Crime Rates And Gathering Intelligence Information

In an attempt to reduce crime rates and gather intelligence information in a specific area, and due in part to the continuing advancements in surveillance technologies, the law enforcement community has opted to employ these systems. Overwhelmingly, a consensus amongst the population agrees police officers should be held accountable for their action through continuous monitoring during their on duty hours (CBS News New York 2015). Furthermore, demand from the public to become knowledgeable in all events, public or private, has added pressure in the suggestion of increased intelligence based technologies. With final regard to the judicial system itself, an increased push for the release of information that may not have been previously available to the public, like testimony presented before the Grand Jury, is being seen from attorneys. Additionally, violent and shocking acts like domestic abuse or shootings are being released and made public through a number of media sources. The cont inued release of sensitive information adds to public scrutiny regarding their safety and security, which may serve to change not only the entire criminal and judicial systems, but once the implications of continued surveillance become realized, human behavior. The expansion of surveillance technologies has forced police departments to consider which measures to deploy. The application of the measures must be weighed carefully against what the public desires, the legality of the measure, and whatShow MoreRelatedThe Threat Of Terrorist Organizations1639 Words   |  7 Pagesterrorist organizations are not only pushing their belief of Islam upon others. The international crime wave has put all countries around the world on alert because groups like the Sinaloa Cartel and mob type families are a part of a multi-billion dollar industry that consist of human trafficking, drug smuggling, weapons trafficking and so on. The United States cannot combat terrorist or organized crime families by itself and need as much international cooperation from others around the world toRead MorePolice Administration And Organization Play1414 Words   |  6 Pagesorganization play a key role in the police department. By administering the proper organizational methods a department can provide a great quality of service to its community. A police officer’s duty is to maintain public order, preventing, and detecting crime so that citizens can feel safe when they venture outdoors. A good example of these actions being performed as a whole is the 106th precinct. This is a precinct that has improved its progress dramatically with gratitude to the COMPSTAT system. ThisRead MoreWhat Do People Routinely Use Them For?1407 Words   |  6 Pagesin the United States As a whole, teens and young adults in the United States use the internet and SNSs very commonly and frequently. 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Intelligence-led policing along with other various initiatives is a newly developed style of investigation strategy. ThisRead MoreEffective Reduction Of Crime And Quality Of Life Abatement1574 Words   |  7 Pagesthe reduction of major crimes in New York City. COMPSTAT is globally acknowledged and has become a successful tool for integrating precise crime intelligence analysis methods and streamlining law enforcement management processes. COMPSTAT can be described as a series of process used for the collection and analysis of criminal intelligence data which in turn assists commanders in developing effective strategies and tactics to combat crime. The effective reduction of crime and quality of life abatementRead MoreIntroduction. 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The City Manager and City Council has informed me that these numbers are unacceptable and in an effort to control, the rising crime rate I propose the following measuresRead MoreModern Policing Grew Out Of Private Security Concerns968 Words   |  4 Pagespolicing grew out of private security concerns. Crime prevention is a major issue in our society. A greater burden is being placed on public law enforcement to respond to crisis situations. As a result, the consumer is turning to the private security industry to help protect our communities and businesses. Private security agencies are one of the fastest-growing entities in our country. The demand for security services is growing at stellar 6% rate a year in our post 9/11 climate. This trend showsRead MorePolicing And Traditional Policing Models1300 Words   |  6 Pagespolicing was reporting to work, loading up in the patrol car, driving around for hours awaiting a call for service needed and then filing a report or arresting an alleged criminal. Typically just waiting for a call that a crime had possibly occurred is wholly reactive to crime control. That is a gritty summation of traditional policing which was the norm for police departments for many decades. Community policing is considered more proactive than traditional policing; and at its’ core, communityRead MoreWhy Is Torture A Suspect?849 Words   |  4 Pagesmen have been released or cleared for release. A related complication is that intelligence gathering typically involves the time-consuming and laborious process of sifting throu gh piles and piles of information to identify suspected terrorists. This process often yields many suspects but few confirmed terrorists. For example, in the two and a half years following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. intelligence agencies arrested more than 5,000 suspected terrorists. There was sufficient

Cell Phone Use While Driving - 1114 Words

Today, we use our cell phones for just about anything and everything to include; texting, talking to our loved ones, and connecting with the rest of the world via social media. Cell phones have become a natural way of life to where we pick up our phones and use them like second nature. However, the dangers present themselves when we get behind the wheel of a car and carry these habits of cell phone addictions with us. If all states ban the use of cell phones while driving, then there would be a reduced amount of fatalities each year. I. The statistics of cell- phone use while driving can be dangerous A. Deaths B. Accidents Texting and driving according to the National Safety Council, is responsible for 1.6 million accidents per year and 11 teen deaths every day according to the Ins. Institute for Highway Safety Administration. For drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, there were 13% that admitted to texting or talking on the phone at the time of the accident. While overall, 34% admitted to texting while driving, 52% admitted to talking on the phone while driving (Marino, 2012). A few seconds is all it takes to end your life or the life of someone else. On the road, Americans hold their lives and the lives of other drivers at risk because they are anxious to check how many likes their picture got or what plans they have for that night. These are things that can wait until you safely reach your destination. Many would agree that they are able to multitask whileShow MoreRelatedUse Of Cell Phones While Driving860 Words   |  4 PagesAmericans rely heavily on cell phones to perform daily act ivities. Cell phone are used for phone calls, email, sending text messages, surfing the internet, and performing other tasks. It is unfortunate that many of these daily activities occur while a person is driving. As a result, an increase of accidents and fatalities have occurred because of the use of cellular phones while driving. Using a cell phone while driving is an epidemic that has taken our nation by storm. Most drivers believe theyRead MoreCell Phone Use While Driving1503 Words   |  7 Pagesforth over the lines or driving at very inconsistent speeds. You wonder what could possibly be causing the driver to drive so erratically. Is the driver drunk? Is the driver preoccupied with eating his or her lunch? Is the driver busy attending children in the backseat? Once you pull along the side you realize that was not the case, instead you notice the driver has a cellular telephone up to her or his ear chatting away, or even worse you pass and see the driver holding a phone texting, you pass byRead MoreThe Use Of Cell Phones While Driving1817 Words   |  8 Pagesknowledge that the use of cell phones while driving decreases driver awareness and overall road safety, and in response to this knowledge, some states have passed laws that have prohibited the use of handheld devices. However, there are no laws bann ing hands free cell phone usage, despite research claiming hands free devices are just as dangerous handheld devices. But, does their usage distract drivers enough to the point where states should legally ban the total use cell phones while driving? The followingRead MoreCell Phone Use While Driving990 Words   |  4 Pages Cell phones are integral to people’s lives in Canada because they are vital communication and entertainment tools. However, the use of cell phones has remained contentious, because texting and talking on the phone are associated with distracted driving. Distracted driving is, â€Å"defined as the diversion of attention away from activities critical for safe driving toward a competing activity† (Klauer, Guo, Simons-Morton, Ouimet, Lee Dingus, 2013, p. 55). Although distracted driving is also associatedRead MoreUse of Cell Phones While Driving824 Words   |  4 PagesIf you are driving at 55mph for 5 seconds in that amount of time you could cross a football field. People don’t understand how dangerous distracted driving really is. All states should have some sort of legal parameters of what happens when you get caught using your cell phone while driving. People should get a stronger/ harsher punishment for the use of a cellular device while driving. People are way more impaired when you are distracted and driving than you are drinking and driving. The problemRead MoreThe Use Of Cell Phones While Driving1843 Words   |  8 Pagesknown that the use of cell phones while driving decreases driver awareness and overall road safety, and in response to this knowledge, some states have passed laws that have prohibited the use of handheld devices. However, there are no laws banning hands free cell phone usage, despite research claiming hands free devices are just as dangerous handheld devices, but does their usage distract drivers enough to the point where states should legally ban the total use cell phones while driving? The followingRead MoreThe Use Of Cell Phones While Driving1509 Words   |  7 PagesSeveral states have enacted laws banning the use of cell phones while driving; an indication of the type of society America has become. These laws were put in place not only to keep drivers from taking phone calls, but also to deter them from posting their latest tweet or commenting on their friend’s latest picture. Social medi a is so ingrained in society today that many are unable to entertain a world that is devoid of such technology. With usage at an all-time high, the psychological effects ofRead MoreCell Phone Use While Driving Essay1816 Words   |  8 PagesThe study was attempting to determine the thoughts and behaviors that African American freshman college students in regards to cellphone use while driving. They wanted to know how the students thought cellphones (independent variable) impact driving skills (dependent variable). Research suggests that cellphone use correlates to higher likelihood of accidents. The study used 331 (195 females and 136 males) freshman students who held a driver’s license. The students were then given a questionnaireRead More Cell Phones And Driving: Dangers Involved with Cell Phone Use While Driving1036 Words   |  5 Pagesoften. Talking on the cell phone and driving has become a very popular thing these days. Technology is coming out with the newest phone s that can do everything for you and people are attracted to that. There are people that don’t have hands free and drive their car with only one hand, people that text and totally take their eye off the road and type conversations to each other. Bluetooth is another technological breakthrough where you wear an ear piece and can receive phone calls by one touch ofRead MoreStop the Use of Cell Phones While Driving854 Words   |  4 Pages13 2013 Many people driving don’t know that they can be so many wrongs they can be doing without realizing it. Plenty talk on the phone while driving, drink, text and drive. A lot of people even innocent people as well have had accidents involving one of those. Out of the three there has been one that has become more common, and it’s only increasing if people don’t put a stop to it themselves. A usage of a cell phone should not be displayed at any point while driving. It can wait many have had

Recommendations of Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Question: Discuss about the Recommendations of Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Answer: Introduction: Established in 1916, Boeing became a market leader in the field of designing aircrafts. It has been in the business of offering commercial and cargo rockets, aircrafts inclusive of military ones along with security and systems. In the United States Boeing is the largest cross-border exporter and stands second in the segment of defense contractors in the world. Boeing has been on the path of innovation since 1969 and some of its aircrafts as 737, 747-800, 777, 767 and 787 are pretty well known names in the aircraft industry. In the present scenario, Boeings commercial aircraft is among the largest business generating unit, producing around 52 billion dollars as revenue (Kotha and Srikanth 2013). The stocks of Boeing are being traded in the New York stock exchange under the symbol BA. It faces a stiff competition from Airbus but still has maintained enough composure to come up with aircrafts that are magnificent in designs along with the required comfort level so that clients as well a s consumers have nothing to complain too (Petrick 2014). Boeings Marketplace: There is a low entry threat as the costs of capital are very high in the segment of commercial jet pitch. New entrants need backups of government for this huge cost. In case of strict control on the value chain, quality is maintained in a high manner with costs being moderately low. This assists companies like Boeing and Airbus in redirecting costs and sharing the expense with the suppliers. There are plenty of substitutes in the aircraft making industry too. ATR and EB have come up with midrange aircrafts for commercial aviation. Boeing and Airbus have created duopoly in commercial jet market having same kind of quality good products. Both have seating arrangements that ranges from 180 to 600 seats. It is a duopoly market and both Boeing and Airbus have gone into a tag of war on things like pricing, capabilities and designing of their aircrafts. Both the companies have been responsible for developing newer models which has the ability to cover up long distances and are very fuel efficient in nature. Boeings need for 787: In 1994, Boeing made its most important decision of building the worlds biggest commercial passenger jet, where it send its designers back to the drawing board for redesigning its 747 model in order to fly more passengers. The 747-8 was designed to carry 468 passengers as compared to Airbus A380s 525 passengers. Both these commercial flights were nearly on the same page when it came down to fuel savings and cost related matters (Sodhi and Tang 2012). Two major players, Boeing and Airbus that have been reining this segment over the years now in a market that is hugely duopoly with intense competition shown from both the parties in order to gain the largest market share (Wisner, Tan and Leong 2014). Big jets have always worked well for the core system but the future of flying depends on the point-to-point structure for reasons like passenger comfort, overcrowded traffic controls and delays. Such reasons led to the birth of Boeings 787. The Boeing 787 went on to become the most fuel-efficient jet the world has ever seen with the use of the latest materials. 787 have the capability of carrying around 330 passengers over a distance of 8500 miles, much more than what the A380 or 747 does (Gudmundsson 2015). The fuel efficiency of this jumbo saw a lift of 25-30% and it is greater than any other jet in its category. The cabin pressurization increased to 8000 feet from a meager 6000 feet, making the flight more pleasurable and the aircraft remained as fast as the A380 or 747 (www.boeing.com 2016). 787 were created to generate value for the Airline industry. Boeings International Supply Chain: Boeings thought of speeding up the construction of 787 while lessening its financial exposure led to a new way of seeing at its supply chain options. According to Norris (2013), actions were commendable as Boeing set out on a track of building an airliner which would be different from the older models and at the same time innovative and consumer friendly. Developments in consumer comfort and improving competence was the prime factor in the agenda of Boeing. In the past years Boeing had to rely on dozens of suppliers for providing it with parts and arrangements for the plane, which was then assembled by Boeing itself in the facility provided at Everett Washington Assembly (Slayton and Spinardi 2016). Boeings plan was to come up with a new supply chain and assembly modus operandi for its 787 jet. The general idea of Boeing was to allocate the Tier 1 suppliers more sovereignty to blueprint and structure the major portions of 787. The sections would be effective cutouts of the 787 jet integral for electronic cabling, inner walls, seat and control. The job of the Tier 1 suppliers is to accumulate the sections of parts supplied by Tier 2 suppliers before the 787s pre assembled section gets shipped (www.boeing.com 2016). Those fully assembled sections of 787 were flown in back from its global partners to the Everett base on a specially designed cargo 747-8. Both shipping and assembling got down to just 6-7 days and also reduced the implementat ion and developmental cost by 7-8 billion dollars (West 2013). Boeings financial risk also got reduced through offering the initial cost of assembling the sections to the Tier contributors. Boeing influenced its extended supply chain and partnered the mechanized resources as a competitive improvement in reducing cost through developing the time-to-market. The Boeing witnessed it the first time in its History where global partners fabricated the bulk of an airplane. Boeing came up with some strategies for achieving the best results: -Establishing the model of shared risk between Boeing and its supply partners. -Synchronizing the supply, order and information related to inventory across the supply partners. -Moving to the partner-led manufacturing and fabrication model for the 787 Dreamliner. -Investing in visibility tools of logistics and specific transport apparatus for moving large subassemblies across the world. The building of 787 saw an important shift in the supply chain of Boeing 787. Boeing has around 140 different suppliers positioned in various parts of the world having different time zones which required it putting a supply chain management software system for communicating schedules, needs of supply, and shipping events. 1 suppliers late delivery could have jeopardized the whole assembling and building process. Difference between outsourcing of Boeing 787 and its earlier aircrafts: Component Earlier Aircraft 787 Dreamliner Sourcing Type 35% 45% is being outsourced 75% is outsourced Supplier relationships Contractor Strategic Partner Supplier Role Parts are being produced Developing and producing 787 sections # of Suppliers Thousands 40-50 Tier 1 partners Contracts Fixed price with delay Penalty imposed Risk sharing model Assembly 30-90 days 3 days Source: (Shenhar et al. 2016) Boeings Problems in Outsourcing: Over the years Boeing has been in the process of developing engineering and assembly teams, tooling specialists and certain other departments in handling the complex procedure of building aircrafts with components which is more than millions. However, Boeing did have the capability of getting things done, though costly, but it had some excellent workers in its kitty to attain those objectives. Boeing used the assistance of an outside contractor once in a while for keeping down the costs. It so happen that, when 747 was in use, only 5% of the parts of the airplane were outsourced. The era of 777 saw this number get increased over time to 30%. A strong bond, a good partnership with suppliers is build over the years. The blueprint designs and engineering was carried out at the home office of Boeing and parts were made to be outsourced provider to those provisions (Tang and Zimmerman 2013). As per Shenhar et al. (2016), the in-house assembling factory of Boeing 747 saw parts being brough t back where they were put under supervision and compared to the original blueprints. In case any error did happen from suppliers part, it was wedged before it got amassed into the jet. Competition has always been of the fierce level with Airbus emerging as not just a contender but a real threat that looked to sweep off Boeing. This fierce competition saw airlines cutting down costs and profits becoming smaller. Each and every airline company negotiated with both the Boeing and Airbus to cut the margins. Boeings idea of building a 787 Dreamliner was more seen as a specimen of value for its consumers, delivery speed and measures of cost cutting. Outsourcing was the only way that Boeing thought of as a probable solution for both (Schwartz and Busby 2014). The outsourcing of 787 as thought by Boeing was decentralized and global, where 70% of its parts would be outsourced (Nolan 2012). Boeing entered into contracts with Tier suppliers, but issues emerged when some of those suppliers of 787 were not delivering parts on time. Certain suppliers were stressed out with the technical requirements and lacked certain level of expertise in creating certain parts. As per the Boeing contract, the company decided to help the suppliers with issues having contracts (Qazi et al. 2015). One of the major suppliers of Boeing did not possess a department of engineering at the time it entered into the contract, the situation was handled with Boeing calling its in-house engineers to assist the contracted suppliers in fixing costs at the expense of Boeing (Denning 2013). This problem grew big and it led to Boeing buying out contracts and moving parts in-house at a staggering 1 billion dollar. There were certain technical problems too which included fasteners of plane skin that was not correctly seated due to a bevel in the clasp itself. An embarrassing issue which did emerged in the first 5 planes that were built after the pressurization of jumbos uncovered the defect. Another flaw that cropped up in the assembly was when it was comprehended that the seam between fragments ran right through an opening of a window and the windows required being detached (Russo 2016). Airlines companies were not convinced with this and were concerned the difficulties that the customers might face. It is fascinating to learn how big companies like Boeing commit mistakes of such large scale. Boeing could not deliver its 787 Dreamliner to its clients on schedule because of the industry wide scarcity of fasteners related to aerospace. The company boasts of one of the most efficient inventory management system based on the ordering system called the Min/Max; information were conveyed daily on the levels of current inventory and the level of inventory that needs to be preserved for each floor beam part within the factory of Boeing. Boeings inventory system was a huge success and it was implemented in the fasteners as well. However, the supply chain of 787 could not exploit its partners for speeding up procurement of 80% fasteners. Boeings mistake was that it did not realize the issue would take a big turn and cause problems. A thorough investigation suggested that Boeings Min/Max system of managing inventory showcased variance in prices. Boeing had its suppliers based all across the globe which sometimes hampers timely delivery of the parts need to be assembled at its factory for manufacturing the jumbo jet. It has happened many a times that due to this transportation issue of its, the company has lagged behind sometimes from its competitors. Boeings U.S budgetary cost saw a decline of 24% due to severance or on automatically spending cuts. However, it is not the only one that was expecting a cut down on its budget though it has other commercial plane models for producing the military products. The Boeing officials thought of building a jetliner factory outside Washington for the first time. But then the cost associated with it was much more than expected by the management. They estimated the cost to be around $ 1.5 billion, but currently the company has already spend around $28.5 billion more than the revenues it has earned in delivering the first 370 Dreamliners. No matter how much the Boeing executives say that the cost of making a 787 is manageable but the company is yet to recover the $28.5 billion. However, there was lack of any facility cost issue in Boeing. Boeings Avian chief, Jim Albaugh, commented that Boeing has spend a lot of money in recovering than they would have ever spend if all the key technologies were being kept closer to the company. He also admitted their fault in positioning people to areas where they were experiencing such technologies for the first time and Boeing did nothing to provide those people with the required supervision. Another issue with the Boeing 787 was its weight, most of its sections were built by the suppliers and because of that the weight climbed up, heavily affecting the final weight lift of 787 and its fuel economy (Das et al. 2016). Boeing was not the only part in the process of supply chain that was under the scrutiny to trim down the costs. As per Williard, Hendricks and Pecht (2013), Boeing put its Tier 1 suppliers under a lot of pressure too in cutting costs. The suppliers even complained that the initiative of Boeings Partnering for Success was benefitting the company more than the suppliers. It also had some issues with the Lithium-ion battery packs which grounded the 787 jets for over a period of 3 months. Inadequate design and improper testing led to a situation of that sort, where the National Transportation Safety Board burdened Boeing for not being able to anticipate how the power packs might have failed and alluded to the battery producer, GS Yuasa Corp. for poorly manufacturing of the same (Zhao 2015). Boeings estimation was that there is chances of failing a single cell on one of its 787 batteries are one in 10 millions, but that was not the real picture. Failures were happening thick and fast and it led to the NTSBs report where 787 became the longest grounding commercial aircraft by the regulators of US since inception of jets in 1950s (Messina et al. 2016). The interested fact was that GS Yuasa Corp.s tested batteries were not the same as the ones fixed on the fleet of Dreamliner, and the tests of the same did not anticipate the severe conditions as seen in service (Heller 2013). In 2016, Boeing sent supply chain shockwaves, alerting that the total production output and deliveries of this year would be much lower than that was achieved the previous year. It has faltered in its ability to scale-up the current and future production volume output. Association of Risks: Chances of addressing the risks were a galore for Boeing as it was building its 787. It lacked any kind of contingency plan if the Tier supplier system failed to work. The Tier system was posed with lot of challenges and difficulties where the executives of Boeing did not lessen the risk of the supplier parts being inferior or not designed in a proper manner (Schofield 2013). Boeing did not felt necessary to substitute the suppliers having issues. Most of its problems were not from the outside, but from within the corporate houses. The Boeing executives believed that their concepts were well on track and would eventually work out. However, eventually nothing worked out for them and they lost touch with the economic risk of 787s supply chain and the reputation it has gained over the years (Chen and Lee 2016). Boeings reputation is still under the fire and it is finding ways to put everything back on track. Recommendations: An official of the Boeing commented that the global supply chain of the company is well under control and that the management is looking to ratchet up the process of production. The company should try and make up for the earlier delays based on the difficulties in administrating 325 suppliers for building parts or sections of the 787 model around the 5000 factories it has worldwide. The management needs to identify the production work at a minimum amount and keeping it in house so that there is enough cash in the kitty for future projects. The company should also look for retaining sufficient in-house production so that their engineers have the time and scope to acquire the skills required for developing of the new products. Moreover, Boeing should keep in mind that outsourcing should be done focusing on the better facilities as provided by different outsourcing companies and not on the basis of the lower labor rate that companies sometimes indulges into for saving cash, but in most situations the productivity gets hampered as those labors do not possess the skill to get things done in the same manner as perceived by the company. Moreover, companies need to understand that outsourcing leads to increase in total time and cost in transportation, eliminating profit which is associated with the work. It is important in identifying the precision of suppliers in the earlier tasks which will either eliminate or help reducing the larger costs in the later stages. Boeing needs to understand that cost saving techniques like outsourcing and working in high volume industries are inappropriate for the low volume industries such as Aerospace. Boeing would be better off in finding work to fill the surfeit capability instead of closing down or selling things off to boost the bottom line. 787 is the most outsourced in the history of Boeing, with Japanese companies like Mitsubishi Heavy industries and Fuji Heavy Industries accounting for more than one third of its components. Boeing named Fuji Heavy as the supplier of 2011, buying mechanism from 160 companies in Japan and overseas. Boeing needs to communicate more frequently with its suppliers, allocation of information about its own forecasts and plans in production. It needs to increase its scrutiny on its suppliers in evaluating their own vendors. Boeing has introduced Lean manufacturing principles which are bringing in great results for the company where it is relying mostly on its suppliers in achieving the results of the demand of the customers. Boeings Lean principles like just-in-time and point of use delivery for streamlining its production process is all about asking its suppliers to manufacture and deliver components using those techniques of just-in-time. In recent days, Boeing along with its suppliers has set the levels of inventory focusing on the rates of consumption required for supporting production. This technique has helped Boeing in forecasting things in a proper manner and improving on the cash flow. In order to improve the rate of efficiency Boeing has reduced the core supply base of its and have substituted them with high-performing suppliers. An overall reduction of 78% in the number of suppliers is what Boeing has come up with to enhance its supply chain. The idea of working with the best suppliers has also ensured timely delivery of its parts which was a big issue. Transportation problem have been well sorted out by the company management in order to keep pace with the competition. Boeing has kept its focus on customers through the use of its intellectual capital. Its idea of working with best suppliers ensures highest quality performance and lowest unit costs for its customers. Conclusion: There were plenty of reasons for Boeing to build on its 787 Dreamliner in the way they actually did. Boeing is trying to reduce the costs and spread the financial responsibilities in being relevant and exploring new technologies so as to compete with Airbus in the best way. Boeing would have still made profits had it not built the 787 jet but then in order to compete and be viable the move was a necessary one. Boeing has been responsible for building some of the magnificent planes, and then it was questionable on why it left the building of the plane to certain new comers in the supply chain. Another area of concern is that why Boeing gave away profits to its Tier 1 suppliers in building parts which it could have easily done in-house. Building in-house would have cost a bit more but then the wastage in opportunities of profit making, batteries catching fire and suppliers delivering problematic projects added up to Boeings miseries. Estimation was that the new supply chain process wou ld have saved Boeing around $1.5 billion; however, it ended up $12 billion over the budget. Boeing has outsourced on previous occasions too for its 747 and 777 models. Selection of new suppliers along with keeping the design and control in-house would have been the order of the day with proper usage of the skillful Boeing engineers for assisting suppliers and keeping the communication going between the suppliers and the management in building a jet on time and within the stipulated budget. Reference: Boeing.com. (2016).Boeing: The Boeing Company. https://www.boeing.com/ [Accessed 19 Dec. 2016]. Chen, S. and Lee, H., 2016. Incentive alignment and coordination of project supply chains.Management Science. Das, S., Warren, J., West, D. and Schexnayder, S.M., 2016. Global Carbon Fiber Composites Supply Chain Competitiveness Analysis.Contract. Denning, S., 2013. What went wrong at Boeing.Strategy Leadership,41(3), pp.36-41. Gudmundsson, S.V., 2015. Global Partnering: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Beyond.Available at SSRN. Heller, A., 2013. 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Modelling project complexity driven risk paths in new product development. InIndustrial Engineering and Systems Management (IESM), 2015 International Conference on(pp. 938-945). IEEE. Qin, F., Rao, U.S., Gurnani, H. and Bollapragada, R., 2014. Role of random capacity risk and the retailer in decentralized supply chains with competing suppliers.Decision Sciences,45(2), pp.255-279. Russo, J.E., 2016. How Boeing reframed its supply chain to build the dreamliner.The Business Management Collection. Schofield, A., 2013. Waiting game: ANA cancels Boeing 787 flights through May as fallout from battery issue continues.Aviation Week Space Technology,175(8). Schwartz, L.A. and Busby, J., 2014. The 787 Dreamliner: Will it be a dream or nightmare for Boeing Co.?.Journal of Case Research in Business and Economics,5, p.1. Shenhar, A.J., Holzmann, V., Melamed, B. and Zhao, Y., 2016. The Challenge of Innovation in Highly Complex Projects: What Can We Learn from Boeing's Dreamliner Experience?.Project Management Journal,47(2), pp.62-78. Slayton, R. and Spinardi, G., 2016. Radical innovation in scaling up: Boeings Dreamliner and the challenge of socio-technical transitions.Technovation,47, pp.47-58. Sodhi, M.S. and Tang, C.S., 2012. Application: Mitigating New Product Development RisksThe Case of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. InManaging Supply Chain Risk(pp. 161-179). Springer US. Tang, C.S. and Zimmerman, J., 2013. Information and communication technology for managing supply chain risks.Communications of the ACM,56(7), pp.27-29. West, J.E., 2013. The nature and value of computing education in aerospace.ACM Inroads,4(4), pp.51-55. Williard, N., He, W., Hendricks, C. and Pecht, M., 2013. Lessons learned from the 787 Dreamliner issue on lithium-ion battery reliability.Energies,6(9), pp.4682-4695. Wisner, J.D., Tan, K.C. and Leong, G.K., 2014.Principles of supply chain management: a balanced approach. Cengage Learning. Zhao, Y., 2015. Why 787 Delays Were Inevitable?.Available at SSRN 2647588.

manajerial economic and business strategy Essay Example

manajerial economic and business strategy Paper Managerial Economics Business Strategy Chapter 6 The Organization of the Firm Michael R. Baye, Managerial Economics and Business Strategy, 5e. Hakan TASCI McGraw-Hill/lrwin Elon University rights reserved. Departmentby 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, All rights reserved. Copyright OCopyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. lnc. All Spring 2007 2006 of Economics Overview l. Methods of Procuring Inputs Spot Exchange Contracts Vertical Integration II. Transaction Costs Specialized Investments Ill. Optimal Procurement Input V. Principal-Agent Problem Owners-Managers Managers-workers Elon University Copyright Economics Department Ofc 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Spring 2007 Managers Role Procure inputs in the least cost manner, like point B. Provide incentives for workers to put forth effort. Failure to accomplish this results in a point like A. Achieving points like B managers must Use all inputs efficiently. costly method. Costs $100 10 Methods of Procuring Inputs Spot Exchange When the buyer and seller of an input meet, exchange, and then go their separate ways. No official contracts, no long term relation Contracts A legal document that creates an extended relationship between a buyer and a seller. Ex: Car Rental Companies and Auto maintenance Vertical Integration When a firm shuns other suppliers and chooses to produce an input internally. Set up your own service in the rental company. No specialization. Specialization, avoids contracting costs, avoids costs of vertical integration. Possible hold-up problem. Contracting Specialization, reduces opportunism, avoids skimping on specialized investments. Costly in complex environments. Reduces opportunism, avoids contracting costs. We will write a custom essay sample on manajerial economic and business strategy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on manajerial economic and business strategy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on manajerial economic and business strategy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Lost specialization and may increase organizational costs. Transaction Costs Costs of acquiring an input over and above the amount paid to the input supplier. Includes: Search costs. Negotiation costs. Other required investments or expenditures. Some transactions are general in nature while others are specific to a trading relationship. Investments made to allow two parties to exchange but has little or no value outside of the exchange Site specificity. Physical-asset specificity. Dedicated assets. Human capital. Lead to higher transaction costs Costly bargaining. Underinvestment. Opportunism and the hold-up problem. and Contract Length MC MBI Due to greater need for specialized investments MBO Longer Contract Contract Length Optimal Input Procurement Substantial specialized investments relative to contracting costs? Yes No Complex contracting environment relative to costs of integration? Vertical Integration The Principal-Agent Problem Occurs when the principal cannot observe the effort of the agent. Example: Shareholders (principal) cannot observe the effort of the manager (agent). Example: Manager (principal) cannot observe the effort of workers (agents). ? The Problem: Principal cannot determine whether a bad outcome was the result of the agents low effort or due to bad luck. Managers must recognize the existence of the principal-agent problem and devise plans to align the interests of workers with that of the firm. Shareholders must create plans to align the interest of the manager with those of the shareholders. Solving the Problem Between Owners and Managers Internal incentives Incentive contracts. Stock options, year-end bonuses. External incentives Personal reputation. Potential for takeover. Managers and Workers Profit sharing Revenue sharing Piece rates Time clocks and spot checks Conclusion The optimal method for acquiring inputs depends on the nature of the transactions costs and specialized nature of the inputs being procured. To overcome the principal-agent problem, principals must devise plans to align the Michael R. Baye, Managerial Economics and Business Strategy, 5e. Copyright 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Additional Review Bayes Text, pages 229-233 Question #23, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 16, 18 Chapter 3 Demonstration Problems 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Concept Review Spot, Trade Off, Specialization, Reputation

International Business and mergers and acquisitions The WritePass Journal

International Business and mergers and acquisitions Essay question 2 International Business and mergers and acquisitions , imaa-institute.org/docs/ma/bearingpoint_01_avoiding%20post-merger%20blues.pdf Gaughan, P. A. (1991), Mergers and Acquisitions, HarperCollins, New York. Cartwright, S. and Schoenberg, R. (2006), Thirty Years of Mergers and Acquisitions Research: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities, British Journal of Management, vol. 1, issue S1, pp.S1–S5. Ghadar, F. and Ghemawat, P. (2000), The Dubious Logic of Global MegaMergers. Harvard Business Review. Graham, Edward M., and J. David Richardson, eds. (1997), Global Competition Policy, Institute for International Economics, Washington DC. Hill, C. (2010), International Business Competing in the Global Marketplace, (8th Edition) McGraw Hill, London. James, G. (2007), Lessons from Mega-mergers, CBS News, viewed April 27, 2012, cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-51163246/lessons-from-the-mega-mergers/ Straub, T. (2007), Reasons for frequent failure in Mergers and Acquisitions: A comprehensive analysis, Deutscher Universitts-Verlag, Wiesbaden.

Winning Attitude Essays - Attitude, Cheating In Video Games

Winning Attitude Essays - Attitude, Cheating In Video Games Winning Attitude A winning attitude is being a good sport. People who always brag about winning don't have a winning attitude. Not all people have a winning attitude. Although a lot do. When you play a game and a person always says that they are going to win, then they don't have a winning attitude. When you are playing a game with somebody and both of you play fair then you both have winning attitudes. A winning attitude helps alot in games. Some people only care about winning. Thats not a winning attitude. When you play a game and the other person loses, if they are all upset and angry, they should not play because they dont have a winning attitude. Sometimes people like to cheat just to win a game. When half of the time the person who cheated ends up losing. Then they look bad because they lost even though they cheated. So, don't cheat, cheaters never win. Always play fair. When you play a game don't be rude to the other player(s). And don't be rude to your own teammates. If you play a game like basketball, don't be a ballhog and not pass the ball to anyone else. Share the ball and let the team win the game, don't win the game for the team. Just one person can't win the whole game by themself. It takes a whole team to win. Teamwork is what makes the team, and what gives you, and the rest of the team a winning attitude. All of these factors are important to have a winning attitude. Even when you lose a game you still need a winning attitude. After the game go shake hands with the other team. Say good game or good job. If you or somebody you know gets all mad or upset if they lose a game tell them that they don't have a winning attitude. Even if you have a winning attitude encourage others to have one too. The more winning attitudes, the more winners, or example; After a baseball game you don't see the baseball players yelling or screaming at eachother. They ALL walk out on the field and shake hands a nd say good game. So remember, even if you win or lose, you should always have a winning attitude.

A Property, Market and Class-based Foundation of Disney Essay

A Property, Market and Class-based Foundation of Disney - Essay Example The Walt Disney Corporation conforms to this model suggested by Rifkin. Firstly, it is akin to a gated, networked community where a virtual reality is created through networking. Secondly, the diversification of its capital and business interests – the shift away from property into internet-based leasing, outsourcing and primarily marketing. The third aspect is the shifting emphasis placed on cultural and intellectual capital as opposed to material goods. Rifkin’s theory is grounded in the basic premise that in the age of access, the foundation of commerce is shifting away from the property and out into cyberspace. The Hollywood organizational model is a manifestation of this phenomenon. It consists of individual productions where actors, directors, production personnel, investors and a host of ancillary talent comes together for a short period in order to take advantage of an opportunity offered by a particular market, only to dissolve again once the production is completed (Rifkin 28). For subsequent productions, different elements will be brought together. The idea behind this is a partial synergy of sorts wherein capitalistic self-interest in a networked economy is completely governed by the prevailing market at a particular time.This principle may be seen to operate in the case of Disney, especially in its mergers with other companies that have been carried out at strategic times. Disney’s latest acquisition of a c omputer animation company Pixar is only one of a long line of mergers and strategic partnerships that have helped Disney to adapt successfully to changes in the environment. The creative elements supplied by Pixar when working in synergy with the financial clout of Disney have served to produce a superior product.The strategic move of acquisition of Pixar is a response to the technological environment where success is inherent in intellectual products that are a source of revenue through the provision of the license to access. In a similar manner, Disney and ABC television have merged, in order to strategically exploit the combined market that belongs to both companies through one entity.

Supply Side Model of Economics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Supply Side Model of Economics - Research Paper Example This paper discusses the assumptions of the supply side model of economics, highlighting on its features, assumed benefits and the role the government plays in it. It further highlights the reasons and when the model was introduced, whether it is a viable model in current economics and its downfalls. Supporting the idea that supply (or production) of goods and services is significant for economic growth, supply side economics attempts to explain macroeconomic phenomena as well as offer policies for steady growth Through a period of time, the improved growth in the economy will create a larger tax base that will compensate revenue that was lost through the tax cut. Also referred to as trickle-down economics, it is based on the theory that income tax cuts mean workers get higher pay that they can spend and provides entrepreneurs and investors an incentive to invest and save Supply side economics argues for three key policies which are tax, regulatory and monetary. The supply curve of the model bends backwards, with the assumption that tax cuts can unlock significant growth in the supplied quantity of productive resources to the economy, in terms of capital and labor and increasing Gross Domestic Product The supply side theory believes that producers, as well as their enthusiasm to produce services and goods, are the ones that determine the rate of economic growth. The supply side model assumes that less regulation will allow greater supply levels services and goods for the benefit of consumers at lower prices.

Richman Investments Essay Example for Free

Richman Investments Essay Overview To stop malware problems from occurring at Richman Investments Protecting Richman investments employees, partners and company from illegal or damaging actions by individuals either knowingly or unknowingly Internet /intranet/ extranet related systems including but not limited to computer equipment, software, operating systems, storage media, network accounts providing electronic mail, www browsing, and FTP, are the property of Richman investments. These systems are to be used for business purposes in serving the interests of the company and of our clients and customers in the course of normal operations Purpose The purpose of this policy is to mitigate the improper use of company computer asset these rules are in place to protect the employee and Richman investments. Inappropriate use exposes Richman investments to risks including virus attacks, compromise of network systems and services, and legal issues. Scope I would like to implement a new AUP policy to stop these problems from occurring they need to design an AUP to let user know what they can or can’t do on the system. And use the IT department to restrict access to removable devices. Policy 1.While Richman investments network administration desires to provide a reasonable level of privacy, users should be aware that the data they create on the corporate systems remains the property of Richman investments. Because of the need to protect Richman investments network, management cannot guarantee the confidentiality of information stored on any network device belonging to Richman investments. 2.Employees are responsible for creating guidelines concerning personal use of Internet/Intranet/Extranet systems. In the absence of such policies, employees should be guided by departmental policies on personal use and if there is any uncertainty, employees should consult their supervisor or manager. 3.For security and network maintenance purposes, authorized individuals within Richman investments may monitor equipment systems and network traffic at any time. 4.Richman investments reserve the right to audit networks and systems on a  periodic basis to ensure compliance with this poli cy. Security and Proprietary Information 1.The user interface for information contained on internet/intranet/Extranet related systems should be classified as either confidential or not confidential, as defined by corporate confidentiality guidelines details of which can be found in the HR policies. Examples of confidential information include but are not limited to company private, corporate strategies, competitor sensitive, trade secrets specifications, customer lists, and research data. Employees should take all necessary steps to prevent unauthorized access to this information. 2.Keep passwords secure and do not share accounts. Authorized users are responsible for the security of their passwords and accounts. System level passwords should be changed quarterly; user level passwords should be changed every six months. 3.All PCs, laptops and workstations should be secured with a password protected screensaver with the automatic activation feature set at 10 minutes or less or by logging off when the host will be unattended. 4.Use encryption of information in compliance with acceptable encryption n use policy 5.Postings by employees from a Richman investments email address to new groups should contain a disclaimer stating that the opinions expressed are strictly their own and not necessarily those of Richman investments unless posting is in the course of business duties. 6.All host used by the employee that are connected to the Richman investments , Internet/Intranet/Extranet, whether owned by the employee or Richman investments shall be continually executing approved virus scanning software with a current virus database unless overridden by departmental or group policy. 7.Employees must use extreme caution when opening email attachments received from unknown senders which may contain viruses, email bombs, or Trojan horse code. Unacceptable use The following activities are in general prohibited. Employees may be exempted from these restrictions during the course of their legitimate job responsibilities system administration staff may have a need to disable the network access of a host if that host is disrupting production services. Under no circumstances is an employee of Richman investments authorized to  engage in any activity that is illegal under local, state, federal or international law while utilizing Richman investments owned resources. Email and communications activities 1.Sending unsolicited email messages including the sending of junk mail or other advertising material to individuals who did not specifically request such material email spam. 2.Any form of harassment via email, telephone or paging whether through language, frequency or size messages. 3.Unauthorized use or forging of email header information. 4.Solicitation of email for any other email address other than that of the poster’s account with the intent to harass or collect replies. Enforcement  Any employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment

Comparing and Contrasting Shakespeares Play Romeo and Juliet and the M

Comparing and Contrasting Shakespeare's Play Romeo and Juliet and the Movie Version "[. . . E]mblems of mafia gang-land hostility: guns, fast cars, and tattoos [. . .]" (Walker 5) are not the usual images found in a Shakespearean play. Baz Luhrmann's 1996 production of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is: [. . .] told in a setting [. . .] that is modern and yet unfamiliar: a world where the youth might conceivably always go armed; a world where love can still be so thwarted and endangered; where the innocence and passion of the protagonists can be so out of step with the current mood. (Hamilton 3) The original drama and the 1996 movie production have more differences than similarities that can be seen in comparing them both. The scenes and the language in the movie are easier to understand than reading the play because of the modern day setting and the conversational use of Shakespeare's language. In the movie, the hatred that is held between the Montague and Capulet families and leads to the destruction of the love that is found between Romeo and Juliet is portrayed more clearly than in the play. The feud between the two families can be seen in the characters and the scenes compared in the play and the movie. In the first act of Shakespeare's play, Tybalt, who is a member of the Capulet family, is upset at Benvolio, who is a member of the Montague family. Benvolio has drawn his sword in order to "keep the peace" (Shakespeare 1.1). Tybalt's hatred toward the Montague family can be seen in the following passage to Benvolio: "What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, / As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee [. . .]" (Shakespeare 1.1). Samuel Taylor Coleridge suggests that "Tybalt is a man abandoned to h... ...or Why William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' Deserves Another Look." Literature/Film Quarterly 28.2 (2000): 118-124. 7 April 2001. . Goldman, Michael. "'Romeo and Juiliet': The Meaning of the Theatrical Experience." Shakespeare and the Energies of Drama. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP. 1972. 33-44. Rpt. in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. 2nd ed. Ed. J. A. Bryant, Jr. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1998. 160-170. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Ed. Shane Weller. New York: Dover P, 1993. Walker, Elsie. "Pop Goes the Shakespeare: Baz Luhrmann's William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet." Literature/Film Quarterly 28.2 (2000): 132-139. 7 April 2001. . William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Twentieth Century Fox. 1996.

Cultural Diversity Ewareness Essay

Many cultural differences abound in San Francisco’s educational institutions. The so many people of different races who live together in this side of the United Sates have quite a challenge trying to coexist because of their cultural differences occasioned by their differences in race, religion, gender, social status besides others. These differences pit the whites, Latinos, Caucasians, Black Americans and the physically challenged against each other in their day to day activities whether it is in the educational institutions, in church or in several other social organizations. A case in study here is the educational institution set up where these differences are so common they threaten to get out of control. All these groups live in a state of denial because they are not able to appreciate their cultural differences. Stereotyping coupled with worrying levels of intolerance has adversely affected social order in campuses since no one group is prepared to accept what they see as an act meant to devalue them from from an otherwise well- meaning different racial group. This has resulted in near total communication breakdown. One needs to be well acquainted with the several differences in the cultures of these students so as to be able to coexist without these unnecessary conflicts (Paul et al 1967). Black Americans and students from foreign countries mainly from Africa, Latin America and some Asian countries have most of the time had the going tough due to racial profiling. Discrimination is meted against them and their response is denial and defencse. A few respond to this challenge using minimization. Most cases of violent confrontations on many campuses in San Francisco are as a result of these differences which are more often than not ignored by the concerned authorities. Professionals handling students’ affairs should make every effort to infuse into students affairs work the needed skills that bring about multicultural competences, for example awareness and the knowledge together with the necessary skills so that the students can be able to work with fellow culturally different students in a way that bears meaning, relevance and productive ways (Pope, Reynolds & Mueller 2004). Cross-cultural communication is a big issue here as the different racial groups speak a language that sometimes has words that do not exist in the vocabulary of the others or words that bear different meanings and this presents a case of communication on cross-purposes and therefore conflicts are bound to be frequent. We are talking about slang, idioms and dialects that are not common to all. A student from outside the U. S. will not fully understand the meanings of many words used by their native college mates occasioning a breakdown in communication. This age-group has its own set of language that deviates from the common language, the only one they know and this brings misunderstandings among them posing a threat to communication. The physically challenged do not fare well in many socio-cultural settings due to heir disabilities. They are left to maneuver through the tight and difficult programs in the educational institutions on their own. The frustration resulting from these acts of abeism makes them react by way of misplaced aggression (Jaime 2004). To this, they respond by coiling to a corner to give the strong way, and so do some female students. College youth has serious intolerance for some religions especially Islam. Most of them in this region few and associate it with terrorism, which is a very harsh term to a fellow student, but still they cannot avoid using it against students from some Asian countries or those from a similar origin. Counseling needs to be given priority in resolving these various differences and biases. REFERENCES Jaime, (2004). Toward Multiculturalism: A Reader in Multicultural Education; Newton, Ma, Intellectual Resource Corporation. Paul et al, (1967). Pragmatics of Human Communication: A History of Interactional Patterns, Pathologies and Paradoxes. New York, W. W. Norton. Pope, Reynolds and Mueller, (2004). Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs; San Francisco, CA.

Implementing a Flexible Work Schedule

Flexible work schedules provide employees options regarding their working schedules for standard work week (Monday-Friday). These options include working from home (on occasion) to working a compacted amount of hours within the work week, limiting the amount of days in which the employee has to come into the office. Flexible work schedules are usually implemented with the intention of allowing employers the opportunity to have a well-balanced lifestyle between home and work. The primary or most popular work option chosen is flex-time (Russell H. O'Connell, 2009). Flex-time allows employees to negotiate there hours within the limits of management. Another option is a compressed work week which means that you have worked your 40 hours in less than the standard 5 days. An option that is becoming popular for industries that are technology focused if call job-sharing. Job-sharing allows employees to divide the work load between two employees, which gives each employee the flexibility of working virtually or from different parts of the country (Russell H. O'Connell, 2009). And then there is telecommuting, means that employees can complete their work time obligations from the leisure of their homes or a preferred location. The following Chart provides is a brief description of the flexible work options: A work schedule that condenses one or more standard workweeks into fewer, longer days. A work schedule with variable starting and ending times, within limits set by one's supervisor/manager. Employees still work the same number of scheduled hours as they would under a traditional arrangement. An arrangement in which two or more part-time (or occasional) employees share the responsibilities of one full-time job at a pro-rated salary. A work schedule that is less than full-time but is at least half of the regularly scheduled full time workweek. A block of time off while retaining one's job. These leaves may be paid or unpaid. A work arrangement in which employees regularly work at home or at an alternative work-site during part or all of a work schedule One assumption that is made by many employers is that allowing or implementing a flexible work schedule allows to retain your employees and maintain a more consistent work force (Pruchno, 2000). According to some, implementing and executing a flexible work schedule can reduce employee turnover, and save companies money in the long run on expenses associated with replacing valuable employees. Pruchno states that the cost associated with employee turnover can add up to 130% of the departing employee's salary (Pruchno, 2000). So for many, implementing flexible work schedules can be seen as a cost saving strategy. Another benefit for implementing a flexible work schedule can be measured by having a more relaxed, engaged, committed and productive employee (Families, 2012). Suzan Lewis wrote in her on implementing a flexible work schedule that, â€Å"both flex-time and compressed workweeks had positive effects on productivity/or self-rated performance, job satisfaction, and satisfaction with work schedules but that absenteeism was affected by ex-time only. â€Å"(Lewis, 2003). It later goes on to suggest that absenteeism had a relationship with the flexibility of the arrangement, where for example the different effects on absenteeism are because compressed work weeks are less flexible and therefore do not allow employees to, for example, make up time lost through illness or other reasons, as flex-time does, which results theoretically in a higher level of absenteeism (Lewis, 2003). The intended impacts and benefits for implementing a flexible work schedule is to balance work and lifestyle issues while increasing job productivity, commitment and employee satisfaction. One study concluded that employees operating under a flexible work scheduled usually demonstrate improved work and lifestyle balances immediately (Russell H. O'Connell, 2009). In fact the study states that â€Å"employees operating under flex-time work schedules displayed a more improved level of work and life balances than their counterparts utilizing traditional fixed-hour schedules. (Russell H. O'Connell, 2009). Now, although the impacts of a flexible work schedules may appear to have primarily positive results, an incorrect execution of this program can cause problems. Overall productivity, depending on the industry, could potentially drop if the wrong program is implemented. Issues related to fairness, can also come into place if the program is not implemented and executed accurately. Most employers and employees agree that the proper implementation of a flexible work schedule can help to maintain a work-life balance and can increase job satisfaction and productivity. However, the potential problems to implementing such a program are usually seen when too many options are made available or when the wrong option is made available without proper research and planning. Companies should know and have a clear understanding of the impacts of each flexible work option. Along with this knowledge, companies should understand the impacts of specific flexible work options on their operations. Flex-time and telecommuting may not work as well in a manufacturing environment as oppose to an office setting. And Job-sharing may not work well for an engineering company, as it works for an IT help desk company. So, companies will need to make sure that they have engaged themselves in a comprehensive planning process to determine the right fit. So, the success of implementing and executing flexible work schedule ideally hinges on the actual option that is implemented. Which means that the success is determined by the type of industry that it is implanted in (office work, operation, manufacturing, etc.); the working environment or culture; and the carefully instituted flexibility of the work option itself? Also, as was highlighted earlier, the degree of flexibility is relatively important as well as it relates to how effective the flexible option can be. An option that is too flexible can yield minimal results in the intended goal of cost savings and employee work and lifestyle improvements. However, an option that that may be considered to be not flexible enough may risks not to be seen by employees as being beneficial and may not yield to intended cost savings. In saying this, to maximize effectiveness in this respect, a medium needs to be found where the arrangement is flexible yet not to an extent that hinders the intended goals and outcomes. The following outline provides some practical steps for planning, implementing and assessing a flexible work schedule (Families, 2012): What impact will flexible time or work location arrangements have on your service to clients? What are the benefits for employees and the organization? What are the potential problems? Can you deal with them? What time, effort and money it will take to make flexible arrangements successful? Is training required to be sure managers and co-workers have the knowledge and skills Ask employees, possibly in a survey, what they want Consult widely – with other organizations, clients, board members, volunteers, staff Review options, consider strengths and weaknesses of these options Develop written policies and procedures for implementation and monitoring Communicate to board, clients, staff, volunteers, public Run a pilot for a trial period and evaluate it Have staff report back on the pilot to provide their feedback Amend and/or extend the program if necessary After the pilot has run, make any modifications or changes to the program Inform staff of new processes and procedures Continue to evaluate the program on a regular basis Solicit feedback from participants, make changes and adapt plan as required This outline provides some basic steps for getting started, putting/implementing an effective plan of action, and evaluating the plan for improvements and adjustments. It also touches on some required elements that will help the company to yield the intended goals and to obtain buy-in from employees and staff. Implementing a flexible work schedule can be very costly and time consuming in the beginning; however, putting together a realistic and comprehensive plan will go a long ways toward assuring effectiveness. Specifically, the best way to ensure an effective implantation and execution of a flexible work schedule is to make sure that the applied flexible work option suits the specific industry. For example, flex-time can be a relatively ineffective arrangement unless it is chosen for the right job. Allowing a school teacher a day off once a week is probably not a good idea if his/her class schedules require that they be in attendance from Monday-Friday. Whereas a data-analyst who works for a software company, could potentially work 10 hours a day for four days a week and can be just as or even more effective than if he/she work eight hours a day five days a week. So, for companies to truly maximize effectiveness in the implementation of a flexible work schedule, the right flexible work option needs to be applied. In conclusion the some of the benefits of implementing flexible work schedule are cost saving, low employee absenteeism, increased employee productivity and work performance. However, these benefits are only yielded if the company implements and executes the right flexible work option. In this report, detailed steps and recommendations have been provided for how companies can successfully implement a flexible work Schedule. To ensure that the intended goals are achieved it is important that companies make sure that they have identified and implemented the right flexible work option(s). They must also make sure that the implementation process is inclusive whereas employees and executive staff members are included, trained and provided an opportunity to provide input in the implementation process. Finally, implementing a flexible work schedule, if done correctly, can do wonders for employee morale and commitment.

Organelles essays

Organelles essays The cell membrane is an extremely important part of the cell. The animal and plant cells are held together by the cell membrane. The cell membrane is a lipid bilayer containing proteins, cholesterol, and oligosaccharides. The cell membrane functions as a selective barrier for entry and exit of substances. Without the cell membrane then the cell would fall apart and there would be no more cells. Vacuoles are also important to a cell. Most mature plant cells have a central vacuole, which often takes up more than 90% of the cell. Without a vacuole than a cell would be a lot smaller than they are now, even though they are really small now. Vacuoles in plants can store waste products and break them down so the waste doesnt harm the cell. The vacuoles also store different molecules a cell needs to survive. The vacuoles contain foods and oil. In a plant, when the vacuoles are full of water, then the plant stands straight up. When the plants vacuoles dont contain a lot of water then the plant will wilt, because the cell wall is the only thing holding up the plant. Without the vacuoles then the cell could possibly burst from having too much water, or the cell could not get enough energy, because there would be no extra stored food. Plants would always be wilted, because there would be no vacuole full of water to hold the plant up straight. White blood cells consume bacterium and destroy it. When this takes place the white blood cells lysosomes do most of the work. They combine with the vesicle of engulfed material and release digestive enzymes to break up the material. Just like when a cell takes in molecules of food, the lysosomes break the food down into smaller and simpler products that the cell can use. If the lysosomes pick up a really bad intruder then they will eat it up and eject what is left of it out of the cell. Lysosomes are able to do this because they are filled with enz ...

55 House Idioms

55 House Idioms 55 House Idioms 55 House Idioms By Mark Nichol The integral nature and the ubiquity of houses in our culture has given rise to a number of idiomatic expressions that include the word house. This post lists such terms. 1. A house divided against itself cannot stand: A statement from a speech by Abraham Lincoln based on biblical scripture and alluding to the impending conflict between the North and the South over slavery 2. A house is not a home: A saying that differentiates a physical building from a dwelling identified with a family 3. A house of cards: a precarious situation, from the notion of an activity in which one or more people try to build a structure out of vertically placed playing cards without causing it to collapse 4. A plague on both your houses: A curse, based on a line from Romeo and Juliet, in which the speaker expresses disgust with both parties in a dispute 5. As safe as houses: In British English, a reference on the presumption that a house is secure, to satisfactory protection 6. Basket house: A music venue in which performers earn only money collected in a basket or other receptacle as donations 7. Big house: Slang for prison, or a reference to the main residence of an estate 8. Boardinghouse reach: An especially long reach across a table, alluding to the relaxed table manners of a boardinghouse, a lodging in which meals are provided 9. Bottom the house: A reference to thoroughly cleaning a place 10. Brick house: A sexually attractive woman, from the notion that she, on the analogy of a sturdy structure made of brick, is well built 11–12. Bring down the house/bring the house down: A reference to a performer being so entertaining that everyone in the venue in which the person is performing responds so enthusiastically that the performance is temporarily interrupted 13–15. Call house/house of ill fame/repute: Euphemisms for brothel 16. Clean house: A reference to thoroughly reforming an organization by replacing employees or members or changing policies or traditions 17. Crack house: Slang for a house from which crack cocaine is sold 18. Dream house: A house one considers ideal as a residence 19. Eat (one) out of house and home: Deplete all the food in a house 20–21. Fox guarding the henhouse/in the henhouse: A proverbial reference to the folly of allowing a person inimical to an organization to lead it or be involved in it 22. Full house: Said of an entertainment venue with the audience at capacity 23. Get (one’s) own house in order: An admonition to improve one’s own situation before criticizing another person for theirs 24. Get along like a house on fire: Become friends immediately upon meeting 25–26. Go around/round the houses: An expression, synonymous with â€Å"beating around the bush,† alluding to a person talking about trivial matters to avoid bringing up a sensitive topic 27. Halfway house: A residence for rehabilitating ex-convicts, drug addicts, or mental patients; by extension, a midpoint 28. Hash house: An inexpensive restaurant 29. Haunted house: A house thought to be inhabited by ghosts or spirits 30. House band: A musical ensemble hired to play regularly at a venue on its own, backing up visiting performers, or both 31. House music: A style of electronic dance music similar to disco but with few or no lyrics 32. House of correction: A euphemism for prison 33. House of many doors: Slang for prison 34. House poor: Able to afford housing costs but little else 35. House specialty: A menu item or other product that a business takes pride in offering 36. House wine: Any type of wine offered as a specialty of a restaurant or bar 37. Housebreak: Train a pet to use a special receptacle or go outside to urinate or defecate; by extension, make polite or submissive 38. Housewarming party: A celebration to commemorate moving into a new residence 39. In the house: Present (usually in the context of an entertainer being in a performing venue) 40. Keep house: Manage a household 41. Keep open house: Said of a residence in which visitors are always welcome 42. Lady of the house: A woman who manages a household 43. Like a house on fire: Quickly, from the notion that a burning house will swiftly become engulfed in flames 44. My house is your house: An expression of hospitality to make a guest feel welcome 45. On the house: Free (meaning that the house, or establishment, will on a special occasion pay for a product offered in the establishment) 46. Open house: An event in which visitors are welcome, either for a house party, a showing of a residence for sale, or an event in which members of the public are invited to visit an organization’s headquarters 47. Out of house and home: Evicted or otherwise deprived of shelter 48. Outhouse: An outdoor toilet 49. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones: A proverb that discourages hypocrisy; compare â€Å"put (one’s) own house in order† 50. Play house: Pretend to engage in activities associated with being part of a family (usually said of children role-playing domestic behaviors such as cooking and cleaning) 51. Put (one’s) house in order: Manage one’s affairs; contrast with â€Å"Put (one’s) own house in order† 52. Put (one’s) own house in order: An expression exhorting people to take care of their own affairs before criticizing how others handle theirs; compare â€Å"Those who own glass houses shouldn’t throw stones† and contrast with â€Å"Put (one’s) house in order† 53. Rock the house: Elicit an enthusiastic response from an audience 54. Shotgun house: Slang for a long, narrow house built with rooms in a straight line, from the notion that a shotgun shell could be fired through the front door and out the back door 55. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house: A reference to a dramatic performance that causes everyone in the audience in a performance venue to cry Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals20 Rules About Subject-Verb AgreementOne Scissor?

Economic growth in eygpt Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic growth in eygpt - Assignment Example Egypt’s economic growth still faces numerous risks with high political, economic, and security risks. The country also registers a significant tax and oppression risk and medium legal risks. However, the country seems to be on a positive trend despite the evident risks. The forecast summary presented in the report highlights that the country’s economic outlook is better due to the political stability resulting from the May 2014 elections. The country is also experiencing an unexpected rate cut by the central bank of Egypt, a factor that defines Egypt’s highly dynamic economic environment. Worth noting is the fact that the exchange rate risks in Egypt have also soared immensely (Country Reports: Egypt, 2015). The IHS report predicts that Egypt’s economic growth is likely to register acceleration in the medium term outlook. However, the long-term economic growth may be adversely affected by the risks mentioned above. The Country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has also surged in the first quarter and is likely to improve because of the political stability witnessed after 2014 elections. The country also receives financial aids from the Gulf countries. According to the report, the consumer demand is likely to face challenges because there is still an ongoing crisis. In case of capital investment, the country will register reduced inflows of foreign direct investment because of the political and security risks. However, more direct investment from foreign countries may be registered in the future when the country’s economic landscape stabilizes. Although the government is making efforts to promote foreign investments, political uncertainties are serving as a backlash (p. 10). Egypt’s labor market reveals that the conditions will be poor in the short-term until there is economic stability. Egypt’s inflation rates are likely to reduce because commodity prices have decreased remarkably. As mentioned above,

Historical figure-prove with evidence that Jesus actually excited Research Paper

Historical figure-prove with evidence that Jesus actually excited - Research Paper Example In the simplest terms, this is the case of Paul having the means to verify through James whether he had a brother Jesus or not. This is a natural means of verifying Jesus’ existence through relationships verification. This same process works in the case of for Paul directly knowing Peter, the disciple who is nearest to Jesus. If Jesus did not exist, then Peter would have told Paul so. This is common sense, given the public nature of Pauls work. Peter would have corrected him if Jesus did not exist. Also, Jesus being a life-defining figure for Paul, it would have been fantastic if he did not try to discuss Jesus with Peter and James. Peter and James would have corrected hm if Jesus did not exist. The personal relationships of Paul with James and Peter therefore stand as very solid pieces of evidence for the historical existence of Jesus. In turn, Pauls life accounts in the Bible can be taken as concrete evidence for the same (Ehrman, 2012). In Galatians 2, we have an account of the precise nature of that personal relationship and interaction between James the brother of Jesus and Paul, with Paul attesting to his being accepted by the disciples as a representative of the church to the Gentiles, in the same manner that Peter was the apostle for those who were part of the group of circumcised people. â€Å"James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me (Galatians 2:9 New International Version). In Galatians 1, too, Paul narrates his personal close contact with Peter, who he calls Cephas, and his encounter with James. This was when he visited Jerusalem, and when he stayed there with Peter for fifteen days: â€Å"Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother† (Galatians 1:18-19). Evans (2012), on the other hand, focuses on the

History of women in the military Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History of women in the military - Research Paper Example It has only been since recent decades that women have been welcomed into the military, but before this, it was something that was often done discretely. Even though women had often be seen in wars in the ancient and medieval battles, such as Joan of Arc in 1429 (Willens, 1996), it was in the early 1900s that women were being spoken against about why they should not participate in war. One of the biggest arguments was that women should stay at home and tend to their family, leaving their husbands to battle. Many women accepted this, though many more had the counterargument that the men could stay home while the women went off to fight. This was always quickly shot down, though, as the mothers were the ones that children really relied on. Other arguments included the fact that women were not physically built as men were, and therefore unlikely to handle the physical burden of being in a war; the emotional nature of a woman was also looked down upon, with many males and military officials believing that women did not have what it took to handle to emotional and often traumatic impacts of war. Women, however, fought their own battle to be allowed the chance to fight the other battles. The more that military officials realized how many women were sneaking into the wars, the more open they became to accepting them, also realizing that they could be huge assets in the outcome of the wars. Their male counterparts took their willingness as something positive that could be applied to the war; after all, nobody could deny someone who sincerely wanted to fight for a cause or for their country. Men quickly found the positives in this level of strength. It was World War I that really brought the change that women had been fighting for when the United States Navy began to accept women for enlisted service. After a successful first World War, it became clear that it would be beneficial to have women enlisted by

The Function and Process of Perception Essay Example for Free

The Function and Process of Perception Essay The function and process of perception can vary depending on a particular state of consciousness. Normal waking consciousness is a mental state that encompasses the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that occur when we are awake and reasonably alert (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 123). Since this state of mind expires after an amount of time, other forms of consciousness follow; whether naturally or self-induced. While sensory data is inevitable, the brains interpretation and perception of such stimuli during an altered state of consciousness will differ from that of waking consciousness. This mini-paper will elaborate on the effects of perception, including its process and function, related to three altered states of consciousness. The first being sleep and dreams, next drug-altered consciousness, followed by hypnosis. Before discussing the effects of perception while in an altered state, an overview of the basic function and process of perception in a normal setting is needed. Sensation is the bodys initial encounter with a sensory experience. This begins when the sensory receptors receive energy from a particular stimulus, which trigger receptor cells. The physical energy is converted into electrochemicals, then passes along sensory nerves, to the central nervous system where the brain receives the energy as a detailed message. However, not all physical energy produces a sensation. A minimum intensity, termed absolute threshold, must be achieved in order to produce a sensation. Perception takes place when the message reaches the brain and is then deciphered. Here, the sensory information is organized and interpreted to be made sense of. Using sensory information as raw material, the brain creates perceptual experiences that go beyond what is sensed directly (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 06). Again, this is the series of events in the normal waking state of consciousness. During an altered state of consciousness the effect, process, and/or function of perception may vary. Sleep is the bodys natural way of recharging itself mentally and physically. Research has shown that adequate sleep contributes to cognitive functioning such as enhanced creativity, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, and also crucial to the formation of long-term memories (Morris Maisto, 2010). These are some of the basis of perception, hence the reason for its peak during waking consciousness. REM sleep, or paradoxical sleep, ironically, is a close resemblance to waking consciousness. However, REM is a deep sleep, it is difficult to wake the person, and is when most dreaming takes place. Dreams, in a way, could be considered perception. The brain subconsciously interprets information without the need of sensory stimulation. Psychologists define dreams as visual and auditory experiences that our minds create during sleep (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 131). This is an example of a natural occurrence of altering consciousness. Drug-altered consciousness on the other hand, is self-induced. Psychoactive drugs are substances that change peoples moods, perceptions, mental functioning, or behavior (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 134). Drugs are taken to purposely alter ones state of consciousness. To analyze the effect drugs have on the nervous system, three categories of drugs will be mentioned: depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Depressants slow behavior, thinking, and perception by increasing or decreasing nerve impulses. Stimulants, such as amphetamines, produce feelings of optimism as well as never-ending energy by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. These drugs cause the release of norepinephrine from adrenergic nerve endings (Weil, n. d. ). Lastly, hallucinogens distort the users senses and induce perceptual changes by causing experiences that resemble hallucinations. A positive for psychoactive drugs is the ability to explore different parts of the brain while in this altered state of consciousness. Although, the negative consequences of abuse and addiction are high risk. The last section is a technique that has been used for centuries for positivity, without the risk. Hypnosis is a trancelike state in which a person responds readily to suggestions (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 50). This is an altered state of consciousness that works like sleep. The subconscious person receives a suggestion, which acts as a stimulus, and is sent to and interpreted by the brain. Hypnosis can help ease pain as well as cure an addiction. In conclusion, perceptual experiences vary in different forms of consciousness. Whether it be the sensory organs or the brain itself, interpretation of the coded message is somehow changed. The process and function of perception in waking consciousness differs from those while in an altered state of consciousness.

Auctioning Personal Property :: essays research papers

The sale at public auction of personal property in the United States has a rich history and has been successfully used for three centuries. Auctions are one of the best businesses and are ranked in the top ten businesses in the world to sell personal property. Auctions are the best way to liquidate your property, sell your personal property and to get cash in your pocket.First of all, auctions can help you liquidate or downsize personal property, such as furniture, clothes, automobile and jewelry. Instead of throwing unwanted goods away call an auction house to sell it for you. You never know what you might be throwing away that can be turn into cash. Another good reason to auction is personal property will bring the highest market price at the auction through competitive bidding. This is when two or more persons who want the same item and keeps bidding the price up until it reaches a fair market value. By law you most have a least two persons present to conduct an auction. Then the highest bidder buys it for the final bided price.In advertisement for auction houses that catches must people eyes is to get fast cash selling personal property. The advertisement means just that you can get money within fourteen days or less after the auction house sells your personal property.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The auction business has been around for a long time with a good track record for selling anything that has a price or doesn't have a price. Through statistics, the price of all property is set from a fair market value in which auctions control sixty five percent of today's prices on all property. So why not get the most out of personal property by selling it at the auction? An individual has to read the contract that the auction house writes because it could read that they might not get paid until the last item of their personal property gets sold. Some auctioneers are known for keeping back one of two items from an individuals personal property back until they have their next sale. This way an auction doesn't have to pay the individual until the following sale or when the last piece off property was sold. Make sure in the contract that it has a date that all personal property will be sold by.

Ethical Issues Essay

Different people have different understandings of what constitutes ethical behavior. There are laws that help define what is legal and what is not, but the differences between moral ethics are not always clear. These types of moral ethics often lead to ethical dilemmas. According to Trevino & Nelson (2007), â€Å"it might surprise many people to learn that there were few laws protecting consumers before the 1960s. At the turn of the last century, consumers didn’t even have the right to sue a manufacturer for defective equipment. † (p. 17) No matter what type of business is run, there are ethical and moral dilemmas attached and in some cases, legal issues arise from unethical-based decisions. Berry`s Bug Blasters is no exception to the rule. Berry`s Bug Blasters is a local company that terminates any type of pest including, armadillos, rodents, and bees. The friendly workers at Berry`s work with their clients to design a customized pest control plan. Berry`s mission statement states that they will use the safest methods for your family, home, and environment. One of the top ethical issues among pest control companies surrounds the controversy of the types of chemicals that are used while executing the termination of pests. Most of the pest control companies are known to use toxic, synthetic, and chemically-based pesticides. These types of pesticides have been known to be the most effective in the extermination of pests. However, they are not safe for people or the environment. The most common chemical used in pest control is Diazinon. Diazinon is used for household pests inside the home, or outside on the lawn. It kills a variety of insects and is classified as an acute and chronic health hazard. Diazinon is very toxic to wildlife and can be fatal if ingested. Recently, EcoSMART pest control was created. The scientists wanted to find a pesticide that will not harm a family. The scientists had a challenge on their hands. They had to discover natural ingredients that: â€Å"effectively kill pests, could be used around the home, family, and pets, and leave no toxic residue or run-off† (Meehan, 2010). The scientists found a way of creating the organic pesticide by using â€Å"essential oils that trees and plants use in nature as insect defense. They found all-natural plant oils which target the octopamine receptors in insects† (Meehan, 2010). The management of Berry`s Bug Blasters faced the ethical decision each time that they make a service call. Should they use chemicals that they know are not good for the environment and could potentially cause an individual a lot of health issues, or should they research and use a much safer chemical that may not be as effective as other pesticides. Other benefits of choosing Berry`s Bug Blasters is they are offering a monthly special to all customers for the first month and offer monthly extermination plans. There are ways to make sure that decisions that are made within a business are ethical. A business-person may ask him or herself how they would feel if his or her actions were publicized throughout the community. If the individual would not mind his or her family, friends, and community learning about the actions, then the decision is most likely ethical. However, if the individual did feel bad about others known the actions, the decision is probably unethical and should be reconsidered. The employees and management of Berry`s Bug Blasters will do whatever is in their power to protect a family as well as the environment. Although new ‘green’ pesticides may not seem as effective as older ones, more laws are coming out that prevent pest control companies in using anything toxic in order to protect the community. Berry`s Bug Blasters will face this ethical dilemma constantly as clients insist on using a chemical that will rid the pests once and for all without a doubt rather than take a risk with something not as strong.

Role of Project Management

The Role of the Project Manager A project manager is the person who has the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a project. The job title is used in construction, petrochemical, architecture, information technology and many different industries that produce products and services. The project manager must have a combination of skills including an ability to ask penetrating questions, detect unstated assumptions and resolve conflicts, as well as more general management skills.Key among his or her duties is the recognition that risk directly impacts the likelihood of success and that this risk must be both formally and informally measured throughout the lifetime of the project. Risks arise from uncertainty, and the successful project manager is the one who focuses on this as the main concern. Most of the issues that impact a project arise in one-way or another from risk. A good project manager can lesse n risk significantly, often by adhering to a policy of open communication, ensuring every significant participant has an opportunity to express opinions and concerns.It follows that a project manager is one who is responsible for making decisions both large and small, in such a way that risk is controlled and uncertainty minimized. Every decision taken by the project manager should be taken in such a way that it directly benefits the project. Project managers use project management software, such as Microsoft Project, to organize their tasks and workforce. These software packages allow project managers to produce reports and charts in a few minutes, compared with the several hours it can take if they do it by hand. Roles and ResponsibilitiesThe role of the project manager encompasses many activities including: ? Scope Management ? Time Management ? Cost Management ? Risk Management ? Quality Management ? Contract Management ? Communication Management ? Human Resources Management Fin ally, senior management must give a project manager support and authority if he or she is going to be successful. Scope Management Best Practices for Scope Management The knowledge area of Scope Management is all about making sure that the project includes only the work required to complete the project successfully.To be effective at scope management, project manager must learn to control what is and what is not in the scope of the project. Below are some of the best practices for successful scope management. ? Collect Project Requirements ? Define the Scope ? Create a Work Breakdown Structure ? Verify the Scope and Get Feedback ? Monitor and Control the Scope 1. Collect Project Requirements The ability to define and then effectively control the scope of a project depends a lot on the goals and requirements of the project. For this reason, project manager need to gather the necessary information up front, before you ever start the project.By clearly understanding the needs of the st akeholders and the capabilities and constraints of the resources, project manager have a higher chance to succeed. The easiest way to collect the project requirements is to perform interviews with the key stakeholders. Ask questions about their views of the finished product, the deliverables they expect to receive, and the schedule of the project. Once project manager have the information need, project manager may want to create a Scope Management Plan to define the processes that will be followed in defining scope, documenting scope, verifying and accepting scope, and managing change requests. . Define the Scope The scope of a project typically consists of a set of deliverables, an assigned budget, and an expected closure time. The previously collected project requirements will help project manager define the scope. Be sure to write down exactly what the project will entail and what it will not entail. Any amount of variation in the scope of the project can affect the project sched ule, budget, and ultimately the success of the project. Getting a clear and concise definition of the scope will help project manager manage changes as they occur.With a clear scope definition, project manager can simply ask the question, â€Å"Does this change fall within the scope of the project? † If the answer is yes, then approve the change. If the answer is no, then put a pin it and save it for another time or project. Scope Creep: Scope creep is something common with every project. This refers to the incremental expansion of the project scope. Most of the time, the client may come back to the service provider during the project execution and add more requirements. Most of such requirements haven't been in the initial requirements.As a result, change requests need to be raised in order to cover the increasing costs of the services provider. Due to business scope creep, there can be technological scope creep as well. The project team may require new technologies in order to address some of the new requirements in the scope. In such instances, the services provider may want to work with the client closely and make necessary logistic and financial arrangements. 3. Create a Work Breakdown Structure A work breakdown structure or WBS is a graphical representation of the hierarchy of the project.The WBS forces the project team to think through all levels of the project and identify the major tasks that need to be performed for the project to be completed on time. By starting with the end objective and then successively subdividing it into manageable steps or components in terms of size, duration, and responsibility, the WBS provides a high level view of the entire project. Furthermore, the framework makes planning and controlling the scope of the project much easier since project manager have a graphical chart to reference point for the tasks and subtasks needed for each phase of the project.As a general rule of thumb, no task within the WBS should be le ss than 8 hours or more than 80 hours. 4. Verify the Scope and Get Feedback Because projects are expected to meet strict deadlines, verifying the scope of the project is critical before and during the project cycle. Scope verification can be done after each major task or phase is completed or if it is a smaller project, after the project has been completed. To verify the scope, meet with the project customer or stakeholder and get him/her to formally accept the project deliverables.This includes getting a written acceptance of the deliverables and requesting feedback on the work performed. Getting feedback from the customer is an excellent way for project manager to improve processes and make sure the customer is happy with the work and the status of the project. The most important thing here is to communicate well and often. Verifying the scope and getting feedback will help you focus on customer acceptance, quality control, and verifying that work performed meets the definition of the scope of the project. 5. Monitor and Control the ScopeNow that the Scope has been clearly defined, a work breakdown structure has been organised, and the customer has formally accepted the scope of the project, it is time to actually manage and control the scope to avoid scope creep. Scope creep refers to the incremental expansion of the scope of the project, which may include and introduce more requirements that may not have been a part of the initial planning phases, but add costs and time to the original project. To effectively monitor and control the scope of the project, make sure project manager have an established process for managing change requests.Any and all requests should be vetted and approved before they get introduced into the project. The budget and schedule of the project should also be altered to reflect the new changes. These changes should get a formal sign-off from the customer or key stakeholder before proceeding. It is important that project manager clos ely monitor and control the scope to avoid disgruntled customers, higher than expected costs, and projects that aren't completed on time. Time Management Time Management refers to managing time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity.Effective time management allows individuals to assign specific time slots to activities as per their importance. Time Management refers to making the best use of time as time is always limited. Know which work should be done earlier and which can be done a little later. Time Management plays a very important role not only in organizations but also in our personal lives. Time Management Includes: ? Effective Planning ? Setting goals and objectives ? Setting deadlines ? Delegation of responsibilities ? Prioritizing activities as per their importance Spending the right time on the right activity Effective Planning Prepare a To Do List or a â€Å"TASK PLAN†. Jot down the important activities that need to be done in a si ngle day against the time that should be allocated to each activity. High Priority work should come on top followed by those which do not need much of our importance at the moment. Complete pending tasks one by one. Do not begin fresh work unless we have finished our previous task. Tick the ones we have already completed. Ensure finish the tasks within the stipulated time frame. Setting Goals and ObjectivesWorking without goals and targets in an organization would be similar to a situation where the captain of the ship loses his way in the sea. Set targets and make sure they are realistic ones and achievable. Setting Deadlines Set deadlines for strive hard to complete tasks ahead of the deadlines. Learn to take ownership of work. One person who can best set the deadlines is project manager. Use a planner to mark the important dates against the set deadlines. Delegation of Responsibilities Learn to say â€Å"NO† at workplace. Don’t do everything alone.There are other pe ople as well. One should not accept something which he knows is difficult for him. The roles and responsibilities must be delegated as per interest and specialization of employees for them to finish tasks within deadlines. A person who does not have knowledge about something needs more time than someone who knows the work well. Prioritizing Tasks Prioritize the tasks as per their importance and urgency. Know the difference between important and urgent work. Identify which tasks should be done within a day, which all should be done within a month and so on.Tasks which are most important should be done earlier. Spending the right time on right activity Develop the habit of doing the right thing at the right time. Work done at the wrong time is not of much use. Don’t waste a complete day on something which can be done in an hour or so. Also keep some time separate for personal calls or checking updates on Facebook or Twitter. After all human being is not a machine. For Effective Time Management Project Manager Needs To Be: Organized – Avoid keeping stacks of file and heaps of paper at workstation. Throw what all don’t need.Put important documents in folders. Keep the files in their respective drawers with labels on top of each file. It saves time which goes on unnecessary searching. Don’t misuse time – Do not kill time by loitering or gossiping around. Concentrate on work and finish assignments on time. Remember the organization is not paying for playing games on computer or peeping into other’s cubicles. First complete the work and then do whatever feels like doing. Don’t wait till the last moment. Be Focused – One needs to be focused for effective time management.Ten Essential Time Management Strategies for the Project Manager The following are the best time management practices for project managers: 1. Use the right tools and equipment. In project management, a project manager's effectiveness will largely depend on the tools at his or her disposal. Even the most talented project manager will be limited if the right software and equipment are not available. Before taking on a project, project managers should thus assess their needs. Some areas to consider include: communications equipment, project tracking software, and collaboration software. . Get to know your project personnel. Social, economic, and cultural differences can often lead to misunderstanding and mis-communication among project team members, especially in situations where a project manager is working with a multi-national project team, and these misunderstandings can be a significant draw on project time. To counteract this affect, project managers should be familiar with the social, economic, and cultural differences of the project team members, and then ensure that these differences are taken into account within project communications. . The 20/80 rule. One of the guiding rules in the management of a project is the P areto Principle which states that roughly 80% of the outputs will be generated by only 20% of the inputs. In other words, a few elements create the most impact. Project managers can capitalize on this principle with the use of a Pareto Chart, a vertical bar graph that identifies in rank order the most important elements or factors in a project, so that attention can be directed to the things that matter the most. 4. The fudge factor.When creating the project budget and setting the project schedule, experienced project managers will always include a cushion in their estimates. These over-estimates of time and money are meant to compensate for any small, unexpected problems that may come up throughout the course of the project, and will ultimately help the project to stay on course. 5. Develop a solid risk management strategy. In addition to budgeting for unexpected draws on time and money, project managers need to have a solid risk management strategy in place so that a project recov ery plan can be quickly implemented if problems arise. 6.Effectively delegate tasks. One of the biggest pitfalls in project management is insufficient delegation of responsibilities. Project managers in particular must be available to oversee the various elements of the project and make key decisions. When they are being bogged down by tasks that can be done by others, then it compromises their ability to manage. 7. Conduct productive team meetings. When project personnel are brought together, it is vital that there be a clear and focused agenda to the meeting. Otherwise, the time of the project manager as well as all those attending the meeting will be compromised.Experienced project managers are adept at determining which information must be discussed in a face-to-face meeting and which information can be disseminated via other mediums. 8. Effective communication system for communication. It almost goes without saying that a project will never run smoothly if the right information does not reach the right people at the right time. A system for effective communication of project information among project personnel as well as project clients and senior executives is a must.Not only must the project manager ensure that he or she is presenting information in a clear, logical, and understandable way, but also that the right tools are in place, such as file- sharing programs, networks, and collaboration tools. 9. Daily personal to-do list. A simple, yet highly effective time management technique for the project manager is the daily creation of a personal to-do list. Having such a list on hand will help the project manager stay on track and not get caught up in the project's myriad details. 10. Stay focused on the big picture.As the old saying goes: don't sweat the small stuff, that's the job of the various project personnel hired to bring the project to completion. Putting undue attention on relatively insignificant aspects of the project can also quickly bring th e project off schedule. Experienced project managers know where they can â€Å"let go† versus knowing which things demand their attention. By following the time management strategies mentioned above, the project manager can help to ensure that all the elements of the project are indeed brought together in a harmonious path towards project completion.Time Management Tips for Project Managers Summary Time management is a basic skill for project managers. If project manager manage own time, how can project manager expect to manage the teams? Ask each day what project manager did to move the project forward. Plan the next day, what will project manager do to ensure the project continues along the straight and narrow. Plan the time, manage the resources with a light touch and communicate effectively. With a little time management, project success should come easier. Cost Management The following are the costs associated with the projects. Direct costsAny costs that are directly at tributable to the work on the project. These can include the salaries paid to the resources, the billing rate of the resources and costs of the software and hardware that are used for building the website Indirect Costs These costs are spread out against many projects and cannot be linked to one project alone. These costs include those incurred in shared services like cost of office space, taxes paid by the organization and other services like secretarial and janitorial staff Variable Costs Costs that change in proportion to the amount of time and material that are spent on produced in the project.Fixed Costs Costs that do not change with the timeline or progress of the project. A cost be either Fixed or Variable; Direct or Indirect The overhead costs for this project are the office setup and shared services. While the costs incurred in setting up the office space can be general overhead cost as it is a one-time cost and is borne by all the projects in the organization. The project overhead costs are the costs incurred in the shared services such as secretarial staff and other services provide to the project and can be directly billable as such.Time phased budget A time phased budget would include the costs incurred at each interval or milestone of the project. The milestones for this project would be requirements, design, coding, testing and implementation. The budget for the same would be the costs at each stage of the project. The budget at completion or BAC should have all the components of the costs included like direct and indirect costs, fixed and variable costs etc along with the cost at each phase or milestone of the project.The cost variance should be measured using Earned Value technique and this tool allows the manager to assess the completion of the project at each milestone according to the cost incurred and the value accrued till then. Variance between these two measures gives an accurate estimate of the health of the project. Cumulative costs T he cumulative costs of the project are the ones that are incurred up to a specific phase or milestone of the project. It can be measured by using a Cost Performance Index or CPI which measures the ratio of the Earned value with regards to the Actual cost incurred on the project.As outlined above, all the costs that accumulate up to a particular phase can be called the cumulative costs of the project. Cost control The cost management plan should include the plan for controlling the costs of the project. There should be a measurement of the costs involved and their variances tracked, if any. Any variance to the budget must be controlled by the controlling the impact of the cost changes. Further, cost control can be done in the area of overhead costs and general and administrative expenses. Estimating Project CostsThe Wideman Comparative Glossary of Common Project Management Terms describes estimating cost as â€Å"The process of forecasting a future result in terms of cost, based upo n information available at the time. † In his book ‘How to be a Better Project Manager', Trevor L Young defines estimating as â€Å"A decision about how much time and resource are required to carry out a piece of work to acceptable standards of performance. † Many techniques, books and software packages exist to help with estimating project costs. A few simple rules will also help ensure you create an accurate and realistic estimate. Assume resources will only be productive for 80 percent of their time. ? Resources working on multiple projects take longer to complete tasks because of time lost switching between them. ? People are generally optimistic and often underestimate how long tasks will take. ? Make use of other project manager experiences. ? Get an expert view. ? Include management time in any estimate. ? Always build in contingency for problem solving, meetings and other unexpected events. ? Cost each task in the Work Breakdown Structure to arrive at a to tal, rather than trying to cost the project as a whole. Agree a tolerance with the customer for additional work that is not yet defined. ? Communicate any assumptions, exclusions or constraints project manager have to the customer. ? Provide regular budget statements to the customer, copying the team, so they are always aware of the current position. ? Much data exists about the length of time particular items of work take, especially in the construction industry. A useful database of production rates can be found at Planning Planet Common Mistakes ? These are some of the common mistakes that can lead to inaccurate estimates. Not understanding what is involved to complete an item of work. ? Starting with an amount of money and making the project cost fit it. ? Assigning resources at more than 80 percent utilization. ? Failing to build in contingency. ? Failing to adjust the estimate following changes in scope. ? Dividing tasks between more than one resource. ? Providing estimates un der pressure in project meetings. ? Giving single-data-point estimates rather than range estimates. Three Point Estimating Three point estimating is a technique that helps project managers produce better estimates.Rather than a ballpark estimate, project managers can use three point estimating to gain a greater degree of control over how the end value is calculated. The end value is the weighted average of three estimates. To do three point estimating for a particular task or activity, ask the resource for their best-case, most likely and worst case estimates. Add the best-case estimate to four times the most likely, then the worst case and divide by six. This gives you your estimate (E value) which is a slightly more balanced view of how long the task or activity is likely to take.The formula is expressed as: E = (B + 4 M + W)/6 B = best-case (1/6) M = most likely (4/6) W = worst case (1/6) `Monte Carlo Simulation in MS Excel The Monte Carlo method of estimating project cost is bas ed on the generation of multiple trials to determine the expected value of a random variable. There are several commercial packages that run Monte Carlo simulation; however a basic spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel can be used to run a simulation. Risk Management Literally speaking,  risk management is the process of minimizing or mitigating the risk.It starts with the identification and evaluation of risk followed by optimal use of resources to monitor and minimize the same. Risk generally results from uncertainty. In organizations this risk can come from uncertainty in the market place (demand, supply and Stock market), failure of projects, accidents, natural disasters etc. There are different tools to deal with the same depending upon the kind of risk. Ideally in risk management, a risk prioritization process is followed in which those risks that pose the threat of great loss and have great probability of occurrence are dealt with first. Refer to table below: IMPACT |ACTIONS | |SIGNIFICANT |Considerable Management Required |Must Manage and Monitor Risks |Extensive Management essential | |MODERATE |Risk are bearable to certain extent |Management effort worthwhile |Management effort required | |MINOR |Accept Risks |Accept but monitor Risks |Manage and Monitor Risks | |   |LOW |MEDIUM |HIGH | | |LIKELIHOOD | The above chart can be used to strategize in various situations. The two factors that govern the action required are the probability of occurrence and the impact of the risk.For example a condition where the impact is minor and the probability of occurrence is low, it is better to accept the risk without any interventions. A condition where the likelihood is high and the impact is significant, extensive management is required. This is how a certain priority can be established in dealing with the risk. Apart from this, typically most of the organizations follow a risk management cycle. Refer diagram below: [pic] According to this cycle there are four steps in the process of risk management. The first step is the assessment of risk, followed by evaluation and management of the same. The last step is measuring the impact.Risk identification can start at the base or the surface level, in the former case the source of problems is identified. We now have two things to deal with the source and the problem. Risk Source:  The source can be either internal or external to the system. External sources are beyond control whereas internal sources can be controlled to a certain extent. For example, the amount of rainfall, weather over an airport etc! Problem:  A problem at the surface level could be the threat of accident and casualty at the plant, a fire incident etc. When any or both of the above two are known beforehand, certain steps can be taken to deal with the same.After the risk has been identified then it must be assessed on the potential of criticality. Here we arrive upon risk prioritization. In generic terms ‘likelihood of occurrence ? impact’ is equal to risk. This is followed by development of a risk management plan and implementation of the same. It comprises of the effective security controls and control mechanisms for mitigation of risk. A more challenging risk to organizational effectiveness is the risk that is present but cannot be identified. For example a perpetual inefficiency in the production process accumulates over a certain period of time and translates into operational risk. The Principles of Risk ManagementEvery project manager and business leader needs to be aware of the practices and principles of effective risk management. Understanding how to identify and treat risks to an organization, a programmed or a project can save unnecessary difficulties later on, and will prepare managers and team members for any unavoidable incidences or issues. The M_o_R (Management of Risk) framework identifies twelve principles, which are intended â€Å"not to be prescriptive but provide s upportive guidance to enable organizations to develop their own policies, processes strategies and plan. Organizational Context A fundamental principle of all generic management methods, including PRINCE2 and MSP as well as M_o_R, is that all organizations are different.Project managers, programmed managers and risk managers need to consider the specific context of the organization in order to ensure thorough identification of risks and appropriate risk treatment procedures. The term ‘organizational context' encompasses the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental backdrop of an organization. Stakeholder Involvement It is easy for a management team to become internalized and forget that stakeholders are also key participants in everyday business procedures, short-term projects and business-wide change programmed. Understanding the roles of individual stakeholders and managing stakeholder involvement is crucial to successful.Stakeholders should, as fa r as is appropriate, be made aware of risks to a project or programmed. Within the context and stakeholder involvement, â€Å"appropriate† concerns: the identity and role of the stakeholder, the level of influence that the stakeholder has over and outside of the organization, the level of investment that the stakeholder has in the organization, and the type, probability and potential impact of the risk. Organizational Objectives Risks exist only in relation to the activities and objectives of an organization. Rain is a negative risk for a picnic, a positive risk for drought-ridden farmland and a non-risk for the occupants of a submarine.It is imperative that the individual responsible for risk management (whether that is the business leader, the project/programmed manager or a specialist risk manager) understands the objectives of the organization, in order to ensure a tailored approach. M_o_R Managing of Risk Approach The processes, policies, strategies and plans within the M_o_R framework provide generic guidelines and templates within a particular organization. These guidelines are based on the experience and research of professional risk managers from a wide range of organizations and management backgrounds. Following best practices ensures that individuals involved in managing the risks associated with an organization’s activity are able to learn from the mistakes, experiments and lessons of others. ReportingAccurately and clearly representing data, and the transmission of this data to the appropriate staff members, managers and stakeholders, is crucial to successful risk management. The M_o_R methodology provides standard templates and tested structures for managing the frequency, content and participants of risk communication. Roles and Responsibilities Fundamental to risk management best practice is the clear definition of risk management roles and responsibilities. Individual functions and accountability must be transparent, both within and outside an organization. This is important both in terms of organizational governance, and to ensure that all the necessary responsibilities are covered by appropriate individuals. Support StructureA support structure is the provision within an organization of standardized guidelines, information, training and funding for individuals managing risks that may arise in any specific area or project. This can include a centralized risk management team, a standard risk management approach and best-practice guidelines for reporting and reviewing organizational risks. Early Warning Indicators Risk identification is an essential first step for removing or alleviating risks. In some cases, however, it is not possible to remove risks in advance. Early warning indicators are pre-defined and quantified triggers that alert individuals responsible for risk management that an identified risk is imminent.This enables the most thorough and prepared approach to handling the situation. Review Cycle Related to the need for early warning indicators is the review cycle. This establishes the regular review of identified risks and ensures that risk managers remain sensitive to new risks, and to the effectiveness of current policies. Overcoming Barriers to M_o_R Any successful strategy requires thoughtful consideration of possible barriers to implementation. Common issues include: ? Established roles, responsibilities, accountabilities and ownership. ? An appropriate budget for embedding approach and carrying out activities. ? Adequate and accessible training, tools and techniques. Risk management orientation, induction and training processes. ? Regular assessment of M_o_R approach (including all of the above issues. Supportive Culture Risk management underpins many different areas and aspects of an organization’s activity. A supportive culture is essential for ensuring that everybody with risk management responsibilities feels confident rising, discussing and managing risks . A supportive risk management culture will also include evaluation and reward of risk management competencies for the appropriate individuals. Continual Improvement In an evolving organization, nothing stands still. An effective risk management policy includes the capacity for re-evaluation and improvement.At a practical level, this will require the nomination of an individual or a group of individuals to the responsibility of ensuring that risk management policies and procedures are up-to-date, as well as the establishment of regular review cycles of the organization’s risk management approach. Quality Management Procurement and Quality Process The art of project management calls for an increased vigil on quality and related processes. The project manager is expected to be aware of the best practices that are used for the project and is supposed to make sure that he or she adapts them to the use of project management. One area of concern nowadays is the absence of processes in procurement and staffing. These are areas of concern not only to the project manager but also to the organizations.There is a need to balance the requirements of the fast procurement and staffing cycle with that of proper processes to be followed. There has been much debate in many organizations about the lack of quality in recruitment and procurement. These twin areas of quality and procurement have the aspect of ruining the chances of a successful project and hence the project manager has a responsibility to steer the course and ensure that quality does not suffer. There are several areas of project management that need quality control and there are several benchmarks of quality that can be used to meet these standards. For instance, many organizations use Six Sigma and SEI CMM level processes to guide them in the art of quality and meeting quality specifications.These are just one instance of how the quality framework is used to differentiate between the processes that are er ror free and those that need revision and rework. Sampling method prescribed by Kaizen, Six Sigma etc can be used to improve the quality of the processes that are employed by the organizations. Kaizen, in particular relates to continuous improvement, a theme that would find resonance in the uber-competitive world of today. All organizations strive for quality and to find the edge that would differentiate those from others and thus these initiatives are the ones that the project manager must look forward to and implement them diligently in the workplace.To address the issues arising out of poor procurement and staffing practices, the project manager has to be in constant touch with one important stakeholder i. e. , the procurement and staffing teams and this is where the project manager is expected to show their level of competence by managing the procurement and staffing cycle. Quality Management Vs Quality Control Quality is defined as the degree to which the project meets the requ irements (PMBOK, 2009). The operative word here is meeting the requirements and hence anything that is done that is not conforming to the requirements is said to be deviating from the norm of quality. In the subsequent paragraphs, I look at the distinction between quality management and the processes of quality control.Quality management is the practice of drawing up plans that determine the standards that need to apply to the project, determining who would be involved in managing quality and their specific duties, meetings to determine if the project is conforming to the quality specifications laid out in the quality management plan and laying out the metrics that are used to measure quality. As defined by the PMBOK, Project Quality Management is the comprehensive plan that includes all the components of the quality planning process (PMBOK, 2009). Quality control, on the other hand, is the set of processes that measure the metrics of quality by assessing the specific project result s against standards.Quality control processes are done during project monitoring and controlling functions whereas quality management is done during the initiating and planning phase (PMBOK, 2009). Hence, quality control is the subset of quality management and is the final phase of the project management cycle. Quality management is all encompassing and consists of laying down standards against which the project quality metrics are defined and need to be measured against. Quality management takes into account the lower level details of how the output of the project is to be tracked and measured. Quality control is the process of ensuring that the quality metrics are met.Hence, while quality management is the process of planning and managing the requirements of the project from the perspective of quality, quality control is the process of measuring the level of output and the quality of the output and typically consists of measuring the output against the quality metrics that were de cided upon in the quality management plan. The reason that quality management and quality control are used interchangeably is due to the perception that quality control encompasses the planning aspect as well. This is certainly true in organizations that do not have a separate quality department and quality planning and quality control is the domain of the project management processes. In organizations that have separate quality departments and where there is a well thought out quality plan, quality management and quality control are separate and are handled by different people.In conclusion, quality management typically produces as its deliverables a comprehensive quality management plan that includes the quality control aspect of it. Quality control in this case is handled by a different set of people who do the tracking and measuring of metrics in a dedicated manner. Typically, the process of quality management includes the representatives from the quality department and the qual ity control processes are the reverse with the quality department handling the tracking of metrics and reporting to the project management team. Quality control is an independent audit of the quality of deliverables and is necessary for the sign off of the project. Deming's 14 Points and Quality Project ManagerQuality is misunderstood by many who think of it only as it relates to the final deliverable, but a quality product is itself achieved only through quality processes focused on efficiency, innovation, and continual improvement, and these require a quality management culture not only in our projects, but within our organizations. In chapter two of his 1986 book, Out of the Crisis, Edward Deming presented 14 principles that he believed could make industry more competitive by increasing quality. Organizational improvements can begin with anyone. While it's true that our professional domain as project managers is bounded by the project life cycle, our influence is often much great er than that, and quality management is one of those areas where skilled project managers are best suited to be instrumental change agents – first in the culture of their projects, and second, in the culture of their departments and organizations.As project managers, if we follow Deming's principles, we can create project environments where quality thrives, not only benefiting our customers and projects, but perhaps serving as a tipping point for effecting a quality management change within our organizations. 1. Create Constancy of Purpose towards Improvement Deming is telling management to stop reacting and plan better for the long-term. For project managers: What has been traditionally thought of as long-term planning is no longer achievable. Business changes too rapidly, and detailed, up-front plans take too long to produce and are always outdated by the time they're committed to paper.Yet projects must have a plan that establishes activities, milestones, and priorities, s o what we should strive for in our projects is thorough planning based on iterative, rolling-wave, or Agile approaches. Thorough planning uses detailed planning for the short-term with a longer-term view emphasizing constant reviews, re-planning, and risk management, especially for opportunities that can be exploited. This results in a project plan that can adapt quickly to abrupt business and deliverable changes without throwing the project into chaos. 2. Adopt the new Philosophy Deming is telling management to stop being hypocritical, awaken itself to the challenge, and become leaders.For project managers: People will always see through anyone who says one thing, but whose actions are entirely different. Lasting, energizing change starts first with us, and only then will it spread outward and excite others into action. As managers, our core values can't just be expressed through our words, but they must be evident in all our actions with our teams and coworkers. It takes time, but as our message and attitude spread to an ever-broadening base of people, a domino effect takes place and the members themselves become believers and evangelists in quality management themselves. 3. Cease Dependency on Inspection Deming is reminding management that the need for inspection will decrease if quality problems are prevented in the first place.For project managers: We all know that prevention is better than inspection, so our project management and execution processes need continual improvement methods built into them to reduce quality problems. But inspection goes beyond its purely quality connotations. Are we propagating a management style based on inspection? If our team has a tendency to run everything first past us for approval then we may be, and that isn't good for us, the team, or the project. Our responsibility as a project manager isn't to be the funnel through which everyone seeks approval. If that's what is happening then the project will stagnate and become i nflexible.Instead, let's make sure we create a project culture where the team has the skills, information, and experience it needs to make every-day, rapid decisions on its own. 4. End the Practice of Awarding Business on the Basis of Price Tags Deming's purpose behind this point was to eliminate variations in the manufacturing process by having too many suppliers of component goods. For project managers: Price alone should rarely be the determining factor because most procurement needs go beyond simple commodities. When a project is likely to involve frequent changes, we need vendors who can adapt or offer their own new ideas for responding to those changes, and that isn't likely to happen when cut-rate suppliers are chosen.This principle also holds true in our role as the vendor for internal or external customers. We are not just collectors of requirements – we need to be engaged with the customer and stakeholders, understanding their business objectives in order for us to provide the deliverable that best meets their changing needs. 5. Improve Constantly and Forever Deming is reminding industry leaders that they have to constantly strive to reduce variation, which leads to quality problems. For project managers: Continuous improvement is a core philosophy of the PMBOK, but it isn't like a switch that gets turned on or off. It's a mindset that is nurtured by the right environment.Members of the team need skills, information, and knowledge beyond their core subjects of expertise, and we should encourage experimentation and reward mistakes made in the search for innovation, which means we need to eliminate blame and ingrain the lessons-learned process in every part of the project. Large-scale improvements and innovative approaches often come from â€Å"amateurs† and not specialists because amateurs are driven by their interest in the subject and less wedded to preconceived notions and ideas. Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail, says, â€Å"I 'll take a passionate amateur over a bored professional any day. † 6. Institute Training on the Job On-the-job training increases efficiency and results in job outputs with fewer errors. For project managers: Continuous improvement extends beyond just processes.It applies to the hard and soft skills, experiences, and knowledge of the entire project team. Professional development, coaching, and mentoring should be encouraged, acknowledged, and rewarded. Training doesn't have to be expensive, and it doesn't have to be formalised. Some of the best training experiences involve group-led efforts that also serve as team building exercises, such as Webinars, vendor demonstrations, and specific discussions on best practices. 7. Institute Leadership Deming wants management to be leaders not merely supervisors. For project managers: The problem on most projects is not a lack of management but a lack of leadership.Leadership is more about people skills than about project management skill s. Few projects have sponsors that view themselves as the leader on the project, and if the leadership charge is not picked up by the project manager then the project is not likely to be successful. A leader translates the project's vision into actions that excite, inspire, and motivate the project team, and he or she is able to instil a perception that the project isn't just creating a deliverable; it's accomplishing something phenomenal for the customer. 8. Drive out Fear Deming tells us that management by fear or punishment is detrimental because it inhibits questions and ideas from the workforce.For project managers: Fear stifles two cornerstones of quality – innovation and continual improvement. A fearful team isn't going to generate new ideas and it's going to hide its mistakes, leading to a poor lessons learned process. Deming's point goes beyond what most of us associate with fear. Fear is also that little voice all of us hear that suppresses us from speaking up or sh aring ideas – fear of failing, fear of sounding silly, fear of making a mistake, fear of missing a deadline, fear of stepping on another's toes, and so on. Yet these fears are just as detrimental to quality as fear of punishment. It's a lack of trust between team members and in the project's leadership that drives these fears.If we improve trust, team members will be more willing to share their ideas and question existing processes. 9. Break Down Barriers Between Staff Areas Deming wants everyone to realise that each person is a customer of someone and that everybody is a supplier to somebody. For project managers: Silos and a rigid hierarchy are dangerous not only to the project, but to the organisation. Innovation and continual improvement come about by somebody seeing a connection that is not inherently obvious, and connections can't be discovered when one is stuck behind artificial barriers. We can help break those barriers by exposing people to diverse situations outside their normal environment and comfort zones.Though there is a short-term productivity loss when people work outside their specialty, there is a longer-term gain for the project and organisation. This strategy helps build a larger pool of â€Å"generalists† in many subjects, and new experiences are a powerful motivator for many people. This approach also improves opportunities for innovative approaches and is a risk management strategy should key personnel leave the project. 10. Eliminate Slogans, Exhortations, and Targets for the Work Force Slogans imply the problem is with the employees, but the real problem is with the process. For project managers: The first point we have to accept is that we are responsible for problems within the project, whatever those issues might be.It isn't the team's fault, the customer's fault, or the organisation's fault – it's our fault. The root causes of most project problems are deficiencies in communication, scope, requirements, activi ty definitions, project planning and re-planning, risk management, and stakeholder involvement. All of these are within our professional domain even if we aren't the ones personally performing them. It's our responsibility to make sure the project processes are performed effectively to a level appropriate for the project. 11. Eliminate Management by Objectives Setting production targets only encourages people to meet those targets through whatever means necessary, which causes poor quality.For project managers: On the surface this principle probably sounds like heresy to most of us – how can a project be managed if targets aren't set? Well, it can't, but that wasn't Deming's point. He's talking about short-sighted versus thorough planning. Setting targets in response to a problem without first understanding and addressing the root causes in the processes will only lead to more quality problems. Milestones are the predominant targets for projects, and they need to be challengi ng to motivate the team, but they have to be achievable and flexible. Yet flexibility is one of the most common scheduling failures a project manager makes, especially on projects that are very iterative and involve rolling wave planning.As these projects progress, milestones have to be continually reassessed, and this often means that the original dates get pushed. Too many of us perceive these readjustments as â€Å"missing our target† because we're too married to dates that were only best-guesses or top-down estimates set early in project planning. We also should be careful to present milestone dates to stakeholders as estimates and help them understand the iterative nature of these kinds of projects – as the project is better understood and the work needed becomes clearer, milestone dates may change. 12. Remove Barriers to Pride of Workmanship Deming tells us that nobody feels good about producing shoddy work.When management creates an environment that fosters poor quality, employees are frustrated. For project managers: Recognising the team and individuals for their contributions and achievements helps instil pride of workmanship. Everyone on the project team should feel that his or her work is recognised and valuable to the project's success. Sincere appreciation is one of the easiest and cheapest yet most effective motivating agents we can use. Even â€Å"failures† and mistakes are achievements as long as there were valuable lessons learned. 13. Institute Education and Self-Improvement Deming wants everyone, managers and the workforce, to pursue training, education, and self-improvement.For project managers: Ongoing professional development is expected of certified project managers, but we should also expect and encourage it among our team and coworkers. Nearly every profession has its own certification and continuing education requirements, and our team members will appreciate it if we have a general understanding of their professi on's requirements, recognise them for certification efforts, and help them with opportunities for meeting those requirements. 14. The Transformation is Everyone's Job Deming says that everyone is involved in the fixing the processes. For project managers: This one is easy if we've done everything else right because all the other principles will result in quality management culture where everyone is involved in continual improvement and innovation.Having experienced first-hand a quality management experience, the people on our team will in turn spread those ideas to other project teams. Communications Management Having good communication skills is one of the key abilities of a project manager. However, this fact is frequently overlooked when choosing the ideal candidate for that position. Moreover, it is not emphasized as much as it should in most project management training programs. Thus, many times we find project managers with excellent management and technical skills but which a re really not-that-good communicators. Why is it so important? First of all, because a good leader should be a great communicator in order to lead and motivate his or her team, as we have discussed before.This is something that not only applies to the members of the team but to all the stakeholders of the project. A project manager has to be aware that all of them have different profiles and interests, and that it requires from him or her great ability to adapt the message to each one. Communication principles Good communication should be based on accuracy, clarity, transparency and interaction. Accuracy has to do with the detail and scope of the information that is being transmitted. The project manager must be able to provide the information that is needed for everyone within and outside the team. Sometimes excessively detailed information may divert attention from the main message and can lead the interlocutor to confusion.Mostly, the communication with the team should focus on t he objectives, and the plan to take to achieve them. While, for example, information that is provided to clients will focus on the requirements of the project and its evolution. To ensure information clarity, the language is a crucial thing and the project manager must perfectly handle all its variants. Generally, it will be common to use a more technical and specific language within the team, and a more formal style if the message is addressed to a client or a company directive. Transparency has a direct impact on the project manager’s credibility. A project manager’s honesty should be beyond doubt, and so, he or she has to provide continuous communication about the problems that arise.The last principle, but not a less important one is interaction. Communication cannot be unidirectional. In all situations, with any type of interlocutor, the project manager must be open to dialogue. He or she has to know how to both ask and listen in order to get accurate information that can be relevant in later decisions. It is essential to have continuous communication with all parties involved in the project. To help project manager with this, Doolphy, as an online project management tool, helps project manager to centralize all project information and adjust the access to each kind of user. Top Five Communication Skills for Project Managers 1.Active Listening In first place is project manager ability to listen to and understand others. Listening to the words and the meaning behind their words, not interrupting or letting our minds wander, asking questions to check understanding, observing non-verbal signals. According to Indian project manager Nirav Patel CAPM: â€Å"The benefits include getting people to open up and due to that lots of misunderstandings and conflicts can be resolved. † 2. Building Relationships based on Trust and Respect Trust and respect are the cornerstones of personal relationships. They are earned not a right and come from exper ience of our honesty, integrity and expertise.Among the characteristics people used to determine project manager credibility are truthfulness, openness, willingness to share ideas and information freely, consistency, reliability, loyalty, capabilities and competence. â€Å"Trust encourages people to propose ideas, suggest ways to enhance work, speak of their concerns and give advice,† says Dubai-based Kareem Shaker PMP. 3. Setting Clear Priorities In third spot is a project manager's ability to convey the strategy for their team – by setting goals, planning and prioritizing. This is the what, who, when, where, why and how of the project. Team members should understand both the big picture and the lower level technical priorities. â€Å"Essentially this is what a project manager does.If you can't do it you won't get everybody working on the same page,† says Australian Paul Ramussen. 4. Enabling Collaboration In a collaborative environment team members support and encourage each other rather than focusing solely on their own tasks and responsibilities. They are willing to co-operate and share information, ideas and assets to help each other. The result can be greater than the sum of its parts. â€Å"When we collaborate we get the 1Ãâ€"1=3 effect. Things happen that might not have if people had remained focused on their own work,† says American Adam Michaelson PMP. 5. Conveying the Organisation's Vision Contract In Project Management Project Contract TypesExplaining the bigger picture helps team members understand where the project fits within the overall aims of your business unit and organization. Senior executives are focused on the triple bottom line – finances, environment, reputation – this is where they expect your project to make a difference. American Jhaymee Wilson PMP says: â€Å"As project managers if we can't convey the link between our project and the organization how can we show we are delivering value? à ¢â‚¬  This article is based on research among project managers from around the world and was originally published as Five Essential Rules for Project Leaders on the PMI Career Central website. Introduction:In the world of business, contracts are used for establishing business deals and partnerships. The parties involved in the business engagement decide the type of the contract. Usually the type of the contract used for the business engagement varies depending on the type of the work and the nature of the industry. The contract is simply an elaborated agreement between two or more parties. One or more parties may provide products or services in return to something provided by other parties (client). The contract type is the key relationship between the parties engaged in the business and the contract type determines the project risk. Example most widely used contract types:Fixed Price (Lump Sum) This is the simplest type of all contracts. The terms are quite straightforward and eas y to understand. To put in simple, the service provider agrees to provide a defined service for a specific period of time and the client agrees to pay a fixed amount of money for the service. This contract type may define various milestones for the deliveries as well as KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). In addition, the contractor may have an acceptance criteria defined for the milestones and the final delivery. The main advantage of this type of contract is that the contractor knows the total project cost before the project commences.Unit Price In this model, the project is divided into units and the charge for each unit is defined. This contract type can be introduced as one of the more flexible methods compared to fixed price contract. Usually the owner (contractor/client) of the project decides on the estimates and asks the bidders to bid of each element of the project. After bidding, depending on the bid amounts and the qualifications of bidders, the entire project may be give n to the same services provider or different units may be allocated to different services providers. This is a good approach when different project units require different expertise to complete. Cost PlusIn this contract model, the services provider is reimbursed for their machinery, labour, and other costs, in addition to contractor paying an agreed fee to the services provider In this method, the services provider should offer a detailed schedule and the resource allocation for the project. Apart from that, all the costs should be properly listed and should be reported to the contractor periodically. The payments maybe paid by the contractor at a certain frequency (such as monthly, quarterly) or by the end of milestones. Incentive Incentive contracts are usually used when there is some level of uncertainty in the project cost. Although there are nearly-accurate estimations, the technological challenges may impact on the overall resources as well as the effort.This type of contract s is common for the projects involving pilot programs or the project that harness new technologies. There are three cost factors in an Incentive contract; target price, target profit, and the maximum cost. The main mechanism of Incentive contract is to divide any target price overrun between the client and the services provider in order to minimize the business risks for both parties. Retainer (Time and Material – T&M) This is one of the most beautiful engagements that can get into by two or more parties. This engagement type is the most risk-free type where the time and material used for the project are priced. The contractor only requires knowing the time and material for the project in order to make the payments.This type of contracts has short delivery cycles and for each cycle separate estimates are sent of the contractor. Once the contractor signs off the estimate and Statement of Work (SOW), the services provider can start work. Unlike most of the other contract types, retainer contracts are mostly used for long-term business engagements. Percentage of Construction Fee This type of contracts is used for engineering projects. Based on the resources and material required, the cost for the construction is estimated. Then, the client contracts a service provider and pays a percentage of the cost of the project as the fee for the services provider. As an example, take the scenario of constructing a house. Assume that the estimate comes up to $230,000.When this project is contracted to a services provider, the client may agree to pay 30% of the total cost as the construction fee, which comes up to $69,000. Conclusion Selecting the contract type is the most crucial step of establishing a business agreement with another party. This step determines the possible engagement risks. Therefore, companies should get into contracts where there is a minimum risk for their business. It is always a good idea to engage in fixed bids (fixed priced) whenever the proje ct is short-termed and predictable. If the project nature is exploratory, it is always best to adopt retainer or cost plus contract types. Contract Project Management ServicesContracting a project management professional to manage a project offers advantages in leadership, experience and cost savings. Yet