, the Client may find it more difficult to access information that would have ordinarily been available to them under a traditional project. The Client may feel that he has less control over the design phase and design intent because the relationship between Designer and Client is not the same had it been in a more traditional project. Similarly the Client in a traditional contract retains the services of the Designer during the construction phase to act as a watch dog for compliance with the drawings and specification. But in a Design and Build contract, the Designer no longer works for the Client and the Designer allegiance is with the DB Contractor Hanscomb (2004) confirms that one of the disadvantages of a Design and Build arrangement, is that disputes often occur when the Employer Requirements are not specific enough and left open to the interpretation of the parties. As a result the Client may perceive that he is getting X, but the design/build Contractors interpretation is Y. As a result the Client may not get what they envisaged. This may also lead to litigation if the parties cannot mutually resolve the difference in interpretation of the Employers Requirements. As confirmed before and by Schiff Hardin LLP (i) (no date), due to the specialised nature of the Design and Build arrangement, the Client may find it difficult to obtain competitive quotations. In addition, this form of procurement method quite often excludes smaller companies who do not necessary have the in-house technical ability to undertake a Design and Build. It is also common for design/build contracts to negotiated rather than be competitively bid because Clients tend to find it difficult to induce Contractors to produce preliminary designs unless they are compensated for their costs. All of these factors could be construed as a disadvantage to the Client because they may not get value for money. Appelbaum et al (2012) argues that the principal disadvantage of traditional Design and Build is that the owner loses control of the design process, since the design professionals primary legal and practical allegiance is to the design-builder rather than the owner. This can create severe conflicts of interest during both the design phase and construction administration. From a design/build Contractors perspective and especially in a competitive tender situation, they are at risk of spending a substantial amount of money on a preliminary design and/or concepts and there is no certainty if they will recover this cost. From a Client perspective they could be perceived as an advantage in a competitive bidding situation because they do not need to compensate the Contractors for their preliminary design costs. It is also commonly believed that it is almost impossible to make any genuine appraisal and/or comparison of the cost of a competitively bid Design and Build tender, especially where their designs differ significantly. Schiff Hardin LLP (no date) maintains that if a Client puts a Design and Build tender out to bid, this inevitably results in a competition to under-design a facilitate without any regard to quality, functionality, and maintainability. It could also be argued that where both the design/build Contractor and Clients lack experience in this type of delivery approach, this could have a huge detrimental impact on the delivery of the project and the expectations of the parties. In other words, if a naive Client and/or DB Contractor believes that the other party is responsible for any deliverable associated with the project, and later it transpires they are not, then an unexpected cost might arise that was not anticipated. Rowlinson (1988) also argues that from the Clients perspective, it is difficult to make a comparison of the various preliminary design proposals submitted by Design and Build Contractors. Each Design and Build Contractor will each develop a concept design that satisfies the Employers Requirements albeit using lots of different methods and/or techniques. According to the RICS (no date), from the perspective of a Design and Build Contractor, the extent of the design responsibility is generally fitness for purposes unless the contract states otherwise. This is more onerous than the normal duty of reasonable skill and care imposed on a design consultant when they are employed by the Client in the traditional role. Conversely, and in my opinion, from the perspective of the Client, this could be construed to be an advantage in the event of a design defect. During the course of this study, it has become evident that here in the Middle East, a Contractor and/or Designer is generally only registered with the concerned authorities to either undertake construction works or design works. It is rare for one entity to be registered to undertake both work classification i.e. designer and builder. Therefore for any organisation that wants to participate in the Design and Build field, they will have to form a consortium of Designer and Contractor; which can be a lengthy and complicated process for the parties, especially when they attempt to agree who has responsibility for each risk and which entity is best equipped to handle the risk. Unless the Client incorporates a mechanism in the contract that gives them the opportunity to have an input into the detailed design, the Clients input into the detailed design will be limited and this may result in the finished article not being as they previously envisaged, which then could then lead to disputes. Conversely, and again in my opinion, if the Client employs a Designer to carry out the detailed design and then by novation, the Client transfers the design liability to the Design and Build Contractor, this could result in higher costs for the Client. This could also have a detrimental effect on the ability of the Design and Build Contractor to optimise the design and construction of the project and to evaluate the merits of alternative materials and construction methods. Schiff Hardin LLP (i) (no date) also believes that from the perspective of the Client, the terms of a Design and Build contract generally favour the Design and Build Contractor. Therefore it is recommended that any Client thinking of using the design and built procurement methods should work closely with a lawyer experienced in construction law and in particular the Design and Build contracts. Conversely, and again in my opinion, the Design and Build contract will generally consider this to be an advantage because the terms of the contract are in their favour. Shapiro Hankinson Knutson Law Corporation (no date) argues that under a lump sum Design and Build arrangement, it can get confrontational on how to determine what money is due to the Design and Build Contractor. The main difficulty is the ability to assess the design/builders progress, particularly where there is no independent party that can arbitrate between the parties and make independent assessment. To overcome this problem it is suggested that milestones stone be incorporated into any contract together with a predetermined sum for payment when the respective milestone are achieved. Generally the Design and Build Contractor will prepare a document to accompany his tender known as the Contractors Proposals. This document sets out his methodology of how they intend to satisfy the performance specifications set out in the Employer Requirements. The Joint Tribunal Council in the UK (2008) warns Clients that in the event of conflict between the Employers Requirements and the Contractors Proposals, the latter are stated to prevail. They further advise Clients that when evaluating tenders, adequate time must be given to checking these proposals, particularly as the contract conditions refer to the Employer having satisfied himself that the Contractors Proposals are acceptable. Similarly the Client should allow adequate time for checking the proposals to ensure that they are getting what they envisaged. Conversely, this could be looked upon as an advantage to the Client, for the DB Contractor may have optizmed the Employers Requirements by introducing innovation and ben eficial alternatives and methods into the Contractors Proposals. An Unknown Author (no date) argues that another disadvantage of the Design and Build contract is that it is not flexible enough to accommodate change. Therefore Clients are advised, that they should avoid change. If is often found that when foreseen and/or unforeseen changes occur, the Clients budget cannot accommodate the additional costs and they are left with no alternative but to either reduce the scope of works and/or comprise on the quality of the project in order to reduce cost. This will inevitably lead to a product that is not what the Client envisaged at the start of the project. Schiff Hardin (ii) (no date) wrote that issues relating to insurance and bonding affect the relationship between the Design and Build parties. Errors and omissions by the Designer are generally excluded from the Contractors insurance policies, and errors and omissions by the Contractor is generally exclude from the insurance policies of the Designer. Surety bonds can also lead to similar problems, for example, performance bonds may not cover design services. Satisfactory bonding or insurance obligations are likely to be either commercially unobtainable or prohibitively expensive. In summary, some of the proclaimed disadvantage of the design/build procurement method include inter alia:- (i) In the traditional Design and Build situation, only if the Client employs third party inspectorates and/or cost advisors at his expense will he be able to safe guard his interests. By doing this, and in my opinion. this appears to be at odds with the concept of a Design and Build contract i.e. the Design and Build Contractor is a single entity that are jointly and severally responsible for both defects in design and workmanship. (ii) Because of the specialist nature of the Design and Build contract, there are only a limited number of Design and Build Contractor that are capable of undertaking work using this arrangement. This consequently results in less competition and ultimately less competition will result in higher prices (iii) From the Clients perspective, compared with the traditional design/bid and construct arrangement, the Client inevitably loses control of both the design and construction phase. Even if they were to engage independent advisors, they have limited influence over the whole process; all they can do is monitor for compliance with the Employers Requirements. (iv) It has been suggested that where it has been possible to compare both forms of delivery methods i.e. Design and Build verse design/bid and the construct; there was little evidence that the optimisation of design and the evaluation of alternative materials and methods of construction have yielded a cost saving for the Client. In my opinion all benefits that occur due to the innovative ideas generally occur post contract and the cost benefits remain with the Design and Build Contractor (v) Particular attention should be given to the drafting of design/build contracts and Employer Requirements because of it bespoke nature. The Client should seek legal advice particularly from a construction lawyer who are well versed in the field of Design and Build projects. This legal advice invariably increases the total cost of the project for the Client. (vi) Where Clients elect to competitively tender a Design and Build project, from the Contractors perspective, the cost of preparing preliminary designs and the tender are generally substantial because the Contractor will have to engage the services of a design professional. This cost will need to be recovered in all subsequent tenders if the Contractor is not successful. In some instances, some Design and Build Contractors will decline to bid and this will unavoidably result in a less competitive environment. vii) Where the Client has elected to appoint a Designer to undertake a relatively detailed design. After which the Client decides to novate both the Designer and their design to the Design and Build Contractor. From a Contractors perspective, this will limit their ability to optimise the design and construction as well as review alternative methods and materials. Conversely from the Clients perspective, he regains control over the design and construction phase of the project. viii) All Clients have a duty to conduct some investigation into the capabilities and experience of the Design and Build Contractor. Particular attention should be paid to the track record of the preferred Contractors. Design and Build Contractors who are relatively new to this form of delivery method can themselves become a problem because of their lack of experience. Wardani et al. (2006) concluded that resourcing is influential to the success of design/build projects where a higher knowledge and understanding of the design-build processes can reduce problems within the combined design and construction phases ix) The Client should where possible avoid changes once the concept design and tenders have been fully evaluated and the Design and Build Contractor has been appointed. If required, any decision for change should be made as quickly as possible. Xiao and Proverbs (2003) argue that variations during the construction stage are risk factors that are disruptive to the achievement of project goals. 4.4 Outcome As stated in 1.4, the objective of this chapter was to critically analyse the benefits of Design and Build procurement method. Having looked at various sources of literature from books, internet websites and journals regarding the Design and Build procurement method, the writer believes that this has been achieved. The next chapter of the report will attempt to ascertain the feelings and attitudes of the construction professionals in the Middle East region to the Design and Build procurement method and to gauge whether there is a future for this procurement method. Chapter 5: Design and Build Case Study 5.1 Introduction To gauge the knowledge, feelings and attitudes of the construction professionals in the Middle East to the Design and Build form of procurement. A survey has been conducted using a 5 page questionnaire (See Appendix xxxxx for a blank copy of the survey). A covering letter accompanied the questionnaire setting out the objective of the study. The response rate to this Questionnaire was a favourable 62%. As stated in 2.6 on this report, the data received from the respondents was collated and analysed using the descriptive statistic method. Bar charts and/or histograms accompanied with the corresponding narrative have been used to present some of the data gathered from the respondents. Questions 1 to 4 Inclusive Initially a series of participant background questions were asked of the respondents, particularly where they lived within the Middle East, and what discipline best described their role in the industry i.e. construction management, commercial. Furthermore, the respondents were asked how many years had they been in the industry, and which sector of the industry they preferred. Approximately 60% of the respondents had been in the industry for more than 20 years. 63% of the respondents favoured the sector of roads and bridges. The respondents all came from a variety of disciplines i.e. 32% from a construction management background, 23% from a commercial background and 14% from a consultants background. With reference to Fig 6 below, 56% respondents respondent came from the Sultanate of Oman, 24% from the United Arab emirates, 4% from Kuwait, 8% from Bahrain, 4% from Saudi Arabia, 4% from Qatar. The purpose of these questions was to ensure that the data provided by the respondents was re liable and could be construed to be representative of the industry in the Middle East region as set out in the objectives contained in 1.4 of this report. Questions 5 to 7 The next series of question was intended to gather data on the type and nature of the organisations that the respondents work for. Again, the purpose of these questions was to ensure and verify that the respondents all came from diverse background and /or disciplines and/or organisations. With reference to Fig 7 below, 25% of the respondents came from a consultants backgrounds and 63% came from a variety of contracting backgrounds, 4% came from developers and 8% came from other sectors within the construction industry. Questions 8 to 13 inclusive To test my preconception that the traditional form of construction procurement method is the most extensively used in the Middle East, and to test peoples attitudes to the various types of procurement methods. The respondents were asked a number of quantitative questions i.e. Q8 Which procurement method did their current project follow? Q9 Which procurement method had they used the most extensively? Q 10 Which procurement method did they prefer? Q 11 Which procurement method did they think is the most extensively used in the region? Q 12 Which one of the Design and Build procurement methods did they want to gain further experience? Q 13 Which procurement method was used the most extensively within the respondents organisation? The surprising result of the data collected for Q8, was that 21% of the respondents confirmed that their current project had followed the Design and Build procurement method. This result is not too dissimilar to Handscomb (2004) findings detailed on page 11 of this report i.e. the use of Design and Build had grown to more than 30% today. The result to question 8 is also in line with the Contracts in Use 2007 Survey undertaken by RICS for the United Kingdom i.e. 21.7% of contracts were procured using the DB procurement method just for the economical down turn. However, this response was contrary to the writers preconception of how extensive the Design and Build procurement method is currently being used in the region. The writer was not expecting the actual use of the Design and Build method of procurement to be so high. The writers preconception was more in line with the results gained from Q11 (see Figure 8 below) i.e. 92% of the respondents believed that the traditional method of procurement was the most extensively used in the region with only 4% of the respondents saying that the Design and Build method was the most extensively used. The factual 21% of projects currently following the Design and Build procurement method (Q8) and the perceived 4% use of the design and built (Q11) is completely at variance with each other, thus indicting that people are not as narrow minded as previously thought, and are more open minded than to the use of alternative procurement methods in the Middle East region, particularly Design and Build. With reference to Fig. 9 below, it was also surprising to see that 44% of the respondents favoured Design and Build method of procurement, and 40% favoured the traditional method of procurement (Q10). Again this response was not in line with the writers hypothesis that professionals in the region are not open to change and other forms of procurement methods other than the traditional construction procurement methods. In response to Q13, 83% of the respondents confirmed that the traditional method of procurement was the most extensively used procurement method by their organisation and 14% confirmed Design and Build. When compared to the answers given in Q10, it could be argued that it is the Employers in the region that are comfortable with the status quo and are not willing to consider change, the answers given by the respondents to Q10 would suggest that there is an appetite for change amongst the workers as they favoured the Design and Build procurement method. Questions 14 to 20 In order to gauge the attitudes of the respondents to the various procurement methods available, the respondents were asked which procurement method was most suited to a particular sector of the construction industry (See Results in Table 1 below). With reference to Table 1 above, the majority of the respondents favoured the Design and Build contract over the traditional form of procurement in all but one scenario. Again these results are at variance to the writers preconceived ideas of people attitudes to the Design and Build procurement method in the Middle East. These result indicate that construction professional in the Middle East are in fact open to the idea of new procurement methods and in particular the Design and Build. This is contrary to the hypothesis contained in 1.2 of the report. Question 21 88% of the respondents confirmed that they had gained some form of experience with the Design and Build procurement method, and only 12% had gained no experience at all (See Figure 10 below). This appears to reinforce the emerging idea that construction professionals in the Middle East would indeed be open to using different procurement methods in the region. Question 22 to 24 inclusive

H.G.Wells The War of the Worlds Essay -- The War of the Worlds Essays

Attacks from Martians, time travel, interplanetary travel and the impossible are possible within the realm of science fiction. The literary genre of science fiction houses some of the greatest pieces of literature of all time, by some of the greatest authors. Regarded among colleagues, as one of the finest is the inspirational, ingenious and influential writer H. G. Wells. Being the author of such classics as The Time Machine, The Island Of Dr. Moreau and The Invisible Man H. G. Wells is considered the father and primary developer of science fiction. A title Wells was catapulted into with the publication of the 1898 science fiction classic, The War of the Worlds. It was this new style of story that would bring about and create this brand new, exciting and often educational form of literature. It is The War of the Worlds that really epitomizes what science fiction is and what it should be. The enchanting but gruesome tale of Martian invasion became the beginning of the modern science fiction story and was the first ever story about life on other planets attacking the human race (a now very popular theme). Although this exclusive, appreciated and amusing style of writing was graced with instant success in its current form, it too, like any other style of writing changed with the times. Unfortunately the new variation was a change for the worse. For many people nowadays science fiction or Sci-Fi as the media miscall it means movies. It means Star Wars and E.T. For others it signifies television shows or radio series, constantly broadcast in people’s homes perpetuating this common misconception. What many do not realize however is that science fiction as a genre of literature is an ancient art, one which is in mass q... .... The main difference between them is the amount of ignorance involved in their classification, for when one begins to examine the classic science fiction novels such as Journey To The Center Of The Earth, Dune and The War Of The Worlds in light of their allocated genre we can see just why they are classified as science fiction novels, they respect and recognize the constraints although they do not consciously attempt to fit in, but remarkably they do. The remarkable thing about The War of the Worlds is that it fits into every area of science fiction genre without exception. Is it then a coincidence that it is regarded as one of the best novels of all time, It is more likely that the format and outline of the book and indeed the genre conveys more to the reader. It has something indescribably tantalizing about it that comes from no other genre than science fiction.

How does Priestley present ideas about Mrs. Birling in ‘An Inspector Calls’? Essay

Mrs. Birling shows a complete lack of self-awareness from the beginning of the play and also exposes her wishes to be detached from anyone with a lower social status. Mrs. Birling says during the dinner â€Å"(reproachfully) Arthur you are not supposed to say such things† the way that she criticises her husband from what comes across as a rare pleasant remark from Mr Birling shows how she doesn’t which to praise or associate her self with anyone below her in the social hierarchy. This reflects Priestley’s point that the beneficiaries of Capitalism have little respect or have even the slightest sense of empathy for those below them in society. The way she also â€Å"reproachfully† condemns her husband is also very peculiar, it is almost as if she is unaware by the tension created by her remark on what is a very important family occasion. This may also be a sign of subtext that Mrs. Birling also might be dissatisfied with the social gap between her and husband. This could perhaps be a subtler view of Priestley’s about the lack of cohesiveness between classes in society. Relationship with Sheila Despite her daughter being a grown woman who is in the process of marrying, Mrs Birling is of the view that Sheila is incapable of speaking for herself. When Sheila â€Å"(half serious, half playful)† criticises Gerald for â€Å"not coming near me last summer† Mrs Birling doesn’t pick up on the â€Å"playful† nature of her daughter’s remarks and instead tries to pacify the tension, which is ironic as it was created by herself in the first place, she decides to lecture her daughter and demean her importance and how she should use to being second rate for her future husband â€Å"men with important work to do†¦spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You’ll have to get use to that, just as I had† and Sheila replies â€Å"I don’t believe I will† this also shows how Sheila clearly has a capacity to change which we experience later in the novel. This also represents Priestley’s view that men who go after an endless pursuit of wealth not only has a negative effect on society as a whole but also those most closest to them. Welfare State Mrs Birling is used as a contrast of the future welfare state; in 1912 rich people would decide on their own prejudices on who deserves welfare and who doesn’t. So Priestley’s attack is also how the rich keep even the most basic human rights away from the poor. When describing hearing Eva Smiths case she says â€Å"She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl in her position† Mrs Birling’s reference to a â€Å"girl in here position† highlights her class prejudice and how just because she was of a lower class wasn’t considered to be genuine or believable. It might be a coincidence that she is called ‘Sybil’ but there is a clear use of sibilance by Priestley â€Å"feelings†¦scruples†¦simply†¦absurd† this highlights the sinister sound of Mrs Birling, designed to show her evil intent. Irony Priestley also highlights the hypocrisy of Mrs Birling, when she is referring to Eva Smiths case. Mrs Birling describes â€Å"the elaborate fine feelings and scruples which were simply absurd† shows a strong sense of irony. Mrs Birling refers to Eva’s feeling of elaborate, and then she attempts to use the most advances vocabulary she can â€Å"ridiculous airs†¦scruples†¦absurd† to disguise her snobbery and prejudice. Her clear discrimination of the lower class is displayed when she tells the inspector â€Å"As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!† The demeaning labelling of her as a â€Å"girl† rather than a woman shows how superior she feels. She also feels morally superior suggesting that a lower class girl â€Å"would ever refuse money† trying to suggest that the poor are always after money, this again is heavily ironic. As after all Eva Smith only wanted a couple more shillings a week while the main attraction of the marriage of Sheila and Gerald is the alliance between the 2 firms, allowing â€Å"lower costs, higher prices† showing Priestley’s view that it is the rich that crave money not the poor. Blame As the play progresses Mrs Birling’s characteristics become more clear, despite it being quite clear to Sheila who the father of Eva’s daughter is Mrs Birling seems oblivious to the reality of what is occurring. Rather than facing the reality Mrs Birling decides to attack, the father who is unknown at this stage â€Å"I blame the young man†¦he didn’t belong to her class and was some drunken young idler† the way that Mrs Birling not only critices the young man for being drunk and leaving a young girl with an unborn baby but also because â€Å"he didn’t belong to her class† this shows how Mrs Birling’s marginalization of the working class community is exactly the opposite of the sought of society Priestley would want to create. Even after it is apparent to Sheila who the father is; Mrs Birling blindness is so apparent as she continues to unknowingly castigate her own son â€Å"certainly, he ought to be dealt with severely-â€Å" and Sheila replies â€Å" mother – stop – stop† shows how Sheila is the opposite of her mother and is picking up events at a rapid rate. Sheila comment of â€Å"don’t you see† is a metaphor, not only does it suggest Mrs Birling doesn’t understand but also referencing to Mrs Birling blindness and lack of thoughts. Mrs Birling’s further throwaway remark â€Å"you’re behaving like a hysterical child tonight† again is another example of her completely misreading of the situation as in fact Sheila is quite intelligent in her evaluation that the father of the son must be Eric. Conclusion Overall, it is quite clear that Mrs Birling (much like her husband) is a perfect example of the ills capitalism and what needs to change. Priestley would like a society where the state provides welfare to those who need it, not by the prejudices of the rich. A society where money isn’t what epitomizes success but people ability to care after one and other. As suggested by Inspector Goole â€Å"We are one body. We are responsible for one another† shows how each specific character has a clear simplistic purpose. For Mrs Birling it’s to be symbolic of the greediness that capitalism involves.

A Sense of Honor

In the story, (Webb, 1995) â€Å"A Sense of Honor† by author James Webb,   we learn about a tough guy by the name of Bill Fogarty who is a boxer and a first class senior midshipman who strives to become an officer in the Marine Corps.We also learn about another character by the name of Captain Ted Lenahan who mentors his midshipmen who has made his return to Annapolis as a tactical officer, after receiving injuries during the Vietnam War.Fogarty referred to himself as being â€Å"The best of the best† and his haughty and cruel nature was endured by those who feared him. Another interesting character; John Dean is a newcomer who complains, continuously which annoys his upper-classed, fellow Marines.Fogarty’s remembers his fellow midshipmen as the author tells us (p.1) â€Å"He passed a small snowman several of them had collaborated on the day before. The snowman wore a midshipman Dixie cup hat, properly rolled and boxed, properly faced forward on its head, just above its head, just above its nonexistent eyebrows.Its creators had awarded it the National Defense Medal, the red and yellow badge perfectly centered on the left side of the snowman’s chest.† Webb is able to convey that Fogarty wasn’t the tough and uncaring person that he tried so hard to be, but a man that could recall and cherish his memories with the men who had taught him so well.Harsh treatment and high demands were faced, continuously for underclassmen, which were hidden during this era and endured each day. We learn about hazing in that time period that was always evident and well-hidden.The author, himself, was an attendee of the Annapolis US Naval Academy, which takes place in the year 1968, graduating with high honors, and shares his story about his adventures and friends, as they train during the Vietnam War era to become Marine and Navy Corps officers.Webb’s story covers many areas, including the humor, hardships and lessons that can be lear ned while learning to become dedicated, disciplined and honorable United States leaders.Webb’s book teaches that true and virtuous leaders don’t come easily. The author also, enlightens us to what a difficult and trying time the Vietnam War era had been and how this war wasn’t fought with faceless men, but with those of integrity, determination and endured trying times to become successful officers.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reference PageWebb, James. 1995. â€Å"A Sense of Honor†. US Naval Institute Press. P. 1

Caffeine Typing Speed - Sample Science Fair Projects

Caffeine Typing Speed - Sample Science Fair Projects Purpose The purpose of this project is to determine whether taking caffeine affects typing speed. Hypothesis Typing speed is not affected by whether or not you take caffeine. (Remember: You cannot scientifically prove a hypothesis, however, you can disprove one.) Experiment Summary You are going to type the same text repeatedly for a specified length of time and compare how many words you typed before ingesting caffeine and afterward. Materials computera drink containing caffeine and another drink of the same type that does not contain caffeine (e.g., coffee and decaf coffee, diet cola and decaf diet cola)stopwatch or timer Experimental Procedure Drink the non-caffeinated beverage. Wait 30 minutes.Type The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. as many times as you can for 2 minutes. If you can, type using a word processing program that keeps track of how many words you have entered.Drink the caffeinated beverage. Wait 30 minutes. (The peak effects from taking caffeine tend to be felt around 30-45 minutes after taking it.)Type The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. as many times as you can for 2 minutes.Compare the number of words you typed. Calculate words per minute by dividing the total number of words that were typed by the number of minutes (e.g., 120 words in 2 minutes would be 60 words per minute).Repeat the experiment, preferably a total of at least three times. Data Construct a table stating the type of drink and the number of words you could type in 2 minutes.Calculate your average typing speed (words per minute) for each drink. Results Did taking caffeine affect how quickly you could type? If it did, did you type more or fewer words under the influence of caffeine? Conclusions Was your hypothesis accepted or rejected? Can you propose an explanation for the outcome?Do you think you would get the same results if you had tested the effects of the caffeinated beverage first? Caffeine stays in your system for a few hours. When it wears off, some people report feeling crashed instead of normal.How do you think the results would be affected by changing the amount of caffeine? What do you think would happen if you took too much caffeine?Do you think you became better at typing the test sentence over time?If your word processor can track typing errors, did you note any difference in the accuracy of your typing after drinking the caffeinated beverage? Could you propose a hypothesis about the effect of caffeine use on typing accuracy? Things to Think About Caffeine occurs naturally in over 50 different types of plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, and kola nuts.Caffeine acts as a mild stimulant. Some studies have shown that taking caffeine may temporarily increase concentration, reasoning, and memory. However, the effects of caffeine wear off after a few hours and if you routinely take caffeine you will need to take more to get the same effect.Most adults are exposed to caffeine in coffee and energy drinks. Children are likely to get caffeine from energy drinks, soft drinks, tea, and chocolate. Amount of Caffeine in Common Products Product Caffeine (mg) coffee (8 oz) 65 - 120 Red Bull (8.2 oz) 80 tea (8 oz) 20 - 90 cola (8 oz) 20 - 40 dark chocolate (1 oz) 5 - 40 milk chocolate (1 oz) 1 - 15 chocolate milk (8 oz) 2 - 7 decaf coffee (8 oz) 2 - 4

Rush Limbaugh on Sex Education essays

Rush Limbaugh on Sex Education essays Sex education courses in public schools are a tense topic among parents, and educators. Some groups believe that the sex education curriculum that focus on abstinence, and safe sex disrupts the school unit of educating its students, and argues that sex education should be sanctioned only between child, and parent. In the essay Condoms: The New Diploma, a admirably known conservative talk radio host by the name Rush Limbaugh conveys his frustration of public schools involvement in sex education courses, and the distribution of condoms. A master in creating controversy he sarcastically try to persuade his readers to believe that condoms distribution encourage promiscuous, and sexual active teens. However, in his attempt of persuasion, he fails to deliver a solid argument because of his unorthodox perspective. Without delay Limbaugh, engages his readers. From beginning to end, Limbaugh is brilliant at keeping his readers attention by the use of his comic tone. Skillful in his writing, he freely attempts to refute his opponents logic behind condoms distribution in public schools. He states that the logic behind the motivation is ridiculous, and is misguided since the intuition fail to teach and promote abstinence first. At first Limbaughs message seems to be positive and logical in that the institution is misguided, and that the distribution of condoms conveys a detrimental message to teens. But as continued, Limbaugh argument becomes absurd, and inoperative. In his attempt to sway his readers, he attacks his opponents by the use of tacky exaggeration of scenarios. For example, in paragraph two, in the response of the opponents argument, that kids going to do it anyway, so lets give the condoms for protection, Limbaugh uses the method of Reductio ad absurdum to refute is opponents position, and states by that logic lets convert study halls to Safe Sex Centers where students can go to actually have sex.......

How to Generate a Steady Income as a Writer for Corporate Clients

How to Generate a Steady Income as a Writer for Corporate Clients Ever wish there was some way you could earn an income you can depend on from your writing? Enter the corporate client and the retainer agreement. Corporations often have a huge need for regular writers, especially those with a strong online presence. They need fresh content for their website, blog and newsletters. Rebecca Matter, President of American Writers Artists Inc (AWAI) advises writers to use retainers, and so does copywriter Angela Booth and content marketer Trent Dyrsmid. A retainer is a sum of money a company agrees to pay a writer a certain sum of money for an agreed upon amount of work. It is a win-win situation for both parties. Companies are guaranteed quality writing from a dependable source and writers can rest easy knowing they have steady money coming in every month. Ready markets for retainers Retainers are most suitable where there is a need for regular writing. Blogs need to be updated frequently. and many companies send out weekly newsletters to their clients. Businesses that want to rank well in Google need create fresh content. When writing for these companies, you must thoroughly research the industry and capture the voice of the business. How to find clients Start Another way to find clients is to search job boards like http://jobs.problogger.net/ and bloggingpro.com/jobs/ . You can also optimize your Linkedin profile, as companies also use the network to find freelance writers. Get prospects to say yes to a retainer When pitching a retainer deal, remember that clients expect a price break. Be sure to point out that How to price your services for success Prices should reflect not only the time you spend on the client but also the time you save not looking for other clients and getting to know their needs. You also need to consider what the rate would be if each task youll be performing were contracted separately and what savings to offer the client. Most importantly, decide on the minimum fee that would make the deal worthwhile for you and keep this in mind when negotiating. Protect yourself Avoid misunderstandings The amount and date of payment The amount and type of writing Invoicing procedures How each party can terminate the agreement For new clients, you should also request 50 percent upfront for the first month and include a date when the agreement will be reviewed. It is possible to earn consistent money writing for corporations. Focus on businesses with high volume writing needs, and hook them with a retainer agreement.

Myspace (& other social network sites) predator problems--how can they Essay

Myspace (& other social network sites) predator problems--how can they be solved - Essay Example imed at networking and being in touch with relatives and friends, the bottom line is that social networking is highly famous and it is a big business today. Unluckily, scam artists, child molesters, and sexual predators have noticed that these sites can also be exploited to find victims. MySpace is one of the sites where predator is a big problem. MySpace is a social networking site just like facebook. However, there have been numerous cases of sexual predators and child molesters posing as children to network with young victims on MySpace (Zilney & Zilney, 2009). Recently, MySpace was also discovered to be compromised by attackers spreading malware on exploited profile sites. These have led to MySpace taking steps and implementing security measures to minimize this problem though users are still supposed to be cautious and aware. Predators were therefore a big problem to MySpace not only because it led to increased cases of sexual assaults but also death cases were on high rate. Nevertheless when putting into consideration increased cases of predators; social networking sites have employed numerous efforts to cut down on the numbers of predators online. For instance, they have developed an e-mail registry that would permit parents to prohibit their children creating online profile for such networks. Social networking sites would also create the default profile setting for 16 and 17-year-olds on their site â€Å"confidential â€Å" so that they can only be contacted by individuals they know hence making it difficult for predators to find them (Krinsky, 2008). According to Hansen (2008), they employ a third party to gather a registry of email addresses offered by parents who want to restrict access of their children to the websites, and will block anyone using email address listed in the registry from signing up or creating a user profile. Laws have also been implemented to govern and address this issue and all networking sites have agreed to comply with them and

Industrial Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Industrial Project Management - Essay Example Comprising three people, the management team also had a works manager in the team, but what is quite surprising is that the seniority or position of the works manager was never formally acknowledged, leaving bitterness amongst the staff and the team. Ideally, once the works manager is part of the management, he should have been granted the status and powers to deal with the staff as a 'manager', but the indecisiveness is apparent all over in this decision as well. All this is because the company hierarchy and decision flow system is not well planned; instead it is being run as a family business with many lines of communication sending across conflicting signals to the workforce. This not only results in confusing the workforce but it also results in delay for the customer's deliveries. Such delays leave dissatisfied customer, and employees too find it difficult to face the customers advancing reasons for delays etc. This acts as a de-motivator for the workforce. The ad-hoc approach i s also visible in the way the chairman sends across his orders and directives. Chairman is of course within his rights to select people for particular tasks, but at the same time the chairman must not appear to be taking sides opening in favour of someone or against someone, on a routine basis. The favouritism is also apparent in salary reviews for the employees. It results in lowering the morale of other people in the company. Teamwork is also affected, because employees are wary of working with such people. The company is now operating at a small scale, but taking care of customer's preferences, and quality will go a long way in preparing the company for taking on the competition for a longer period, strengthening its financials and adding more value to its products. But as of now company doesn't have any quality standards in place. Today we are living in a competitive era and quality forms one of the important cornerstones for product differentiation. Performance Improvement Essentials For sustainable development the company will have to resort to a number of measures towards improving the motivation level of the workforce, breeding team spirit and for improving the overall outlook of the company. Some of the steps that the company can take are; Motivation for the workforce: Motivation in fact proves to be of strategic importance in an era when competition requires best use of the resources for value addition and customer satisfaction. In simplest terms motivation can be defined as a means of providing motives. Motives can act towards making or spoiling the work, towards doing a job more efficiently or for distorting the work environment. The lack of any positive motivation from the management often results in an automatic negative motivation. This could be defined as the state of an individual's perspective which represents the strength of his/ her natural inclination to exert efforts towards some particular behaviour. It is through their behaviour that employees give expression to their commitment to work, level of motivation and their attitudes. For this small manufacturing company, problems are many on the delivery front and role of the workforce becomes crucial to fulfil the

System Feedback Loops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

System Feedback Loops - Essay Example The environment in which organizations operate is not only complex but driven by numerous factors that define the competitive strengths and strategic plans of the business. These factors include the market competition, their strategic approach, customer expectations, preferences, research and development capabilities, economic, political and social aspects driving market trends, and technology know-how that involve new product ideas, techniques, and innovation (Smith, 2001). One of the biggest challenges faced by any organization operating in such environmental conditions is the ability to adapt to the needs of the changing market environment and the capability to harness its resources in the desired direction to achieve defined goals. Competitive strengths and advantages are developed by organizations through a deeper understanding of market driving forces and constant efforts in the direction of enhanced performance and productivity. Human resources play a vital role in helping the organizations achieve the defined goals and targets. A key aspect driving the performance of human resources is employee learning and skills development (Uslar & Prof Norbert, 2007). The paper explores the different dimensions of a learning organization through a study of feedback loops and its application within Industrial Services of America Inc (ISA). The market shares of the company have gone up steadily with the company focusing on delivering high quality products at competitive prices. However, the competitive industry environment offers distinctive challenges in the form of constant focus on product quality and innovative products to retain its market shares. Firms are finding it difficult to maintain pace with the rapid changes taking place in technology and need to adopt innovative work practices to launch new and improved product designs (Nowotny, 2006). ISA’s focus in such a scenario

Ebusiness strategy of netflix Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ebusiness strategy of netflix - Term Paper Example The internet has played a major role in shaping the businesses of today. Whether it is related to managing inventory, past data, customer data or complex functions like smart reimbursement of inventory levels, identifying consumer patterns or trends etc., the internet plays a significant role in the operations and management of almost every business of today. It has become so entrenched in today’s world that is imperative for businesses to maintain an online presence as well to interact with customers, spread product awareness and showcase their offerings. According to Michael E. Porter, the internet is not a new technology for today’s world. It has been there for more than a decade now and organizations should be smart enough to learn from the risks that can be associated with integrating business with the internet. Now is the age of accepting the internet as an ‘enabling technology’ that can help businesses cut down on their costs significantly, position their brand better and create a more competitive marketplace (Porter, 2001). This too is only possible if a strategically drafted competitive strategy is in place to attract the target market. Netflix is targeted towards dominating the Internet TV category. However, the internet does not bind the competitors as such and with the shift of its DVD business towards live streaming, the challenge does not remain in maintaining the best logistics system rather, it has shifted to maintaining relationships with the video providers. Netflix’s main competitor, Blockbuster, closed down recently but this is due to restructuring and not bankruptcy (Indiviglio, 2010). They are expected to come back into the market with bigger and better services that Netflix cannot ascertain completely at this point. Netflix accepts that the DVD rental is not feasible in the long run and has to be let go of at some point in time. However, it managed to aggravate a significant portion of its target

Implementing Network and Personnel Security Measures Research Paper

Implementing Network and Personnel Security Measures - Research Paper Example In relation to the present network security manufacturing industry, Cisco and IBM can be considered as the leading corporations which provide safe and steady internet environment within the networks of the different global institutions. Cisco Cisco is generally known as one of the inclusive manufacturers in terms of producing a range of effective network security devices. A few of the major Cisco devices include Cisco Threat Defense Solution, Network Admission Control Appliance and Cisco Secure Access Control System among others (Cisco, 2013). The associated costs of the Cisco network security devices vary in accordance with the functions and network structure of the institutions. In general, the network security devices offered by Cisco are cost effective and can be procured from Cisco distributors, dealers along with other retail stores (Cisco, 2013). IBM The network security devices offered by IBM are highly effective for averting, detecting and eliminating different network relat ed vulnerabilities that emerge while designing and deploying network management applications. The devices offered by the company ensure adequate security of the internal information and prevent the access of unauthorized guest users. A few of the major network security products of IBM include ‘IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager for z/OS’, ‘IBM Security Access Manager for Enterprise Single Sign-On’ and ‘IBM Security AppScan Enterprise’ among others (IBM, 2013). The IBM internet security devices can be procured from the company’s own distribution networks. The network security products offered by the company are relatively more cost effective than other products offered by the different vendors (IBM, 2013). Functionality of Cisco Devices for Governmental Agency Source: (Cisco, 2013) Functionalities of IBM Network Security Devices for Governmental Agency Source: (IBM, 2013) 3. Maintenance Plan for the Government Agency to Ensure Having the Latest Security Measures The maintenance plan concerning the installation of advanced network security devices is one of the essential steps for the government agency to uphold the security of its vital information. Therefore, the maintenance plan of the network security devices within the government agency would be primarily focused on five major practices. The following are the primary activities of the maintenance plan for the government agency to ensure having the latest security measures: Monitoring performance of the network security devices as per their expected outcomes Ensuring better alignment of network security devices with the primary objectives of the government agency Confirming appropriate development of the network security devices installed within the agency Continuous minimization of the network down-time and, Minimizing IT related costs of the government agency Source: (Torstensson, 2010) a. Risks Associated with not fulfilling the Activities Outlined within the Maintenance Plan The improper or unstructured maintenance plan of the network security devices can generate various types of risks for the government agency. A few of the major risks associated with not fulfilling of activities of maintenance plan include: Increase vulnerability from the access of unauthorized guest users Weaken data protection capabilities of the network security devices Misrepresentation of information Increase in agency’

Research Project Diabetes Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Project Diabetes - Research Proposal Example 6. diabetes-diabetic-diet.com 7. MyDiabetesCentral.com . 8. Introduction to Diabetes Diet. second-opinions.co.uk . 9. Blanchette, K. RD, CDE. The "Diabetic" Diet. . 10. The Australian Nutrition Foundation. Diet and Diabetes. 11. nutritionaustralia.org 12. Bernstein, K.. The Diabetes Diet. Diabete911.net 13. USA TODAY. Fighting Diabetes. 14. Helpguide. Diabetes Diet and Nutrition. .Patient.co.uk 15. Patienplus. Diabetes, Diet and Exercise. . 16. BeatingDiabetes. Beating Diabetes.org. . 17. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Diabetic Diet. . 18. CNN.com. Diabetes. . 19. Rosenzweig J., M.D. Hamdy, O., M.D., Ph.D and Campbell, A. M.S., R.D., C.D.E. Diet and Diabetes: A Personalized Approach. . 20. The New York Times. Diabetes diet. . In order to compose the previous list, I have followed these next steps. Three different search engines were used: Yahoo.com, Google.com and MSN.com For the Yahoo.com search engine the key words used were: Diabetes diet, and the number of hits produced were...Based upon my preliminary research and the results I may find, I should narrow it down to diets, medicines, side effects, etc. As I have mentioned before, Diabetes is a very mortal disease, ranked as the fifth cause of death in the world. While trying to understand the disease I found out the different types of Diabetes. Once on that stage I found out that Diabetes could be treated, in some cases, by reforming one's diet. For that reason I have decided to focus my research on diets for the several types of Diabetes, including the ones affecting children. For the Yahoo.com search engine the key words used were: Diabetes diet, and the number of hits produced were about 66,600,000. The first one hundred pages from the list, were surfed, in order to obtain the addresses of some of the web pages from the previous list. For the second search engine, google.com, the key words used were: Diabetes diet, and it produced about 1,330,000 hits. Also for this search engine, the first one hundred web pages were examined in order to develop the previous list. The procedure used, was not effective since the three search engines produced about the same internet pages.

Implementing Network and Personnel Security Measures Research Paper

Implementing Network and Personnel Security Measures - Research Paper Example In relation to the present network security manufacturing industry, Cisco and IBM can be considered as the leading corporations which provide safe and steady internet environment within the networks of the different global institutions. Cisco Cisco is generally known as one of the inclusive manufacturers in terms of producing a range of effective network security devices. A few of the major Cisco devices include Cisco Threat Defense Solution, Network Admission Control Appliance and Cisco Secure Access Control System among others (Cisco, 2013). The associated costs of the Cisco network security devices vary in accordance with the functions and network structure of the institutions. In general, the network security devices offered by Cisco are cost effective and can be procured from Cisco distributors, dealers along with other retail stores (Cisco, 2013). IBM The network security devices offered by IBM are highly effective for averting, detecting and eliminating different network relat ed vulnerabilities that emerge while designing and deploying network management applications. The devices offered by the company ensure adequate security of the internal information and prevent the access of unauthorized guest users. A few of the major network security products of IBM include ‘IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager for z/OS’, ‘IBM Security Access Manager for Enterprise Single Sign-On’ and ‘IBM Security AppScan Enterprise’ among others (IBM, 2013). The IBM internet security devices can be procured from the company’s own distribution networks. The network security products offered by the company are relatively more cost effective than other products offered by the different vendors (IBM, 2013). Functionality of Cisco Devices for Governmental Agency Source: (Cisco, 2013) Functionalities of IBM Network Security Devices for Governmental Agency Source: (IBM, 2013) 3. Maintenance Plan for the Government Agency to Ensure Having the Latest Security Measures The maintenance plan concerning the installation of advanced network security devices is one of the essential steps for the government agency to uphold the security of its vital information. Therefore, the maintenance plan of the network security devices within the government agency would be primarily focused on five major practices. The following are the primary activities of the maintenance plan for the government agency to ensure having the latest security measures: Monitoring performance of the network security devices as per their expected outcomes Ensuring better alignment of network security devices with the primary objectives of the government agency Confirming appropriate development of the network security devices installed within the agency Continuous minimization of the network down-time and, Minimizing IT related costs of the government agency Source: (Torstensson, 2010) a. Risks Associated with not fulfilling the Activities Outlined within the Maintenance Plan The improper or unstructured maintenance plan of the network security devices can generate various types of risks for the government agency. A few of the major risks associated with not fulfilling of activities of maintenance plan include: Increase vulnerability from the access of unauthorized guest users Weaken data protection capabilities of the network security devices Misrepresentation of information Increase in agency’

Obama Vs. Clinton Essay Example for Free

Obama Vs. Clinton Essay The Affordable Health Care Act is a very in-depth process. The changes to the health care system were attempted to be passed in prior years by Bill Clinton. However, it failed at this time and was implemented in the United States by the current president Barack Obama. The Congress diversity of Democrats vs. Republican’s was very similar in both Clintons and Obamas time in office. There were many steps that were taken in creating this policy, and some of those steps succeeded, and some of those steps failed. Any new process would be expected to have some issues to work through as it was created. The Affordable Health Care Act still has some issues to work on, but many steps succeeded and that is why it has been implemented during Obamas term. Health Care Reform was in some ways similar in both Obama and Clinton’s proposals, but greatly different as well. Clinton’s main focus in the policy was to make health care mandatory for all Americans and have universal coverage. Employers would pay 80 percent of the cost of health insurance premiums, with the employee covering the remaining costs (Khan, 2014). However, both policies have the same goal of providing health insurance to all people. Each policy creates the ways of completing this task differently. Clinton’s health care reform plan was very complex. It involved high levels of government involvement in the health care industry. A federal national health board would have overseen the health system, and would be tasked with regulating premiums and overseeing benefits (Khan, 2014). Health care alliances at the state level would conduct a similar task, and states would have had the authority to regulate plans and have the option to create a single-payer system (Khan, 2014). The policy would be more of a government takeover, than assisting Americans with health  insurance. This was something that was not found to be favorable by many stakeholders. Obama’s reform allows for people with private insurance to keep their insurance. He is creating a government insurance company to compete with the private insurance companies. However, Obama still faces struggles with Republicans being opposed to this idea as well. The concern of finances was also purposed similar in both policy creations. Both presidents plan on the bill not adding to the deficit of the country. Another similarity between the two plans was that insurances companies could no longer deny a client because of their previous medical conditions. This has been another successful step in the process. Health Care Reform was created very similar but still with great differences between each president. The Affordable Health Care Act was successful for Obama mostly because of the way he pushed the bill through congress. Obama used Clinton’s health care reform failures as lessons and a blueprint of what not to do. This made him about to learn from past failure and make changes along the way. Different steps were taken in creating both of the policies. As Clinton moved slowly on this policy, Obama pushed his through quickly (Oberlander, 2014). Moving quickly was a decision that helped the policy succeeding, whereas, moving slowly caused it to fail. However, both presidents did pitch their speech about the Affordable Health Care Act before a joint session of Congress. This was not a successful step for either president. Both Obama and Clinton did not have great support for the policy, and this caused great suffering. Obama allowed for alternative methods in this policy whereas Clinton did not. Although both presidents had a wonderful idea, the steps that they took in implementing the policy are what changed the success of it. Both policies have similar stakeholders. When discussing health care insurance the stakeholders do not often change because the policies were slightly different. Stakeholders consist of business, insurance companies, and the American Medical Association. Other stakeholders consist of the people of the United States of America. There was much skepticism about the policy plans that both presidents were rolling out by the people of America. It is important that the presidents did not only look at stakeholders of large companies, but the everyday people of the community and employees of the health care industry as stakeholders as well. There were also government stakeholders in both  policies. However, the government level of stakeholders was greater in Clinton’s policy because his consist of government takeover. Stakeholders are crucial to the success of any policy. The Affordable Health Care Act has so far been successfully implemented by Obama. However, like any other new policy there are some issues still to be worked on. Obama was a success on passing this policy because he used the mistakes of the past to make his policy succeed. Even though there were struggles and steps that failed in Obama’s plan as well, there were more that succeed. Clinton’s policy was more government based and had many failures. The stakeholders for both presidents’ policies were similar. The Affordable Health Care Act has been in progress by many presidents for many years. However, it has been Obama’s plan that has been the most successful. Reference Oberlander, J. (2014). Long Time Coming: Why Health Reform Finally Passed. Retrieved from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/6/1112.full Khan, H. (2014). Throwback to 1993? Whats New About Democrats Health Care Plans. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/HealthCare/health-care-reform-president-obama-path-bill-clinton/story?id=8675596

Dairy Farming In India Marketing Essay

Dairy Farming In India Marketing Essay This Applied Research Project is requirement for the researchers studies in MBA in Community Economic Development Program at Cape Breton University. This ARP is the final assessment and must for the completion of this MBA Program. This Applied Research Project is mainly focused on discussing about effectiveness of co-operative model for dairy farming in Tamil Nadu, India. About Dairy Farming: Milk is defined as the lacteal secretion obtained by the complete milking of one or more mammalian animals. Dairy farming is a part of agriculture, practiced to produce milk which is generally from dairy cows, and also from sheep, camel, and goat. Dairy industry is a highly important component of food industry, which buys raw milk refrigerated for farmers to normalize by transforming and distributing it (Moran H. , 2005). Usually, the milk is processed in a dairy factory or on the dairy farm itself. From hand milking the cows to machine milking, milk production has developed immensely with latest technologies. Dairy farming has been done all over the world, but most of the countries which produce milk consume internally. New Zealand is one of leading countries which export dairy products, whereas India is the largest milk producing country in the world. Indian dairy sector contributes a major share towards the total gross revenue from livestock sector and holds an enormous potential to bring about rapid economic growth, particularly for the benefit of the weaker sections and the rural poor. Livestock production has been, and will remain for many decades, one of the most important economic and social activities of human culture in developing countries where hundreds of millions of people depend either directly or indirectly on livestock-based activities (Preston and Murugueitio 1992). Dairy Farming in India In 2010, dairy industry is the second largest food industry in India in terms of revenue behind meat industry. In 2010, the largest dairy company operating within the country in terms of annual global sales is Nestle with $ 18.6 billion revenue. Dairy farmers produce largest staple food in the world i.e. Milk. The quality and safety of milk and its derivatives are directly related to conditions of hygiene and environment. Good hygiene practices help to improve the quality and value of the product and fundamentally determine the success or failure of a dairy farm. At present, the protection of health and animal welfare are provided by a comprehensive program of udder hygiene and processes in livestock bio-security program. These programs help dairy farmers to: Optimize milk yield, quality and price of milk Improve operating profits Decrease the infection pressure on the dairy herd Maintain a high level of animal welfare The function of cooperatives in dairy farming is studied along with the impact of the cooperatives in dairy farming. Milk production is one of the most important elements of agriculture in India. During the past 5 years, farms in India increased their total production by 86%. The level of milk production in 2011 increased by 5.4 tons and was 136.4 thousand tons (104.1% compared to last year). Average yield in the region is 2,717 kg per cow, which is 272 kg more than previous year. At the same time dairy farming area in contrast to the poultry industry is the sector in which the performance is far from self-sufficient (Ruricola, 2009). Milk production per capita in the region is 200 kg per year. Dairy farming is growing and modernizing in India. Beginning in 2006, 34 major farms were built in India pursuing new and remodeled milk production of 20.4 thousand with loose housing of cattle and milking parlor. It also included newly constructed 10 dairy complexes with a capacity of 10.8 thousand cows. In addition, the modernization of livestock buildings has been replacing milking equipment (Berentsen, Kovacs, Asseldonk, 2012). As a result, compared to the year 2011 level of comprehensive mechanization of dairy farming has increased in the region from 36% to 60%. Technical and technological modernization of the industry continues. Dairy Farming at International Level and Genomics: Dairy farming at international level has also been receiving increasing attention. In June 2009, among the first countries in the world, France began publish its first official genomic index for dairy cattle. German dairy sector has decoded and located some of the tens of thousands of genes of an animal and use this information to genetic selection. Today, the genetic value can be estimated directly from a simple blood from the birth of the calf in several countries of the world. This method is very interesting for the strategy selection of each farmer in particular for functional traits and breeding qualities. Since 2009, seed bulls whose genetic value is obtained from their genotypes are available in catalogs selections have been developed in Eastern Europe. In addition, genomic selection can be much more efficient in selection on functional traits, poorly considered by the selection of offspring by providing breeders specific genetic values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹for males as for females. In a classic selection scheme progeny, the cost of evaluating a bull was about 40,000. Therefore, use in large numbers of seeds per bull led to a sharp increase in the risk of inbreeding level in the French and international dairy herd. Genomics can increase the diversity of available bulls. In addition, the bulls are replaced by younger much faster pace, which is also favorable to the maintenance of genetic variability. Literature Review: The Concept of Dairy Cooperatives A dairy cooperative is a business owned by milk producers and co-partners who must meet their economic, professional and training needs. A dairy cooperative is a collective enterprise where milk producers have pooled their investments to take control of their business because they are convinced that we can succeed better together than individually. A dairy cooperative is a business built on solidarity, responsibility, fairness and transparency. The cooperative and their associates reach solidarity as they form a community of people sharing the same project and the same interests. They also share the profits and risks. The cooperative has the mission to promote the best possible milk co-associates, who in turn, are financially responsible for their cooperative. All partners are co-treated with fairness, according to the same rules and with the same rights described in the constitution and bylaws of the cooperative. The Board of Directors of the cooperative is elected by the general meeting of cooperative partners and provides the associated elements for co-decide in open and transparent relationships. A dairy cooperative is a business that secures its associated producers through an indivisible collective ownership of all its members-cooperators. It does not belong to each individual in proportion to its shareholding. A cooperative dairy farm is an extension of his associates-cooperators. Its mandatory activities are related to milk his co-partners, collecting the milk, processing it into products and marketing these products. A dairy cooperative aims to maximize the value of its associated activities and therefore co-add the most value to the milk produced on their farms. Like any business, is a dairy cooperative in competitive markets with other companies. It is therefore required to be competitive. A dairy cooperative may be the size of a multinational listed among the world leaders in the sector or the size of a SME-VSE with local or regional activities. She may have a dozen or several thousand-associated cooperators. Cooperative status is neither an advantage nor a handicap t o growth and abroad. Cooperative Principles The Cooperatives throughout the world function with same core principles. They are 1) Cooperation among Cooperatives The Cooperative movement is strengthened by functioning collectively all the way through local, national, international structures to serve their members most effectively. 2) Voluntary and Open Membership Cooperatives are voluntary groups, where everyone can utilize its services and should be willing to accept membership responsibilities. 3) Autonomy and Independence Cooperatives are self -governing, autonomous organizations guarded by their members. The cooperatives autonomy is surpassed when a co-op enters into agreement with other groups or raises funds with outside resource. 4) Concern for Community The Cooperatives work for sustainable growth of communities through procedures and programs acknowledged by members. 5) Education, Training and Information Cooperatives offer education and training to its members, representatives and employees to successfully contribute the growth of particular cooperatives. Also, the members educate the nature and benefits of these cooperatives to the general public in the community. 6) Members Economic Participation All the members in the cooperative contribute evenly to democratically manage, the funds in the organization. This creates equality among the members rather than creating unevenness in the cooperative. 7) Democratic Member Control Cooperatives are independent organizations controlled by their members. They are the ones, who purchase the commodities and utilize the service from the cooperative. Also, these members vigorously contribute in creating policies and making decisions. Dairy Cooperatives International Context Dairy cooperatives collect more than half of the milk in France. Dairy cooperation model is very predominant in other countries that are major producers of milk, such as Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Denmark. In the international context, it represents a specific framework in terms of rights, obligations and governance. A dairy cooperative has made a contract of joint obligations associated with each cooperator. The partner-cooperator agrees to give its milk to the cooperative for a fixed term and renewable. Cooperative undertakes, in return, to collect all the milk which is provided to enhance the milk and the associated pay-cooperator. Only the partner-cooperator has the option to terminate the contract in each case. The cooperative does not have that option, unless serious reasons justifying exclusion. A dairy cooperative is legally binding and is a tax paying entity. In several countries of the world, it lies in the category of partnerships because it is the extension of holdings of its associates. Partnerships are distinct from limited liability companies such as SAS or SA. A dairy cooperative is a business that must be consistent with the statutes model statutes approved by the Ministry of Agriculture. They must also be approved by the High Council for Agricultural Cooperation. A dairy cooperative is a company whose directors are partners, co-workers, elected by their peers in general meeting. In emerging economies of the world like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, a dairy cooperative is a community of men and women whose activities maintain or develop, direct and indirect, in rural areas: Employment, trade, social ties, in short the vitality Farms, cultures, landscapes, biodiversity short Terroirs, crafts, traditions, milk and cheese, short identities. Dairy cooperatives have accelerated the concentration in the milk sector in European countries. Two cooperatives West Eurial and Agrial, announced Friday the approximation of their dairy operations by 2014. The new entity, called Eurial, will be the second in France after dairy cooperative Sodiaal and the sixth player in the sector, dominated by private groups. Eurial collect 2 billion liters of milk from producers 5200 members realize a turnover of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 2 billion and employ 3600 employees combined. No redundancies are planned. This strategic alliance is designed to face the prospect of the end of milk quotas, scheduled for 2015. It encourages the French to find growth opportunities internationally and to prepare such a strong demand from China milk powder. Some major players in the sector are weakened. Sodiaal in trouble on his milk Candia, announced the elimination of 300 jobs, or 20% of the workforce. For the future, the cooperative is associated with the Chinese group Synutra, with whom she has invested in Britain to create a milk drying plant Problems in Indian Dairy Farming and the Need for Cooperatives: It is noteworthy that in view of all the disadvantages in smallholders, especially the small-scale. It is important to create a class of family farmers through cooperatives to improve their competitiveness (Ven Keulen, 2007). This is possible only if the number of dairy cows is more than 30 per each family member. In todays form of family farms operating as cooperatives, productivity can be improved through these measures. On such farms on average per employee per day is 40-60 liters of marketable milk that goes to implementation. These farms are very sensitive to the rising cost of diesel fuel and electricity. Since, costs of milk production can be brought down by seeking cooperative behavior. Farmers drive their cows to pasture and seek to maintain low cost operations. In winter, these farms produce milk around 300 liters and in the summer production range at 1-8 tons. In Indian dairy farm sector, the production is very low-tech (Singh, 2001). For lack of flash cooling capacity, automation and disinfection winter, farms produce milk of grade I-II. A small proportion of these farms are equipped with coolers of milk. Most of these farms are already engaged in preparation of feed and have adopted appropriate technique (James, 2010). Majority of these farms employs a lot of manual labor, and the quality of the milk produced is stable and meets class I. The main problem of Indian farms is low productivity even though farmers on these farms work seven days a week. Farm economy and mortgage framework does not allow for increased production. The fourth type of dairy farms in India is the modern industrial farms. As a rule, these farms are built in the open field (Singh, 2001). The possibility in these farms is of dilution and spoilage of milk. During the last five years, productivity of milkmaids has increased. During the agrarian crisis in India, a slowdown in the growth of agriculture created a vicious circle of falling productivity of land and livestock, which lowered product quality, increased complexity, formed multiple lag wages and even deteriorated social development of rural regions. Presence of a cooperative in such situations would have helped in arresting the downward spiral. This is evidenced by international experience, because a similar pattern was shown in the 70s and early 80s in the US and in other periods in other countries. Thus, the agricultural organizations of rural India would help to improve the standard of living in the region. That is a decrease of agricultural labor substitution industry, reduces the level of mechanization of labor. Thus, the translation process is constrained by the industry on an industrial basis. When dairy farming is organized, savings of total labor costs in dairy farming becomes particularly important due to stabilization and further increases in productivity are not possible without a significant reduction in production costs. The most active and transformative impact on the entire system of factors of productivity in the industry provides scientific and technical progress. In particular, the shift from labor-saving technologies to resource aimed primarily at saving energy and raw materials is important. Thus, cooperatives in Indian dairy farming can help in improving the material and technical base of agriculture, materializing scientific achievements in high-performance means of production, creating new opportunities for forward movement of labor productivity growth and contributing to the emergence of new reserves to reduce the total cost of labor in the production of milk. Thus, the greatest influence of formation of cooperatives in Indian dairy farming sector can be on the productivity of labor, material interest of workers in the industry, the level of livestock feeding, reproduction, herd concentration of milk production and the introduction of comprehensive mechanization of the main production processes on the farms. Calculations show that if after the formation of cooperative, dairy farms achieve an average level of utilization of productive resources, the labor cost savings would amount to 407.4 thousand man-hours, or 10.2% of the labor costs of production. One of the important organizational and economic factors for increasing productivity is to control production costs. Although in farm planning tools focus on the immediate direct producers. In the establishment of farm market special attention should be given to flexibility in planning and adapting to the changing economic conditions. This requires dairy farm owners to create common technical approaches for the development of standards of production costs on the articles and items for different levels of animal productivity. This allows, firstly, more efficient use of labor and material resources, identification of the available reserves of labor productivity growth, labor used in the optimal level of labor intensity, and to determine scientifically the complexity and cost of production, productivity growth and the need for in the labor force in the industry for the future. The use of modern information technologies in their calculation significantly reduces the amount of computation al work carried out; simplify billing system, which ultimately reduces the period of their development. Economically feasible rations for animals are the basis of effective management. Since the nutritional diet consists of a different set of feeds, one needs to select the best feeding option, that is, one that would meet the biological needs for nutrients and have a minimum cost. Cooperative in Indian dairy farm sector may support in this regard. Regulations on feed consumption of cattle head should be supported at different levels of animal productivity in physical and value terms. Such standards should be developed by the dairy cooperative because it also serves a watch-dog industry. The main benefit of cooperative dairy farming is consulting and educational services in the field of dairy farming. It is believed that the effective management of production must keep pace with the times. Therefore, all efforts are focused on enterprise development through the use of modern technologies and adapting them to Indian conditions. Based on collective experience, cooperatives have made the success achieved as a result of those enterprises, specialists who are constantly improving their skills working with animals. Many of cooperatives learn best from their mistakes. But in the dairy business, it may be too expensive. Using the services of professional experts, cooperatives will save both time and money required to achieve farming goals. Experience working with dairy farms, especially those who are beginning to work on new technologies, shows that very often skilled enough of the knowledge that they already have, for professional work with animals. In operation, there are various issues related to housing, feeding and reproduction of dairy cows, etc. Sometimes it is better to get an answer to a question in order to understand a specialist in the right direction it is moving. One of the main problems in the Indian dairy industry is feeding. In particular, the correct calculation of rations on the basis of the farm feed. Cooperatives expert nutritionists can balance rations for the cows, based on the availability of feed and regional characteristics. Social Experiment: In a day-to- day basis, farmers are facing several challenges and these challenges can be rectified through applying and following Community Economic Development concepts. I am going to explain my own experience about milk production in my community and how CED concepts guided the farmers in a sustainable position. Milk production is one of the most common farming methods in Tamil Nadu region. This dairy cooperative is located in a village called Ponnapuram in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. Few years ago, farmers have to go to private dairy farms or directly to people house to sell their milk products. Through this, farmers were not getting good amount of profit as prices were fixed by those private dairy farms and there was interference of the middleman. Farmers had no other choice in those days than selling for the price fixed by a middleman. Farmers faced a huge challenge to get reasonable profit and also to take care of their animals. As many other villages in Tamil Nadu, farmers in my community are more dependent on a milk production. Few years ago, one of the community activists in Ponnapuram who is also a farmer, involved in milk production for more than 20 years gathered all milk producing farmers for a meeting. He discussed about the situation of farmers in the community and motivated them to work towards a common goal, which is the economic development of all farmers and the community. He gave an idea of community owned cooperative, where it operates as a trading center for farmers to sell their milk products. Everyone in the community agreed to this program and they stopped supplying milk to private dairy farms directly. He collected a small amount of money from each farmer which is affordable and formed an office like community owned cooperative. He created certain policies which will benefit the farmers as well as the community are as follows. i) Created membership for all milk producing farmers in the co mmunity, ii) Farmers meet once in a month to discuss about the price and they will set an mutually agreed price for the products, iii) Farmers should not sell their products to any other third parties and everything should go through the community cooperative. This community owned cooperative directly or indirectly follows certain core principles of cooperatives in their group. Voluntary and Open Membership This dairy cooperative is open to all members of the community without any discrimination of gender, religion and financial status. Autonomy and Independence This dairy cooperative is totally autonomous and members in the community are very much aware of what agreements with other organizations will affect the functions and purpose of this cooperative. Education, Training and Information Senior members of the cooperative educate and demonstrate the techniques of dairy farming to the new and young people who involve in dairy farming. Also, Veterinary camps are being held every 3 months to create awareness for maintaining the Cattles. So now, all the private dairy farms in the community have to come to the cooperative for milk and they cant have any rights in fixing the price for the milk products. Initially, it was difficult for the farmers to make this program successful, but in few months farmers benefited through the cooperative. Cooperative will have a small amount of profit from that milk products which they sell to dairy farms and farmers decided to spend that money for maintenance of cattles. Ponnapuram Community has nearly 300 families involved in this dairy farming and all those people doing dairy farming are members of this cooperative. For more than 2 years now, this community owned cooperative has been successfully benefiting the farmers and enhancing their living standards through Community Economic Development. This is a great example for every other community and farmers who are facing several challenges in a day-to-day basis.