Urban Planning Essay Example for Free

Urban Planning EssayIn his book Urban Geography, Michael Pacione, discusses the Future City-Cities of the Future. In his outline thither are several principles that must be included in the next metropolis in order for it to strive and be prospering, by 2025 65 percent of the worlds population will be in urban areas (Pacione 2005) The need for the metropolis of the following 100 years to be sustainable in all aspects is paramount for its success and its citizens to live in peace and harmony. The factors that will picnic a large part in deciding the sine qua non of our future cities are addressing population growth, the economics of cities, or making cities economically competitive, the effective managing and creation of various modes of transportation and mobility and managing the largest pollutant most inefficient parts of of our cities buildings. wholly maculation maintaining high ecological and environmental standards including proper reduction and disposal of waste . The urban center of the next 100 years must be successful in managing the impacts of all of these stated areas. I will highlight contemporary cities that are struggling with some of these areas and what must be done for the future to realise for the next century.I. PopulationThere is wave of urban migration and population explosion particularly in 3rd-world nations. The projection of future growth in Lagos, Nigeria from the current metropolis to the future city is projected to put Lagos as the 3rd largest city in 2015 behind Tokyo and Bombay. (Lagos State Government 2011) To stem and manage much(prenominal) growth city planners and topical anesthetic authorities must be diligent. Below is a picture of the daily traffic in the main city center, this is an modeling of the current situation when unfettered growth and poor or lack of planning are present.While this may be an extreme example two of the projected largest cities by 2015 are both located in developing nations-Lagos being one of them and Bombay in India the other. The sanctioned needs of the population must be met for these cities to become prosperous for its own success and for its inhabitants. With such large masses of population of people located in nations that currently have challenges handling the basic needs of its people the challenge will be to grow while still addressing these concerns. The solution to this problem of massive population growth and how to sustainability-as a city develop and grow provoke be found from William Rees from the University of British Columbia.He and his team have developed an ecological footprint analysis which nates be phthisisd to gauge and measure whether the current natural environment abide sustain the growing population. In short, breaking down the consumption of what people expenditure into five categories food, housing, transportation, consumer goods and services. In addition, there are also land-use categories fossil energy land, consumed lan d, food land and forest land. While I will non tell the entire analysis, what is important that can be extracted from this is the characteristics of sustainable future cities, as it relates to population growth. Preserving natural capital, minimizing the ecological footprint (this can include mixed-use development, 3-4 story flat tire buildings along commercial streets). (Walker, Lyle and Rees, William 1997)II. BuildingsBuilding and how we are currently operating them in the United States alone account for 40 percent of all energy consumption. The city of New York alone emits more greenhouse- gases, more automobile exhaust and more trash per square foot, than any other U.S. city. (Fettig 2006) In the future city of the next 100 years energy consumption of buildings must drastically be reduced. While there are some new groundbreaking solutions such as The United States Green Building Council that have developed a system of measuring energy consumption of building and providing a r ating as to the strong point and usefulness of its energy consumption and sustainability. While this may be a great start and possibly a platform or model for future development it is simply not enough.The high cost for seeking the highest standard for Existing Buildings Platinum has pushed many building owners away from this concept. The sustainability of buildings is not only delimit as installing solar panels on the roof or collecting rain water it must start with the design of our work places and homes. Its ever-changing how we live, how we work, architects must have knowledge not only of the aesthetic but knowledge and understanding of maintaining a high level of efficiency and sustainability. The buildings of the city can and must be an ecological master of sustainability. How we construct our buildings currently are the best possible product at the cheapest possible cost. (Fettig 2006) An example of this is the construction of national buildings across the U.S.- most of ou r federal buildings are large blocks of concrete with little or no efficiency or aesthetic value.The General Services institution is the branch of government which is responsible for the construction, development and managing all federal buildings. They are the largest developer and manager of commercial space in the US. (Fettig 2006) Recently, efforts led by architect Thom head of hair of Los Angeles, he was tasked with developing the San Francisco federal building located at 7th Street and Mission Ave. The building is constructed with no central air conditioning, the building is by nature ventilated. The elevators strop on every 3rd floor with stairs for use between floors. There are no corner offices/edge offices. In addition, there is mostly all natural light only. Below is rendering of the building.While the building may not be the standard from a perspective of bag or function it mixes both the architectural form and user function and efficiency that his necessary for build ings for the future city of the next 100 years.III. Economic scrap of the City.Environmental type is often cited as a goal that stands in opposition to economic activity. (Skinner 1997) The thinking that sustainability and environmental awareness stifles economic growth is a great myth in this county. The two can go hand in hand, and must do so for cities to grow its topical anesthetic businesses, create jobs for its residents, while also maintaining a high quality of life for the residents of the city. The Porter Model highlights four areas that a businesses must maintain in a city for it to watch a competitive advantage over its competitors. Having a strategic location, local market demand, and integration with regional clusters and utilizing human resources. (Porter 1990) For the next-century city the local businesses must play an important factor in creating jobs within the inner city that will attract residents and help create a better quality of life.Skinner maintains that local governments have large-broad powers to regulate businesses and they various types that are allowed to operate, therefore allowing more sustainable and environmentally-friendly industries into the city. Various particular local examples of this in the region of S. Florida is in the city of Boca Raton. The city has created a local city organized group called Boca Raton Green Partners. The makeup of the group that meets monthly are local businesses committed to sustainable practices and reviews methods that city can take and policies they can recommend to foster a practice of sustainability for the residents and businesses.The state of Florida also has a rebate program for residents to install solar panels on their homes and businesses. Residents can be reimbursed up to 20, 000 for homes and up to 100, 000 for businesses against the cost of installation. This in effect also created hundreds of local jobs for contractors and businesses this may be somewhat viewed as a public/ clu bby partnership. Environmental quality and economic vitality can be viewed as a singular entity that can fully support each other for the city to usher into the next 100 years and truly be a future city.IV. TransportationThe above picture speaks volumes about the traffic problems most current cities face everyday. Smog, congestion, traffic noise, are just a few of the health consequences of our reliance of cars and the use of fossil fuels. When looking at transportation and the city it is not a one size fits all solution. There must be many options for residents and creating accessibility rather than mobility. (Fettig 2006) Some of the problems current cities face is large investments in highways and roadstead. For many years local and regional officials solution for solving the traffic problem was building more roads. Within the city the use the public transportation is the most effective and environmentally-conscious way of mobility.While this is nothing new to many readers what m ay surprise is that in some cities like Paris, France the local government is taking an active role in reducing the number of cars on roads. There has been a push for residents to use more public bikes, roads have been removed and trains or trams created in their places. These simple steps have allowed public transportation to move 3-4 more times the people on the alike(p) road previously used by cars. (Fettig 2006) The goal of the city is to reduce pollutants by 40 percent by the year 2020. By building a city non-reliant on the car for mobility not only will you generate less pollutants in the atmosphere but also a higher quality of life for residents.In conclusion, the future city of the next 100 years has many challenges it faces. But these challenges can also be viewed as opportunities for innovation and salmagundi that can bring forth lasting economic and environmental benefits. By addressing these four main points population growth, building efficiency, economic competitiven ess of cities and transportation and mobility the city can be primed for the next 100 years.Works CitedE2. Directed by Tad Fettig. Produced by Elizabeth Westrate. 2006. Lagos State Government. November 30, 2011. http//www.lagosstate.gov.ng/index.php?page=subpagespid=12mnu=null (accessed November 2011). Pacione, Michael. Urban Geography, Ch. 30 The Future of the City-Cities of the Future. Routledge, 2005. Porter, Michael. The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Chap. 3, 69-130. McMillian, 1990. Skinner, Nancy. Economic Development as a Path to Sustainability. In Eco City Dimensions, 66-79. New Society Publishers, 1997. Walker, Lyle and Rees, William. Urban Density and ecologic Footprints. In Eco City Dimensions, 96-112. New Society Publishers, 1997.

Reflection Summary Essay Example for Free

contemplation Summary EssayCollaborate with your Learning Team to discuss the previous weeks objectives.Discuss what you learned, what could be relevant to your scatplace or personal life, and how your knowledge has increased as a result of what you experienced through the learning activities in the previous week. conciliate your team summary of the discussion in a 1-2 page Microsoft Word document.General Questions General General QuestionsManagement Theory and workAll Weeks, Assignments, preaching Questions + net ExamRefrain from plagiarizing as the consequences can be extreme. During your college life, you will likely write a lot of papers. Be certain you do non paraphrase the work of others. Your professors are pros at recognizing plagiarized work, so be sure to write your papers on your own.This file MGT 230 Week 3 Reflection Summary contains review of works during the last 3 weeksCollaborate with your Learning Team to discuss the previous weeks objectives.Discuss what you learned, what could be applicable to your workplace or personal life, and how your knowledge has increased as a result of what you experienced through the learning activities in the previous week.Submit your team summary of the discussion in a 1-2 page Microsoft Worddocument.General Questions General General QuestionsManagement Theory and PracticeAll Weeks, Assignments, Discussion Questions + Final ExamRefrain from plagiarizing as the consequences can be extreme. During your college life, you will likely write a lot of papers. Be certain you do not plagiarize the work of others. Your professors are pros at recognizing plagiarized work, so be sure to write your papers on your oTo download this material Click this physical contact https//bitly.com/1oJNhBqRefrain from plagiarizing as the consequences can be extreme. During your college life, you will likely write a lot of papers. Be certain you do not plagiarize the work of others. Your professors are pros at recognizing p lagiarized work, so be sure to write your papers on your own. General Questions General General QuestionsManagement Theory and PracticeAll Weeks, Assignments, Discussion Questions + Final Exam

Religious Experience is Nothing but Fantasy Essay Example for Free

Religious Experience is Nothing still Fantasy EssayThe above lit crit to ghostly belief was proposed by Sigmund Freud who feeling that the origin of relig exp ( ghostly experience) is rooted in the unconscious and that they are a product of eschewed psychosexual development. Freud rejected any approach to the supernatural to explain these occurrences as our mind regularly deludes itself, pointing to dreams as an obvious example. The materialistic approach to explaining relig exp has led scientists to pinpoint specific physical causes of this phenomena St Paul of Tarsus is thought to have possessed a form of epilepsy. In this case, Pauls relig exp would be a fantasize but perceived as real experience.A theistic argufy to materialism is that God and organic explanations of religious phenomena. In this way our brains may be wired up to experience God materialism does not inescapably deem all relig exp fantasy. But how does one explain those who do not experience religious p henomena? Are some people born with Gods calling waggle? This in my mind is where atheists and theists will never agree theists will say God only chooses some to be his messengers and atheists will say that our genetics and bringing up predispose some of us to superstition. In this way we washstandnot know whether each and e genuinely religious experience is fantasy a conclusion reached by Bertrand Russell who heavy that the fundamental truth that we cannot get inside someone elses head and verify the experience deems this argument irresolvable.William pile set out specific criteria for a religious experience. For example, the experience must(prenominal) be transient i.e it is temporary and on that pointfore cannot be sustained. This conveniently pr flushts science from examining the psychological causes of the experience further evidence that this argument is irresolvable. James based in conclusions in part on Pragmatism the doctrine that truth is the acceptable conclusion f or whomever concerned in this sense, religious experiences are very much rightful(a) to the mootr. This would be seconded by Ludwig Wittgenstein who indentified religion as a closed language game proposing that the experiences are fantasy is not an accepted impinge on and is only know to the outside observer. Ergo, to say religious experiences are fantasy excludes the one accepted explanation upon which religion is based God did it.The term fantasy is vague does this indicate a belief that we want to be true and know is false or rather a true deception ourselves. The reason seems plausible in the case of Mass Hysteria e.g The Toronto Blessing, where our desire to fit in overtakes our desire to be right what psychologists call Normative Social Influence.As James pointed out, these psychological explanations do not necessarily reject God. However, they do give us no reason to believe in him via Occams razor (believe in the most simple of the explanations) and thus reckon religious experiences as fantasy. This brings to mind Anthony Flews Death by 1000 qualifications constantly changing the goalposts for the definition of God so that the eventual result is an idea that possesses no verifiable or falsifiable claim. Thus God cannot be counted in or out of existence, or even on the fence.Kant objected to the term religious experience calling it a contradiction. How can we experience that which is fundamentally beyond our sensory capacity? We experience people and trees and the piece around us because it is finite as are we. We can level the challenge that we experience the universe, which is infinite, but that we experience finite sections of the infinite set. Similarly we can count numbers but not count to the be it and end all of real of the numbers. God we can experience in short, transient bursts but cannot experience the sum of him this is not logically impossible. Kants reasoning is not the reason to reject religious experience as fantasy as with religion there can only be one wholly true explanation of religious phenomena.Only one religion can be wholly true as they make incompatible claims and so we must dismiss most religious experiences as fantasy. And if we reject most religious experiences, then those remaining must be of the same psychological nature so they too can be dismissed as fantasy. Jamess pluralism is merely another get out clause another death by 1000 qual which offers no explanation to how faiths are linked, and is infinitely less simple than materialism.In conclusion, not every criticism levelled against religious experience is sound. However, only one is sufficient that because we can track the experience of God to psycho/physiological phenomena, there is no reason left to believe in God even though the two are not mutually exclusive. Since the debate cannot be resolved ala Russell, we must assume the answer is not the theistic one.

Stakeholder And Issues Management Approaches Management Essay

S presentholder And Issues care start extinctes Management EssayThe stakeholder fill inment apostrophize is a response to the growth and complexity of contemporary organizations and the need to understand how they operate with their stakeholders and stockholders. Underlying the stakeholder management draw near is the ethical imperative that mandates businesses in their fiduciary relationships to their stockholders and shargonholders to 1) diddle in the best interests of and for the benefit of their guests, employees, suppliers, and stockholders and 2) respect and fulfill these stakeholders rights.The ethical dimension of this approach is based on the view that profit maximization is constrained by justice, that regard for individual rights should be extended to totally constituencies of business that induce a stake in the affairs of business, and that organizations do act in socially obligated ways not only because it is the right thing to do, but also to ensure their legi timacy.A. The Outsourcing Debate1. Competing stakeholder claims deform heated when executives must choose mingled with profit and the welf be of some or all stakeholders.2. Conflicting studies report that, on one hand, every dollar of collective spendingshifted offshore generates $1.13 in new wealth for Americas economy and, onthe other hand, U.S. workers may lose $120 billion in wages to outsourcing by2015. Arguments against outsourcing of origins and work includeJobs argon not presently being created in the private sector, which has not happened before in U.S. history.The U.S. trade deficit continues to escalate, with no trade surplus in the linked States for more than 20 years.At least three million jobs suck up been lost over the last three years, with no end in sight. The job loss is not only at lower levels, but also at middle and administrative levels.Local communities and states depend on individual and incarnate taxes to survive. Massive outsourcing nemesisens the Am eri plenty middle class as hearty as local communities.3. In a pluralistic society, corporate leading need a regularity that avails themunderstand and keep score on each of their stakeholders strategies, ethics,and agency relationships.2.2 Stakeholder Management Approach DefinedThe stakeholder approach argues that ethical principles can result in significant competitive advantage, and provides a framework that enables users to map and, ideally, manage pot relationships (present and potential) with groups to reach win-win collaborative outcomes.A stakeholder approach does not have to result from a crisis or controversial detail nor is it limited in its use to large enterprises. It can also be used as a planning method to anticipate and facilitate business decisions, events, and policy outcomes.A. Stakeholders1. A stakeholder is any individual or group who can affect or is affected by theactions, decisions, policies, practices, or goals of the organization.The focal stakeholder is the ships company or group that is the center or focus of an analysis.Primary stakeholders include owners, customers, employees, suppliers, stockholders and the board of directors.Secondary stakeholders include all other raise groups, such as the media, consumers, lobbyists, courts, governments, competitors, the public, and society.B. Stakes1. A stake is any interest, sh be, or claim that a group or individual has in theoutcome of a corporations policies, procedures, or actions toward others.2.3 How to Execute a Stakeholder AnalysisThe stakeholder analysis is a pragmatic way of identifying and understanding multiple (often competing) claims of many constituencies.A. Taking a Third-Party Objective commentator Perspective1. Taking a third-party objective observer perspective while doing the stakeholderanalysis in the following section helps students see all sides of an expiration and indeedobjectively evaluate the claims, actions, and outcomes of all parties.B. Role of the CE O in Stakeholder Analysis1. The stakeholder analysis is a series of seven steps aimed at the following tasks(Frederick et al, 1988) cadence 1 Map Stakeholder RelationshipsFigure 2.2 shows a general picture of an initial stakeholder map. The following five questions, in particular, offer a quick jump get weaving on the analysisWho ar our stakeholders currently?Who atomic number 18 our potential stakeholders?How does each stakeholder affect us?How do we affect each stakeholder?For each division and business, who atomic number 18 the stakeholders?Step 2 Map Stakeholder Coalitions.Determine and map any coalitions that have formed. Coalitions among and between stakeholders form around issues and stakes that they have or seek to have in super C.Step 3 Assess the Nature of Each Stakeholders InterestAlong with Step 4, this step helps in assessing the nature of each stakeholders power by identifying the interests of various stakeholders as supportive, nonsupportive, mixed blessing, or marginal.Step 4 Assess the Nature of Each Stakeholders Power.This part of the analysis asks, Whats in it for each stakeholder? and Who stands to win, lose, or buzz off over certain stakes? terzetto types of especially useful stakeholders are those with voting power, semipolitical power, and economic power (Freeman, 1984).Step 5 Identify Stakeholder clean-livingity and deterrent example ResponsibilitiesDetermine the ethics, responsibilities, and moral obligations your company has to each stakeholder.Figure 2.3 shows a matrix of stakeholder responsibilities.This part of the analysis should continue until you have completed matching the economic, legal, ethical, and entrustful responsibilities for each stakeholder, so that you can develop strategies toward each stakeholder you have identified.Step 6 Develop Specific Strategies and Tactics.First, consider whether to approach each stakeholder directly or indirectly. Second, see whether to do nothing, monitor, or take an offensive or defensive smear with certain stakeholders. Third, determine whether to accommodate, negotiate, manipulate, resist, avoid, or wait and see with specific stakeholders. Finally, decide what combination of strategies you want to employ.Figure 2.4 provides a useful typology for both identifying and deciding strategies to employ in a complex situation, based on potential for threat and potential for cooperation.Figure 2.5 presents an illustration of the typology in Figure 2.7, using the Microsoft solecism as an example.While developing specific strategies, it is important to keep the following points in mind if you are the focal stakeholderYour goal is to create a win-win set of outcomes, if possible.Keep your mission and responsibilities in mind as you move forward.Consider what the credibly consequences of your actions will be.Keep in mind that the means you use are important as the ends you seek.Step 7 Monitor Shifting CoalitionsBecause time and events can change the stakes and s takeholders, it is important to monitor the evolution of the issues and actions of the stakeholders, using Figure 2.4.C. Summary of Stakeholder Analysis1. The stakeholder approach should involve other decision makers inside and external the focal organization.2. The stakeholder analysis provides a rational arrogant basis for understandingissues touch in complex relationships between an organization and itsconstituencies.3. The extent to which the resultant strategies and outcomes are moral and areeffective for a firm and its stakeholders depends on many factors, including thevalues of the firms leaders, the stakeholders power, the legitimacy of theactions, the use of available resources, and the exigencies of the ever-changingenvironment.2.4 Negotiation Methods Resolving Stakeholder DisputesDisputes are part of stakeholder relationships. They occur between different stakeholder levels e.g. between professionals within an organization consumers and companies business to business (B 2B) governments and businesses and among coalitions and businesses.A. Stakeholder Dispute Resolution Methods1. Dispute resolution is an expertise cognise as alternative dispute resolution(ADR). Its techniques cover a variety of methods intended to help litigantsresolve conflicts (see Figure 2.6).2. Integrative approaches are characterized as followsProblems are seen as having more potential solutions than are immediately obvious.Resources are seen as expandable the goal is to expand the pie before dividing it.Parties attempting to create more potential solutions and processes are thus said to be value creating.Parties attempting to accommodate as many interests of each of the parties as possible.The so-called win-win or all gain approach.3. Distributive approaches have the following characteristicsProblems are seen as zero sum.Resources are imagined as fixed divide the pie.Value claiming.Haggling or splitting the difference.4. Relational approaches consider power, interests, rights , and ethics, and arebased onRelationship building.Narrative, deliberative, and other dialogical (i.e. dialogue-based) approaches to negotiation and mediation.Restorative justice and reconciliation (i.e., approaches that respect the dignity of every person, build understanding, and provide opportunities for victims to obtain return and for offenders to take responsibility for their actions).Other transformative approaches to peacebuilding.5. Four principles of negotiation used in almost any type of dispute includeSeparate the people from the problem. nidus on the interests rather than gravels.Generate a variety of options before settling on an agreement.Insist that the agreement be based on objective criteria.2.5 Stakeholder Approach and Ethical ReasoningThe stakeholder analysis requires the focal or principal stakeholders to define and fulfill their ethical obligations to the affected constituencies. Chapter 3 explains major ethical principles that can be used to examine individu al motivation for resolving an ethical dilemma, including rights, justice, utilitarianism, relativism, and universalism.2.6 Moral Responsibilities of Cross-Functional Area ProfessionalsOne goal of a stakeholder analysis is to encourage and prepare organisational managers to articulate their own moral responsibility, as well as the responsibilities of their company and their profession, toward their different constituencies.With the Internet, the transparency of all organizational actors and internal stakeholders increases the risk and stakes of unethical practices. Figure 2.7 illustrates a managers stakeholders.A. Marketing and Sales Professionals and Managers as Stakeholders1. Sales professionals and managers are continuously engaged-electronicallyand/or face-to-face-with customers, suppliers, and vendors.2. Moral dilemmas can surface for marketing managers who may be asked topromote unsafe yields or implement advertising campaigns that are untrue ornot in the consumers best inte rests.3. The stakeholder analysis helps marketing managers in virtuously questionablesituations in terms of identifying stakeholders and understanding the effects andconsequences of profits and services on them.B. RD Engineering Professionals and Managers as Stakeholders1. RD managers and engineers are responsible for the safety and reliability ofproduct design. RD managers must work and communicate effectively andconscientiously with professionals in manufacturing, marketing, andinformation systems senior managers contractors and governmentrepresentatives, to name a few stakeholders.2. Moral dilemmas can arise for RD engineers whose technical judgment andrisk assessments conflict with administrative managers seeking profit and time-to-market dead variants.C. Public Relations Managers as Stakeholders1. Public relations (PR) managers must invariablely interact with outside groups andcorporate executives, especially in an age when communications media,external relations, and public s crutiny play such vital roles.2. PR managers are responsible for transmitting, receiving, and interpretinginformation on employees, products, services, and the company.3. Moral dilemmas can arise when PR managers must defend or protect companyactions that have possible or known harmful effects on the public orstakeholders.D. Human Resource Managers as Stakeholders1. Human resource managers (HRMs) are on the front line of helping othermanagers recruit, hire, fire, promote, evaluate, reward, discipline, transfer, andcounsel employees. HRM professionals stakeholders include but are notlimited to employees, other managers and bosses, unions, community groups,government employees, lobbyists, and competitors.2. Human resource managers face constant ethical pressures and uncertainties overissues about invasion of privacy and violations of employees rights.3. Moral dilemmas can arise when affirmative action policies are threatened infavor of corporate decisions to hide biases or protect pro fits. HRMprofessionals also straddle the often-fine line between the individual rights ofemployees and corporate self-interests.E. Summary of Managerial Moral Responsibilities1. Expert and functional sphere managers are confronted with balancing operationalprofit goals with corporate moral obligations toward stakeholders. Using astakeholder analysis helps clarify the issues involved in resolving ethicaldilemmas.2.7 Issues Management, Stakeholder Approach, and morals Integrating FrameworksIssues management methods complement the stakeholder management approach. Issues management is also a formal process used to anticipate and take appropriate action to move to emerging trends, concerns, or issues that can affect an organization and its stakeholders.A. What is a Public Issue?Many national and international business-related controversies develop around the exposure of a single issue that evolves into more serious and costly issues. Stakeholder and issues management frameworks can be used to understand the evolution of these issues in order to responsibly manage or change their effects.B. Other Public IssuesThere are other types of public issues from the external environment that involve different companies and industries. For example the issue of corpulency has become prominent.Another issue that affects numerous stakeholders is drivers who drink.C. Stakeholder and Issues Management Connecting the Dots1. Issues and stakeholder management are used interchangeably by scholars andcorporate practitioners. The process begins by analyzing and then shapewhich issues are the most urgent and have (or may have) the greatest impact onthe organization.2. Stakeholder analysis questions help connect the dots in understanding andclosing the gaps of issues management.D. Moral Dimensions of Stakeholder and Issues Management1. Ethical reasoning and behavior are an important part of managing stakeholdersand issues because ethics is the energy that motivates people to respond t oissues. When ethical motives are absent from leaders and professionalsthinking and feeling, activities occur that cost all stakeholders.E. Introduction to Three Issue Management Frameworks1. This section presents three general issues frameworks for mapping andmanaging issues before and after they become crises, all of which can be usedwith the stakeholder management approach.F. First Approach 6-Step Issue Management Process1. The process involves the following steps, illustrated in Figure 2.8environmental scanning and issues identification.Issues analysis.Issues ranking and prioritizing.Issues resolution strategizing.Issues response and implementation.Issues evaluation and monitoring.2. These steps are part of a firms corporate planning process. This framework is abasic approach for proactively mapping, strategizing, and responding to issuesthat affect an organization.G. Second Approach 7-Phase Issue Development Process (Figure 2.9)1. Issues are believed to follow a developmental l ife cycle. Views differ on thestages and time involved in the life cycle.A felt need arises.Media coverage is developed.Interest group development gains momentum and grows.Policies are adopted by leading political jurisdictions.The federal government gives attention to the issue.Issues and policies evolve into legislation and regulation.Issues and policies enter litigation.H. 4-Stage Issue Life Cycle1. Thomas Marx observed that issues evolve from social expectations to social program line through with(predicate) the following stepsSocial expectations.Political issues.Legislation.Social control.2.8 Managing CrisesCrisis management methods evolved from the study of how corporations and leaders responded (and should have responded) to crises.Crises, from a corporations point of view, can deteriorate if the situation escalates in intensity, comes under close governmental scrutiny, interferes with normal operations, jeopardizes the positive image of the company or its officers, and dama ges a firms bottom line.A. First Approach Precrisis through Resolution (figure 2.11)1. According to this model, a crisis consists of four stagesProdromal (precrisis) warning symptoms.Acute damage done, point of no return.Chronic recover, self-analysis, self-doubt, healing.Resolution return to normalcy, the goal of crisis management.B. How Executives excite Responded to Crises1. Matthews, Goodpaster, and Nash have suggested five phases of corporate socialresponse to crises related to product crisis management, based on their study ofhow corporations have responded to serious crises. The phases, illustrated inFigure 2.12, areReaction lack of complete information, lack of time to analyze the event thoroughly.Defense overwhelmed by public attention, recoiling under media pressure.Insight stakes are substantial, executives bring to pass and confirm whether company is at fault.Accommodation address public pressure and anxiety.Agency understand causes of safety issue and develop education program for the public.C. Crisis Management Recommendations1. Corporations can respond more effectively to crises byFacing the problem and telling the truth.Taking their lumps in one big news story.Recognizing there is no such thing as a secret or private crisis.Staging war games.Using their motto, philosophy, or mission statement to respond to a crisis.Using their closeness to customers and end users for early feed spikelet.2. The following tactical recommendations are helpful crisis prevention andmanagement techniquesUnderstand your entire business and dependencies.Carry out a business impact assessment.Complete a 360-degree risk assessment.Develop a feasible, relevant, and attractive response.Plan exercising, maintenance, and auditing.3. Issues and crisis management methods and preventive techniques are effectivein corporations only ifTop management is supportive and participates.Involvement is cross departmental.The issues management unit fits with the firms culture.O utput, instead of process, is the focus.Ethical Insight 2.1 Consultants Split On Bridgestones Crisis ManagementThis case study examines how certain crisis management experts viewed the handling of the Bridgestone/Firestone scenario. The experts express their ideas and opinions on the case.questionsWhat, if anything should Mattels CEO have done differently in this scenario/case to have prevented and/or avoided the resulting crisis? Explain. reply Students opinions will vary. There were a number of factors at play, many of which were internal to Mattel, but others that were not. The answer should involve a discussion of the stakeholder framework. The stakeholder analysis provides a rational, systematic basis for understanding issues involved in complex relationships between an organization and its constituents. It helps decision makers structure strategic planning sessions and decide how to meet the moral obligations of all stakeholders. The extent to which the resultant strategies an d outcomes are moral and are effective for a firm and its stakeholders depends on many factors, including the values of the firms leaders, the stakeholders power, the legitimacy of the actions, the use of availableresources, and the exigencies of the changing environment.Briefly describe a situation in which you were a major stakeholder. How was the situation resolved (or not resolved)? What methods were used to resolve the situation? Looking back now, what methods could or should have been used to resolve that situation? For example, what would you now recommend happen to effectively resolve it fairly? dish up Students responses will vary harmonize to their own experiences.Which of the types of power (described in this chapter) that stakeholders can use have you effectively used in a conflict or disagreement over a complex issue? Briefly explain the outcome and evaluate your use(s) of power.Answer The students answer will vary. The answer should involve a description of power from the chapter. Three types of power stakeholders can use are (1) voting power, (2) political power, and (3) economic power. For example, owners and stockholders can vote their choices to affect the firms decisions. Federal, state, and local governments can exercise their political power by increasing regulations. Consumers can exercise their economic power by boycotting a firms products.Which roles and responsibilities in this chapter have you assumed in an organization? What pressures did you experience in that role that presented ethical dilemmas or issues for you? Explain.Answer Students responses will vary tally to their own experiences.What are the reasons for encouraging managers to use the stakeholder approach? Would these reasons apply to teams?Answer why should individual expert and functional subject field managers use the stakeholder analysis? First, by thinking in terms of stakeholders, managers can acknowledge and being to change their perceptual biases, blind spots, an d harmful activities that affect the firms and their units operations. The analysis allows them to see and perform their roles and moral responsibilities toward external and internal groups. Second, by seeing how managers in a firm dish out their complex stakeholder relationships, individual managers can begin to create value and realize corporate moral and legal obligations toward stakeholders. Third, the basis for increasing the quality of cross-functional communication and integrating can be developed. The process and results of the stakeholder analysis can provide a platform for opening corporate communication channels to discuss stressful, unrealistic, or unchaste expectations, problems, and pressures that often lead to illegal and unethical activities, such as creating faulty products, price-fixing, cheating, and lying. Finally, by identifying specific stakeholders responsibilities, expert area managers can begin to see common patterns of pressures, resources, and ethical i ssues across the firm. An enterprises moral identity and mission can be identified or reinforced. Moreover, managers can begin to think ahead and operate with moral responsibility as they perform their work. These underlying concepts can apply to any group, team, or area managers for doing stakeholder analysis.Give a recent example of a corporation that had to publicly manage a crisis. Did the company spokesperson respond effectively to stakeholders regarding the crisis? What should the company have done differently in its handling of the crisis?Answer Students responses will vary according to their own awareness of recent corporate public confidence issues. Some suggested examples includeTexacoracial discriminationMitsubishisexual harassmentArcher-Daniels-Midland come withprice fixingReynolds Tobaccocontroversy regarding health problems of smokingEnron, WorldComaccounting fraudArthur Andersonineffective auditing proceduresPolitical Partiescampaign financing/fundraisingDescribe how you would feel and what actions you would take if you worked in a company and saw a potential crisis emerging at the prodromal or precrisis stage. What would you say, to whom, and why?Answer Students responses will vary according to their own experiences.Using Figure 2.4, identify a complex issue-related controversy or situation in which you, as a stakeholder, were persuaded to move from one position (cell) to another and why e.g., from nonsupportive to supportive, or from mixed blessing to marginal. Explain why you moved and what the outcome was.Answer Students responses will vary according to their own experiences. vie both the pros and cons of stakeholder theory, using some of the arguments in the chapter, as well as your own. What is your evaluation of the usefulness of stakeholder theory and methods in understanding and analyzing complex issues?Answer Students responses will vary according to their own experiences. They should include in their answer pros and cons from the ch apter. Cons (1) negates and weakens fiduciary duties managers owe to stockholders (2) weakens the influence and power of stakeholder groups (3) weakens the firm and (4) changes the long-term character of the capitalist system. Pros (1) The approach provides an analytical method for determining how various constituencies affect and are affected by business activities. (2) It also provides a means for assessing the power, legitimacy, and moral responsibility of managers strategies in terms of how they meet the needs and obligations of stakeholders.exercises(Responses to the following exercises will vary with students experiences and views. However, sample responses are provided as suggestions where possible.)Describe a situation in which you were a stakeholder. What was the issue? What were your stakes? Who were the other stakeholders? What was the outcome? Did you have a win-win resolution? If not, who won, who lost, and why?Answer A local department store had a policy that switch m ust be returned within 30 days of purchase for a cash refund. As a customer of this department store, I had purchased an item as a gift for a friends wedding. The wedding was canceled, and I went to the store to return the item I had purchased. I had my receipt and the item had not been opened. The date on the receipt showed I had purchased the item 34 days earlier. The clerk at the returns desk refused to accept the return callable to the fact that the purchase was made more than 30 days ago. Given the reason for the purchase and return, I felt that this was unreasonable and requested to speak to the manager. After careful consideration and much argument, the manager hold to accept the return, but only as an in-store exchange credit. Due to the hassles involved, both parties came away as losers. As a customer, I was not totally comfortable and will most likely take my business to another store with a more liberal and personalized refund policy. The manager lost due to having to argue with me and this resulted in the loss of my business.Recall your personal work history. Who were your managers most important stakeholders? What, in general, were your managers major stakes in his or her particular position?Answer In almost every business circumstance, the managers most important stakeholder has been the customer. The line most often heard was The customer is always right. It makes sense for the customer to be the most important stakeholder, because without the customer no other stakeholders would exist. If the customers are not satisfied, then they conduct their business elsewhere and the company ceases to exist.In your company or one in which you have worked, what is the industry? The major external environments? Your product or service? Describe the major influences of each environment on your company (for example, on its competitiveness and ability to survive). Evaluate how well your company is managing its environments strategically, operationally, and te chnologically, as well as in relation to new products and public reputation.Answer ABC Consulting and Accounting, Inc. The industry of business consulting and accounting. The environments that most often accompany the consulting and accounting firms are economic, legal, and government/regulatory.The service provided by ABC consists of all accounting functionsbookkeeping, monetary statement preparation, tax preparation, auditing, etc. The consulting services provided consist of reorganization, cost analysis, tax planning, capital investment planning, budgeting, etc. Potential stakeholders are government regulatory agencies-FASB, GAAP-as well as the stockholders of the business customers, their customers, their employees, etc. Each stakeholder affects ABC by either limiting what can be done in regards to reorganizing or analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the firms that are our customers, or by the way that the accounting records are kept and reported. We affect our stakeholder s by providing the service that they requested to the best of our ability.Choose one type of functional area manager described in the chapter. Describe a dilemma involving this manager, taken from a recent media report. Discuss how a stakeholder analysis could have helped or would help that manager work effectively with stakeholders.Answer Regarding th

Development and Importance of Solar Electricity

Development and Importance of solar ElectricityNoxious gasses, acrid fumes, scarred landscapes, a massive century footprint, and a warming atmosphere. These argon the consequences of obtaining faculty from nonrenewable resources such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum. These atomic number 18 the sources we use to produce electricity, endangering the really planet we live on through their harmful impacts on the environment. These destructive effects include, merely are not limited to, the creation of a blanket of atomic number 6 dioxide which traps heat in the atmosphere and thus warms it, water and ground contami race from spills and other mishaps, and air pollution.There is a better answer to obtaining electricity, one which reduces babys room gas emissions and has a much, much small impact on the environment the photovoltaic (PV) cell, also known as the solar cell. Because the solar cell has these incredible benefits, our nation should drape much more than money into res earch and development of solar power to generate electricity.Thanks to considerable public investment in green competency that came from the US, Germany, and China during the Great Recession, recent American and European regulations that have de-incentivized coal power plants , competition among manufacturers, and technological know-how (R. Meyer How solar and Wind Got So Cheap, So card-playing 1), solar push button has become much cheaper, and thus, economically viable. While costs do vary between regions and types of solar panels, the average cost is around 60 cents per watt (R. Meyer How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap, So Fast 1).Solar cell technology has been around since 1839 when French physicist Alexandre Edmond Becquerellar first demonstrated the photovoltaic effect, or the ability of a solar cell to convert sunlight into electricity (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). Forty-four years later, in 1883, the American craftsman Charles Fritts created the mans first rooftop so lar array in New York (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). Up to this point, however, the process behind the photovoltaic effect (also known as the photoelectric effect) was not understood. The process continued to elude scientists until 1905 when Albert Einstein wrote a paper explaining the photoelectric effect (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). Together, Becquerellar and Einstein pave the way for the development of photovoltaic technology. During the 1950s, the U.S. military funded research on PV technologys potential to power satellites (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1), and in 1964 the National Aeronautics and infinite Administration (NASA) launched its first satellite equipped with solar panels. However, it wasnt until the Arab oil embargo of 1973 and the ensuing energy crisis that the United States started to earnestly develop solar energy. The U.S. governances first measurement was passing the Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1974 (R. Meyer History of Sol ar Power 1), which created the Solar Energy Coordination and Management Project, an organization designed to involve agencies like NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve solar energy technology (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). When lever Carter became President in 1977, he labeled the energy crisis as the moral equivalent of war and made energy policy a top priority of his administration (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). That same year, he created the Department of Energy and pushed through copulation several acts relating to renewable energy use. The goal of Carters efforts and those of Congress was to make solar viable and affordable and market it to the public (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). In facilitating this goal, Congress created the commercial investment tax quotation (ITC) and the residential energy credit (or residential ITC) to provide financial incentives for the public to purchase solar prop erties (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). Unfortunately, the tax credit failed to profit Americas use of solar power, as solar comprised a negligible amount of electricity generation (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). However, declining domestic oil action and rising oil imports throughout the early 2000s (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2) led to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). This act raised the commercial ITC to a temporary 30 percent rate and rein give tongue to the residential ITC which had expired in 1985 (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). Today, in addition to tax credits and grants, the government continues to heavily subsidize the industry with research and development, commercialization, and regulatory support (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 3).In 1985, sum up renewable energy production and exercise amounted to 6084 jillion Btu. Out of that amount, less than half trillion Btu came from solar power, less than 0.0008 percent of total renewable energy. In comparison in 2015, total renewable energy production and consumption amounted to 9466 trillion Btu. Out of that amount, 427 trillion Btu came from solar power, about 4.5 percent of total renewable energy. This nitty-gritty from 1985 to 2015 total renewable energy production and consumption increased by 3382 trillion Btu, while in the same time period, solar energy consumption and production has increased by around. 426.5 trillion Btu (US EIA Monthly Energy Review January 2017 151).Electricity is an extremely important factor of our everyday lives, but we should obtain this essential resource much more responsibly through solar power. Solar power produces significantly less greenhouse gas emissions (more specifically carbon dioxide) and has a very high technical foul potential. check to the United States environmental Protection Agency (EPA), greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere (EPA 1). In 2014, 81% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States came from carbon dioxide, which amounted to 556,470,000 metric tons (EPA 1). This carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning at the stake fossil fuels (such as coal, natural gas, and oil), as surface as solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (EPA 1). According to the EPA, 37% of carbon dioxide produced comes from generation of electricity (EPA 1). If our nation used solar power to generate electricity, the amount of carbon dioxide we produce would drastically decrease, as the carbon footprint of the solar industry is much, much smaller than that of the oil or gas business (R. Meyers The Solar Industry Has nonrecreational Off Its Carbon Debts 2). This is made possible because the energy put into making solar panels, such as quart and copper being mined. The raw materials being converted into wafers, then being encased in protective material Has the solar industry really saved any energy at all? (R. Meyers The Solar Industry H as Paid Off Its Carbon Debts). Researchers at the University of Utrecht and the University of Groningen have determined that the answer is yes, using a type of research called lifecycle analysis, which investigates the total environmental impact of a product over time (R. Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). According to Meyers, this kind of research is tricky researchers must find and calibrate years of economic and energy data, collected across 40 years, in many contrastive countries, with different goals in mind (R. Meyers The Solar Energy Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). Scott Hershey, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at Olin College, stated in an email that their the researchers methods are solid, but this type of analysis is fraught with assumptions (R. Meyer The Solar Energy Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). While exact be are not known relating to how much carbon dioxide solar power produces, it is known that it is much less than amounts from nonrenewable sources. However, this carbon dioxide can be outback(a) from the atmosphere by being absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. Unfortunately, all plants have a limit to how much carbon dioxide they can absorb, and all the plants in the world cannot absorb all the carbon dioxide just the U.S. produces (EPA 1).Solar power produces much less carbon dioxide than power plants burning fossil fuels, and there is very high technical potential. Technical potential refers to the achievable energy generation of a particular technology given trunk performance, topographical limitations, environmental, and land-use constraints (Lopez, Roberts, Heimiller, Blair, Porro 1). In other words, it is the amount of energy a technology can produce within strict parameters. The process for generating these technical potential estimates is very exact, requiring complex calculations and surveying of the land. However, there are three different types of solar tech nologies, and the technical potential for each drastically varies. The three different types of solar technologies are utility-scale PV, rooftop PV, and concentrating solar power (CSP). According to NREL, utility-scale PV is generation of electricity through large-scale PV (NREL 3). However, NREL has estimated that 3,212,324 km2 of land is available for utility-scale solar production in the U.S. (Anthony Lopez, wand Roberts, Donna Heimiller, Nate Blair, and Gian Porro 10,11), out of 9,833,517 km2, which is the total land area of the United States (The World Factbook 1). This means 32.66% of U.S. land is suitable for production of electricity, which could produce up to 282,844,911 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity (Anthony Lopez, Billy Roberts, Donna Heimiller, Nate Blair, and Gian Porro 10, 11). In 2015, the United States produced 4.103 trillion (4,103,000,000) kilowatt hours (KWh) of electricity, which is equal to 4,103,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity (Philipp Beiter, an d Tian Tian 7)i. In other words, using just utility-scale solar power plants, we could produce almost 68 percent of all the energy we consume using just solar powerHowever, many fossil fuel executives and politicians are opposed to solar power, among other reasons, because they say that it is costly and the gimmick of the solar panels still cause emissions. These critics are correct solar power is still costly and the manufacture of solar power does create emissions. However, historically, prices today are much lower than those at the turn of the century. In an email from Jenny Chase, the head of the solar department at Bloomberg New Energy Financial, she stated that reductions in the cost of solar panels have to do with the experience curve. This means that the more of something we do, the better we get at it (Robinson Meyer How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap So Fast 2). Cost cutbacks also have to do with manufacturers improving their fabrication of materials in photovoltaic cells, i ncluding an essential material called polysilicon. Prices for polysilicon got as high as $ cd per kilogram. That enticed more manufacturers to get into the industry, creating a supply glut and a price crash (Robinson Meyer How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap So Fast 2). As a result, current prices are much lower than prices from years ago.While solar panels themselves create very few greenhouse gas emissions, their production can, depending on where they are produced. According to Robinson Meyer, many solar panels are manufactured in Europe and China (Robinson Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). However, the environmental situations in these two regions are drastically different, because China relies on coal burning for much of its electricity, and it has fairly lax environmental protections. The EU European Union, on the other hand, already heavily relies on clean energy, and it has a large and entrenched environmental bureaucracy (Robinson Meyer The Solar Indust ry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). This means that solar panels produced in China are more than likely produced in factories require a lot of energy and produce relatively dirty emissions (Robinson Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 3. Meanwhile, in Europe, factories producing solar panels require relatively little energy and produce cleaner emissions (Robinson Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 3). However, China has toughened its environmental protection laws, as they attempt to curb pollution. This means that in the future, China may produce solar panels with fewer emissions.If you dont believe solar power is the better choice for producing our electricity, there are other options to choose from that still protects our environment, including wind, geothermal, tidal, hydroelectric, and biomass. However, if none of those options suit you either, then conceive about the consequences of using nonrenewable sources. Pollution. Changes in globa l weather patterns. Flooding. Drought. Desertification. Health consequences. These consequences spell out the destruction of the planet we live on. It may take years, but with continuous reliance on fossil fuels, these effects are inevitable. We still have a chance to turn around, by using solar power, or other forms of renewable resources. Yes, this would require sacrifices and change. It would require courage to go against the status quo. It would require risk. But if we chose to use solar power to generate electricity, we could make the world a little bit better. For ourselves, our world, and our posterity.Works CitedBeiter, Philipp, and Tian Tian. 2015 Renewable Energy Data Book. 2015 Renewable Energy Data Book Department of Energy. U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), Nov. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .Bolinger, Mark, and Joachim Seel. Utility-Scale Solar 2015 An Empirical Analysis of Project Cost, Performance, and Pricing Trends in the United States. Electricity Markets and Poli cy Group. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Aug. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .History of Solar Power. IER. U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), 18 Feb. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .Lopez, Anthony, Billy Roberts, Donna Heimiller, Nate Blair, and Gian Porro. U.S. Renewable Energy Technical Potentials A GIS-Based Analysis. National Renewable Energy Laboratory Documents Archive. U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), July 2012. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .Meyer, Robinson. How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap, So Fast. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 02 Dec. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .Meyer, Robinson. The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts Robinson Meyer. QOSHE. The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .Meyer, Robinson. The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 13 Dec. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .Overview of Greenhouse Gases. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 14 Feb. 2017. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .Thetford, Kyle. Charting the Fall of Sol ar Prices. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .The World Factbook UNITED STATES. Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, 12 Jan. 2017. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. .i The actual overcompensate gave the amount of energy in quadrillion Btu, but all my other sources gave it in terms of watts, so in this case, I converted Btu to watts.

A Comparison Of Concrete Steel And Timber Construction Essay

A Comparison Of Concrete Steel And Timber Construction EssayComposite construction is a method whereby a concrete floor slab is utilised as part of the circularize system. The slab acts as a concrete flange to the beam. As the beam and slab are of different materials, the size of the concrete flange is scaled down using a modular ratio where the youngs modulus of steel is divided by the youngs modulus of concrete. When these devil elements bend, the top of each element is in compression and the bottom in tension. Because the bottom of the concrete is in tension of the top of steel is in compression this causes shear along the interface of the two materials. To overcome this a steel stud is welded through the metal deck. The stud is designed to take the shear force.The composite system consists of a concrete slab throw give away on profiled steel decking acting compositely with glue-laminated timber beams. Composite action is achieved with coach screw shear connectors between the beams and slab. The connectors have been tested in push out shear tests and a three-point bend test of a full-scale floor slab has been completed. The composite system is more than three times as stiff and approximately twice as strong as the same beam/slab configuration without composite action. Richard Persaud, Dr Digby Symons The Structural Engineer 21 February 2006Euro codes are a full case-hardened of structural design codes for proveing and civil engineering that used across Europe to open up trade boundaries allowing designers, and manufacturers to supply designs and products to other countries across the continent. Conceived over 30 years ago, the Eurocodes are now landing on the desks of engineers, and are expected to be fully adopted in 2010. For this reason, the Eurocodes were used for the design comparisons.In 2004, The Steel Construction Institute published a study comparing the costs and construction programme of various methods of steelwork and concrete framing s olutions that reflect youthful construction techniques to determine which is the most cost effective. The study looked at two types of structures, costing and programming each of them. The study also looked at other aspects of the building, which depose be affected by the choice of framing solution such(prenominal) as foundations, external elevation treatments and mechanical/electrical services. The study was motivated by the Egan report, which looked at the construction industry and how to lower costs. The report encourages offsite construction to improve speed and quality on site.People are starting to use tree diagram planting as a way of offsetting carbon emissions. This is because of trees absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. One of the problems is that once a tree reaches maturity it stops absorbing CO2, hence the next problem is when it dies and decays it starts to release CO2 back into the atmosphere. One solution round this is to store the carbon in materials, by using the timber as a construction material.The way in which timber is used us also key in reducing CO2 emissions. Timber should be dry out before it can be used as a material, and it must be. One method is by kiln drying. Kiln drying is an artificial method of drying the timber by estrus it up and in turn using fossil fuels, emitting CO2. This defeats the point of the object. The sustainable alternative is to allow the timber to dry naturally under cover.The ideal spatial relation would be for people to use natural unaltered timber and design buildings within its limitations. However, due to human nature and the endeavour to improve, we are going to build higher and wider buildings that are filled with more objects and fewer supports. For this reason, we must come up with more innovative and sustainable solutions to overcome these challenges. We must harness timbers cleverness to lock CO2 into its structure and adopt methods to manipulate its properties. One of these enginee red lumbers is Glue Laminated Timber, commonly abbreviated to Glulam in the industry.Timber in the UK as a building material is widely used, but not so much as for major building components such as beams and columns. In our history, we used to use salient oak timbers for roofs and beams, but due to time it takes to grow these massive timbers, it was not long until demand outstripped supply. Moving into the 21st Century with the use of high potency glues, we are able to utilise fast growing tree species and mechanically bonded the timbers to form sizes and strengths that rival the oak timbers. These mechanically glued timbers are referred to as attach Laminated Timber, which has been abbreviated to Glulam.In sustainability, the social impact on an area cannot be discussed without also discussing the environment and economics. The introduction of an industry can create an economic wealthiness for the local population that can lift certain areas out of poverty. This can be balanced against the environmental impact on the are by such industries. Industries can create noise and vibration, dust, local climate, ecology, soils, heritage, and archaeology as a by-product of the manufacturing process.Initially I thought that the timber would have a peachy depth of construction as compared to steel. The depth of steel beams were indeed shallower than the timber beams but because the steel beams require a concrete slab needs to span from beam to beam, the overall construction depth of the steel beam plus the slab is only marginally shallower than the overall timber floor construction. The shallowest overall floor construction is of the concrete flat slab because you do not require a beam as such the slabs span directly to the columns.

Lesbianism in Buffy the Vampire Slayer :: TV Television Show Essays

Given that lesbian desire has often been associated with the monstrous in horror and vampire genres, and that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is seen as having reworked the conventions of these genres, it is worth considering how the yarn of lesbianism is weedt with in this series to contemplate if and how this desire has been resignified. This paper is concerned with critically analysing the overt representations of lesbian desire and identity as they are manifested through the willow tree (played by Alyson Hannigan) and Tara (Amber Benson) characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the coming out chronicles as they unfold in Season Four. It attempts to address several questions How has Buffy the Vampire Slayer reworked the representation of lesbians in the vampire genre? How are the themes of lesbian desire and coming out as lesbian dealt with in the series? Finally, has the show challenged stereotypical representations of lesbianism, or except perpetuated them? I start this paper w ith a sense of ambivalence active how the lesbian characters and lesbian desire are constructed in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, because on the sensation hand I gain pleasure from watching these representations, but on the separate hand I suspect that the series perpetuates some homophobic concepts about lesbianism. I am mindful that representations in horror and fantasy television programs and films are creative images and manifestations of ideas, mythologies and narratives. They are not perfect reflections of society, although the writers may attempt to deal with some social issues and identity politics within generic frameworks. However, fictional representations are still important sites where viewers negotiate personal and cultural concepts of sexual practice and subjectivity. This queer reading of Buffy the Vampire Slayer investigates the disguised homo-erotic tensions between the out lesbian characters in the series. It avoids an elaborate search for homoerotic and non-normat ive sexual couplings between other characters in the series. If I were to do such a queer reading, I would probably concentrate on the Willow and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), or Faith (Eliza Dushku) and Buffy relationships as Farah Medlesohn has through with(p) in her essay, Surpassing the Love of Vampires(2002 45-60). Alternatively, I might focus on the sadomasochistic relationship between Spike (James Marsters) and Buffy, or the bizarre love trigon between Andrew, Warren and Jonathan in Season Six. Instead, this paper is more concerned with analysing the blatant representations of lesbian desire and sexuality as they are constructed through characterisation, metaphors, narrative and stylistic devices in particular episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to consider how these themes have been integrated into a youth-orientated, television program.