Integrative intercultural communication

The Common App - New Questions for 2013

The Common App - New Questions for 2013 The Common Application keeps a-changing! This admissions season we have both a new word limit (650, increased from 500) and new question choices. Here are the questions you will be asked to choose from if you are applying to college this fall: Some students have a background or a story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn? Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community or family. As pointed out by the Huffington Post, these questions are designed for you to demonstrate what you would contribute to your college class. What is special about you? What character do you possess? What are your values? What’s important to you? Do these questions seem daunting? Said one of my clients, â€Å"These questions all seem so theoretical!† He did not know where to start. Allow me to make a suggestion: Consider that these questions are only theoretical if you don’t know what you want to say in your essay. Once you choose a topic, I’m willing to bet you can find a way to talk about it in response to one of the five Common App questions. There’s a trick for interview preparation where you write a list of things you want to talk about, and then use whatever questions the interviewer asks to say what you wanted to say. It’s an art to succeed in this method, as you do need to answer the question (you can’t answer a different one). Let’s look at an example as it applies to the Common App. Let’s say you want to talk about your love of music and what it’s like to perform. You could answer any one of the Common App essay questions and say what you want to say. Perhaps your musical abilities are central to who you are (#1). Perhaps you played a wrong note in a concert, or struggled in some other way as you learned (#2). Maybe your parents or teacher wanted one thing for you, and you wanted another (#3). Is the stage a place where you feel completely at peace? If so, maybe question #4 is for you. And certainly if music is important enough to you for an essay, you might have some accomplishment there that marked a transition to adulthood (#5). As you consider how your topic might apply to each question, you might learn something about yourself you didn’t know before! â€Å"OK,† you might be saying, â€Å"Now the questions seem less theoretical, but I’m still daunted: If I could write a great answer to every one of the questions, how do I possibly choose which one to answer?† I would suggest outlining a response to as many of the questions as you think you might want to answer; then evaluate which question allows you to express yourself most fully. In which answer do the most aspects of yourself get revealed? And, perhaps most important, which answer is most interesting to read? Important: The most interesting answer will not necessarily be the easiest to write. It might be less straightforward and take more thought and creativity- which is exactly what admissions committees are looking for! What if I don’t have a topic in mind? If you don’t have a topic you know you want to write about, try going through the questions one by one and having a conversation with someone (most likely someone other than your parents) about how you might answer each question. Brainstorm ideas and see what arises. Give it some time. Sleep on it. Have conversations with more than one person. You might discover a topic you didn’t know could become an essay! And of course, if you’re still stuck, it might be time to work with a professional essay coach. The Essay Expert would be happy to help!

Individual Reflective Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Reflective Report - Assignment Example Almost everyone who leaves their homelands to pursue studies or work abroad experiences some amount of cultural shock. For the Chinese, this cultural shock amounts to an alarming extent since the culture of the west is entirely different from that of China and the Chinese people. Not only is the language entirely different, so is the style of living and customs. Most people who leave for America, UK, Australia or other western countries have to learn the English language as it the major medium of communication in almost all of these countries. For that purpose, there are many English language centers in China that cater to these people. These centers however provide little besides English language training to these students. Due to that, even when they are considerably proficient in the English language, Chinese people still suffer difficulties once they actually arrive at their destinations. A reason for this difficulty is that they are un-initiated with the ways of the western world. This business plan proposes to offer these prospective students and businessmen a way to become oriented with the culture and ways of the West so that they face less difficulty in settling in once they arrive at the country of their choosing. The English Language centers currently offering their services in the major cities of china mainly focus on offering comprehensive English language teaching. Although it is imperative that the Chinese people who are leaving for abroad learn how to communicate in English, it still does not diminish the lack of understanding that these people possess about the social and cultural workings of the west and how this lack of understanding effects their performance. The Le Yan English centre will be filling in the gap in this educational sector and the whole plan is based upon the concept of providing the customers with the added advantage of acclimatization with the western

Naplion invasion of egypt and its impact on mehmed Ali Essay

Naplion invasion of egypt and its impact on mehmed Ali - Essay Example To this end, the Napoleon took control of Alexandria, massacred the Mamluk army at Imbabah and Subra Khit. They consequently captured Cairo on 25th July 1798. It is critical to note that Napoleon ordered his troops to respect the religion, women and culture of Egypt upon their invasion. Evidently, Napoleon employed this tactic so that he would appear as liberator to the general Egyptian populace. Moreover, upon conquering part of Egypt, Napoleon set out to restructure the military tactics of the Egyptian by training them in French warfare and recruiting them to his Grande Armee. Furthermore, Napoleon was accompanied by scientists and scholars who investigated all facets of life in Egyptian history and contemporary periods. However, it must be noted that the French domination of Egypt was short lived since the Ottoman and British forces joined drive them out. On 1st August 1798, French ships were destroyed at Abu Qir by Lord Nelson’s British fleet. This led to the isolation of French forces in Egypt. To this end, war was declared against France by Sultan Selim 3. Upon the expulsion of the Napoleon’s army from Egypt, a power struggle among the Mameluks saw the rise of Mehmet Ali Pasha as the ultimate governor of Egypt. Evidently, Mehment was inspired to introduce modern changes to the Ottoman army based on an European model. His aspiration was in light of the exemplary model of Napoleon’s army that had previously defeated him at Abukir in 1799. To this end, he introduced several industrial and agricultural reforms that acted as a foundation for modeling a professional military. The end result was new armed forces organization known as al-Nizam al-Jedid. Furthermore, Mohamed converted agricultural land into state land from which he derived profits. He equally improved the irrigation system of Egypt and introduced cotton as a cash

Social care workers need to develop the knowledge and skills to work Essay

Social care workers need to develop the knowledge and skills to work effectively with people from similar and diverse background - Essay Example Thus, in discharging the professional duties and accomplishing social tasks, social care workers need to work hard and develop adequate cultural competence. Acceptance among the masses is a precondition to the successful workability of a care giver. Anti-oppressive practice should, therefore, be adopted and proper changes in the service-user communities should be initiated. In the course of cultural competence development, anti-racist practice must focus on the discriminations based on colour and race (Sue, 2006). Improvement in social work development and training can be brought about by the means of thorough comprehension of people’s family arrangements, social norms and values. Social work and support in a culturally sensitive environment has to be based on exploration of the diverse cultural heritages (Laird, 2008). Finally, the research question is in the form of the following statement: Social care workers need to develop knowledge and skills to work effectively with peo ple from similar and diverse backgrounds. Describe one model of cultural competence and discuss the potential benefits and limitations of applying the model. Therefore, this paper will explore a suitable cultural competence model and proceed on related discussions. ... A cultural group’s objective cultural attributes, such as art and music, are important and are included as implied assumptions. The primary and secondary characteristics of culture, developed from and expanded upon from Hage’s (1972) variable and non-variable concepts are nationality, race, colour, gender, age, and religious affiliation. Secondary characteristics are educational status, socioeconomic status, occupation, military experience, political beliefs, urban versus rural residence, enclave identity, marital status, parental status, physical characteristics, sexual orientation, gender issues, reason for migration, and immigration status. (Purnell, 2002) At the outermost interface of the model, the global society is placed. Next, there is the interface of community followed by the layer of family. The inner interface represents the person, the metaparadigm concepts. Inside this interface related to the individual, twelve cultural domains have been depicted. The dom ains are interrelated and they affect each other. The twelve domains are: 1. Overview/ Heritage: Includes concepts related to the current residence and country of origin, reasons for emigration, occupations, educational status, etc. 2. Communication: Includes concepts related to the contextual use of language, dominant language and dialects, paralanguage variations, nonverbal communication, etc. 3. Family roles and organisation: Includes concepts related to social status, lifestyle issues, child rearing, gender roles, family roles, etc. 4. Workforce issues: Includes concepts related to ethnic communication styles, assimilation, acculturation, autonomy, individualism and healthcare practices from the country of origin. 5. Biocultural ecology: Includes variations in ethnic and racial origins,

Main Features And Characteristics Information Technology Essay

Main Features And Characteristics Information Technology Essay Over the past 50 years, the construction industry has witnessed exciting breakthroughs such as the advent of Critical Path Method scheduling, the introduction of Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), the acceptance of integrated project delivery systems and the application of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). In addition, the construction industry has also been impacted with two powerful global developments; the internet, revolutionising the communications infrastructure and also environmental awareness which focuses on the commitment to sustainability and lifecycle solutions (Bakhtar McDonough 2008). We are now approaching a virtual reality to create intelligent, integrated 3D models of construction projects allowing stakeholders to visualise and analyse the completed project before it is built. By implementing BIM, Risk is reduced, design intent is maintained, quality control is streamlined, communication is clearer and higher analytic tools are more accessible (Australian Institute of Architects 2005). It is BIM which also enhances collaboration through interaction of different stakeholders which can be used for stimulation, structural design, cost estimating, scheduling, fabrication, erection and facilities management (Bakhtar McDonough 2008). As the industry begins to integrate BIM in practice, it is likely to bring about change in work practice, project development approach and emergence of new roles and relationships, both at technical and management levels (Brankovic et al. 2007). Despite the apparent benefits the adoption of BIM in practice, the uptake has been slow. Workshops with industry focus groups have been conducted to identify the industry needs, concerns and expectations from participants who had implemented BIM or were BIM ready. Factors inhibiting BIM adoption include lack of training, low business incentives, perception of lack of rewards, technological concerns, contractual matters and resistance to changing current work practice. Successful BIM usage depends on collective adoption of BIM across the different disciplines and requires the support of the client (Brankovic 2008). So is Building Information Modelling (BIM) the real deal? Some say its a matter of when, not if, industry adopts BIM universally and increasingly, public-and private sector developments are calling for its use on large projects. Can they afford not to? (Hyslop 2010). 2.0 Main Features Characteristics BIM involves computerised design software tools that help create a model that reflects all of the building components geometric and functional qualities. The general contractor and trade subcontractors provide product-specific information for building components and that data is inputted into the model, including performance specifications, connection details and cost data. However, the model is more than a mere representation of the design in a three-dimensional computer graphic but rather, embedded within the design programs which feature rules that define which of the components relation to the other components (Pohl Short 2010). In order to be classified as true BIM, all information related to the building, including its physical and functional characteristics and project life cycle information should be held in a series of Smart or Intelligent objects. For instance, an air conditioning unit within a BIM model would contain the data about its supplier, flow rates, maintenance procedures, lead in times and clearance requirements (Scuderi 2007). In essence, BIM is a variation of the traditional construction project model in terms of technology and process. In a traditional project, design documents flow down from the architect, through the owner, to the contractor and then from the contractor to subcontractors, suppliers and fabricators. This downward flow of design documents and design information defines and reinforces the distinct roles, responsibilities and liabilities of the designer and contractor (Crandall Katz 2010). BIM, however, changes the traditional model through the use of advanced technology to edit the design documents and allows designers to attach specific information to each object of a project. Any changes in the BIM model automatically changes all relevant information attached to the particular object which saves design time and avoids potential design errors that occur (Katz Crandall, 2010). BIM is particularly useful for identifying potential construction conflicts (clash detection) at the design stage, and quantifying the materials required for construction. In theory, assuming that the information provided by the various stakeholders in the project is accurate and the rules embedded in the model are correct, BIM should reduce errors and omissions, resulting in aggregate reduction in professional liability and errors and omission claims. Yet, if the assumptions embedded in the computerised model is prove false, then the result would be a costly problem that all concerned should hope to be covered by insurance (Pohl Short 2010 p.1). A few cases of successful use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) approach in real world projects have been reported (Khemlani 2007a, 2007b) that suggest, even if the BIM applications and tools may not have matured fully they are very much usable in their present form and can enhance project collaboration and management in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry well beyond the current state (Brankovic et al. 2007). 3.0 Benefits of adopting BIM The benefits of adopting BIM are staggering, that some are even sounding the warning that those who fail to jump aboard the BIM bandwagon will be quickly left in the dust . Building performance and predictability of outcomes are greatly improved by adopting BIM. An Engineers Australia Queensland Division Task Force 2005 report estimates that 60-90% of all variations are due to poor project design documentation. A BIM is one way of significantly improving design and documentation quality (Scuderi 2007). Stanford University Centre for Integrated Facility Engineering figures which are based on 32 major projects using BIM indicates benefits such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A 40% elimination of unbudgeted change à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cost estimation accuracy within three per cent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ An 80% reduction in the time taken to generate a cost estimate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A saving of 10% of the contract value through clash detection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A 7% reduction in project time, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A return on investment when using a 3D model of 5 10 times (Scuderi 2007). Other advantages include: 3.1 Visualisation and Design Features Ability to visualise a model before construction begins Eliminates and minimises the number of site related questions due to design errors Provides drawings, cross-sections and details in 3D which better describe complexities and allow images to be rotated for better visualisation BIM can be used as visual timeline to assess progress payments Easy to add information into the model and takes little time to change Once one change is made, all relevant components change automatically, saving time on updating design drawings individually Able to run detailed analysis such as sun shading modelling, thermal properties etc Easy to understand details about the building and individual components 3.2 Conflict Detection Data embedded into the BIM model for each component allows BIM software to identify potential conflicts during the design phase Eliminates/minimises construction errors by detecting problems early Saves time and money which would be previously wasted should an error occur during later stages of construction 3.3 Collaboration Coordination Allows communication between design team/s, engineers and contractors which can increase project efficiencies due to collaboration Remedy the deficient efficiencies early in the design process An increase in collaboration can reduce the number of Request For Information (RFIs) and change order which can shorten construction schedules. Laing ORourke saw a 70% reduction in RFIs on the 123 Albert Street project due to subcontractors being able to view their appropriate trade and solving/answering their own questions themselves (P Nunn 2010, pers. comm., 6 Aug). 3.4 Fabric Efficiency and Estimating Detailed specifications can be extracted directly from a BIM model and sent to a fabricator Saves time and avoids potential errors that could occur when contractors manually extract fabrication data Due to the increased visualisation and data information contained within each object, fabricated components are more likely to fit when delivered (e.g. steel fabrication) therefore reducing construction waste Suppliers can extract material estimates and project schedules directly from a BIM model which can save time and prevent delivery delays 3.5 Data Entry Reduces data entry and computational errors as there is no need to re-enter data or manually extract information from design documents BIM models can compare project components such as building codes and energy efficiency standards 3.6 Life-Cycle Management BIM models can be used throughout the life-cycle of a building Models can be used to determine maintenance requirements and can analyse compatibility and cost-effectiveness as well as providing visual representation of improvements 3.7 Sustainability Design BIM models are able to provide building analysis which allows sustainable rating tools to gain insight into a buildings performance Sustainable features can be incorporated and tested before construction, allowing what if scenarios which quickly evaluate design alternatives Allows the opportunity to make better decisions to iterate on a greener design Schedules of building material quantities can be obtained directly from the model to determine the amount of materials which can be reused, recycled or salvaged Sources for advantages of BIM: (Bakhtar McDonough 2008), (Cranda Katz 2010), (Middlebrooks 2006), (M Ryan 2010. Pers. comm., 8 July), 4.0 Issues that affect the adoption of BIM With any new technology, there is a period of adjustment and learning. There are many different views about BIM and its potential, however the consensus is that it represents a fundamental (some say revolutionary) change in the way a building project design is prepared and implemented (Sieminski 2007). Based on the QUT Research paper from the ICAN Conference in 2007 (Brankovic et al.2007), before greater adoption of BIM, the following issues need to be addressed: 4.1 Version management New technology requires software to be constantly upgraded; this has been an issue for many practitioners. Although most upgraded software allows you to use data generated from earlier versions, many significant changes inhibit these. This means that in order to have all collaborating stakeholders to be working on compatible versions, often compromises have to be made on efficiency (Brankovic et al. 2007). Laing ORourke has initiated various processes to reduce risk from upgrades in software. This involves contracting all collaborating stakeholders to use the same program and upgrading all relevant software before the commencement of their contract (P Nunn 2010, pers. comm., 6 Aug). This process has been implemented in the recent $110 million design and construct contract for a new health centre and common user teaching facility at the Griffith University Gold Coast campus which is set to be one of the first 100% BIM model projects in QLD . 4.2 Organisation and data management As more data is managed and stored electronically, standard practices and procedures need to be in place to deal with data organisation, storage and security. Managing the different versions of the project which relates to compatible set of data from different disciplines at specific stages need to be fixed (Brankovic et al.2007, p.7). While the ability to constantly update the data gives unprecedented flexibility, it also adds to the complexity relating to version management, data explosion and usability (Brankovic et al.2007). Issues exist in Database Management Systems (DMS) in relation to organisational issues for the Architects, Engineers and Contractors (AEC) domain and practitioners which poses a new challenge involving strategic decision making. Stakeholders are also finding that some programs produce a large file size which has led to hardware lagging the software (P Nunn 2010, pers. comm., 6 Aug). 4.3 Program training One of the greatest issues with the adoption of BIM is the training and development of staff and taking the resources off project work to do so (A Bryant 2010, pers. comm., 30 June). In recent years, the architectural industry has received major criticisms of the widening gap of the techniques and methods taught in architecture schools and what is practiced in the field. It is suggested that rather than giving separate introductory session on computational approaches and BIM applications, there is a need for integrating the same in design studios for students which will alleviate the concerns in some sections that believe computational approaches to be inhibiting design creativity (Brankovic et al.2007). 4.4 Cost of adoption The cost of adopting BIM is also an issue. For Revit systems and software, it costs approximately $10,000, plus training and cost of product libraries. The real costs depend on the extent you choose to develop a model. You can develop a simple or well built model which costs a lot more but again, depends on the value and use of the model. However, the benefits include the reduction in waste, ease of design, increase opportunity for sustainability and overall, the process is more efficient. The industry needs to value to outcome (A Gutteridge 2010, pers. comm., 1 July). Large and medium sized firms can afford the luxury of aligning teams to BIM as they would have some supplement workforce at certain points of time. Smaller firms however, would find this difficult to achieve as they would be unable to commit an entire team to BIM software at any given time or even over a period of time . Although the loss of billable hours during training is a concern, the short term productivity paybacks will quickly offset the loss. A recent online survey of Revit customers reported that although there was an average productivity loss of 25-50% during the initial training period, it took most customers only 3-4 months to achieve the same level of productivity using Revit as with the previous design tool. Building on that statistic, the estimated increase in productivity (as a result of migrating to Revit) ranged from 10% to over 100%, with more than half the respondents experienced productivity gains of over 50% and close to 20% experienced productivity gains of over 100% . Due to the large capital cost of training and BIM software, smaller firms may struggle to keep up with the technology. A viable option for small firms would be to seek offshore expertise. Leveraging outside experience and expertise would help them keep their team intact; facilitate better integration of BIM technologies within their business model and save a large amounts of billable hours . 4.5 Security of data Placing data on an integrated database in an electronic format raises security concern amongst the involved stakeholders. Some concerns are related to the following: Network security Intellectual Property (IP) Protection of copyrights These concerns however may be justified and alleviated by greater awareness and legal measures. For example, access should be controlled through secure log-ins with data check-in and check-outs which can be registered for each interaction. Therefore data hosts can manage the data under a contractual agreement with the data owner with the terms and conditions outlined accordingly in the documentation (Brankovic et al.2007). 4.6 Readiness of the tools Examples of the use of BIM approach in practice suggest that in the present state as well there are tools that can significantly improve the work process in the AEC industry documentation (Brankovic et al.2007). However, lack of tools supporting and integrating conceptual design activity has been a major concern (Khemlani 2007a). As more BIM applications are being developed to look at specific aspects of design process and allow integration with each other, the technical support which is bound to improve (Brankovic et al.2007). 4.7 Seamless Integration and standards Due to the various types of tools which have been introduced over the past few years, it is important that there is greater standardisation of processes, terminologies and products, early information exchange between different stakeholders. This will avoid re-work, provide capability to conduct preliminary analysis of project concepts, greater intelligence in tools to air computability of building data as they get more complex, and great automation in construction and fabrication to leverage the benefits of a better and precise model (Brankovic et al.2007). 5.0 Contractual Issues that affect the BIM adoption As BIM technology evolves further, it is apparent that there are a number of legal and contractual issues which warrant careful consideration. Unfortunately, the newness of BIM leaves us with more questions than definitive answers at this present time. For the owner, designer, or contractor participating in a BIM project for the first time, these questions should be carefully weighed, understandings reached and memorialised in appropriate contract document (Haynes 2009). 5.1 There isnt a BIM-specific standard contract form For many, a standardised BIM contract is the most important facet of BIM implementation. A standardised BIM form is recognised as the most logical starting point in the integration of BIM as a standard contracting method. Australia does not currently have a specific stand contract form, therefore contractors, clients and relevant parties must create their own contractual agreements with the relevant stakeholders for each project. 5.2 Ownership Creating an integrated BIM model involves the input of several stakeholders which focus on specific design elements such as mechanical and electrical services and the overall design. Therefore, the difficulty exists with the issue of legal ownership and copyright for instruments of service. Without modification in the underlying contract documents, the normal principle would be that the part that creates the BIM model would retain ownership of and the copyright of the model. This is consistent with the AIA American standard agreements whereby the ownership and copyright is retained by the drafting party, therefore, agrees to license its instruments of services (Haynes 2009). In some cases, owners/clients may insist that the various data and deliverables provided by the design professional be owned by the owner. In Queensland, the most common client who may wish to own the model is Project Services (P Nunn 2010. Pers. comm., 6 Aug). When there are numerous stakeholders involved in the design process, it is important that the intellectual property interests in BIM models and data be clearly addressed up-front by the parties. For example, Laing ORourke may choose to outsource consultants for particular projects; however it is made very clear that Laing ORourke own the copyright. Laing ORourke in Australia, don not have an issue with Intellectual Property (IP) as it is clearly defined in their contract documents (P Nunn 2010. Pers. comm., 6 Aug). 5.3 Standard of Care There is a concern that the universal use of BIM will eventually alter both the standard of care and historical protections afforded to design professional by the doctrine of privity  [1]  . Until recently in America, the doctrine of privity of contract shielded architects and engineers from negligence claims by parties with whom the architect did not have a contract (Sieminski 2007). Many jurisdictions in America now allow claims without privity when it is clear that a contractor reasonably relied upon information that the design professional misrepresented in a context in which the contractor clearly would be relying upon that information (Sieminski 2007). Therefore, contractual issues would become problematic in the future, in that, one of the requirements of the example claim above reasonable reliance may appear to be presumed in a BIM environment. 5.4 Insurance Contracting parties, contract insurers and sureties need more certainty and an accurate gauge of their exposure when writing insurance policies and bonds. While there are many positives about BIM, there are currently too many unknowns for insurers to write BIM policies (Faulkner 2007). Just as BIM technology is evolving, so must the insurance industry evolve to consider whether its current products adequately cover the new risks created by this technology or whether additional instruments are necessary to allow project participants to manage these risks in a prudent manner (Haynes 2009). From the design professionals perspective, it is important to carefully examine the adequacy of their professional liability arising out of negligence of the design professional during the preparation of BIM models. When design professionals assume additional responsibility as a gatekeeper or model manager, then additional risks undertaken and thereby must be covered under the standard professional liability policy. Similarly, when a contractor involved in creating BIM construction models, utilises them for planning, fabrication, estimating or scheduling, the need for professional liability is even more important (Haynes 2009). 5.5 Interoperability One of the largest challenges being actively addressed by technology developers and end-users are the interoperability of existing BIM programs and the creation of multiple accurate models to fulfil specific purposes (Miner Thomson 2006). The term interoperability refers to the ability of various project participants to share and exchange information electronically through the use of different software systems. Due to the different types of design/BIM programs on the market, there are no guarantees that the different software can be used by all stakeholders or work flawlessly together (Haynes 2009). There have been several attempts to standardise the language interfaces of various BIM software, however have not been formalised. In the meantime, however, provisions must be made among parties concerning the consequences of inconsistencies or errors that arise as a result of interoperability. This issue of software compatibility also flows into a concern with remedies for defects in software (Haynes 2009). Up until now there has yet to be a lawsuit based on the use of BIM, however its only a matter of time before misunderstandings or relative risks and responsibilities of parties will be noticed. The use of BIM in the construction process will continue to be affected by the contractual relationship between project participants, the world of litigation and evolution of technology. It is important for those involved to continue to assess the interrelationships of these variables and prepare for more technological advances which are inevitably on the horizon . 6.0 BIM adoption in Australia Vs America 6.1 Uptake of BIM Despite the potential benefits of BIM, its uptake in Australia has been slow (Branksovic et al. 2010). Based on the National Guidelines of Digital Modelling written by the CRC in Australia 2009, slow adoption in the industry exists due to voids which exist in practice as the industry is yet to make full use of the possibilities that new software technologies have provided. There appears to be little multidisciplinary BIM, and very little over the whole building lifecycle (National Guidelines of Digital Modelling, 2009, p.20). According to a recent survey by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), however, America has experienced a 160% increase in use in the main architectural community during 2005 to 2009 (Ireland 2010). The AIA survey also reveals that more than 75% of responding architects reported very heavy or heavy use of BIM technology in their projects in 2009. Were well past the tipping point now, says Markku Allison, resource architect for AIA. At our 2005 convention, the opening plenary session was about BIM, and of the nearly 4,000 architects in the room we got the impression that 85% had never even heard of BIM. Now when we go on the road, everyone knows what BIM is, and the audience can offer up success stories about using BIM (Ireland 2010). However, in Australia it is said that the Architects are against the adoption of BIM due to the large setup costs (P Nunn 2010, pers. comm., 6 Aug). 6.2 Which stakeholders are driving the adoption of BIM? After interviewing a number of industry professionals in Australia, the general consensus was that different stakeholders were driving the adoption of BIM, all for different reasons. Client benefits from BIM through the Facility Management perspective and ongoing building operation Architects Engineers benefit from the speed in design (once the initial design is complete), there is no need to draw sections and details are they are all within the model to start with Builders benefit through the ease of coordination, reduction in buildability issues and the use of clash detection (M Ryan 2010. pers. comm., 8 July). Paul Nunn from Laing ORourke, however, indicated that clients such as Project Services and companies such as Laing ORourke are currently driving the adoption of BIM (P Nunn 2010. pers. comm., 6 Aug). Andrew Gutteridge, and architect from Arkhefield Australia believes that Architects are the ones who need to get to speed first architects have a lot to learn (A Gutteridge 2010. pers. comm., 1 July). On the other hand, Architects currently make up the largest group of user of BIM technology in America (Ireland 2010). In 2008, a SmartMarket Report published by New York-based McGraw-Hill Construction revealed that more than 43% of architects were using BIM on more than 60% of their projects. However, the use of BIM requires more than the adoption of its technology by one group in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry (Ireland 2010). 6.3 BIM Standard Form Contracts The construction industry is only beginning to catch up with the contractual liability issues that arise from the non-traditional roles played by the various project participants. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has developed IPD Agreements which include the following contracts: AIA C196-2008 Standard Form of Agreement between Single Purpose Entity Owner or Integrated Project Delivery AIA C197-2008 Standard Form of Agreement between Single Purpose Entity Non-Owner or Integrated Project Delivery These contractual agreements also incorporate a separate Exhibit (AIA Document E202-2008) that might also be used with their other, more traditional contract documents on IPD project using BIM technologies (Pohl Short 2010). In addition to these contractual agreements, the AIA and the new ConsenusDOCs organisation have issued their respective BIM documents which address, at least in a preliminary manner, many of the legal and contractual implications of utilising BIM technology. ConsensusDOCs 301 Building Information Modeling (BIM) Addendum was released by the ConsensusDOCs organization in June 2008. This document is intended as an exhibit to be appended to a standard construction or design agreement, to address certain key legal and contractual questions, and give the parties a platform on which to reach an agreement on how to manage the various risks derived from this technology. ConsensusDOCs 301 was followed later in 2008 by the AIAs issuance of its E-202 Building Information Modeling Protocol exhibit, which like its predecessor outlines a number of practical issues and formulates certain procedures and protocols for the parties to follow with respect to the development of their BIM models. Again, both the CD301 and the E-202 are designed as exhibits to be appended to an existing design or construction services agreement (Haynes 2009). Unlike America, Australia has no standard contract form for the implementation of BIM. However, contractors such as Laing ORourke have established their own in-house protocols which provide detailed information based on the British standards (P Nunn 2010. pers. comm., 6 Aug). In Australia, the Australian Institute of Architects and Building Smart in conjunction with CRC Construction Innovation have produced a National Guidelines for Digital Modelling. The guidelines are readily available; however, not enough people are taking them seriously. The uptake in the industry is increasing, but not fast enough. There are still many misconceptions about BIM and there is a lack of understanding about the value of BIM in the industry (A Butteridge 2010. pers. comm., 1 July). The Queensland Government have vouched to release all government projects in 3D within the next two years (P Nunn 2010. pers. comm., 6 Aug). America is two steps ahead, with five states mandating the use of BIM which has forced the market to adopt and invest in BIM technology. 7.0 Future of BIM Based on the QUT Research paper from the ICAN Conference in 2007 (Brankovic et al.2007), in order for greater adoption of BIM in Australia, the following issues need to be addressed: 7.1 Incentives and drivers Architects, Engineers and Contractors will continue to see the benefits of adopting BIM especially with large projects involving the Government (Project Services). The drive from the Government and clients will provide enough incentives for stakeholders to invest in BIM. A successful adoption of BIM is expected to lengthen the initial design process but reduce the construction cost and time (Brankovic et al.2007). In addition to this, the effort required by the architects and other design disciplines to put in the additional information can be considerably reduced if the commercial vendors have enough incentives to provide country specific product libraries and standards. Such specifications need to be in place to allow a sustained market for BIM applications. This in turn will also facilitate the working of regulatory authorities enabling automatic code checking and building standards (Brankovic et al.2007 p.10). 7.2 Market needs and distribution As previously discussed, small and medium sized firms within the industry will need to decide on when and if their firm will adopt BIM over the next two years. Although the capital costs are high, small f

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Over the years, there have been multiple studies on the stimulation effects on the brain from brain exercises. Some of the more prominent studies are the IMPACT, ACTIVE, and IHAMS studies. First off, the IMPACT study which had 487 participants. It is the largest experiment ever to examine whether or not brain stimulants are able to improve cognitive abilities in adults. Led by distinguished scientists from Mayo Clinic and the University of Southern California, the IMPACT study proves that people can make statistically significant gains in memory and processing speed if they do the right kind of scientifically designed cognitive exercises. Studies prove that people can make statistically large gains in memory and processing speed if they do certain brain exercises. The study was conducted on the original Posit Science Brain Fitness Program, which contains six of the auditory exercises in BrainHQ: Sound Sweeps, which was called â€Å"High or Low†, Fine Tuning, Memory Grid, Syllable Stacks, To-do List Training, and In the Know. Those who participated in the study trained with these exercises for a total of about forty hours. Specifically, the IMPACT study found that the people that used the exercises became more efficient in the exercise tasks. This was an expected result, seeing as how the exercises would make the people think quicker to respond to the tasks. The improvements included better memorization, quicker response, and just overall increased efficiency. â€Å"Gold standard† memory assessments—tests that are widely known to and accepted by doctors—showed that the Posit Science exercises genuinely improve memory overall.(Posit Science, 2013) This was a major achievement because it showed that the exercises don’t just teach shor... ...ctive control group, who followed a computer-based program of active learning. The IMPACT study proves that cognitive decline is not inevitable and irreversible. Adults—regardless of their education level, IQ, or other demographic factors—can improve their cognitive abilities. Just as every adult can benefit from physical exercise, every adult can benefit from the right kind of cognitive fitness as well. Using Posit Science exercises available as part of BrainHQ can effectively strengthen and build memory and processing speed. These improvements help people perform better at work, connect better with others, enjoy their favorite activities more, and keep up with daily tasks efficiently. There have also been studies to show that physical training helps stimulate the brain as well. Sports, working out, simply running can help the brain get into a routine and learn

If the gold standard was in use today, would it hinder economic growth Essay

The gold standard refers to a monetary system in which the unit of account of money will be fixed with the weight of gold. There are many people who argue that the gold standard should be implemented to bring down the inflation. By fixing the supply of money with gold, the government will not be able to issue money without having gold in reserve. However, on the other hand, there are experts who argue that by fixing the supply of money with gold, economic growth will be hindered as the amount of gold available on Earth is limited (Mises, 2009). This paper will show that the gold standard will hinder economic growth. I’ll firstly argue that there is a limited amount of gold in this world. Secondly, economic growth is seen as limited. Lastly, the amount of commerce will eventually reach a level equal to the gold holdings by the central bank of the country. Economic growth will be hindered if the gold standard is applied as there is a finite amount of gold in the world. Economic growth requires that there should be sufficient liquidity in the system. By adhering to the gold standard, economic growth will be hindered as to supply more money, the government will first need to buy gold. (Skousen, 1997) Secondly, economic growth is seen to be unlimited. This doesn’t complement with the gold standard, as the amount of gold is limited in the world. If economic growth is to be unlimited, then there must be enough money supply to finance it. The gold standard makes to difficult for governments to issue money, which in fact limits economic growth. (Cagan, 1982) Lastly, if the value of the dollar is limited by the amount of gold, then amount of commerce would reach a level equal to the gold holdings. In order for more money to be issued, the government would have to purchase more gold to back the increase in dollars issued. All the three points written above are influenced by the single factor that the supply is limited, while the demand for gold seems to be unlimited. (Cagan, 1982) Another problem with the gold standard is how to determine what weight of gold will equal to one unit of account. Furthermore, the gold standard can be suicidal for developing economies. Developing economies will need to buy gold to finance their economic growth, which might already be to expensive to buy for them. Currently, these economies are able to finance it through a budget deficit. Moreover, how will the gold standard be able to handle the speed and complexity of today’s financial transactions? Lastly, if the world shifts to a gold standard, then all the governments will need to burn huge amount of fiat money to make sure that the money supply equals to the amount of gold in the economy. Eichengreen & Marc, 1997) In conclusion, I believe that although by adhering to the gold standard the level of inflation will come down. However, the economic growth of a country will be hinder. The major reason for this is the limited supply of gold. Furthermore, if the gold standard is implemented the prices of gold will shoot up, making it more difficult for developing economies to grow up. Las tly, the government will need to burn huge amounts of fiat money to make sure that the there is no extra money in the economy.

Free Essays on Michael Stipe

Michael Stipe, lead singer for R.E.M., is thought to be one of America’s most emotionally powerful songwriters in the music scene. John Michael Stipe was born January 4th, 1960 in Decatur, Georgia. The lead singer has become well known for his mumbling style, exploiting strange and scrambled lyrics. Stipe grew up as the son of a military officer, moving from place to place as a kid. Although he usually kept to himself, he developed an alter side while growing up that contradicts his shyness. While studying photography and painting at the University of Georgia, Stipe met Peter Buck, Bill Berry, and Mike Mills. They created R.E.M. that year and issued their debut single, Radio Free Europe, and in 1983 they came out with their debut album, Murmur. This album differed from the rest of the mainstream pop music being played at the time (StarIQ 261). The music was kind of haunting, and hard to understand, but still carried power and emotion in the lyrics. The album’s central theme was the tones and images that bothered Michael Stipe. R.E.M. got exceptional ranking in the early 80’s but it was not until their hit The One I Love, from their album Document in 1987, that they achieved the vast commercial recognition they needed. At this point Stipe was put under the spotlight along with severe pressure that made him define his music and himself. Questions arose concerning his sexual identity that he chose to avoid. But when the pressure became too great, he rose above his need for solitude and began to openly discuss his sexuality (Brainyencyclopedia 417). This made a great influence on his music. The themes and ideas became more social than political as seen in earlier songs. His fan base grew and Stipe became a recognized star. Stipe’s lyrics started as an opinion on society from a social point and developed into a signature of strong feeling about love and sexuality. In 1990 R.E.M. wrote a hit song called Losing My Religion, referr... Free Essays on Michael Stipe Free Essays on Michael Stipe Michael Stipe, lead singer for R.E.M., is thought to be one of America’s most emotionally powerful songwriters in the music scene. John Michael Stipe was born January 4th, 1960 in Decatur, Georgia. The lead singer has become well known for his mumbling style, exploiting strange and scrambled lyrics. Stipe grew up as the son of a military officer, moving from place to place as a kid. Although he usually kept to himself, he developed an alter side while growing up that contradicts his shyness. While studying photography and painting at the University of Georgia, Stipe met Peter Buck, Bill Berry, and Mike Mills. They created R.E.M. that year and issued their debut single, Radio Free Europe, and in 1983 they came out with their debut album, Murmur. This album differed from the rest of the mainstream pop music being played at the time (StarIQ 261). The music was kind of haunting, and hard to understand, but still carried power and emotion in the lyrics. The album’s central theme was the tones and images that bothered Michael Stipe. R.E.M. got exceptional ranking in the early 80’s but it was not until their hit The One I Love, from their album Document in 1987, that they achieved the vast commercial recognition they needed. At this point Stipe was put under the spotlight along with severe pressure that made him define his music and himself. Questions arose concerning his sexual identity that he chose to avoid. But when the pressure became too great, he rose above his need for solitude and began to openly discuss his sexuality (Brainyencyclopedia 417). This made a great influence on his music. The themes and ideas became more social than political as seen in earlier songs. His fan base grew and Stipe became a recognized star. Stipe’s lyrics started as an opinion on society from a social point and developed into a signature of strong feeling about love and sexuality. In 1990 R.E.M. wrote a hit song called Losing My Religion, referr...

Essay on An Anthropologist on Mars

Essay on An Anthropologist on Mars Essay on An Anthropologist on Mars Investigating cases on behavior and neurology presents a significant number of health ideas. The brain is capable of performing tasks through a finite number of reactions and neurons in the nervous system. In light to this, I decide to go through the works of Oliver Sacks named An Anthropologist on Mars. I keenly study the seven cases of patients and colleagues he has highlighted about their extraordinary brains. Each case differs from the other thus depicting the issues on study. From the brain tumor victim to surgeon suffering from Tourette’s syndrome the dimension of the study broaden. In order for one to be in a position to understand their subjects appropriately, the personality method of investigation is vital. Therefore, spending ample time with your subjects is very crucial in this field. I find An anthropologist on Mars fascinating since it gives amn opportunity to view peoples’ brains conditions as well as study them to the letter. The fascinating neurobiological stories explore some of the unique experiences and perceptions of oneself. The saddest thing about the study on disorders of the nervous system and the brain is that the condition of most of the patients is beyond repair. This is irrespective of the diverse scope of knowledge in the book. The passion in me to know more about science related cases especially on first hand individuals helps me see the effectiveness of Sacks’ method of investigation. The authors method of finding ways to help patients to be fit again is fantastic. I arrive to this conclusion after reading how he has tackled cases in certain disorders facing the neuro system and the brain. These are Korsakov’s syndrome and Tourettes syndrome. Patients in these unusual disorders should be given information on how to cope to the conditions they find themselves in. this should be done without necessarily considering whether the patient’s outcome. All the professionals involved in this field should incorporate this idea into their profession to spur them to enviable success. In addition, utilizing different neurological techniques to learn each of the subjects in a respectful and personal manner is also important. Most of those operating in this field tend to go by the results given by the clinic. However, this is not always advisable since you maybe condemning someone to a their death whereas a lot can be done to improve his condition. Having the curiosity to discover the beauty in the minds of the affected people will help you achieve this goal far much easier. All this should be done in environments that make the affected feel comfortable rather than undermined. This is through creating time for private outings with every patient you are in contact with as well making arrangements to bond with them through their activities. This enables one to learn more and figure out their problems. Being a step ahead and having better ideas on how to treat the individual under medical examination is also important. Each of the chapters in An anthropologist on Mars has a cast of significant characters, setting, and plot. The elements portrayed in the book weave together creating a fascinating story. The i ndividuals undergoing examination are astonishing and how the author manages to counter the sterile account of the relative neurological functioning found in psychiatric journals is brilliant. I am amazed by how the author describes interactions, setting and personal feelings of the subjects. This is what defines his unique approach as a prolific writer and extraordinary neuroscientist. The analysis every situation has supernatural significance. The investigations also involve cases with personal stake and distinct compassion mostly available in psychiatrist’s offices. The ability to make transform a diagnosis to a story puts him ahead of the rest in the writing field. Another of his strengths is responsibility of transforming his characters from simple brain to a human worthy story with perfection. The people Sacks studies are both patients and subjects. This is since the cases Oliver Sacks bases his investigations on involve conditions mostly associated with the brain. The patients and subjects are suffering from different neurological conditions. Sacks believe that the patients suffer from such conditions as a result of living in a world different from the rest. The Case of the Colorblind Painter involves an artist who loses his color perception ability after an accident. â€Å"Would it be â€Å"normal† from the moment vision was restored? Was not experience necessary to see? Did one have to learn to see?† (Sacks 109). The author details the patient cases and uses it as one of the ways in giving an account of how the modern understanding of vision works. From this, there are lessons learnt from the inability of the artist to also remember the colors. The diseases focused on in the essays affect the ways in which individuals know and understand themselves. The Last Hippie also has a similar context as connected from the current state of the patient. The author describes to a relative knowledge history concerning the brain’s frontal lobe function. This also involves some of the significant problems resulting from the damage caused on the lobes. There is a review on the looks of the different types of memories and their forms of interaction. In A Surgeons Life, the author switches to deal with the colleagues suffering from Tourette’s syndrome. Here I notice how the piece of art manages to provide the history of the condition and also includes similar tics and symptoms. There is an emphasis on how the colleague adjusts to the people around him, and the tics causing the Tourette’s syndrome. The little information given about the lessons learnt from the condition means that the author considers the aspect of respect for his colleague and discretion compared to the one he gives to the other patients. In the To See and Not See case, involves a case sight restoration to one of the patients who had suffered from blindness for a period of forty years. The author provides a few cases where this is possible and some of the reactions known to the people who experienced sight restoration. The author manages to recognize the contribution of colleagues and other people to the aspect of discussing specific mental illnesses. The danger is that we may go overboard in medicalizing our predecessors (and contemporaries), reducing their complexity, to expressions of neurological or psychiatric disorder, while neglecting all other factors that determine a life, not least the irreducible uniqueness of the individual (Sacks 165). This helps in understanding how such conditions affect the ways in which individuals know and understand themselves. There is a reference specifically to some of the tendencies psychoanalysts consider connecting genius with the brain variations since it is significant to neuroscience. While the idea works best in most of the formats, The Landscape of His Dreams covers cases of depression which results from temporal lobe epilepsy. This case is described in details in reflection to the painter who manages to detail his childhood town in visions and has to deal with the vital changes the town has undergone. Soaks give a very little discussion and history of temporal lobe epilepsy causes, but Prodigies focuses on the idea of autism. It provides a very little history on autism discovery and goes on to describe the difficult abilities people face as a result of autism. In â€Å"Prodigies,† there is focus on the internal struggle with the thoughts of his travel companion suffering from autism. â€Å"Normally, there is a cohering and unifying power that integrates all the separate faculties of mind, integrates them, too, with our experiences and emotions, so that they take on a unique personal cast. It is this global or integrating power that allows us to generalize and reflect, to develop subjectivity and a self-conscious self† (Sacks 227). â€Å"An Anthropologist on Mars,† provides one of the significant and interesting approaches to the aspect of neurobiology. This has informed my understanding of concepts such as â€Å"normal† and â€Å"handicap.† This is through focus on the conditions that most of the people described in the context of every chapter face, and the attempts to make things right. It also includes discussion of individuals entirely. I notice the disdain for a similar line of thought through considering patients and colleagues as a whole. However, there are no clarifications on the opinion of the topics covered in the book, but there are details of the various popular ideas over time. You can order a custom essay on this topic at professional writing service. 100% non-plagiarized essays of high quality will be written from scratch by experts.

Effective Strategies For Cross-Cultural Communication Research Paper

Effective Strategies For Cross-Cultural Communication - Research Paper Example With the completion of systemic and structural transitions, the leaders of the new employee groups are appointed and trained on the core leadership courses that involve the inclusion of tolerance when dealing with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. The leaders are informed on the essentials of communication, and how positive communication strategies motivate the workers and instill good organizational behavior. After carrying out the Integration activity, the company bonds the employees together, questioning about their experiences and the advantages they have acquired from the process of acquisition.  With the completion of systemic and structural transitions, the leaders of the new employee groups are appointed and trained on the core leadership courses that involve the inclusion of tolerance when dealing with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. The leaders are informed on the essentials of communication, and how positive communication strategies motivate the workers and instill good organizational behavior. After carrying out the Integration activity, the company bonds the employees together, questioning about their experiences.   To measure the impact of the outcomes of the training process to alleviate the stresses of cross cultural communication. In Microchip, the company achieves its goals every year, with the results reflecting an 80%achievemnt in purpose fulfillment. It is evident from the case of Microchip that the main solution to the difficulties in communication is training.

Human resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Human resource Management - Essay Example In 2007 the Air Force changed its evaluation process to make it more user friendly and to achieve a system with value added characteristics. The OPR new design allows the evaluator more flexibility and the ability to provide greater feedback concerning deficiency in performance areas. It is more flexibility because it reduced the time it complete the evaluation by eliminating unnecessary narratives in the report. I like the new system because the new evaluation process provides consistency. The elimination of biased opinions makes this tool fairer for everyone so it can be utilized for promotion purposes. In the past the Air Force wasted a lot of important resources in this process, which could have been used for more useful initiatives such as employee development and training programs. There some things I do not like about the evaluation process. First of the Air Force does not provide the employees the opportunity to express their opinion about their yearly performance. Doing so would allow a more honest process in which the employee can point out the things he/she needs to improve. Such a process would allow the Air Force to better serve the long term professional needs of the employees. Johnson & Johnson is a consumer products company that specializes in healthcare products which is one of the largest global firms with over 230 operating unit locations. The firm has wealth of diverse human resources that provide a competitive advantage to Johnson & Johnson. This company follows a credo which is foundation of values and corporate culture. In 2002 the company started a new project called e-university. The e-university was created to interconnect the different operation units in order to create a centralized training and development platform. The e-university serves three main objectives: it increases learning rate, improve use of