Comparing China And Germanys Business Cultural Differences

Comparing China And Germanys Business Cultural Differences In a country, the behaviour of the individuals and their work ethic value is determined by the national culture. It also varies from country to country. Academic such as Suku et al (2007), stated that, managers who interferes should not label peoples value, orientation and attitudes of others based on the values of their local cultures. It is important to understand that cultures differs from one place to another, Chinese culture differs from Europeans cultures. In China, they attached importance on hierarchy in an organization. hofstede study is one of the widely recognized cultural identification and measurement which have also received wide criticism. As regards to China, they have strong ethic and clan attachment, because Chinese managers are educated locally. Most often it is easy to find Chinese managers generally middle age and family business owners ranging from small to medium size. Suku (2007:p5). Similarly, Chineses governments are seeking to build Chinese brand, and produ cts that will compete globally with the aim of becoming global champion. They seek to adapt the image of chine in business and protect indigenous companies from foreign competition. Consequently, Germany is an already established economy being the third richest country in the world and the richest in Europe. Management style in western European is also different from the Chinese management style. Germany for instance have so much bureaucracy and hidden group of advisors which makes decision making process slow unlike China where decisions are taken by powerful individuals discussed in power distance in this assignment. However, the management style in western culture appears more transparent and reliable than in China and some Asian cultures. This assignment will discuss the cultural differences in China and Germany using, Hofstedes and Schwartzs theories, monochronic-pluralistic, compare high and low context culture, Trompenaar`s framework and other concepts. The assignment will also discussed the impact of adapting good cross cultural practices by local managers across borders. The answer to the assignment question will be provided based on some changes with r elation to the discussions in this assignment. 2. Comparing and Contrasting China and Germany Cultural Differences using Hofstede and Schwartz Cultural Framework Individuals are inclined by cultural norms, tradition, religions and local belief which are unlikely to be affected by changes. However, as civilization reaches different part of the world, individual are learning to adapt to their new environment in doing business. Some of the hofsteded studies and concepts are discussed below. A. Power distance There is no doubts that some societies are unequal than others but some are more unequal than others. Power distance describes the relationship which exists between the less powerful and the more powerful people in the community. According to Hofstede (1983b), power distance also refers to the hierarchy and the extent employees feel to be dependent on their managers at work. Human life is associated with hierarchy, China culture have comparative wider gap between the high and low, which leads to the rich feeling powerful and respected by the people, there is also lower prospect of movement between different classes, or levels. High power cultures like China expects supervisors to be the decision makers, and be the problem solvers, people are scare of disagreeing with the supervisors. Members of high power distance accept inequality as part of the culture. However, in low power distance such as Germany, people can disagree with their supervisors and feel confident to disagree with supervisors and as a means of defense members will often express an upward aggression although secretly and does not fear for confrontation with their boss. Hofstede (1983a). Members earn their respect and power can only be gained by the best and the best earns it, people do not gain power by merely influencing others by their position or money. There is low significant gap between the boss and the employees and the inequality among the people are minimal. Members require independent from their boss and do not require central authority and autonomy. People are not afraid to fight for their rights which make inequality unacceptable . B. Individualism/collectivism According to Hofatede (1983a), individualism collectivism is the degree identity is based on the individual and the extent the individual is incorporated in the group rather than the group or system. In other words, this distinguishes between the individual and individual collectivity. Gibson et al (1998). Individualism collectivism is also the reflection of ones ethic and way of life. According to Hofstede research, Germany are included in the high individualism places which places high value on ones willpower and individual initiatives. Individual self justification is based on personal achievements and self evaluation. Individuals judgment comes from both their personal achievement and the values place on the recognition by the society. Early et al (1999). In such culture, members pay more attention in themselves and their immediate family than the group. There is freedom of expression and right to owns opinion. Members of high individualistic cultures show more acceptance to aggressive behaviour than members of low individualistic culture. Therefore in Germany national culture, people will not be afraid to express their opinion or defend themselves and would sometimes go any length to accelerate their success. Whereas, in a collectivism or low individualism culture such as China, members show more attention to group identity, strong ties rather than ones self. Members are born in these societies and include extended families. According to Markus and Kitayama (1991), collectivists are satisfied when the group succeeds and judges their own success and failure on the activities of their association. Group needs take preference over the needs of the individual, and members frown at aggressive behaviour since disagreement will disrupt the group harmony and collective state objectives. Bergeron and Schneider (2005). C. Masculinity/ femininity As Hofstede (1980, 1983b) stated, masculinity/femininity can be distinguished by the level of roles distributions between the genders in the societies and the true biological difference being procreation. Similarly, these roles have being identified across the world as a social sex role division. National cultures which has masculinity shows the same values, however, under the same conditions, men`s show different value. Men values are different from women because men are competitive while women are modest and caring. According to Hofstede (1980), aggressive pole are label masculinity and self-effacing pole as feminine. Hofstede identified the national business culture of Germany and China as masculinity. Masculine expression is seen as aggressive, sound, cogent, and not personalized, while feminine expression is judged as cautious, welcoming, indirect, emotional, prejudiced and polite. Pearson (1981). In both Germany and China cultures, they show masculine characters, emotions are n ot expressed, men dominates discussions, and ineffective listeners, members of masculine cultures are more likely to exhibits aggression. Borisoff and Merrill (1985). In summary, According to the authors, femininity has been identified as being polite, humbly behaved, obedient and emotional, members does not support aggression and pay more attention on interpersonal relationship. 3. Reviewing countries against Trompenaar`s framework Universalism v Particularism Universalism and particularism refers to the way societies apply the law of morality and ethics. In a universalism culture, people believe they can learn all that is true and good and always determined to defend the truth. The rule of particularism is based on human judgment and friendship. Germany is an example of a universalism culture, where rules and contract are made and applied in all circumstances. Due to the universalistic approach In Germany, contract are interpreted and communicated based on the terms of the agreement which also define the relationship that exist between the parties in business. However, in a particularistic culture such as China, deciding what is right or wrong depends on the exact situation and relationships of the people involved. For the Chinese, relationship is defined based on the individual involved and the circumstances. In China, legal contract only emphasizes the beginning of a contract terms of agreement which often changes with the circumstances. International business culture tends toward the universalistic idea. In universalistic culture such as Germany, there is greater competition among employees for better job and higher earning without regarding relationship whereas in China, employee focus solely on relationship. There is always room for change in a particuistic culture, rules and regulations are flexible. Finally, these differences in culture are a huge challenges for international companies wishing to enter global market in this countries, although sometimes, these changes may prove to be an advantage. 4. High context versus low context It is essential to consider the cultural differences and the most common communication process in individualistic and collectivistic cultures to communicate effectively. This difference is best explained using low and high context communication. The context depends on the extent you know before you can communicate successfully. Problem often arise due to information sharing when workers from low and high context have to work together. This is sometimes grouped as differences in direction, quality and quantity. High context refers to societies or group where people have close connection and relationship over a long period of time. As a result of many years of interaction with each other, majority of the people know what to do and what to expect from members therefore cultural behaviour are not clearly laid out. Workers from High context cultures such as China adapt to their friends and stays very close to their families and colleagues. Workers also want to share information about various other topics among themselves. These keep every member of the group up to date with current events around the community and business. Whereas, Low context refers to societies or group appears to have many connections for a short period of time or for a purpose. Since members have shorter connections, cultural behaviours are clearly laid out in order to enable people entering the environment to understand what is expected of them and how to behave. Consequently, low context cultures such as Germany familiarizes with as mush people as possible in their everyday life because differentiation between groups are less. Workers only share minimum information enough to carry out their work, people rarely discuss or share information amongst colleagues. In China, people exchange information both at work and in private, which makes communication very proficient. They discussed everything in advance and agree on a common decision which is announced and approved in an official meeting which the people regards as ceremonious. The Chinese values this practice and regard it as dignifying. In contrast, the Germans are very formal, would not disclose agenda for a meeting before the actual time. They would only discuss important information in the meeting which will enable everyone present contributes to the decision making process. High context societies also have dense, strong boundaries, intersecting networks and favours relationship higher than tasks while low context culture have wide networks , loose and favours tasks more than relationships. 5. Monochronic v Polychronic cultures In a monochronic culture, people prefer doing one single thing at a time while in a polychromic culture, people would prefer to multi task at the same time. National business cultural norm in a polychromic culture comprises of an open door policy, meeting and business all at the same time. Germany is a monochronic culture while China is a polychronic. These differences can sometime cause problem in business transaction, example, a German prefer a close door conversation during business meeting and would not like to be interrupted by phone calls or people intruding into the office. They feel less important and disrespected if business is going on at the same time the phone is ringing and staff interrupting the conversation. The Chinese have a flexible time manner which allows them to switch from one task to other as the need arise. To a polychronic, time is unending, and flows like the sea from endless past to present unto the future. For a monochronic such as German, only one thing is permitted at a time until is successfully completed before they can switch to another. Monochronic also regards time as distinct, with an ending, they see as a single unit of hours, minutes and seconds. They prefer to plan, organize their schedules around the ticking of the time. They value time so much that lateness is not acceptable, punctuality is compulsory and people are expected to meet deadlines at work. In Polychronic cultures such as China, people like to relax, enjoy themselves, and be the person they are rather than weighing themselves down with the highly demanding world of business planning and activities. They do not regard lateness as an offense and people are allowed to work around their schedule as long as the work is completed. 6. Conclusion From the above discussions, this assignment will therefore conclude that National Business Cultures are affected by the Changing Environments. Language, Aesthetics, religion, education, attitudes and values, social organisation are some of the changes that affect the national business of a country. Some of these are discussed briefly below. Language Language to a greater extent determines the values and nature of the society. In some countries several dialects deters the business interaction among the people. Sub-cultural languages are also some of the causes of communication and tribal problems in some countries. As people travel from one place to another, language can be an advantage or disadvantage in engaging in business. As people interact they feel more confident to trust others and adapt some of the cultural norms discussed above. Languages also affect relationship and how work is done in both a monochronic and polychronic society. Language also carrying different meaning in a high and low context culture, these concepts often relate to the balance between the spoken and non spoken language. In a high context culture such as China, messages carry different meaning, it is important to understand some of the hidden cultural meaning in a message, whereas in a low context what is said carries the same meaning of the message. Religion According to hofstede (1991), China is an Atheist society, their religion is best understood by the study of Confucius teaching and concepts. In some countries religions laws are used to govern a state and will restrict individual willpower and initiatives in doing certain business. Chinese government supports this belief which reflects the attitudes of the peoples in relation to carefulness and determination. Belief and religion will also determine the level of individualistic-collectivistic of a society. However, National Business practices are changing because younger people are being educated in western style business schools and culture. Also organizations are obliged to adapt their products and services to the local culture n order not to be offensive, unlawful or not tasty to the local nation. In 2007, several advertisement relating to pig which ban in order not to offend the 2% Muslim Chinese minority, the ban was to include any picture which represents any aspect of pig meat such as sausages or picture cartoon. Consequently, Germans religion is divided into Roman Catholic and Protestants which is also practices across Europe. There is no compulsory religion in Germany, as religion is not mixed with politic. There s freedom of everything. As people belief is constants changing, the national business environment is also affected. Attitudes and values Individual Attitudes and values changes from place to place and can also change among people in the same country. It is also important to understand the local environment and the culture before entering the market. Universalism and particularism are also some of the cultural practice that changes by the attitude and values in the society. Chinese people will not do business with a stranger and prefer to do business with someone they know and can trust. Companies wishing to do businesses in China have to form friendship with the local people to establish friendship and trust not just for a short time but on a long time bases in order whereas the reverse is the case in Germany. Similarly, in some cases, promotional messages or delicate branding are designed according to the local cultures, managing local employee also may pose a challenge. Example, In 2004, China ban a Nike TV advert which shows a basketball star in a fight with kung fu master cartoon because the advert is an insult to Chinese national dignity. The effect of attitude and value on national business of a country is an important ingredient which has to be clearly studied and understood in constantly reviewed in order to keep on track the changes that may hinder businesses with the country. Education The degree of interaction between people in a society depends on the level of education. Education also determines how messages are communicated to the people and the medium of communication. The level of education among people changes from country to country. Example, it is difficult to use communication messages such as written materials to advertise in a country with a low literacy level, in such country, it will be wish to use radio advertising with audio communication and billboards. Branding and labeling of the products is another medium of advertising in such society. In China, most management courses are taught according to the standard of the western culture. As more people get educated in western way of thinking, this unarguably boasted business culture and enable modern theories and business model to take over rigid and traditional leadership style. Moreover, the need for advancement in research and development is a significant influence for both China and Germany who alwa ys seek to improve their business environment. However, as a result of word counts and limit, this will not be elaborated any further. Finally, the discussion can point out to the fact that National business culture of a nation is affected to the changing environment. 7. Management style and managing across borders Finally, in discussing some of the facts important to Saudi managers to succeed across borders in business, they should learn the management style, culture of the local people and respect their cultural differences. It is important to develop how to manage cultural diversity, differences and conflicts, dealing with issues such as control and coordination, communication and teamness Marquardt et al, Shenkar and Zeira, (2001) Cultural diversity and language difference is a challenge to any multinational company. When doing business in countries like China, managers should seek to build a lasting relationship with the local people to gain their trust and friendship. When cultural differences are neglected at work several challenges such as conflict occurs. It is important to recognize others and built flexible team, empower team members and involve staff in decision making process. When intercultural skills are ignored, results may be rage, communication barrier, and difficulty in sharing knowledge. Managers should be empathic and understand the cultural practice in countries where they are operating. Some of these cultures have great significant in the individuals and society in general as discussed above, it is therefore necessary to acquire the norms and focus on how businesses should adapt to theses cultural practices across border as stated in this assignment. Managers should understand Hofstede and Schwartz theories, monochronic polychronic, individualistic collectivistic and other cultural differences discussed in this assignment and apply them correctly in individual nation. Managers should understand what their local business environment requires and design products and services to meet such demands which will encourage universalism. They should ensure business in done in an open way according to the nations managerial style and culture example in Germany where employee competition is encouraged by companies. In conclusion, managers should always reflects on their local culture, and apply the ethic and values in cross cultural borders as a means to understanding how other nations operate before judging them. 8. References Suku Bhaskaran (2007), National culture, business culture and management practices, consequential relationships Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia, and Nishal Sukumaran. The Melbourne Business School. Australia Cross Cultural Management, international Journal vol 14 no 1. 2007 pp 54-67 Dickson et al., 2003 Business Journal of Management vol 3 issue 3 Suku Bhaskaran (2007), National culture, business culture and management practices, consequential relationships, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia, and Nishal Sukumaran. The Melbourne Business School, Australia Cross Cultural Management, an International Journal vol 14 no 1, 2007 p5 Euromonitor, China: How to Get a Piece of the Action in Beauty and Personal Care. December 2009 Hofstede, (1991, p. 28).The strategic alliances between the American and German companies a cultural perspective. European Business Review Vol. 16 No. 1, p 28 Hofstede (1994). The strategic alliance between the American and German companies a cultural perspective. European Business Review vol 16 no 1,p 29 Glunk, U., Wilderom, C. and Ogilvie, R. (1999), Finding the key to German-style management, International Studies of Management and Organization, Vol 26 No 3, pp 93-108. Triandis, H.C. (1993), Cultural values in intergroup and single group social dilemmas, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Vol. 77 No 3, pp 171-91. China business Ettequett accessed online at www.cyborlink.com/besite/China.htm Arvind V Phatak. Rabi S Bhagat, Roger j Kashlak (2005) managing in diverse and dynamic global environment, International management textbook, p 160 .Hofstede (1994). The strategic alliances between the American and German companies a cultural perspective. European Business Review vol 16 no 1. p 29 .Schwartzs (1999). The strategic alliances between the American and German companies a cultural perspective. European Business Review vol 16 No. 1, p 28 . Khaled Abdou (2003). The strategic alliances between the American and German companies, a cultural perspective vol 16 issues 1 (2003) . Hofsteded (1991) Chinese employees work values vol 129 issue 2 . Ju (1993) the impact of culture on Chinese employees work values, Journal of Public Relation Vol 36 issues 1 (PR) . Kogut, B. and Singh, H. 1988, the effect of national culture on the choice of entry mode. Journal of International Business Studies, vol 19 no 3, pp. 411-32. (www.imf.org). Higgs, B. (2006). Environmental scanning pest or pleasure, Marketing magazine, 2006, 52-53 .Euromonitor, China. How to Get a Piece of the Action in Beauty and Personal Care. December 2009 Times online 2010. www.timesonline.com/news .www.bbc.co.uk/news/business link Barry Bozeman and Jeffrey D. Straussman, Public Management Strategies, Guidelines for Managerial Effectiveness. Oxford, Jossey Bass Publishers 1990. . Shenkar and Zeira, (1992) The relationship between intercultural effectiveness and perceived project team performance in the context of international development. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 33, 2009, 383 Time newspapers April 15th 2001

Angelina Jolie Biographical

Angelina Jolie, an example of the powerful and modern woman. Recently, Angelina Jolie released a statement: â€Å"l wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made,† talking about her decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy after being diagnosed with a cancer gene.Angelina Jolie, a movie star, Award winning actress and named highest paid actress by Forbes magazine, three words could describe her: talented, beautiful, rich. It would be very easy to go on and on about her on-camera success, instead this essay will illustrate her real life success and how despite all of the disadvantages mentioned above, Angelina Jolie, manages to be a philanthropist, independent, family woman, therefore a powerful example of the modern woman.Childhood Philanthropist Jolie raised by a hard working single mother did not have an easy childhood, her mother was often absent and as a result she had an ea rly start on depression, aving lived this, Jolie is particularly sensitive when it comes to childhood matters, and in her adulthood she has worked on eradicating extreme rural poverty and lack of education, helping not only kids but also adults all over the world, supporting over 25 causes and creating foundations on her own, not only donating large amounts of money but also her own time.Teenage years resilience At the start of her acting career in her teenage years, Jolie had a hard time with drugs and casual sexual encounters, Adulthood Family woman Coming from a broken family, beautiful movie star Conclusion No matter what your stage is, if you are a teacher and you are working in a small school, a nurse in a hospital, a scientist is a dark lab room. Movie star or not own your stage Angelina Jolie Biographical Essay By Yaridis-Cervantes

Primal Fear – Psychology Connections

? Psychology 101 Spring 2010 Midterm Please answer the following questions based on the information contained in the movie and place in the drop box no later than 11:59 p. m. on FRIDAY 03/12/10; The film, Primal Fear is a psychological courtroom crime drama based on William Diehl’s novel of the same name. Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman wrote the movie’s adapted screenplay, which was brought to life by director Gregory Hoblit and released in 1996. Richard Gere stars as Martin Vail, a famed defense attorney who volunteers to represent a young boy accused of murder. Edward Norton plays the character of Aaron Stampler, a teenage alter boy charged with the gruesome murder of Archbishop Richard Rushman; who is portrayed by Stanley Anderson. Assistant District Attorney (and ex-girlfriend of Martin Vail) Janet Venable; played by Laura Linney, is assigned to prosecute Aaron’s murder case. Frances McDormand is cast as Doctor Molly Arrington, the Psychologist who discovers that Aaron suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder and has an alternate personality; a violent sociopath who calls himself Roy. Supporting performances: Alfre Woodard portrays Miriam Shoat, the Judge who presides over Aaron’s trial proceedings. John Mahoney is cast as John Shaughnessy, Chicago’s District Attorney. The beloved Archbishop of Chicago is brutally murdered in a gruesome manor; viciously stabbed multiple times, with letters and numbers carved into his chest, his fingers chopped off and eyes gouged out. Aaron Stampler is found fleeing the scene of the crime, covered in the Archbishop’s blood. After an extensive chase, the police eventually catch and apprehend Stampler. Criminal defense attorney Martin Vail watched the live man hunt on television; seeing an opportunity for publicity, Vail instantaneous met with Aaron and volunteered to represent his case. Vail questioned Aaron about the events that occurred before he was charged with The Archbishop’s murder. Aaron claims that he discovered the mutilated body of the deceased Bishop Rushman while attempting to return a book to Rushman’s library. Aaron also saw saw someone standing over The Archbishop’s body, who then attacked him; the last event he recalls before his memory blacked out. Nicknamed â€Å"The Butcher Boy† by the media, it appears that Aaron is already presumed guilty by the public. Martin Vail immediately starts the preparation of Aaron’s defense by gathering information about Aaron Stampler and Archbishop Rushman; Vail also orders a full psychiatric evaluation of Aaron. Assistant District Attorney Janet Venable is appointed to the prosecution Aaron’s case; on behalf of the state, she charges Stampler with first degree murder and seeks the death penalty as punishment. Janet Venable is not only the prosecuting attorney in Aaron’s trail, but also Martin Vail’s ex-girlfriend. Upon Vail’s investigation of The Archbishop, he discovers that Rushman invested money on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church which resulted in large losses of money to the city’s most powerful people; Vail also learned of the numerous death threats that were made to The Archbishop. In an attempt to find the exact cause of his black out and memory loss, Psychologist Molly Arrington performs a thorough psychological evaluation of Aaron. She discovers that years of abuse have caused Aaron to develop multiple personality disorder; Roy, Aaron’s alter ego is introduced to the audience. Martin encounters another of Rushman’s Altar boys, who accuses The Archbishop of sexual abuse and claims that such events can be proved by video recording; this uncovers the sinister truth of Rushman’s demonic secrets. Vail discovers the video in The Archbishop’s home; the tape displays Rushman forcing Aaron, his girlfriend Linda and the other Altar boy to participate in repulsive sexual acts. Vail rushes to the jail cell, confronts Aaron with his discovery, and accuses him of hiding the truth; Vail violently badgers Aaron, attempting to force a confession of guilt. After continuous harassment from Vail, Aaron snaps, causing his alternate persona â€Å"Roy† to surface and fight back against Vail. We learn that â€Å"Roy† killed The Archbishop and Aaron is truly insane. Martin Vail cannot change Aaron’s trial plea from â€Å"not guilty† to â€Å"guilty by reason of mental insanity†, Vail must come up with evidence that will prove Aaron’s innocence. During the trial proceedings, witnesses are questioned and Aaron is cross examined by Martin Vail and Janet Venable. Martin attempts to anger Aaron with the hope that it will trigger the appearance of â€Å"Roy†. After no success, Vail is finished questioning Aaron and Venable begins to ask him about his involvement in The Bishop’s murder. Aaron becomes enraged with Venable’s questions and attitude, he loses control of his anger and â€Å"Roy† replaces Aaron while on the witness stand. â€Å"Roy† curses at Venable, jumps from his seat and attacks Janet; threatening to break the A. D. A. ’s neck. The court officer’s eventually pry â€Å"Roy† from Venable and she is free from harm. â€Å"Roy† is handcuffed, taken from the courtroom and locked back into his jail cell. Judge Shoat pronounces Aaron Stampler medically ill and the trial is declared a mistrial. Martin Vail goes to Aaron’s cell and relays the good news; he will not be convicted of murder or face the death penalty and will instead be placed in a mental health facility. Upon leaving the jail cell, Vail is questioned by Aaron, who wonders if Ms. Venable’s neck is ok, and wants Vail to tell her he’s sorry for trying to harm her. Vail nods, and begins exiting the cell and comes to the realization that since the personality of â€Å"Roy† took over Aaron’s psyche while in court, he could not have known about his violent attack on Janet. Vail realizes that this means Aaron was faking his alternative personas and he tricked everyone into believing his innocence. Vail questions Aaron who admits to the fabrication of his entire act and claims that he murdered Archbishop Rushman in cold blood and got away with it. Martin Vail realizes he helped Aaron get away with murder; however he says nothing and slowly walks from the jail onto the street outside. â€Å"Primal Fear’s† main character is criminal defense attorney Martin Vail. Vail is a debonair, self-satisfied, egotistical legal hotshot; he flaunts his accomplishments, arrogance and enjoys seeing his name in the headlines. When Vail discovers a high profile murder case involving the mutilation of an Archbishop, he races at the opportunity to defend Aaron Stampler, the teenage boy accused of the crime. Vail’s character flaws are instantly presented to the audience, initially portraying a narcissist who’s only invested in defending Aaron for personal gain. After their interactions, Vail is troubled by his belief that Aaron is innocent. Martin Vail is motivated into unselfishness by the purity of Aaron Sampler. We begin to see the complexity of Martain Vail’s personality, and the multi-dimensions of his character. After indulging in hard liquor at a bar with a reporter, a candid conversation allows the audience to observe an extremely honest and sincere glimpse of the true virtues which motivate Martin Vail. During this vulnerable moment, Vail declares that he truly believes in the notion that all people are innocent until proven guilty, in the basic goodness of people; and he has faith that not all crimes are committed by bad people, some very, very good people do some very bad things. Judging Martin Vail’s initial actions during the start of the movie would result in a negative opinion Vail; we see him as selfish, cynical and corrupt. However, as Aaron’s story unravels and hidden secrets are revealed, we see Vail’s â€Å"multiple personalities†, and he evolves into a person with righteous morals and motives. â€Å"Primal Fear† has numerous victims who suffered because of the actions of other characters. The initial victim is Archbishop Rushman who is the victim of Aaron’s murder. However, another perspective could claim that Aaron was the victim of Bishop Rushman’s sexual abuse. Martin Vail could be seen as a victim of Aaron’s devious performance that tricked Vail and the court into believing in his insanity and innocence. Yet, the initial fame-loving behavior of Martin Vail and the selfish motives which encouraged his eagerness to represent Aaron Stampler was deceitful and Aaron’s best interest were exploited to better benefit Vail; these actions victimize Aaron. Psychology is used in â€Å"Primal Fear† in numerous ways. The movie’s main characters develop with complexity and are multidimensional in their emotions and behaviors. The film’s tagline; â€Å"sooner or later a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real†, explains this idea best. Our main characters all have multiple â€Å"faces†, and as the plot of Primal Fear develops, each character is faced with discoveries and revelations that change their ideas and alter their moral beliefs. Juxtaposition is literally exploding from every scene of this movie; and psychology can help us understand the motivations behind the characters actions. Martin Vail is initially a self obsessed, fame seeking, egotistical hotshot lawyer; who only does things that benefit him. As the film develops, events cause Vail to expose the more sincere parts of his motivations; as the outcome of Aaron’s trial looks grim, Vail literally portrays another side of his personality and we see a man who truly believes in the innocence of Aaron. This belief encourages Martin to work for the benefit of Aaron, and not concern himself with gaining any type of self profit. We see a transformation of Martin Vail as his actions go from selfish to selfless. The beloved and holy Archbishop Rushman is viewed as a savior and hero. When Rushman is found murdered, the media and people of Chicago paint image of Bishop Rushman as divine, righteous and saintly. Once again we discover information that changes our opinion of The Bishop from black to white. After Aaron’s fellow Altar Boy admits that Bishop Rushman had a dark, sinister secret; and he secretly forced Aaron, his girlfriend and him to perform numerous sexual acts on film. The Archbishop went from being regarded as holy to sexually satanic. The character of Aaron Stampler best portrays the ideas of psychology. Initially appearing weak and innocent, the stuttering Choir Boy illustrates a convincing story that causes the other characters and the audience to believe him. After appearing to have multiple personality disorder; Aaron is taken over by his alternative persona â€Å"Roy†, a violent sociopath who admits to murdering Archbishop Rushman. Aaron and Roy are complete opposite in their demeanor, actions and behaviors. At the end of the film we find that Aaron’s mindset it really that of Roy, and he had faked his entire shuddering and weak alternate personality. Martain Vail discovers this information too, and although he knows Aaron is a cold blood killer, he exits the jail and does not confess Aaron’s trick to anyone. Maybe Vail feels bad for Aaron because he was sexually abused, and he believes that Aaron killed the Archbishop because he terrorized his life; Vail may not think Aaron is an evil person, just a good person who did a very, very bad thing.

Relativism, Multiculturalism, And Universal Norms - 866 Words

Ani Martirosyan Philosophy 305 Business Ethics Assignment #4 Chapter 8: Relativism, Multiculturalism, And Universal Norms: Their Role in Business Ethics The central thesis of Beauchamp’s argument is as follows: I argue that although a relativism of all moral standards is an untenable position, a lower-level relativism of moral judgment and multiculturalism are morally warranted. I conclude that there is a universal common morality, but that it allows for moral disagreement and legitimate differences of opinion about how to render universal norms specific for business contexts. Moral relativism is defined as the view that ethical standards and morality are culturally based and therefore based on a person s individual choice. Beauchamp†¦show more content†¦According to normative relativism, since the culture at Enron was to shred documents when litigation loomed, it was right to have shredded the documents. The set of norms shared by all people committed to morally constitute is called â€Å"the common morality.† The common morality is made of rules, virtues, and ideals. The following are rules of followed in the common morality: do not kill, do not steal, do not cause pain or suffering to others, be honest, prevent bad things from happening, obey the law, help people in need or danger, do not punish the innocent and nurture the young and the elderly. The common morality also holds standards of virtue that should be identified from norms of obligation. For instance: nonmalevolence, honesty, integrity, conscientiousness, trustworthiness, fidelity, gratitude, truthfulness, lovingness and kindness. All morally committed people share views about moral ideals, but they are not required of people. For instance, an individual who wants to outshine at their job, that individual wants to be the best at what they do. Particular moralities can be ignored by other important moral norms. For example, an employer will exclude a pregnant woman from certain jobs in the chemical industry in order to protect the unborn child from the hazard. Additionally, when people break promises they feel regret and try to make up for it by doing other actions. For instance, people notify others in advance

Medical Ethics And Ethics Regarding Medical Marijuana

RESEARCH PAPER Medical Ethics Ethics Regarding Medical Marijuana by Sowmya Kondapuram Medical ethics is a system of morals and values that apply judgments to the practice of medicine. Medical ethics mainly deals with behavior of physician and the decisions they have to make rather than how to treat patients. Physicians face these kind of questions and dilemmas often. Simply put ethics in medicine is about making decisions that are moral and just. Medicine is both science and an art, where science implies physicians to recognize signs of illness, treat or cure the patients and art involves making right decisions in ethical situations. Medical Ethics: All doctors take a certain oath or pledge before taking up on their career. They take up the following oaths - ï‚ · Pledge to consecrate their life to service of humans. ï‚ · Will respect their patients. ï‚ · Practice their profession with conscience and dignity. ï‚ · Health of patient would be their primary importance. ï‚ · Main autonomy by protecting the secrets of the patients. ï‚ · Not permit age, race, social status, disease, nationality or any other factor to falter their decisions. ï‚ · Respect for human life. ï‚ · Will behave professionally at all times. Non-Rational Approaches to Ethical Issues: ï‚ · Obedience, a common way of making ethical decisions. Generally agreeing to the patients consents, following the rules fall under this approach. ï‚ · Imitation, following up a superior and taking decisions based on these role models. Making EthicalShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"When Your Conscience Says Law Is Immoral, DonT Follow1038 Words   |  5 PagesJack Kevorkian seems to resonate deeply with the proponents of legalizing marijuana use, despite it originally referring to assisted suicide. The legalization of marijuana use had become one of the biggest hot button issues of the last decade, and is being fiercely debated across the United States. First made illegal in 1970 with the passing of the Controlled Substances Act, which declared it an addictive drug with no medical value, many are now fighting against this law, citing medicinal uses andRead MoreLegalizing Marijuan A Utilitarian Perspective1618 Words   |  7 PagesLegalizing Marijuana Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective Whitney T. Hall SOC120: Ethic and Social Responsibility Tim Carter May 7, 2012 Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective The legalization of marijuana in the United States remains a major issue and has caused much controversy due to opposing views. With the economy being in the state that it is, we need to utilize all available resources and set aside personal emotion regarding â€Å"smoking weed†. While some support decriminalizationRead MoreThe Role Of A Nurse Practitioner As An Advocate And Teacher1380 Words   |  6 Pagesdiagnosing and treating patients. The primary healthcare nurse practitioner (PHCNP) represents a â€Å"unique form of change agent for delivering services differently in a manner giving primacy to health and human complexity while delivering primary care medical services as a means of increasing and maintaining access†(Kooienga Carryer, 2015, p. 806). APNs have emerged as advocates for their community and must rely on evidence-based practice to ensure that they provide quality service. Educating patientsRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana2983 Words   |  12 PagesDecem ber 3, 2012 The topic of marijuana has been a big topic for the past few years. The United States considers marijuana as a drug, in some other countries they say it is a natural herb that is grown from the ground. The issue at hand is â€Å"should marijuana be legalized?† the congress of the US stay in a constant debate on this subject. Why is the subject of marijuana such in high demand, if the US already considers it a drug? There are many facts that need to be looked at before a finalRead MoreAn Analysis Of An Ethical Dilemma Using The Doing Ethics Technique Essay2122 Words   |  9 PagesDoing Ethics Technique TITLE An analysis of an ethical dilemma using the Doing Ethics Technique (DET) SUB TITLE NAME Stewart Armstrong STUDENT ID 11206102 EMAIL CONTACT stewart@thearmstrongs.net December 2015 Table of Contents 1. The Analysis 3 2. The Reference List 7 â€Æ' 1. The Analysis There is more public support for marijuana law reform than ever before with new polls showing more than half the country is in favor of legalizing marijuana. TheRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana Essay2617 Words   |  11 PagesLegalization of Marijuana Michelle Shepard Soc 120 July 16, 2012 Danielle Camacho There is no denying that the drug problem in our country today has reached an epidemic proportion. The problem has gotten so out of hand that many options are being considered to control and or solve it. Trying to end the drug war may not seen to be the best answer in the beginning, but those so-called wars on drugs have not been very successful at stopping the drug wars. I feel that there should be some differentRead MoreMy Opinion On The Class Survey879 Words   |  4 Pagesmajor numerically is nursing. Therefore, the combination of the two signifies that the greater percentage of our class plans to go to medical school. Of course medical school is very expensive, hence showing a majority of 48% that plan on withdrawing loans and becoming a student borrow in upcoming years. So the average member of this class is likely to be a medical student. Other questions in the career/college realm include our expected salary, which was responded as â€Å"around 80,000† by 44%, and th atRead MoreA Public Servant As Someone Who Is Employed By The Government Essay835 Words   |  4 PagesMunicipal Court Law. According to the Alabama league of Municipalities, there are continues legal education requirements for Municipal Judges. They are required to complete a minimum of six hours of judicial education. This also includes one hour of ethics that related to municipal court practice and procedure. New appointed municipal judges are also required to complete six hours of judicial education but within that one year of their appointment (â€Å"ALM†,n.p., para 1) Salaries of municipal court judgesRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana: A Controversial Research Topic3448 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿Legalization  Marijuana   Table of Contents Marketing of Two Brands based on Consumer Buying Behavior Models 3 History/Background 3 Different forms of Marijuana/how is it integrated 6 Long term health issues if any 7 Arguments for Legalization 9 Arguments against legalization 10 Other Countries approaches to legalization of marijuana 11 What is your position on this issue and why 11 References 12 Marketing of Two Brands based on Consumer Buying Behavior Models History/Background Read MoreIt Has Been Widely Speculated By Many Concerned American988 Words   |  4 Pagescontinuously cost the government and hard working tax paying Americans money. Additionally, Sessions implied that the act unfairly caters to certain children, and he asserted that this ongoing predicament has ensued the rapid impoverishment of classroom ethics and productivity. The Americans with Disabilities Restoration act was passed nine years ago in 2008 and it reinforced the integrity and necessity of the original A.D.A. act, which beforehand was frequently being destabilized in court proceedings.

Naacp - 1094 Words

NAACP The civil rights movement in the United States has been a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all Americans. It has been made up of many movements, though it is often used to refer to the struggles between 1945 and 1970 to end discrimination against African-Americans and to end racial segregation, especially in the U.S. South. It focuses on that particular struggle, rather than the comparable movements to end discrimination against other ethnic groups within the United States or those struggles, such as the womens liberation, gay liberation, and disabled rights movements, that have used similar tactics in pursuit of similar goals. The civil rights movement has had a lasting†¦show more content†¦In the South of the 1950s, that would have exposed every member of the NAACP to retaliation, from being fired to being firebombed. While the United States Supreme Court ultimately reversed the order, for a few years in the mid 1 950s the NAACP was unable to operate above-ground in Alabama ( wikipedia 2). A debate in civil rights history appeared in the decades following the well-publicized struggles of the early 1960s and continues today. This debate is of whether the movement was finished with its goals when it attained equal treatment under the law, or whether it had changed to a new goal of fighting all forms of discrimination, not just the formal version found in Jim Crow. Those who argue for the continuation of the movement point to events of the later 1960s that continue to have an impact today: Race riots in every major city in the country, on an almost yearly basis; the formation of more militant groups such as the Black Panthers; and evidence that implies continued and consistent discrimination in the housing and job markets. Those who argue against it note that other discriminated groups in the past have managed to overcome their problems with time and community help, and for that reason the movement for civil rights (if not civil equality) ended with the legal struggle. Since its inception NAACP was poised for a long, tumultuous and rewarding history. Although it may be possible to chronicle the challenging and harrowing legacyShow MoreRelatedEssay about NAACP1081 Words   |  5 Pages NAACP The civil rights movement in the United States has been a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all Americans. It has been made up of many movements, though it is often used to refer to the struggles between 1945 and 1970 to end discrimination against African-Americans and to end racial segregation, especially in the U.S. South. It focuses on that particular struggle, rather than the comparable movements to end discrimination againstRead MoreHelen Keller And The Naacp1701 Words   |  7 PagesRebecca Reed Honors American Studies I Mr. Cahalan 27 April 2015 Helen Keller and the NAACP A large issue in our country for the first two centuries, some would argue longer, of our time as our own, independent, country has been the issue of equality among races. This was an issue that was on the mind of many of the people who were very instrumental in our country including men like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., among others. The issue of equality among races caused lots of controversyRead MoreNAACP Essay example1432 Words   |  6 Pages12th The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded by a multiracial group of activists, who answered The Call, in the New York City, NY. They initially called themselves the National Negro Committee. Founded in 1909 The NAACP, or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has been active in its attempts to break legal ground and forge better opportunities for African Americans. At the beginning in 1909, some twenty persons met together in New York CityRead MoreMr. NAACP is the Bi ography of Walter White738 Words   |  3 PagesThe Biography of Walter White, Mr. NAACP chronicles Walter White’s life from childhood until his death. The central focus is on his works within the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, as well as within civil rights movement as a whole. What made Walter White unique was his skin complexion. He was a blonde hair, blue eyed, extremely light skinned Negro. This shaped how White viewed himself, how others viewed him, and how he was able to make such a great impact for the blackRead MoreHe Resigned From The Naacp In June 1934 In A Dispute Over1525 Words   |  7 PagesHe resigned from the NAACP in June 1934 in a dispute over organizational policy and direction. He believed the depression dictated a shift from the organization’s stress on legal rights and integration to an emphasis on black economic advancement, even if this meant temporarily â€Å"accepting† segregation. But after teaching at A tlanta University, he returned in 1944 as head of a research effort aimed at collecting and disseminating data on Africans and their Diasporas and putting issues affecting themRead MoreEquality for African Americans After writing my newspaper article on the NAACP, I realized that800 Words   |  4 PagesEquality for African Americans After writing my newspaper article on the NAACP, I realized that the African American community needed a renewed sense of belonging, like all the other communities have in this day in age. This sense of being is better known as equality. Webster’s dictionary defines equality as having the same rights, social status and opportunities as others. The African American community has yet to reach a plateau were they are seen as equals. Equalities for African Americans areRead MoreThe National Association for the Advancement of Colored People670 Words   |  3 Pages The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was founded in the year of 1909 in New York City. This association is considered the nation’s biggest and oldest civil rights organizations. It was formed in response to the continuing terrible practice of lynching during that period. Lynching was being practiced during this time and affected many people just because of their skin color. The NAACP was made by white and black citizens â€Å"[fought] for social justice† (NAACP History)Read MoreThe National Association of the Advancement of Colored People1450 Words   |  6 PagesPeople (NAACP), the largest civil rights organization in the world and probably the largest secular citizens action agency in the nation. Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the oldest civil rights organization as well as the most powerful and the most respected today. The NAACP is the national spokesperson for black Americans and other minorities, and for those who support civil rights objectives in America. Organized in virtually every city and town where black Americans reside, the NAACP both articulatesRead More National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People Essay725 Words   |  3 Pages National Association for the Advancement of Colored People nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Born from the Niagara Movement, led by William E. B. DuBois, the NAACP has had a volatile birth and a lively history (Beifuss 17:E4). The impetus for the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People came in the summer of 1908. Severe race riots in Springfield, Illinois, prompted William English Walling to write articles questioning the treatment of the Negro. Reading the articlesRead MoreNational Association For The Advancement Of Colored People1233 Words   |  5 Pagesliving conditions forced them to live these lives of hell. It wasn’t until the development of the NAACP came around, that they began to see equal treatment. The NAACP is an organization created and developed for the advancement of African Americans. NAACP is an acronym for National Association for the advancement of Colored People. The NAACP website discusses the development and purpose of the NAACP. The NAACP was founded by a group of African Americans who were fed up with the injustices towards blacks

Guide to Project Management free essay sample

Project Management Guide What is in this guide? All development workers, and community organisations may at times work with development projects. This may bring you into contact with consultants, project teams and project managers. Whilst you may not manage specific projects is important that you understand both the technical and managerial aspects of project management. This will ensure that you and your organisation can make an informed contribution to the projects and can monitor implementation and outcomes. This guide has the follow ing sections: Chapter 1: Technical aspects to project management What is a project? What is project management? Project stakeholders T he project life cycle Defining the project o Defining the project scope o Creating the work breakdown structure o Estimating cost and developing budget Constructing a project network plan o Project schedule Chapter 2. Managerial aspects of project management Project manager Project risk management Project communication management Project quality management Chapter 1. Technical aspects to project management What is a project? A project is an assignment/task/job that has to be undertaken and completed within a set time, budget, resources and performance specifications designed to meet the needs of stakeholder and beneficiaries For example The Canadian International Donor Agency (CIDA) has donated R7. 5 million to provide RDP homes to 50 fam ilies living in the Joe Slovo inform settlement. On 6 February 2004, the agency al signed a contract with the Department of Housing to implem ent the project. The following requirem ents, am ongst others were set in the contract: 1. The RDP houses must meet specifications in line w ith government policy. 2. In order to ensure sustainability and affordability for the 50 families, the head of each of the 50 families m ust be given skills development training in sm business development and all small business start-up. This is to ensure that the families will be able to afford rentals, maintenance of the homes and to expand their hom to accommodate the grow th of the es families in the future. 3. The project m ust be completed within three years and the handover of the homes to the 50 families must be a high profile public event. From the example we see: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ a clear task build RDP homes for 50 families; a set time – within 3 years; a budget – R7. 5 million; performance specifications to meet the stakeholder needs – houses that meet the specifications in line with government policy, training for the head of each family; beneficiaries – 50 families; stakeholders – donor agency, Department of Housing What is project m anagement? Project Management is the use of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to plan and implement activities to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a pr oject. Project stakeholders Project stakeholders are individuals and organisations who are actively involved in the project, or whose interests may be positively or negatively affected by the project. Key stakeholders in the example above include: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Project Manager the individual responsible for managing the project; Project beneficiaries – 50 families who are going to receive the houses; Performing organisation – the Department of Housing whose employees are most directly involved in doing the work of the project; Sponsor – Canadian International Development Agency. In addition to these there are many different typical stakeholders: †¢ †¢ Suppliers and contractors – e. g. Construction companies, Skills development and education and training organisations, legal firms, events management company; Project team members and their families; †¢ †¢ Government agencies – e. g. local municipality. Community representatives and organisations The project life cycle Projects are usually divided into project stages (i. e. , definition, planning, execution and delivery stages) to provide better management and control. Collectively these project stages are known as the project life cycle. Figure 1-1 Project Life Cycle Definition Planning Execution Delivery Level of effort 1. Goals 2. Specifications 3. Tasks 4. Responsibil ities 5. Team s 1. Schedules 2. Budget s 3. Resources 4. Ri sks 5. Staffi ng 1. St atus report s 2. Changes 3. Qualit y 4. Forecasts 1. Train customer 2. Transfer document s 3. Release resources 4. Reassign staff 5. Lessons learned The project life cycle typically passe s through four stages, i. e. definition, planning, execution, and delivery. T he starting point begins the moment the project is given the go- ahead (when a contract agreement is signed). Project effort starts slowly, builds to a peak, and then declines to delivery of the pr oject to the customer. †¢ †¢ †¢ Definition stage – specifications of the project are defined, project objectives are established, project teams are formed and major responsibilities are assigned. Planning stage – plans are developed to determine the project steps, beneficiaries, timeframes, quality standards and budget. Execution stage – the major portion of the project work takes place – both physical and mental. Time, cost and specification measures are used for control. T he project managers have to ensure that the project is on schedule within the budget and meeting specifications. They have to also check if any changes are required Delivery stage – delivering the project pr oduct to the customer, may involve customer training and transferring documents. †¢ STAGE 1: Defining the project The three steps described below provide a planned approach for collecting the project information necessary for planning, scheduling and controlling the project. T hese are: Defining the project scope; Creating the work breakdown structure; Estimating costs and developing budgets. Defining the proj ect scope The project scope sets the stage for developing a project plan. It clearly states the project’s objectives and deliverables. Scope definition provides an administrative plan that is used to develop your operational plan, i. e. the plan for how you are going to run the project. Scope definition should be as br as possible, but complete. Poorly defined scope leads to project ief failure. The development of the scope must involve the project manager, sponsors, performing organisations and beneficiaries. SCOPE STA TEMENT Proj ect Obj ective To construct RDP homes for 50 families in the Joe Slovo informal settlement within 36 months at a cost not exceeding R 7,5 million. Deliverables †¢ 50 finished RDP homes as per specifications laid down by the Department of Housing †¢ Skills development and training for the head of each of the 50 families †¢ Hand over the finished homes to the 50 families at a high profile public event Milestones 1. Permits approved – 5 March 2004 2. Foundations poured – 28 January 2005 3. Bricklaying, shearing, plumbing, electrical and mechanical inspections passed – 4 July 2006 4. Final inspection of houses – 15 March 2007 5. 50 trainees receive training certificates – 15 December 2006 6. Handover to 50 families 21 March 2007 Technical Requirements 1. RDP homes must meet government specifications and local building codes 2. 50 trainees must receive recognised certificates after completion of training. Limits and exclusions DEFINITIONS Proj ect objectives T o define the major objectives of the project Deliverables T he expected outcomes over the life of the project – what is it that is going to be delivered Milestones A milestone is a significant event in a project that occurs at a point in time. The milestone schedule shows only major segments of work; it represents first, estimates of time, cost, and resources for the project. Milestones are important control points in the project. T hey should be easy for all project participants to identify. Technical Requirements A product or a service w have technical ill requirements to ensure proper performance Limits and Exclusions 1. T he homes will be built to the specifications and design of the original blueprints provided by the Department of Housing; 2. Contractors responsible for work done by subcontractors 3. Site work limited to Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Customer Rev iew Representative: Canadian International Development Agency Signature: T he limits of scope should be defined as they point to what can or cannot be done during the course of the project. Failure to do so can lead to unreasonable expectations and the wastage of resources and money. Rev iews with Customer Completion of the scope checklist ends with a review with your customer. In summary, close liaison with your customer is necessary to develop a project definition that meets all requirements of the customer. Clear scope definition ensures you will know when a change in scope occurs. A clear project scope definition is the most important requirement for development of your Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Creating the work breakdown structure (WBS) Once the scope and deliverables have been identified, the work of the project can be subdivided into smaller work elements. T he outcome of this process is called the work breakdown structure. An example Final Project Deliverables Final insp ection of 50 RDP units Training completed High Profile Public event to hand over homes to Fixtures Electrical Appoint Ser vice Provi der f or s kills devel opment and training Appoint Ser vice provider f or events management Tender Process Plumbing Tender Process Shearing Brick laying Laying Foundati ons Approval of Permits Work Breakdown Structure Figure 1-3 All the elements/steps that make up WBS are called work packages. It is very useful as the structure clearly points to what has to be done and in what sequence (order). It divides the work and responsibility into individual work packages which makes it easy for the project manager to manage and monitor the implementation for the project by: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ making it possible to plan, schedule and budget; providing a framework for tracking and monitoring cost and work performance; defining communication channels; assisting in understanding and coordinating many parts of the project; pointing to problems and ensuring they are quickly addressed Estim ating cost and developing budgets Project status reports to stakeholders depend on reliable cost estimates and budgets. T he accuracy of the cost estimates are good w hen work packages are clearly defined, as in the WBS example above. At the work package level, estimates should be made by the people most familiar with the task. T hey will give an estimate based on their experience and best judgment. Here are typical kinds of costs found in a project: Direct costs – T hese costs are chargeable to individual work package in the WBS. o o o o Labour Materials Equipment Other Project Ov erhead Costs – represents project costs that cannot be tied to specific deliverable but serve the entire project. For example, a temporary shed may be set up that will be used to store tools and equipment of various contractors, host the training and the handing over function. General and Administrative (GA) ov erhead costs – these represent organisational costs incurred by the firm managing the project. GA overhead costs are usually allocated as a percentage of total direct cost and may vary from one project manager to another. The organisation of the budget into these three categories helps control the process and improve decision making. T he following is an example of a budget format: Direct Costs Obtaining permits Tendering Processes Building Contractors Laying Foundations Bricklaying Shearing Plumbing Electrical Fixtures Skills Development Training Contractors Events Managem ent Contractors Contingencies Project Overhead Costs Salaries: Project Manager team Temporary shed Travel General Administrative Costs 40% of Total Direct Cost GRAND TOTAL Rxxxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx R xxxxx Rxxxxxx R xxxxxx R xxxxxx R xxxxxx Rxxxxxx R xxxxx Rxxxxxx STAGE 2: Planning Constructing a project network plan The project netw tool is used for planning, scheduling and monitoring project progress. The ork network is developed from the information collected for the WBS and is a graphic flowchart of the project job plan. The network shows the project activities that must be completed, the sequences (steps), the interdependencies (how individual steps rely on other steps for completion), and in most cases the times for the activities to start and finish along the longest path through the network – the critical path. The network is the framework that will be used by the project managers to make decisions concerning project time, cost and performance. Once the network is developed, it is very easy to modify or change when unexpected events occur as the project progresses. In summary, the network plan is used to: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ schedule labour and equipment; enhance communication that brings together all managers and groups in meeting the time, cost, and performance objectives of the project; provide an estimate of the time the project will take (duration); give the times when activities can start or finish and when they can be delayed; provide the starting point for budgeting the cash flow (when money needs to be received and spent on various elements) of the project. Figure 1-4 Project Net ork Plan w Tendering Skills Training Plumbing Start Foundati on Bricklaying Electrical Fixtures Finish Sheathi ng Tendering Event management This project network plan clearly illustrates that: †¢ †¢ Plumbing, electrical and sheathing activities can occur at the same time after bricklaying is completed; Start – Foundation – Bricklaying – Electrical – Fixtures Finish is the longest path, (critical path) – if one of the activities on this path is delayed then the whole project will be delayed by the same amount of time. Proj ect schedule The project netw plan will assist in drawing up a project schedule which clearly defines each ork task, how long it will take, when it will start and finish. It is an important tool used by the project manager to track and monitor the implementation process. Below is an example of a project schedule. Task Name Start Organize Permits Lay Foundations Bricklaying Plumbing Electrical Sheathing Fixtures Final Inspection Tendering for T raining Skills T raining Tendering for events management Event Management Duration Start 6 Feb 2004 6 Feb 2004 24 March 2004 15 Feb 2005 4 Jan 2006 4 Jan 2006 4 Jan 2006 28 July 2006 1 Jan 2007 3 May 2006 3 July 2006 8 Jan 2007 1 March 2007 Finish 21 March 2007 5 March 2004 28 January 2005 30 Nov 2005 4 July 2006 4 July 2006 4 July 2006 29 Nov 2006 15 March 2007 28 June 2006 9 Jan 2007 28 Feb 2007 21 March 2007 1 days 233 days 207 days 130 days 130 days 130 days 89 days 54 days 41 days 139 days 38 days 21 days Chapter 2. Managerial aspects of project management This section looks at some important aspects that are central to the management of projects. For any project to be successful there has to be a good project manager who is able to provide leadership and bring together different teams to work towards a common objective. In addition to being able t o manage people and budgets the project manager must be able to: †¢ †¢ Identify potential risks and develop back up plans; Effectively communicate with all stakeholders; Ensure quality that meets the expectations of stakeholders Project m anager The project manager performs the same functions as other managers. T he project manager is unique because s/he manages temporary activities and is usually an outsider brought into a business or government department to implement a specific project. A project manager is generally expected to be the projects’ leader who needs to motivate and inspire people working on the project. Project managers are expected to organise resources to complete a project on time, on budget and within specification. They provide direction, coordination, and integration to the project team and are responsible for performance. When things go wrong the project manager’s job is to get the project back on track by working out ways to solve problems and serving as peacemaker when tensions arise. Depending on the nature of the project, there are a number of different groups outside the organisation that influence the success of the project. To be effective, a project manager must understand how these groups can affect the project and develop methods for managing the relationship. Project risk management Risk identification consists of determining which risks are likely to affect the project and documenting the characteristics of each. For example, the project manager in the RDP homes project has to look at each package within the WBS and work out what is likely to go wrong. Once this is done the project manager has to develop a plan of how each problem will be addressed. Risk identification is not a one-time event and should be performed on a regular basis throughout the project. Risk identification should address both internal and external risks. Internal risks are things that the project team can control or influence, such as the performance of contractors, material wastage etc. External risks are things beyond the control or influence of the project team, such as changes in the exchange rate, new government legislation, bad weather etc. A risk management plan should document the procedur that w be used to manage risk throughout es ill the project. Project communication m anagement Project communication management is about how communication is carried out during the course of the project. Good communication ensures that all stakeholders are regularly kept informed about progress and problems. Project communication management is made up of the following processes: †¢ Communications planning – determining the information and communication needs of the stakeholders: who needs what information, when will they need it, and how will it be given to them; Information distribution – making needed information available to project stakeholders in an accessible and timely manner; Performance reporting – collecting and disseminating performance information. This includes status reporting, progress measurement and forecasting; Administrative (Proj ect) Closure – generating, gathering, and disseminating information to for malise phase or project completion. †¢ †¢ †¢ Project quality m anagement It is of no use completing a project within the set time and budget if the final product is of poor quality. The project manager has to ensure that the final product meets the quality expectations of the stakeholders. T his is done by good: Quality planning – identifying what quality standards are relevant to the project and determining how to meet them; Quality Assurance – evaluating overall project performance on a regular basis to provide confidence that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards; Quality control – monitoring specific project results to determine if they comply with relevant quality standards and identifying ways to remove causes of poor performance.