Thursday, March 19, 2020
Inchon Invasion in the Korean War (Operation Chromite)
Inchon Invasion in the Korean War (Operation Chromite) The Inchon landings took place on September 15, 1950, during the Korean War (1950-1953). Since the beginning of the conflict that June, South Korean and United Nations forces had been steadily driven south into a tight perimeter around the port of Pusan. Seeking to regain the initiative and liberate the South Korean capital of Seoul, General Douglas MacArthur devised a plan for a daring amphibious landing at Inchon on South Koreas west coast. Far from the Pusan Perimeter, his troops began landing on September 15 and caught the North Koreans by surprise. The landings, coupled with an offensive from the Pusan Perimeter, caused the North Koreans to retreat back across the 38th Parallel with UN forces in pursuit. Fast Facts: Inchon Invasion Conflict: Korean War (1950-1953)Dates: September 15, 1950Armies Commanders:United NationsGeneral Douglas MacArthurVice Admiral Arthur D. StrubleGeneral Jeong Il-Gwon40,000 menNorth KoreaGeneral Choi Yong-kunapproximately 6,500 menCasualties:United Nations: 566 killed and 2,713 woundedNorth Korea: 35,000 killed and captured Background Following the opening of the Korean War and the North Korean invasion of South Korea in the summer of 1950, United Nations forces were steadily driven south from the 38th Parallel. Initially lacking the necessary equipment to halt the North Korean armor, American troops suffered defeats at Pyongtaek, Chonan, and Chochiwon before attempting to make a stand at Taejeon.Ã Though the city ultimately fell after several days of fighting, the effort made American and South Korean forces bought valuable time for additional men and material to be brought to the peninsula as well as for UN troops to establish a defensive line in the southeast which was dubbed the Pusan Perimeter. General Douglas MacArthur during the Inchon Landings, September 1950. National Archives and Records Administration Protecting the critical port of Pusan, this line came under repeated attacks by the North Koreans. With the bulk of the North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA) engaged around Pusan, UN Supreme Commander General Douglas MacArthur began advocating for a daring amphibious strike on the peninsulas west coast at Inchon. This he argued would catch the NKPA off guard, while landing UN troops close to the capital at Seoul and placing them in a position to cut the North Koreans supply lines. Many were initially skeptical of MacArthurs plan as Inchons harbor possessed a narrow approach channel, strong current, and wildly fluctuating tides. Also, the harbor was surrounded by easily defended seawalls. In presenting his plan, Operation Chromite, MacArthur cited these factors as reasons the NKPA would not anticipate an attack at Inchon. After finally winning approval from Washington, MacArthur selected the US Marines to lead the attack. Ravaged by post-World War II cutbacks, the Marines consolidated all available manpower and reactivated aging equipment to prepare for the landings. Pre-Invasion Operations To pave the way for the invasion, Operation Trudy Jackson was launched a week before the landings. This involved the landing of a joint CIA-military intelligence team on Yonghung-do Island in the Flying Fish Channel on the approach to Inchon. Led by Navy Lieutenant Eugene Clark, this team provided intelligence to UN forces and restarted the lighthouse at Palmi-do. Aided by South Korean counter-intelligence officer Colonel Ke In-Ju, Clarks team collected important data regarding the proposed landing beaches, defenses, and local tides. This latter piece of information proved critical as they found that the American tidal charts for the area were inaccurate. When Clarks activities were discovered, the North Koreans dispatched a patrol boat and later several armed junks to investigate. After mounting a machine gun on a sampan, Clarks men were able to sink the patrol boat drive off the enemy. As retribution, the NKPA killed 50 civilians for aiding Clark. Preparations As the invasion fleet neared, UN aircraft began striking a variety of targets around Inchon. Some of these were provided by the fast carriers of Task Force 77, USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), USS Valley Forge (CV-45), and USS Boxer (CV-21), which assumed a position offshore. On September 13, UN cruisers and destroyers closed on Inchon to clear mines from the Flying Fish Channel and to shell NKPA positions on Wolmi-do Island in Inchon harbor. Though these actions caused the North Koreans to believe than an invasion was coming, the commander at Wolmi-do assured the NKPA command that he could repulse any attack. The next day, UN warships returned to Inchon and continued their bombardment. USS Valley Forge (CV-45), 1948. US Naval History Heritage Command Going Ashore On the morning of September 15, 1950, the invasion fleet, led by Normandy and Leyte Gulf veteran Admiral Arthur Dewey Struble, moved into position and the men of Major General Edward Almonds X Corps prepared to land. Around 6:30 AM, the first UN troops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Tapletts 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines came ashore at Green Beach on the northern side of Wolmi-do. Supported by nine M26 Pershing tanks from the 1st Tank Battalion, the Marines succeeded in capturing the island by noon, suffering only 14 casualties in the process. First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez, USMC, leads the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines over the seawall on the northern side of Red Beach, as the second assault wave lands at Inchon, 15 September 1950. US Naval History and Heritage Command Through the afternoon they defended the causeway to Inchon proper, while awaiting reinforcements. Due to the extreme tides in the harbor, the second wave did not arrive until 5:30 PM. At 5:31, the first Marines landed and scaled the sea wall at Red Beach. Though under fire from North Korean positions on Cemetery and Observation Hills, the troops successfully landed and pushed inland. Located just north of the Wolmi-do causeway, the Marines on Red Beach quickly reduced the NKPA opposition, allowing forces from Green Beach to enter the battle. Colonel Lewis Chesty Puller. November 1950. US Marine Corps Pressing into Inchon, the forces from Green and Red Beaches were able to take the city and compelled the NKPA defenders to surrender. As these events were unfolding, the 1st Marine Regiment, under Colonel Lewis Chesty Puller was landing on Blue Beach to the south. Though one LST was sunk while approaching the beach, the Marines met little opposition once ashore and quickly moved to help consolidate the UN position. The landings at Inchon caught the NKPA command by surprise. Believing that the main invasion would come at Kusan (the result of UN disinformation), the NKPA only sent a small force to the area. Aftermath Impact UN casualties during the Inchon landings and subsequent battle for the city were 566 killed and 2,713 wounded. In the fighting the NKPA lost more than 35,000 killed and captured. As additional UN forces came ashore, they were organized into the US X Corps. Attacking inland, they advanced towards Seoul, which was taken on September 25, after brutal house-to-house fighting. United Nations Offensive, South Korea 1950 - Situation 26 September and Operations Since 15 September. US Army The daring landing at Inchon, coupled with 8th Armys breakout from the Pusan Perimeter, threw the NKPA into a headlong retreat. UN troops quickly recovered South Korea and pressed into the north. This advance continued until late November when Chinese troops poured into North Korea causing UN forces to withdraw south.
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Which Type of US Visa Is Right for You
Which Type of US Visa Is Right for You Citizens of most foreign countries must obtain a visa to enter the U.S. There are two general classifications of U.S. visas: nonimmigrant visas for temporary stays, and immigrant visas to live and work permanently in the U.S.à Temporary Visitors:à Nonimmigrant US Visas Temporary visitors to the U.S. must obtain a nonimmigrant visa. This type of visa allows you to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry. If you are a citizen of a country thats part of the Visa Waiver Program, you may come to the U.S. without a visa if you meet certain requirements. There are a number of reasons why someone would come to the U.S. on a temporary visa, including tourism, business, medical treatment and certain types of temporary work. The State Department lists the most common U.S. visa categories for temporary visitors. These include: Australian (E-3) in Specialty OccupationBorder Crossing Card - Mexican TravelersBusiness, Tourist, and VisitorsChile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) ProfessionalDiplomats and Government OfficialsExchange VisitorsFiancà ©(e) to Marry U.S. Citizen/SpouseInternational Organizations NATOMedia JournalistsMexican and Canadian NAFTA Professional WorkerReligious WorkersSingapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) ProfessionalStudentsTemporary Workers OverviewTreaty Traders Treaty InvestorsVisa Renewals Livingà and Working in the U.S. Permanently: Immigrant US Visas To live permanently in the U.S., an immigrant visa is required. The first step is to petition the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to allow the beneficiary to apply for an immigrant visa. Once approved, the petition is forwarded to the National Visa Center for processing. The National Visa Center then provides instructions regarding forms, fees, and other required documents to complete the visa application.à Learn more aboutà US visasà and find out what you need to do to file for one. The major immigrant US visa categories include: Immediate RelativesSpecial ImmigrantsFamily-sponsoredEmployer-sponsored Source: The U.S. Department of State
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Ethical implications of leading in the healthcaare environment Essay
Ethical implications of leading in the healthcaare environment - Essay Example It is expected from all members of the organization to a show commitment towards these codes with the conduct of a professional particularly in the field of healthcare management. These codes can be viewed as a formulation of personal responsibility. The most identifiable significance being the mode of commitment that an individual possesses. In general, sense the code possesses all aspects of professional situation as both a human and a proficient member of the organization. It is obvious that an organization is formed with human aspects and for an organization to become ethical, it is important the human aspects be indulged into following the code. It is imperative that these codes of ethics would be subjective and open to individual interpretations but it should also be noted that in such incident these codes, phrases, or word of the codes would be judged upon individual approach of humane solution. (Zimmerman, 2002) In this respect of Ethics and Leadership qualities of an organization, it would be relevant to mention the emergence of Professional Care Organization (PCO, a newly established health care organization). Its very existence may be definitely seen as a paradigm shift. The clientele is the public in need of medical treatment. The organization employs a staff of 120 professionals (doctors, paramedics, assistants, nurses, health-care assistants, and maintenance staff). PCO intends to become the leading health-care services provider in its region. It also plans to alter the general conception for high medical care costs by implementing a society benefit program that will allow to significantly reducing the patientsââ¬â¢ expenditures. The modern American health industry is going through a difficult period, one characterized by new concerns about rising health costs. The major concern that had directed medicine until that time was that Americans required more medical careââ¬âmore than the marketplace would
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Sample exam answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Sample exam answers - Essay Example If firm 1 decides to produce q111 then the prices will be set at P (q111 + q2). That is, for each quantity produced by firm 1, the price is given by the curve d1 (q2). This is (d1 (q2)) firm 1ââ¬â¢s residual demand which gives all possible combinations of firm 1ââ¬â¢s quantity and price for a given value of q2. MC=MR. the assumption that MC is constant is made. The MR curve is given as r1(q2) with twice the slope of d1(q2) and with the same vertical intercept. The point at MC and MR meets corresponds to quantity q1ii(q2) which is the optimum quantity for firm 1. If firm 2 favors a quantity corresponding to perfect competition, q2=qc whereby P (qc), then the quantity produced by firm 1 would be 0: q1ii(qc)=0. This is where MC=MR corresponding to d1 (qc) as shown in diagram below: Given the fact that demand is linear and the marginal cost is constant, the function q1ii (q2) is also clear. q1ii (q2) is firm 1ââ¬â¢s reaction function. Firm 1ââ¬â¢s reaction function is the choice taken by firm 1 given an action taken by firm 2. Cournot equilibrium is the point at which firm 1ââ¬â¢s and firm 2ââ¬â¢s reaction functions meet given that they have the same cost function. This is shown below: First degree price discrimination is a situation where the firm is charging a price that the consumer is willing to pay. With first degree price discrimination, the producer is able to extract the entire surplus from the consumer. With the 1st degree price discrimination, the profit is equal the sum of consumer surplus and producer surplus The monopoly firm will sell quantity Q* up to the point where the price of the last unit sold just covers the MC of production. The profit of the firm is given by the difference between the price it is charging on each unit and the average cost of producing Q* units of output. The profit is given by area PAMC. 1st degree price discrimination is most practiced by single seller offering different prices to different individuals. In this
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Changes to the Role of a Quantity Surveyor
Changes to the Role of a Quantity Surveyor When trying to gather information on the origins of the quantity surveying profession it is not simple, several different authors have different theories on where the occupation arose from. Some feel that it is a 19th century creation, were others seem to think that the birth of quantity surveying stretches all the way back to ancient Egypt. However to attempt to obtain knowledge about quantity surveyings past I must assess all the theories to distinguish which seems the most viable. The Kenyan branch of the RICS opens the website speaking of quantity surveying being used in ancient Egypt, and also references a quote from the bible which was mentioned in Chapter 1; Suppose one of you wants to build a tower, will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it. (Luke, 14:28). Seeing this as the start of the quantity surveying profession I feel is inaccurate but it can be seen as a basis from which it could have rose from. The act of planning ou t all you need has always been used in construction as well as other lines of work, for example a baker would not start baking until he has all the ingredients he needs. Nevertheless it may have been in such a case as the pyramids that some one person may have been assigned to ensure all materials where present and that every that was needed to construct them was there. If this were the case then it may very well have been the first use of quantity surveyors (QSs). The authors who have written about the subject of quantity surveying give little mention of this as their professions origin and choose to focus on more recent history to find their career roots rather than to early empires grand construction projects. Allan Ashworth and Keith Hogg are two well respected authors on the subject of quantity surveying and value in construction, so much so that they have taken over the mantle of writing the new versions of Williss Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor, a book seen as one of the best in quantity surveying circles. In the 2000 book Added Value in Design and Construction Ashworth and Hogg speak of the possible beginnings of quantity surveying: According to Thompson (1968), the roots of quantity surveying go back to the seventeenth century and to the Great Fire of London. There is evidence to suggest that firms of QSs were in existence at the end of the eighteenth century. According to Seeley (1988), the earliest records of a quantity surveying firm were in Reading, Berkshire, in 1785. There is little doubt that other firms were also in existence at the same time. In 1802, a number of Scottish quantity surveying firms gathered to produce the first method of measurement of buildings. In St Lukes Gospel (14:28) a story is recorded of the importance of counting the cost before you build implying that some form of these practices existed even in biblical times! (P 12-13) These authors seem to have no direct opinion on the matter but they do offer up the opinion of others as well as the aforementioned biblical quote. Thompsons belief was that that after the Great Fire of London in 1666, there was such a vast amount of work needed done and that the usual way of paying tradesmen by daily rates was unfeasible due to the amount of labour used. So it was deemed that a measure and value system would be best to allocate payment. This job was entrusted to architects but since they were so busy designing all the new buildings they employed other men to do the job; these men became known as measurers. Seeley and Winfield (1999) state that this method of measure and value surveying was common practice up to the middle 19th century but vaguely describe the aftermath that resulted in the creation of bills of quantities and competitive tendering. The origins of quantity surveying and indeed all surveying are detailed heavily in F.M.L Thompsons 1968 book, Chartered Surveyors, the growth of a profession. The opinion shared by Thompson (1968) and Seeley and Winfield (1999) is a popular one among authors however this opinion is not shared by Colin Dent in his book Quantity Surveying a Fully Metricated Text. In his eyes the birth of quantity surveying came in coincidence with that of the bill of quantities. Dent puts it that the bill of quantities arose from costly nature that was involved in pricing jobs in the 19th century. General contractors in this era where becoming aggravated with spending money measuring, pricing and preparing a tender for a job only not to get and have to incur the costs of an unsuccessful bid. It then left the contractor having to price in the cost of unsuccessful bids into his successful ones; this did not sit well with clients who were disgruntled that they had to pay for a contractors previous losing bid. It was heavily thought at this time that the lowest bid was the best, but it was often the case that the lowest bid came from an omission in the contracto rs own bill of quantities. This would leave the contractor the task of attempting to make the money up from somewhere else in the project. Again clients were displeased with this so it was decided around 1850 that a universal bill of quantities would be made from the client and sent to the contractors to price. Ferry, Brandon Ferry, 2006, see it differently; they believe that it was contractors who first used surveyors to draw up bills of quantities for them to price. A group of contractors would perhaps employ one surveyor with the winning bid then paying his fee. Architects suspected foul play in these bids with excessive wastage allowed and the possibility that contractors would fix so that one bid would win before all would get a pay out from the contract sum. The architect then took over employing surveyors to draw up one bill of quantities for all to price. Either way the bill of quantities system was seen as fair competition between contractors and gained recognition by 1880, and after it was used in the building of the Houses of Parliament and was successful it was then accepted as the most efficient and economical way of building. It is probably most likely from this point of the evolution of the bill of quantities that surveyors shook off the term off measurers and gained the term QSs as their job title. Another contrasting view is that of Duncan Cartlidge the author of New Aspects of Quantity Surveying Practice 2nd edition. The basis of his opinion also comes from the 19th century and the formation of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1834. This move was made by architects to further them surveyors/contractors and their obnoxious commercial interest in construction. In his view the greater responsibility for the business side construction now given to surveyors/contractors created the need to have someone in charge of the managing of capital and quantities, thus the QS was born (Cartlidge, 2006). There are several views regarding the origin of the quantity surveying profession as I mentioned above. However when all views are looked at; an almost direct line events can be seen to occur where every stage seems to be a step in the evolution of quantity surveying. In this readers opinion the act of assessing material amounts for building and also the cost goes back to early civilisation. But it was not until after the Great Fire in 1666 that a full time job was created for someone to measure and value work done. Client and contractor dissatisfaction with payment of the final account and a fair method of tendering led to the birth of bills of quantities and it is the basis of measuring and value and the drawing up of bills of quantities that produced the traditional QS, which still exists today. This form of quantity surveying worked well in the late 19th century and early years of the 20th century, so much so that in 1909 the RIBA incorporated the bills of quantities into its standard building contract, thus making it a legally binding document (Dent, 1970)(Ashworth Hogg, 2000). In 1922 the first edition of the British Standard Method of Measurement of Building Works (or SMM) was adopted into the contract as a means for which works were measured. Its introduction was to alleviate confusion about which quantities were measurable (Ashworth, 1981). The practice of quantity surveying remained very much unchanged for many years; in fact it was not until after that Second World War that the traditional techniques came into question. The government began its task of rebuilding the country after the war and gave heavy public spending during the 1950s and 1960s for rebuilding of houses, schools, hospitals, roads, etc. (Ashworth, 2004). This in turn saw work for QSs rise as the government had spend huge sums of money on the war and had incurred large international debt, so keeping buildings cost low was a top priority (Thompson, 1968). In order to plan this spending properly and achieve value for money in the various projects, something additional needed to be done other than simply to measure and value the works as was the traditional method. The then Ministry of Public Buildings and Works and the RICS began to develop systems of financial control and evaluation for new buildings. This laid the foundation for further exploration into cost control techniques (Ashworth, 2004). In 1957 the Ministry of Education issued a bulletin that was a milestone in the practice as it introduced new methods of working and new principles of cost analysis and cost planning (Building Bulletin No.4 Cost Study). The bulletin initiated the idea of cost planning which set about to compare the cost of different design solutions and also designing within an overall cost framework. This meant that QSs would for the first time have to manage costs all the way through a construction project, whereas a previously they simply a drew up quantities from architect drawings at the start and helped settle accounts at the end. QSs would now have to compare different designs and different elements of buildings in an attempt to obtain cost efficiency, and then manage the expenditure throughout to ensure that the project was not over budget. This was the first use of elemental cost planning or designing to a cost and formally introduced the QS into the design team (Ashworth Hogg, 2000). The 1970s saw a huge increase in the amount of universities offering quantity surveying as an undergraduate course, in 1970 alone 30 polytechnics formed (Willis, 1987). Not only were there more quantity surveying students but there were more quantity surveying lectures, this meant that more research was being done on the profession, finding more and more ways to better itself (Ashworth Hogg, 2000). It was in this research that the holes began to be exposed in the traditional procurement method. Studies showed that clients wee not always obtaining value for money in the procurement of their buildings (Ashworth, 2004). In 1970 -1974 the UK seen a property boom so developers were anxious to get building, this forced fast track methods of procurement to develop as the traditional method was seen as too slow. Management contracting and forms of design and build were introduced. These methods did not require a bill of quantities so QS involvement was left to cost plan and try and keep the budget. These were unchartered water for QSs and there was a lack of cost certainty but it was tolerated as property values were rising so quickly (Cartlidge, 2009). The 70s also seen the introduction of computers something which many believed over time would end QSs. Sir John Egan, author of the wide reaching report Rethinking Construction, once told a group of graduates in 1999 that the construction industry will no longer be needing them to count the cost of a project computer technology would be doing it instead (Carvill, 1999). Adrian .J Smith, author of Computers and the QS, puts it that: The QS and the computer have been partners in an intense love hate relationship for over 30 years; indeed, it would be difficult to find any other profession in which the relationship between man and machine has generated, by turns, so much discussion; hope and optimism; disappointment and disillusion, (Smith, 1989) Of course they were not very well advanced in this era however they did give insight into how projects may be calculated and determined and began to challenge the perceived wisdom of the traditional methods (Ashworth, 2004) During the 1980s the quantity surveying profession started to witness radical changes to their traditional ways of working, and much of the change stemming from new procurement methods which seemed to spell the end for the bills of quantities. Procurement, a term not used until the 1980s, became an important area of activity, largely because of the increasing array of options available (Ashworth Hogg, 2006). These options came about as clients became dissatisfied with amount of time taken to procure through traditional tendering methods (i.e. bills of quantities). So new forms of procurement arose to try and meet client requirements, the main forms that were on the increase were Design and Build (D B), Management Procurement. Clients seen these methods as more beneficial for time and also because it handed more risk to the contractor in D B and to a management contractor in management procurement (Cartlidge, 2009). (The benefits of these types of procurements are discussed for lat er in this chapter). Some quantity surveying companies were very respondent to the change that management procurement brought about and began to adapt their practices, as D B hadnt much use for professional QSs. However it did create an opening on the contractors side for more cost control as they needed to manage their own construction costs. The practice of cost modelling which was introduced in the previous decade had been studied further. While the profession was looking for new ways of estimating away from the bill of quantities, the cost modelling method was, and still is, seen as too radical and requiring too much practice from the security of a reasonably reliable yet imperfect system of the bill of quantities (Ashworth Hogg, 2000). The emphasis of building costs was high on the agenda and it was also during this time that attention shifted from initial construction costs alone to a more comprehensive overall view of the costs over the entire life cycle of the project. Who le life costing takes into consideration the initial procurement, design and construction costs as well as fees and charges. It also takes into account the operational costs such as maintenance, repairs and energy expenses, and the cost of disposal and recycling of the building is also included (Cartlidge 2009). Eventually all of these aspects would be considered within the emerging practice of facilities management. These considerations provided yet another shift towards adding value to the industry and its clients. This recognised that to examine the initial costs of construction within the context of whole costs that it might yield an overall better financial situation for the client (Ashworth Hogg, 2000). Two other new aspects of costing that came about in the 1980s were value management and facilities management. Value management or value engineering arrived in the UK in the 1980s but in some sense it already existed, as mentioned earlier the government wanted cheaper building s after the war, so cost planning in this era focused on acceptable products for the least cost which in essence is what value can be defined as (Kelly, Morledge, Wilkinson, 2002). Facilities management was also introduced as from of project management that went much further than just managing the construction. Aspects of the building such as its infrastructure, its environmental impact, its maintenance and its communication links all came under the role of a facilities manager (Ashworth 2004). Basically it was not just managing the buildings construction but managing the building as a whole. Value management was a natural progression for QSs as they were the experts on buildings product costs so they were able to inform the client on all options and help provide the selection which bore the most value. The RICS recognised this change when it published its report of a study of Value Engineering and Quantity Surveying Practice in 1987. Facilities management was further away from the traditional QSs way of working and closer to a profession which specialised in project management, however with many believing at this time that QSs were heading down that route this line of work was seen as a future possibility for QSs. During the 1990s several key reports were produced that assisted in the new directions of the QS profession, they helped to formulate a future direction and strategy, emphasising the changing nature of society in general and the construction industry and the profession within it (Ashworth Hogg, 2000). The first in 1991 was made by Davis, Langdon Everest, one of the largest QS firms in the world at present, wrote the report QS2000: The Future Role of the Quantity Surveyor which focused on the changes in the construction industry and how it was affecting the profession. The important point stressed in this report was that QSs needed to learn to manage more effectively the time and quality as well as the cost in an attempt to add value into a clients business and construction project. The report also identified widening markets and diversification for the quantity surveyor, suggesting three key areas of future activity: value management, procurement management, and facilities manageme nt. The idea of more research and development into better QS practices was promoted as it was as another way of adding value for the client (Davis, Langdon, Everest, 1991). The RICS The core skills and knowledge base of the quantity surveyor report released in 1992 affirmed a lot of the points raised in the 1991 Davis, Langdon and Everest report. It also raised point that QS may need to change the way they address clients and professionals to try and make clear to clients the services they offer (RICS, 1992). Constructing the team was a report written by Sir Michael Latham in 1994 which had far reaching consequences on the construction industry and those employed in it, including quantity surveyors. The report called for more standardisation of design and construction by establishing more functional and efficient supply chains. More transparency in costing between the professionals and clients was seen to be needed; this was of particular interest to QSs as target of reducing cost by 30% was set by the report. The report also encouraged more teamwork in all construction teams to produce a product that all, including the client, could be justifiably happy with. This point also highlighted QSs as they did at this time have a reputation as difficult to deal with professionals for the client (Cartlidge 2006). Sir John Egan, a keen advocate of Sir Michael Lathams report and known to be a person to be a person convinced of the need of change in the industry was appointed as head of the Construction Task Force (Cartlidge, 2006). It was Egans opinion; that while some of the construction industry learned from the Latham report, not enough was done to meet the targets set out within it. In 1998 Sir John Egan published his own report titled Rethinking Construction. This report was seen as the blueprint for the modernisation of the systems used in the construction industry to procure work. The Egan report revealed in a survey of major UK property clients that many still dissatisfied with the services performances offered by both contractors and consultants. These clients revealed that: More that a third of them thought that consultants were lacking in providing a speedy and reliable service They felt they were not receiving good value for money insofar as construction projects did not met their functional needs and had high whole life costs They felt that the design and construction should be integrated in order to deliver added value There was a failure to keep within agreed budgets and the completion schedules. (Rethinking Construction, Sir John Egan, 1998) These points were damaging to consultants and in particular quantity surveyors who a lot believe were one of the guiltiest of these failings in the industry. Responding to this report, in 1999 Building magazine published the article The QS: a profession on the brink. The magazine conducted its own survey of over 12,000 QSs and the overwhelming feeling was one of anxiety about their future. The survey shows that QSs are concerned about the rapid erosion of their traditional role, their inability to persuade clients that they can significantly contribute to their projects, and the threat posed by acquisitive rivals and by other professionals such as management consultants and accounts 75% of QSs asked believed at this stage that new software packages were replacing their traditional cost modelling role; in fact a senior partner of Davis, Langdon Everest is quoted as saying that traditional quantity surveying, especially the calculation of BoQs, is on the way out. Many senior QSs in large firms such as Cyril Sweet and Bucknall Austin believed the profession was heading into management consultancy that specialise in construction. The latter in fact now referring to themselves as construction economists. This article seemed to spell the end for the QS as it was followed by more articles that sang from the same hymn sheet (Building, 1999). Adapt or Die (2000) called on QSs to find a new niche in the industry as their traditional role of measuring and drawing up BoQS was fading fast. It referred to QSs as an endangered species and that it was a case of survival of the fittest, the fittest being the surveyor who adapts and diversifies to a changing industry. Many practices have already evolved, reinventing themselves as cost consultants or construction cost advisors, or diversifying to become project managers, construction managers or total service providers offering professional management services to the industry not a word about cost in there at all. (Building, 2000) A year later (2001) a further article entitled What is the use of QSs stated through a survey that the general public had little or no idea of what a QS does. The author suggesting that construction law was an appropriate landing spot for diversifying QSs citing that their cost expertise could be a valuable tool in dispute resolution. The article also followed the theme of others implying that the traditional role was dying (Building, 2001). A lot of the articles around this time were in response to the 1999 survey carried out by Building magazine, so in that respect their fear inducing titles seemed to be on the mark. But five years on the same magazine was speaking quite differently. From forecasting that the QS profession may be on the brink, they were now stating that not only were QSs in high demand, but that their services were on the rise all over the world. The 2004 article Rocking All Over the World tells of how some of the UKs largest QS firms were expanding into foreign markets such as the Middle East, China, North America, Europe and other Commonwealth Nations. Richard Steer, senior partner of Gleeds a large QS firm, commented Just as were trying to lose the name quantity surveyor we are getting requests for QS services. It should be highlighted from the article that while there was an increase in QS demand, it was not for the traditional QS services. The industry was interested in professionals with expertis e in sustainable construction, dispute resolution and adjudication, cost control techniques, procurement advice and also the need for an independent voice in the construction process (Building, 2004). It is not surprising that QSs were in high demand in this era. The world was on the forefront of building boom as property around the world went up at a dizzying pace in places like Dubai and Beijing (for the 2008 Olympic games) for example. What should be noted form this was the services they were offering. Williss Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor 12th ed (2007) depicts how the role of a QS had evolved from the traditional in 1960 into the present (see Fig. 1.1) Single rate approximate estimates Cost planning Procurement advice Measurement and quantification Document preparation, especially bills of quantities Cost control during construction Interim valuations and payments Financial statements Final account preparation and agreement Settlement of contractual claims Fig. 1.1 Traditional quantity surveying activities 1960 Investment appraisal Advice on cost limits and budgets Whole life costing Value management Risk analysis Insolvency services Cost engineering services Subcontract administration Environmental services measurement and costing Technical auditing Planning and supervision Valuation for insurance purposes Project management Facilities management Administering maintenance programs Advice on contractual disputes Planning supervisor Employers agent N.B. some of traditional activities may still be part of a present day QSs role such as procurement advisor or cost planning. (Ashworth Hogg 2007) Williss book also gave insight into what the future may bring for the QS, all of which are spoken about today and are considered to be the most recent QS responsibilities to have developed. Activities such as: Environmental and sustainability analysis Supply chain management Facilities management Legal services Quality management Automated measurement and quantification Taxation and investment advice relating to projects (Ashworth Hogg, 2007) (Cartlidge, 2009) When looking at the list of traditional of activities for quantity surveyors compared to the present day role which the practice, it shows up a profession that has vastly evolved in the amount of services that it has the potential to offer to the construction industry. Yet still today QSs are challenging themselves to take on more as to stop other professions poaching their business. Stuart Earl of the RICS in this article in the Construction Journal speaks of the need to adapt to stop outside intrusion. His article New tools for the trade covers the topic of the rules of measurement issued by the RICS. The new rules of measurement: order of cost estimating and elemental cost planning is set of comprehensive rules for calculating the cost of the whole project, not just the building works which the Standard Method of Measurement (SMM) currently does. This initiative is a bid by the RICS to incorporate whole life costing into the framework of the QS role and to promote value for money thinking. Stuart Earl describes the rule as: our professions statement of the minimum technical standard required to carry out measurement at all stages in the life of a building. If we do not rise to the challenge, others may do it for us, or worse, we may find ourselves losing out to accountants. (RICS Construction Journal, Aug, 2009) Michael Sullivan, the chairman of the QS Construction Professional Group of the RICS, details a similar problem for QSs. His article from the Construction Journal, The vital link, he tells of QSs need to embrace sustainability in the industry so that it becomes a part of the quantity surveying framework for the future professionals to adopt rather than another profession. the next generation of QSs will want to know what you are doing about sustainability, expecting you to understand it more than others, like management consultants (RICS Construction Journal, Dec, 2009) Ever since quantity surveyings traditional practices were questioned in the wake of the Second World War, QSs have been faced with the challenge of diversifying and justifying their profession. Although on the small to medium scale the traditional practices are still alive (with some modern innovation, e.g. Information technology advancement), the large scale projects and firms are very much different (Cartlidge, 2009). And it is no surprise that the companies that have done the best are those that have adopted the Egan ethos of value for money and became more client focussed thus changed and added to the QS services they offer. It seems possibly that to succeed the QS industry hinges on the amount of services you can provide to fulfil a wide variety of client needs.
Friday, January 17, 2020
Bloomââ¬â¢s Research and Response Essay
Each domain has its own set of specific expectations. Bloom broke down his taxonomy into different levels of complexity. They are arraigned in a hierarchy from less to more complex. When teaching, the educator will use the levels so that mastery of the first level is necessary by the learner before the next level can be achieved. The Cognitive Domain focuses on knowledge and developing the skills of comprehension, it also uses critical thinking skills. There are six levels of complexity in this Domain: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. The Affective Domain focuses on how the learner deals with emotions and with his ability to feel empathy for others. Bloom broke down this domain into five levels: Receiving (awareness), Responding (active participation in the learning process), Valuing, Organization, and Internalizing (values held that influence a behavior so it becomes a characteristic). The third domain, the Psychomotor Domain was not broken down into subcategories by Bloom but by Simpson in 1972. The Psychomotor Domain focuses on the ability to manipulate an object physically. This domain has seven levels: Perception, Set (readiness to act), Guided Response, Mechanism, Complex Overt Response (the ability to perform without hesitation), Adaptation, and Origination. When used, Bloomââ¬â¢s Taxonomy will provide the educator with a measurable way to assess the level of comprehension of the taught information by the learner (ââ¬Å"Big Dog and Little Dogââ¬â¢s Performance Juxtaposition,â⬠2010). Nurses can use Bloomââ¬â¢s teaching method in educating patients with chronic diseases. First the nurse must assess the patient for level of understanding and readiness to learn. The nurse uses the Cognitive Domain to teach the patient about his specific disease and to facilitate understanding of all concepts associated with the disease and its treatments. In following the hierarchy the nurse would start with the simplest information and ideas and increase the complexity of the information after the patient has exhibited comprehension of the previously taught material. Using the Affective Domain the nurse helps the patient deal with his emotions related to his diagnosis and to attach a value to it. Once a patient has processed the information given to him, realizes the importance of managing his care and placing a value on its importance, he is ready to use the psychomotor domain. The educator uses the Psychomotor domain to teach the skills portion of education. Diabetics need to learn how to use blood glucose testing equipment; patients may need to learn how to self-catheterize these are just two examples of skills that nurses teach that fall under this domain. There are many areas of education a nurse teaches daily. One of which is the information given to patients with chronic diseases in order for them to achieve or maintain self-sufficiency. Bloomââ¬â¢s teaching method gives those patients the best chance at mastering the necessary information and skills needed to live day-to-day with a chronic illness.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Hip Hop And Rap Music - 1628 Words
In todayââ¬â¢s generation there are many types of music. But a genre that stands out into dayââ¬â¢s age is hip hop. This genre has become a major type of music that fluencies many people today. Music is something that always has been a part of civilization since the beginning of time. Some of the earliest forms of music one will find historically are in the bible. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; (palms 98:4) just like this verse there are many verses in the bible where God is talking to the people of Israel and commanding them to praise him through music. Throughout the millenniums there have been many different types of music, over the years music has devolved into something spectacular. Over this last couple of decades theyââ¬â¢re has been a type of music that has grown, and become very important in todayââ¬â¢s society, and that has influenced many people. This genre is hip-hop/rap music. The hip-hop culture/ rap culture begin in New York City over 25 years ago. Hip-hop begin in the early 1970s, and was found by a man named Kool dj herco who was a disc jockey, who learned to take identical records using an audio mixer, that he could play any segment over and over, which extended one segment for entire song. Hip-hop begin to become very popular throughout urban areas of new York. As rap music begin to grow in New York, people begin use rap as a way to express themselves, and tell the world about their everyday lifeââ¬â¢s. In the earlyShow MoreRelatedHip Hop And Rap Music1699 Words à |à 7 PagesHip-hop is a cultured style that started in the 1970ââ¬â¢s. Majority of different funk groups began playing disco music at that time it was popular. During this time funk music was technology driven more electronic sounds were being used on the drum machines. Funk was the new dance in the early 70ââ¬â¢s. This particular style of singing in which was being used is c alled rapping, this begun in African American, Urban Areas, Jamaican American, Latino American and many others cities of the United States. TheRead MoreRap Music : Hip Hop Essay1509 Words à |à 7 PagesRap, or hip hop as some call it, ranks in the top ten of most popular music genres in the world. Since it burst on the scene in the late 1970s, rap music changed the landscape of the music industry, especially for African-American artists. The genre accredited some of the biggest names in the music industry. Popular artists like LL Cool J, Tupac, Notorious B. I. G., Jay-Z, Kanye West, and many others produce, or have produced, millions of hip-hop records. The secret to the success of hip hop centersRead MoreHip Hop And Rap Music Essay1941 Words à |à 8 Pagesincreased presence of hip-hop culture within American culture, many educators no longer view hip-hop culture with the same air of skepticism common in the early stages of HHBE.â⬠Hip Hop Based Education also referred to a s HHBE is movement that helps bring hip hop into the classroom.(USE THAT SOURCE HERE) HHBE has many positive and influential outcomes for children living in inner cities. Hip hop music has categories and one of them is rap. By bringing hip hop and rap music into schools it servesRead MoreHip Hop And Hip Rap Music1144 Words à |à 5 PagesHip hop music has delivered messages of freedom of expression, unity, peace, and protest against social injustices, for the past 30 years. But exactly when and where did it begin, and what impact has it had on our society? The hip hop beats created by DJs in the 70s actually sparked what is now known as hip hop culture. Hip hop culture originally included rapping, break dancing, graffiti, beat boxing, and looping and scratching, and has now includes urban clothing and cars, speech patterns and slangRead MoreHip Hop And Rap Music1584 Words à |à 7 PagesHip hop music is one of the most popular genres in present time that rose to prominence in the 1980ââ¬â¢s. The hip hop genre was born in the African American community and has since then changed into what it is today. What most individuals donââ¬â¢t know is that originally rap music did not contain such explicit themes as it does now; such as misogyny, drugs, crime, and violence among others. Many people may wonder what led to the introduction of such themes into rap music and why they remained popular.Read MoreHip Hop And Rap Music1505 Words à |à 7 PagesSwiss Hip Hop and Rap According to Michael Dyson and Wikipedia, Hip hop music and Hip Hop culture formed during the 1970s when block parties became increasingly popular in New York City. The genre became home to and was developed by African American youth residing in the Bronx. Block parties involved DJs playing very percussive breaks of popular songs Then Rapping developed as the primary vocal style of the genre. Hip hop s early evolution occurred as sampling technology and drum-machines becameRead MoreRap Music And Hip Hop1560 Words à |à 7 Pages ââ¬Å"Gangsta rapâ⬠has been around since the late 1980s, and has been categorized as a specific type of hip hop. Reflecting the violent lifestyles of many black American youths living within the inner cities of the West and East coast, gangsta rap became a voice. The genre reflected on and spoke about the harsh realities of what life for a black person during the 1980s. One of the most prominent rap names during this era that became the voice for many people throughout the nation was the N.W.A (NiggazRead MoreHip Hop And Hip Rap Music2527 Words à |à 11 Pagesstudy of hip hop music has been cited well throughout its growth over time. The purpose of this paper is intended to discuss hip hop culture and address cultural stereotypes associated with rap and hip-hop music, but also how its original lyrical intentions were forms of expression and art. It will begin by guiding the reader through how it originated, its influence with the African-Americans with its subculture and pop ularity in urban areas, its styles of evolving, the introduction of hip hop and rapRead MoreHip Hop And Rap Music1527 Words à |à 7 PagesHip Hop is also known as rap music, it was a genre formed in the United States in the 1970s that consists of stylized rhythmic music that commonly follows by rap music. Rap music is rhyming speeches that are chanted. It is a popular style of music that is developed by disc jockeys and urban black people in the late 1970s. It starts off with rhyming beat patterns in the background. It had all began in the Bronx of New York City, with urban men creating words that rhyme on the corner of their blockRead MoreHip Hop And Rap Music904 Words à |à 4 PagesHip-Hop/rap music receives the harshest criticism in the music industry. This is because listeners of hip-hop music donââ¬â¢t fully understand the message that the artist is trying to portray. Behind all the vulgar verses is actually a message that the artist wants to listener to know about. Most people donââ¬â¢t listen to hip-hop music because of how they see the artist illustrating their self. Many artists create music based off of his or her background and life growing up. Hip-hop music has a negative
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