The media institutions Essay Example for Free

The media institutions Essay Media is the method and organisation used by specialist groups to convey messages to large socially mixed and widely dispersed. It can be defined as a means of public communication, which is open to all audiences of people living under different conditions in widely different cultures, therefore reaching a great and wider audience. It establishes contact with people at a distance from the media source and from each other. If we are referring to a single form of communication such as T. V or radio than we use the term medium. The audience for mass communications is unique to modern society and the main form of mass media is Television, Internet, Radio, and Newspapers. Its obvious that the mass institution has increased as individuals are spending an overwhelming amount of physical time with different media forms. This is known as centrality of the media. Analysing sociologist arguments and reports will successfully assist me to complete this essay. Throughout this essay I aim to discuss and analyse the following media institutions: Internet, Video games and Television. The first media institution to be mentioned in this essay is the Internet. The Internet is the largest WAN (wide area network) in the world. It was developed by the United States Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency in the 1960s and was initially known as ARPANET. As the Internet became more established thus having a positive aspect on its popularity many people obtained access to the Internet and the number of people who use it is growing considerably. The main reason being that it now contains user friendly software, which has packages that help people use the Internet easily e. g. Netscape, AOL. The Internet has now become cheaper as companies realise that they can make a great deal of profit if the majority of the society have the Internet e. g. If consumers join the NTL phone line they get the Internet free therefore encouraging a lot of people to get it. There are many deals that means anyone who has a phone line, a computer and modem can be connected for as little as i 12-i 15 a month. In addition it now has a faster communication telephone line, which means that communication can reach top speeds, visuals images and sound can be quickly downloaded. Digital communications across ISDN lines allow greater amounts of information to be accessed. Again the Internet has become part of the civilisation, as an individual if you dont have access to the Internet you are seen as not being up to date. A statistics illustrate the Internets popularity has increased as it now reaches 146 countries, and involves 3 million computers and 40,000 sub networks. The Internet has become such an established form of media institution that its is often seen as a valuable tool to sell things over the web which is called the e-commerce. There are also 500 million users worldwide and the numbers is still immensely growing. In addition as computers are becoming cheaper, society is realising that you need to be computer literate to cope with the heavy demands of the business world. As more economically developed countries revolve around the computer. Michio Kaku a sociologists state that in the past decade, more scientific knowledge has been created that in all human history. Computer power is doubling every eighteen months and the Internet is doubling every year. Gilroy proclaims the Internet is still continuously growing he used California as an example of his Internet popularity research. He illustrates that California has dramatically expanded its share of high tech jobs in the US. In 1997 2000 thousands a month was being created. By 1996 there were 355 Internet hosts per 1,000 people in Silicon Valley a far higher ratio than anywhere else in the US. Charles leadbeater states that Internet usage is multiplying as five times the rate that television spread in the 1980s. Users of the Internet are now beginning to chat, shop, and entertain themselves through the comfort of their home. However sociologists believe that the Internet has a threat to society as it begin to restrict people from socialisation they state that people will become unhealthy and mentally depressed. Tele working such as shopping, going to school will be replaced by computer links. People will be able to invade private lives through broad-catching as they can pick any information they want such as radio and T. V programmes. The Internet will force a downward spiral in the economy as people will no longer need to purchase products such as music from the stores but instead download e. g. Kazza. Older generations worry that the Internet will have a negative impact on young people in society due to the fact that the Internets reputation is known for its quick reliable response 24/7. They explain that the younger generations live in an impatient and permanently depth less present, in which there is no sense of perspective and little sense of obligation. On the contrary they is also many advantages of using the Internet for example the disabled tele-working would be more convenient. If you live under the pressure of the world then it also saves time as you can carry out daily tasks from the comfort of your home. Broad catching makes people access and pick any information they need at a quick and reliable speed and includes free downloads which save money. You will be able to communicate with people world wide at a free or cheap cost this is known as asynchronous communication. Society will soon be able to obtain a wide variety of information. Serial delivery will broaden peoples knowledge and we will be entertained quite easily. Copyright will become a thing of the past. Information will be the property of everyone and we will have access to everything. Most importantly it will reduce the importance of characteristic skin colour, gender physical attraction and sexual orientation will no longer be important in the virtual would of the Internet. Everyone will be viewed as equal. The second media institution is video games. Video games can be played on several types of platforms: home consoles used with TV sets, computers, and computers with access to the Internet, coin-operated arcade machines, and handheld devices including games systems, cell phones and Palm Pilots. In the past these electronically products were not available highlighting the fact that they have become developed and more poplar. Atari introduced video games in 1972; this was a ping pong game. Nintendo introduced hardware in 1986 and it is estimated that over 4 billion pounds has been created through them selling games. Other companies that are involved in producing games are Sony, Microsoft and Saga. As fashion and taste changes, so does the video games, and many companies try to change the correct theme of their games e. g. at the beginning of the football season a football game becomes popular e. g. Fifa 2004. This re-emphasises the idea that games are extremely popular. Computer and video game sales in the United States are a $6. 35 billion industry, with estimates of $16. 9 billion by 2003. The major studies indicate that children ages 2-18 spend, on average, between 20-33 minutes a day playing video games. The amount of time spent playing video games varies by age. On average, 2-7 years old spend 8 minutes a day, 8-13 year olds spend 32 minutes a day, and 14-18 years old spend 20 minutes a day playing video games. Boys spend substantially more time playing video games than do girls, regardless of age. On any given day, 44% of boys report playing video games compared to 17% of girls. Another piece of evidence that shows that video games are becoming more popular is Media technology in the home. In 1986 10% had video games, 1989 11% had video games, 1991 12% had video games, 1992 17% had video games and in 1993 20% had video games. Overall these statistics accentuate that video games are becoming more popular. The Sociologist SKIRROW quoted that: Video games are unattractive to women since they are apart of a technology which is identified with male power, and they usually involve male characters acting in aggressive way. Women also state that games are sexist because they tend to have no main role in the video game e. g. they are being rescued or need saving by the main character. Women characters in the game are also not identified by their name but for example someones girlfriend. Most games are targeted towards the males so most games examine boxing, racing, football and fighting. Overall most games are based on real life situations, this means that they put real life situations into the game e. g. Sims. Its not the producers fault but the nations fault, as this is how the society operates. Provenzo states that There does seem to be a significant relationships between aggressive behaviour and subjects playing video games. Provenzo also quoted that women tend to have no action in video games, women have no names, and many video games are masculine. The fact that the invisible culture is increasing illustrates that children enjoy being in controlled of something, but are they really in control or are they being influenced negatively. Many games are become extremely realistic reflecting real life situations where too much exposure to a premature mind such as a child can affect them permanently. Video games have been evaluated and its been concluded that they are not just entertaining but also have effects which can be positive and negative. The positive aspect of gaming is that it has an education impact as it provides individuals with detailed insight on computer literacy, the design feature in the most popular interactive games are extremely detailed, which sociologist believe improve skills such as visualisation, visual attention and concentration. Playing violent games allows them to explore their feelings, master their rage, improve strategically thinking and empower themselves against life challenges. The negative aspect of participating in playing games is that it sometimes interferes with homework and academic performance. It increases verbal aggression and physical aggression. People that spend time playing violent games are probably more likely to be in fights than people that dont play at all. Television is also known a media institution, in 1922 the first public broadcasting began by a private company. Other companies joined in the business and they set up their own channels which was to be presented on T. V. These were the BBC (1935), Channel 4 (1982), Sky (1984) and Channel 5 (1995). Television has definitely increased it occupies a large, and often the largest, part of most peoples leisure time, to the extent that entertainment and social life in general is sometimes organised around the television (mass media). Statistics and facts show this. 99% of the population have a TV set. More people have a TV than own a phone. Television popularity has increased over the years as in 1986 the daily viewing was 78 hours, 1991 was 79 hours and in 1993 was 82 hours. These statistics illustrates a positive correlation meaning that its obvious that the hours have increased in 2003. Since Television was becoming more popular, politicians scrutinised the TV and this lead them to set up the Peacock Committee. This was set up by Professor Peacock. The disadvantage of TV is that research has confirmed that the roles are allocated to the sexes on television are highly distorted. The stereotypical role of man portrayed on T. V is that they tend to be assertive, tough and dynamic. On the contrary the female role is that women tend to be soft, deferential and, whenever possible, physically attractive. This can be emphasised by an important factor in T. V, commercials (advertising). Women have the traditional domestic role in the household, as they tend to show how to use the vacuum cleaner or what kitchen appliance the consumer should purchase e. g. cooker. This is significantly clear that this would be targeted towards the female audience, as this is how western society operates, women tend to do most of the domestic duties. Products aimed at men involve women as being sex objects e. g. Lynx the Lynx effect. The advantage of TV is that we can get a wider perspective of the knowledge world wide society learns about different cultures such as religion music, food, clothing etc. Also we are quickly entertained from the comfort of our homes In conclusion, I believe that the media institution is gaining power and will come to eventually directing and determining the culture of society rather than respond to or reflect society culture. Overall sociologist believe that the mass media is increasingly becoming more popular as the term meditation describes this process of mass recognition. The media has begun to replace our local knowledge and awareness. This suggests that the media has become very popular and important in society lives due to the fact that they have replaced community-based forms of social and cultural life.

Roll of children in family shopping behaviour

Roll of children in family shopping behaviour Much of human behaviour is viewed as a process, which begins with early childhood experience, and develops into later life emotions, values, beliefs, and behaviours. Todays children possibly have more autonomy and decision-making power within the family than previous generations, which follows that children are vocal about what they want their parents to buy (Dotson and Hyatt, 2005). Therefore young children are increasingly the target of advertising and marketing. This is not only because of the influence they have on their parents spending, but also because they are going to be adult consumers of the future. Therefore marketers should recognise the childrens increasing influence in purchase decisions. This paper will explore the extent to which family shopping behaviour is influenced by children and what role do they play in decision-making process. Internal and external influences which affect what, when and how family members buy things and what role they play within the family will also be discussed. Additionally, it will examine the lessons for marketing practice. Finally, these concepts and critically analysed and evidenced data will be explored throughout the essay and brought towards the conclusion. Family decision making is a type of consumer decision-making that involves several individuals as potential decision makers and influencers (Norgaard et.al. 2007). According to McNeal (1992), children have long been recognised as an influencing market and at the same time future market, and parents started paying more attention to their children and their opinions. These changes in family communication have made it possible for children to exert influence on family decision-making. Consequently, family structures have changed which noticeably influences family decision-making. Flurry (2007) who has written a number of credible articles about childrens influence in purchase decisions and is specialised in marketing, argues that childrens influence varies by number of variables, including type of product, decision-making stages, parental attitudes as well as characteristics of the child and the family unit. In general, children may have significant influence in product decisions for wh ich they will be the primary consumers. For instance, it has been found that children have substantial impact on decisions such as breakfast cereals, snack foods, toys, children clothes and school supplies (Evans et.al. 2006). However, even though they are primary consumers of these products and are considered to have significant influencing power, it usually depends on the age of the child. In contrast, in Thomsons et.al. (2007) study children have been found to have less influence on decisions for products that are more expensive and used by the whole family (for instance TV). Earlier attempts (in marketing) to understand the role of children was made by Berey and Pollay (1968), the research was done when they were university students, however, the project was reviewed by educated professors during most phases of the project, which gives the paper more credibility. Berey and Pollay (1968) state, that a mothers purchase behaviour is independent of number of variables, such as a childs age, the number of children in the family, mothers employment status and the number of trips to the shopping centre. Furthermore, authors argue that mothers who are more child-centred have a greater tendency to purchase products following their view of what is right and healthy. On the other hand, a mother who is less child-centred may be more likely to purchase the brands that the child prefers in order to keep the child happy (Berey and Pollay, 1968). According to Norgaard et.al. (2007), one of the areas where children have gained strong influence is food choice. Since food plays a central role in family life and routines, parents want to ensure that their children eat healthy food, but at the same time also what they like. Moreover, it has been found that food choices are less healthy in families with more influential children. According to Mintel (2002), baby boomers as a generation have tended to spoil their offspring, making them more receptive to childrens reasonable demands and making pester power an even more effective weapon in the marketing. Pester Power, a term used to define a childs influence over a parent in the buying process (Mintel, 2002). It has been found, that younger children tend to make more pestering requests than the older siblings. Children may try to persuade or dominate parents by using emotive appeals, crying, pouting or other non-verbal techniques to gain influence over the decision outcome (Lee and Collins, 2000). Thus when parents exert less control over child-rearing, children are more likely to suggest or request items for their own consumption and to participate in the search for and decision to purchase these items. Moreover, Ward and Wackman (1972) found that childrens purchase influence attempts may decrease with age, depending on the type of product, however, mothers yielding to requests increases with age. This might be because of the increased competence of older children in making judgments about purchase decisions. Later study by Beatty and Talpade (1994) suggested that personal resources of the child, usage of the product and childs product knowledge determined the degree of influence. For instance, children are considered to be more acknowledgeable than their parents in areas such as sports a nd beverages, or computer games. Furthermore, Commuri and Gentry (2000) whose research on the topic is supported by a great number of sources, argue that the role of the child in family decision making depends partly upon whom one asks and how many members in the household there are. Following from the earlier studies, Flurry (2007) examined further the extent to which parents may be more inclined to consider the input of older children when making family purchase decisions. Moreover families with fewer children, where there is less competition for resources, enable a child for more freedom in selecting their own products. Flurrys (2007) study concluded that the childs birth order may also be related to a childs participation in decision-making with first-born children exerting greater purchase decision influence. However, the respondents in the research were children aged 9-11 with their mothers; therefore Flurrys research results may not be generalizable for all children, for inst ance under 9 years old. Palan and Wilkes (1997) have provided one of the first comprehensive identification and categorization of influence strategies used by children to influence the outcome of family purchasing decisions. The strategies include: bargaining, persuasion, emotional, legitimate, request, expert and directive strategy. However, there are age-related changes in adolescent thinking and transitions in decision-making competence during youth. Furthermore, Wimalasiris (2004) study undertaken with families from broad diversity of socio-economic statuses revealed, that children may be perceived as influencers or even nagging influencers and sometimes have the power in persuading their parents in fulfilling their needs. For instance, children can use tactics such as upward appeal, pressure tactics, ingratiating tactics, rational persuasion, inspirational appeals and consultative tactics. Children slowly acknowledge the power and authority of their parents and they learn through experience or trial an d error that certain tactics may persuade their parents to fulfil with their requests. The use of the emotional strategies in order to gain influence is relatively common. However, the use of the various tactics changes as children get older. As children grow up they rely less on the pressure tactics employed by toddlers and become more clever in their appeals (Wimalasiri, 2004). Todays child-influenced sales volume can be credited to several factors, for instance, most families have fewer children, which increase the influence of each child. Secondly, working couples can afford to allow their children to make the choice, and finally, because of the constant exposure to media, children learn about products and services and are in position to convince their parents as what is good or bad (Wimalasiri, 2004). Children are consuming average of 5.5 hours a day using media such as television, print and computer (Dotson and Hyatt, 2005). Therefore it can be said, that the market speed of technological change and educational development has left many children more knowledgeable than their parents. The perceived knowledge of the Internet by children in comparison to their parents may impact on the way children develop Internet consumer skills (Thomson and Laing, 2003). Consequently, children sometimes not only have greater input, but also their input is being shaped b y unmatched access to external socialisation agents. Consumer socialisation, the process by which an individual acquires the skills needed to function in the marketplace as a consumer (Solomon et.al, 2010) has also significant role in family shopping behaviour. Family is identified as the primary socialisation agent for children. According to Flurry (2007), todays trends show that parents are less child-centred, less controlling and investing less time with their children than their parents were. This change in socialisation means that children may have more control over their own marketplace decisions as well as the freedom to apply their preferences in purchase decision-making. It is also possible, that time pressured parents of today may also feel guilty about not spending enough time with their children and therefore allow them more influence. Moreover, children are raised in different types of families and learn different norms, roles and consumer skills which play a significant role on the way children participate in family decis ion-making process (Flurry, 2007). Therefore, the differences in childrens consumption behaviour may be shaped by various skills learned in different socio-economic backgrounds, parental child-education attitudes as well as parental communication styles (Page and Ridgway, 2001). However, it is important to mention that agents from the external environment such as mass media and peers may sometimes be outpacing the family. Lessons for marketing practice According to Caruana and Vassallo (2003), from the early 1990s children have progressively become focus of marketers since it became obvious that besides being customers in their own right, childrens influence on family purchasing was steadily increasing. Dotson and Hyatt (2005) state, that marketers already recognising children as an important group to study, because their attitudes regarding products and brands are still in their formative stages and their current experiences affect their future brand preferences and marketplace behaviour. However, the authors do not discuss in their paper the ethical issues associated with marketing to young people. Today it is widely accepted that retailers have ethical and commercial responsibilities to their stakeholders, for instance, dealing honestly with customers, suppliers, avoiding using manufacturing labour, or indulging in unsustainable environmental practices (Nicholls and Cullen, 2004). Clark (2002) stresses that when advertising the goods, either to children or adults, marketers need to take into consideration the rules created by Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which points out that advertising should not exploit childrens credulity, loyalty, vulnerability, or lack of experience. According to Nicholls and Cullen (2004), advertising may even help children learn to be consumers and consequently has an important socialisation role to play in their development. However, in ethical context, children younger than 10 years old cannot always distinguish between television advertising and entertainment or factual programming. Therefore children may be vulnerable to improper manipulation by marketers. Newlands and Frith (1996) state that children do not understand persuasive intent until they are eight or nine years old, therefore it is unethical to advertise to them before then. For instance, the TV advertising appears to be dominated by junk food that of confectionery, fast food and pre-sugared cereals (Turner, et.al. 2006). It seems that there are no adverts for fresh fruit or vegetables during the childrens programmes. This may have a negative influence on childrens understanding of what is good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. Children have a significant impact on the success of many businesses despite the fact that they spend little or no actual money. In terms of marketing perspective, it is important to consider the four of seven Ps. For instance, it is vital to keep in mind that the environment plays a key role in marketing and sales efforts. Suitable shop interior design can put consumers in the mood to buy. Regarding childrens shops, the merchandise should be easy to reach, shops should interact with children letting them to touch the toys or play with games and the use bright colours are key factors to success (Mintel, 2008a). Moreover, cool product packaging attracts childrens eye and marketers should be creative when using colours, interesting boxes, and shapes (Mintel, 2008a). When marketing to children, marketers need to be particularly safety-conscious. This refers to both the product and the manner in which the product is being advertised or promoted. Marketers need to understand that gender segmentation is an important variable used when marketing the products to girls and boys, however, media strategies used to reach them can be the same for both genders (Lee and Collins, 2000). For some products, marketers could even target children directly rather than through parents (even though parents are the ones who have the final veto on what is bought) with child oriented messages, logos and characters that highlight cool and fun image. However, Dotson and Hyatt (2005), who have done a number of observations on young peoples consumer behaviour, argue that the cool brand image appeal might not be effective with certain segments of the childrens market, for instance, those who are less independent in their marketplace. In terms of promotion, marketers could direct messages regarding decision making to family members who dominate particular stages of the decision process. For example, marketers could directly target mothers regarding chil dren clothing. Moreover, featuring cartoon or other characters from childrens television programmes to gain their endorsement for their products is a worthy tactic. Celebrity endorsement may be even more influential among children than adults and could also be used when advertising the products (Mintel, 2008). The use of age-appropriate language, current phrases, and being succinct is important when creating promotional messages in communication campaigns for children. Another trend observed by Dotson and Hyatt (2005) show that young people are more adaptive and open to new technologies than adults. Therefore this openness might mean that what marketers know today about marketing to children may relatively quick become out of date, because young people surf onto the next emerging idea or trend. Additionally, when observing childrens attitudes towards brands and their shopping behaviour, marketers should not only rely on traditional market research approaches, but also through observation, conversation and engagement. Finally, marketers who target children have three main objectives: to directly seek children as customers, to work directly on parents through childrens pester power and to imprint the younger generation with positive brand associations. To conclude, it can be said, that children are found to play an important role throughout the purchase process. Knowledge and information may facilitate and enhance the adoption of various influence behaviours. Family consumer behaviour is a complex area compared to individual decision making which may be that the relationships among members of the family are relatively complicated to sort out into meaningful constructs. Children may have their own purchasing power, they influence their parents buying decisions through pester power and they are adult consumers of the future. Families have also become more democratic and childrens views are taken more into consideration. According to the literature reviewed in this essay it can be said that children have a right to some control over purchases that involve them, however, that exercising this right can result in confrontation and pestering of parents (specifics of this disruption may depend on the product category). The degree of a childs influence on family decision making process varies with the childs age, social class and education. Additionally, parents response towards their childrens initiation varies between cultures; therefore markete rs should take these facts into consideration when designing and implementing sales promotion and advertising strategies. Effective marketing of products requires knowledge of how products are purchased and what sources of influence individual family members apply to the decision process. Marketers need to examine the relative influence of family members at each stage of the decision-making process (possibly for each products category). Understanding choice and influence process (of children) may provide marketers with the opportunity to shape brand choice and childrens behaviour as future consumers.

Project Management Specification of Services

Project Management Specification of Services Establishment Establish a Project Control Group (PCG) comprising of: A representative of the Principal (BOT Representative); A representative of the Project Manager; The design team leader (to be appointed), by invitation of the BOT Representative or Project Manager; and The Quantity Surveyor (to be appointed), by invitation of the BOT Representative or Project Manager. Assist the BOT Representative with procuring consultants as required, including short listing, interviews, evaluation, recommendations and confirmations of appointments. The Project Manager will set up a management structure to: Define responsibilities; Establish lines of communication and reporting; Deal with authorisation procedures between the Project Manager and the BOT Representative; Work with the design team to define the stages in the design process and, at various stages, seek input from the BOT Representative; and Organise the Quantity Surveyor to undertake a budget review. The Project Manager will attend and minute regular meetings, including PCG meetings, identifying actions and responsibilities as necessary. Set up systems to monitor performance parameters such as time, cost and standard required by the BOT Representative. Research all relevant records. Visit and review the existing site conditions and the proposed location of the new Building. Meet with the BOT Representative to discuss the scope of work proposed. Prepare a project brief for both the overall site development and the specific development requirements in consultation with the design team. Finalise the brief with the design team (including confirmed budgets) and obtain BOT Representative approval. Prepare a preliminary development programme identifying key milestones and completion dates. Manage compliance by the design team, Quantity Surveyor and any other consultants engaged on the Principals behalf, with the terms of their respective contracts with the Principal, and supervise performance of their duties pursuant to such contracts. Concept design Prepare a site development plan with the design team. Obtain endorsement of site development plan from the BOT Representative including proposed site for the Buildings. Develop concept plans for the Buildings. Ensure an initial cost check is undertaken after the design team has completed the initial concept plans, ensuring that the total budget for the Contract Works is not exceeded. If such reviews indicate potential budget overruns, remedial steps will be taken to amend the design to bring it within the budget requirements. All other duties as required to successfully manage the concept design phase. Develop design Ongoing duties as above. Check that the design develops in accordance with the requirements of the BOT Representatives brief and in accordance with the relevant codes of practice and statutory requirements. Check that the design develops within the budget requirements. Co-ordinate the submission of the design, in stages, to the BOT Representative and obtain their approval. Ensure that sufficient information is made available to allow the BOT Representative to make informed decisions, including preparing and co-ordinating option appraisals, peer reviews as necessary. Advise the BOT Representative if the design development will not be to the standard required by the BOT Representative and that adjustments will be required. Other duties as are required to successfully manage the developed design and resource consent documentation phase. Building consent Ongoing duties as above. Oversee and ensure delivery of all necessary consents by the design team. Lodge the Building Consent application on behalf of the BOT Representative once the documentation has been completed and approved. Liaise with statutory bodies on behalf of the BOT Representative where they are required to carry out work on the project. Other duties as required to successfully manage the consents and tender documentation phase. Working drawings and contract documents Ongoing duties as above. Manage the design process so that the contract documentation scope aligns with the cost plan. Liaise with the design team and provide comment on samples and prototypes in consultation with the BOT Representative to ensure all economies can be maintained while ensuring a quality end product. Ensure a full cost check is undertaken after full working drawings have been completed. Liaise with the BOT Representative regarding the preparation of the conditions of contract and contract documents. Advise and assist the BOT Representative in specifying their requirements in regard to obtaining the operating and maintenance manuals. Procurement Ongoing duties as above. Evaluate and advise on procurement options to best deliver the Contract Works within the agreed project objectives. Co-ordinate the input of the PCG in the preparation of lists of suitable contractors from which to invite tenders. Invite Expressions of Interest from contractors, evaluate in accordance with BOT Representative agreed criteria to recommend preferred selected tender list. Ensure that the advertisements for tenderers are correctly placed (if required). Assist the BOT Representative with tender evaluations as required and conduct interviews. Oversee the preparation of tender documents by the consultants and if necessary revise the tender documents to suit. Ensure tender documents require Contractor compliance with all applicable Ministry of Education standards. Invite tenders on behalf of the BOT Representative. Arrange for the direct placement of early offers for long lead in items where necessary and arrange for their subsequent novation if appropriate. Review with the design team any alternative proposals put forward by the contractors and make appropriate recommendations to the BOT Representative. Monitor and adjust the scope of work after tenders are received and instigate appropriate action in the event that the tenders exceed the budgets for particular elements. Monitor the procurement process against the programme and instigate appropriate action to manage the project within the overall budget in the event that the tenders exceed budgets for particular elements. Assist with the appointment of the main contractor (if required). Prepare tender reports and recommendations to the PCG for recommendation to the BOT Representative. All other duties as required to successfully manage the procurement phase. Construction Ongoing duties as above. Prepare and keep updated a master project programme. Monitor the master project programme against contractors progress, and review progress at the regular site meetings. Where delays are signalled, take recovery action as appropriate. Prepare a programme for the construction stage of the project in accordance with the BOT Representative requirements. Advise the BOT Representative regarding insurance obligations on the contracted parties and ensure that such insurances are put in place. Receive monthly reports from the design team confirming the status of Request for Information, notice to contractors and site instruction issues. If required, report these to the BOT Representative. Advise the BOT Representative regarding any statutory responsibilities particularly with regard to health, safety and environmental issues, and ensure the main contractor has an appropriate health and safety plan in place. Advise the BOT Representative on quality control actions including progressive monitoring / remedial action. Examine the contractors proposal for construction of the Contract Works and resolve any concerns that arise. Co-ordinate works, sequence, access and similar matters with the contractor and BOT Representative, to the BOT Representatives satisfaction/approval. Arrange for the preparation of a detailed construction programme(s). Arrange for the preparation of schedules identifying when design information is required for order or for construction purposes and ensure that this is fully co-ordinated with the design programme. Ensure that suitable procedures are put in place to consider variations to the Construction Contract. As a general rule, no variation shall be initiated without the BOT Representatives prior written approval unless the net effect of the variation is neutral or better in relation to the budget quality and programme. Ensure that suitable procedures are put in place to monitor, record, progress and cost to facilitate communication to deal with problems that may occur. Fully brief all contractors and their project managers on their duties, project procedures and the project itself to the extent that the overall understanding will improve their performance. Create a culture of confidence, trust and mutual respect between all members of the PCG. Facilitate regular reporting and review meetings on and off site. Be present on site to inspect all matters of critical importance to the project, and in addition attend on site to observe construction works taking place on a not less than weekly basis. Monitor the construction phase and instigate appropriate action in the event of technical problems, delays, unforeseen difficulties, communication breakdowns and any other events, which threaten the objectives of the project. Agree contractors project team and duties. Approve subcontractors trades named by the contractor. Assist in the resolution of disputes as they occur. Financial Management In consultation with the Quantity Surveyor, check the contractors payment claims including checking materials on and off site as required. Provide confirmation to the BOT Representative that progress payments are a fair reflection of the value of works undertaken and therefore the certificate is approved to the BOT Representative for payment. Monitor the payment process and instigate action in the event of problems. Arrange for the negotiation of all variations approved by the BOT Representative in a timely manner and ensure that the budget, quality and programme implications of variations to the contract are fair and reasonable, and certify approved variations. Monitor the variation process and instigate action in the event of problems. Certify all payments in accordance with the contract requirements. Continuously monitor and manage all costs of the project and, in conjunction with the Quantity Surveyor, take responsibility for the delivery of the project within the allocated budget. In consultation with the Quantity Surveyor (and design team / Contractor, as appropriate), provide a monthly summary to the BOT Representative showing: Contract Works completed to date; Works programmed for the following month; The updated forecast final project cost (cost to complete); The status and value of variations if any; Payments to date; Retentions held; and A cash-flow forecast. Commissioning Oversee the preparation of a detailed systems commissioning and testing programme. Oversee the preparation and schedules of test reports and certificates to be obtained, and ensure they take place in a timely manner. Ensure that all parties are aware of what is required. Monitor the commissioning and testing programme and instigate appropriate action in the event that delays occur. Monitor the results of the tests and agree suitable measures with the team in the event that failures occur. Oversee the preparation of the operating and maintenance manuals and check that they meet with the BOT Representatives requirements. All other duties to successfully manage the construction and commissioning phases. Completion Assist the BOT Representative in any arrangements for a phased handover of the project (if necessary) and the logistics of taking possession of the project. Co-ordinate the activities of inspection personnel from the BOT Representative, consultants, contractors and statutory bodies. Ensure that all necessary reports, certificates (including Certificate of Public Use and Code Compliance Certificate), as built drawings and contractor guarantees, sub trade and product guarantees have been obtained for handover. Advise the BOT Representative regarding any statutory requirements it may be required to comply with on taking possession of the project. Prepare final information and issue final certificates. Complete all necessary Ministry of Education documentation (including PMIS requirements) required by the BOT Representative, in conjunction with the design team. Payment terms The Project Manager shall prepare and render to the Principal a valid monthly GST invoice, in respect of the Fee. To be valid a GST invoice must: Clearly show all GST due; Be in New Zealand currency; Be clearly marked Tax invoice; Contain the Project Managers name, address and GST number, if the Project Manager is registered for GST; Contain the Principals name and address and be marked for the attention of the Principals Contract Manager; State the date the invoice was issued; Name this Agreement and provide a description of the Services supplied, including the amount of time spent in the delivery of the Services if payment is based on an Hourly Fee Rate or Daily Fee Rate; Contain the Principals contract reference or purchase order number if there is one; and Be supported by GST receipts if expenses are claimed and any other verifying documentation reasonably requested by the Principal. General Provide a written report to the BOT Representative, no less than monthly, regarding the status of the project, including but not limited to PCG meetings, progress of the project and any application for a variation, and obtain any necessary decisions. Initiate action in the event that any aspect of the project fails to proceed to plan. Upon consultation with the BOT Representative, agree suitable corrective action and monitor its implementation. Quality Assurance: Each consultant is responsible for checking their specific discipline. The design team and Project Manager will also check the work throughout the project. All contractual obligations relating to quality assurance and remedying defects will be managed by the Project Manager, who will be satisfied that the Contract Works have been completed to the required standard prior to issuing the practical completion certificate and certifying final payments. The BOT Representative may carry out its own independent quality control checks. However, any such checks will not obviate the responsibilities of the contractor, the Project Manager or the consultants. Additional Consultants: The Project Manager will have a key role in the decision making process for the appointment of all consultants (i.e. the design team and the Quantity Surveyor), due to the fact that the Project Manager is responsible for their performance. The design team will nominate his or her own sub-consultants, and the selection of the design team will take into account the quality of those sub-consultants. Ongoing services Where the Project Manager is engaged to deliver a number of projects/services on an ongoing basis (e.g. a number of 5YA projects) in relation to [School] The Project Manager shall work directly with a representative of the Principal to discuss and plan any projects which the Principal may be contemplating at the School. Individual projects will be delivered as per the requirements in sections 1 to 12 of this specification.

Anton Chekhov’s Use of Grief in Misery and Vengeance Essay -- Misery, V

Anton Chekhov’s Use of Grief in â€Å"Misery† and â€Å"Vengeance.† What is the fascination with grief and suffering that caused Anton Chekhov to entwine these two sad emotional states into everything he wrote? â€Å"Reading Anton Chekhov’s stories, one feels oneself in a melancholy state. Everything is strange, sharp, lonely, motionless, helpless† (Nebraska 1). Further, according to William Gerharde, Chekhov answered this very question with the following: â€Å"When you depict sad or unlucky people, and want to touch the reader’s heart, one should try to be cold— it gives their grief, as it were, a background, against which it stands out in greater relief† (Gerharde 110). While Chekhov uses pain and suffering in all his stories, he does an especially effective job with two short stories â€Å"Misery† and â€Å"Vengeance.† In both, Chekhov introduces a similar theme, although it is first suggested in â€Å"Misery†: â€Å"The theme of the individual isolation is suggested in many of Chekhov’s early stories, but it is first fully developed in the brief sketch ‘Misery’,† (Winner 137). While reading â€Å"Misery,† the reader can absorb Chekhov through the twined themes of loneliness and isolationism. This enables characters to become so real that each reader can relate through the characters and the situation. One reason â€Å"Misery† is so well thought of by critics is that â€Å"the story takes a powerful look at the lack of human involvement and compassion towards one man’s grief† (Guevara 2). Of course, almost all who read the story have felt such loneliness or grief at one ti me or other in their lives and can, therefore, relate to the protagonist’s pain and isolation. In addition, the atmosphere in â€Å"Misery,† suggest grayness and depression, a setting that immediately conveys ... ... is factually correct, a trivial kind of truth, though a kind central to works of verisimilitude; saying that which, by virtue of tone and coherence, does not feel like lying, a more important kind of truth; and discovering and affirming moral truth about human existence— the highest truth of art† (Creighton, 1). Chekhov is able to contribute to all three of the ways there is to â€Å"tell it like it is† when writing fiction. Not only does he tell the truth in his writing, he does so in a down to earth and straightforward way. Reading Chekhov, is like reading someone’s daily journal. It is real, it is intense, and it makes the reader deeply feel for the characters involved in each individual story. Pain and suffering are commonly used emotions, so people can relate easily to the characters. This is what makes Chekhov such a successful writer, and why he was adored by all.

The Empirical Reality of Walden Two of B.F. Skinner Essay -- Psycholog

The Empirical Reality of Walden Two B.F. Skinner’s Walden Two is the fictitious account of an eclectic group’s visit to a modern utopian community started by psychologist T.E. Frazier. Authors often depict â€Å"perfect societies† in novels, as the subject holds wide appeal and great creative opportunity. Aldous Huxley envisioned a Brave New World; Lois Lowry wove the tale of The Giver. What sets Walden Two apart from such books? Simply stated, Skinner’s work truly does not seem as if it belongs in the fantasy or fiction genre, as the others do. The novel reads as an actual experiment, albeit one performed in a text-only version of the world. The author perfectly follows the steps of a scientific investigation throughout the plot, meeting nearly all goals of the scientific enterprise. This approach leaves readers practically incapable of brushing the novel’s bold statements off as fiction: to do so feels equivalent to denying a proven reality. For a positive future, it is only common sense that a generation of healthy children must be raised. A stable family unit and personal attention seem logical ways to rear successful young people. Yet statistics show that in 2003, approximately 37,000 marriages and 21,000 divorces occurred in Kentucky; other states showed very similar ratios, such as Ohio, with about 73,000 marriages and 40,000 divorces (NVSR, Pg. 6). Clearly, many students already have â€Å"broken homes† as obstacles, but the homogenous treatment of children in schools adds even more difficulty. Despite pre-existing differences in personal preferences, subject aptitudes, and upbringings, for instance, the system calls for children to move along a determined national curriculum of academic acceptabilit... ...hiatry Vol. 8, No. 1. 2003 . United States. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 52 Num. 22. â€Å"Births, Marriages, Divorces, and Deaths: Provisional Data for 2003.† 10 June 2004 . WebMD Health. Health Guide A-Z: Stress Management. â€Å"Effects of Stress.† Page 2. 4 Nov. 2002. . Weiten, Wayne. â€Å"The Research Enterprise in Psychology.† Psychology Themes and Variations. 6th ed. 2005. The Empirical Reality of Walden Two of B.F. Skinner Essay -- Psycholog The Empirical Reality of Walden Two B.F. Skinner’s Walden Two is the fictitious account of an eclectic group’s visit to a modern utopian community started by psychologist T.E. Frazier. Authors often depict â€Å"perfect societies† in novels, as the subject holds wide appeal and great creative opportunity. Aldous Huxley envisioned a Brave New World; Lois Lowry wove the tale of The Giver. What sets Walden Two apart from such books? Simply stated, Skinner’s work truly does not seem as if it belongs in the fantasy or fiction genre, as the others do. The novel reads as an actual experiment, albeit one performed in a text-only version of the world. The author perfectly follows the steps of a scientific investigation throughout the plot, meeting nearly all goals of the scientific enterprise. This approach leaves readers practically incapable of brushing the novel’s bold statements off as fiction: to do so feels equivalent to denying a proven reality. For a positive future, it is only common sense that a generation of healthy children must be raised. A stable family unit and personal attention seem logical ways to rear successful young people. Yet statistics show that in 2003, approximately 37,000 marriages and 21,000 divorces occurred in Kentucky; other states showed very similar ratios, such as Ohio, with about 73,000 marriages and 40,000 divorces (NVSR, Pg. 6). Clearly, many students already have â€Å"broken homes† as obstacles, but the homogenous treatment of children in schools adds even more difficulty. Despite pre-existing differences in personal preferences, subject aptitudes, and upbringings, for instance, the system calls for children to move along a determined national curriculum of academic acceptabilit... ...hiatry Vol. 8, No. 1. 2003 . United States. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 52 Num. 22. â€Å"Births, Marriages, Divorces, and Deaths: Provisional Data for 2003.† 10 June 2004 . WebMD Health. Health Guide A-Z: Stress Management. â€Å"Effects of Stress.† Page 2. 4 Nov. 2002. . Weiten, Wayne. â€Å"The Research Enterprise in Psychology.† Psychology Themes and Variations. 6th ed. 2005.

History of Automated Teller Machine Essay

An automatic teller machine or ATM allows a bank customer to conduct their banking transactions from almost every other ATM machine in the world. As is often the case with inventions, many inventors contribute to the history of an invention, as is the case with the ATM. Read each page of this article to learn about the many inventors behind the automatic teller machine or ATM. In 1939, Luther Simjian patented an early and not-so-successful prototype of an ATM. However, some experts have the opinion that James Goodfellow of Scotland holds the earliest patent date of 1966 for a modern ATM, and John D White (also of Docutel) in the US is often credited with inventing the first free-standing ATM design. In 1967, John Shepherd-Barron invented and installed an ATM in a Barclays Bank in London. Don Wetzel invented an American made ATM in 1968. However, it wasn’t until the mid to late 1980s that ATMs became part of mainstream banking. Luther Simjian’s ATM Luther Simjian came up with the idea of creating a â€Å"hole-in-the-wall machine† that would allow customers to make financial transactions. In 1939, Luther Simjian applied for 20 patents related to his ATM invention and field tested his ATM machine in what is now Citicorp. After six months, the bank reported that there was little demand for the new invention and discontinued its use. Luther Simjian Biography 1905 – 1997 Luther Simjian was born in Turkey on January 28, 1905. While he studied medicine at school, he had a life-long passion for photography. In 1934, the inventor moved to New York. Luther Simjian is best known for his invention of the Bankmatic automatic teller machine or ATM, however, Luther Simjian’s first big commercial invention was a self-posing and self-focusing portrait camera. The subject was able to look a mirror and see what the camera was seeing before the picture was taken. Luther Simjian also invented a flight speed indicator for airplanes, an automatic postage metering machine, a colored x-ray machine, and a teleprompter. Combining his knowledge of medicine and photography, Luther Simjian invented a way to project images from microscopes, and methods of photographing specimens under water. Luther Simjian started his own company called Reflectone to further develop his inventions.

Leaders After Ww1

After World War I, economies of countries all over the world collapsed causing the Great Depression. Italy adapted a fascism government under Benito Mussolini. During the Russian revolution, Russia turned to communism under Vladimir Lenin. After Lenin passed away Joseph Stalling took his place. To them, Democracy led to corruption and weakness and put individual or class interests above national goals because all democratic countries at that time were experiencing difficulties. When Adolf Hitler came into power he followed Mussolini rule by establishing a totalitarian government.Benito Mussolini was the son of a socialist blacksmith and a teacher. He promised to end corruption and replace turmoil with order. he rejected socialism for intense nationalism. He organized the Fascist party which consisted of veterans and discontented Italians. Fascist gangs used intimidation and terror to enforce order because they had lost faith in a constitutional government. He favored business leaders , wealthy landowners and the lower middle class. He brought the economy under state control to encourage economic growth.Under Mussolini loyalty to the state was significant and as for individual, they were considered less important. They were bombarded with propaganda glorifying the state. Joseph Stalin brought all economic activity under government control. The government owned all businesses and distributed all resources. Wages were low and workers were forbidden to strike. He also brought agriculture under government control where the state set all prices and controlled access to farm supplies. Stalin’s Communist party used the secret police torture, and violent purges to ensure obedience.Citizens knew what would happen if they were disloyal. He used propaganda to elevate the communist system by making him a godlike figure. The government censored the press and decided which books where published. If the book violated government expectations the writer was put to trial. S talin tried to strengthen its hold on the minds of the people by destroying their religious faith. Women gain access to a variety of jobs and allowed to attend schools. He destroyed the old social order and created one with the communist party members at the top.Germany drafted a Democratic government after World War I. It soon proved to be weak because of many small parties. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party brought hope to Germans suffering from the Great Depression during the 1930s. He promised to solve the economic crisis and restore Germany’s former greatness. Like Mussolini, Hitler organized his supporters into fighting squads where they fought their political enemies in the streets. When he was elected he and his supported made Germany a one-party state. They suspended civil rights, destroyed the socialists and Communists.Hitler executed anyone that he felt was disloyal. People soon learned that Hitler demanded absolute obedience. To achieve his goals, Hitler organized t otalitarian rule. Nazis controlled all areas of German life which included government, religion and education. Elite, black-uniformed system of troops enforced the Hitler’s will. His secret police took care of all opposition. Like Fascists in Italy, Nazis sought to limit women’s roles. Women were not allowed to attend universities because they were meant to increase the birthrate.Economic problems and ethnic tensions contributed to instability, which in turn helped fascist and communist rulers gain power. These dictators promised order and won the backing of the military and wealthy. They used terror to enforce rules and flourished during economic hard times. In addition, they drew power from blind devotion of the state and needed a charismatic leader as a role model. While a fascist government worked for national goals, communist government worked for international changes.