History of District Nursing in Australia Essay

District nurses are those senior nurses who are involved in managing care in a community by leading teams of both support workers and community nurses. This particular paper talks about the history of district nursing since its emergence in England over one hundred and fifty years ago. It then discusses the progress of district nursing in other countries, in this case, Australia. Nursing can be defined as a science and an art with an exceptional body of knowledge drawing from behavioral, physical, and social sciences (Funnel et al, 2005, p. ). It is a profession that is unique in its own way because it addresses families and individuals responses to health problems, health maintenance, as well as health promotion. Over one hundred years ago, nursing was defined by Florence Nightingale as the act of making use of a patient’s environment in a bid to helping that particular patient recover. To facilitate for quick recovery, she considered a clean, quiet, and well ventilated environment as very essential. Nursing helps in facilitation of prescribed therapy, assists patients to be independent of assistance, and also help the patients to function to their maximum potential as soon as possible. Various themes have been associated with the definition of nursing. Some describe nursing as an art, as a science, that nursing is about caring, it is holistic, that it is client oriented, adaptive, and that nursing is generally a helping profession. The historical accounts of the profession clearly bring out the revolving nature of nursing. The word nurse was derived from a Latin word which means to cherish or nourish. In a human being’s life, birth, death, sickness, and injury are all very common. There has therefore always been that need to take care of others, especially those in need. Funnel et al state that some of the earliest and most organized nursing carried out by men who worked in hospitals which were established by military religious orders at the period the crusades. Some examples included the knights of St. Lazarus, and the Knights of St.  John of Jerusalem. Henry VIII, during the sixteenth century, commanded the closure of English monasteries and the confiscation of their wealth as well. What this meant was that all the sick and destitute people had no where to stay and were hence left to die. This then saw the construction of work houses which were used to house the poor and especially the sick. Here they lived in very bad conditions and were at the same time required to work in order to earn th eir continued stay there. Conditions in London got to a very desperate state, and after many petitions from the citizens, Henry VIII had no option but to allow for the re-founding of some hospitals like St Mary’s, St Thomas’s, as well as St Bartholomew’s. These hospitals despite their reopening were very poorly staffed and were characterized by untrained workers whose characters were very poor. Patients who were admitted in these hospitals lived under appalling conditions in overcrowded wards Funnel et al add that the early 18th and mid 19th century came to be termed as nursing â€Å"Dark Ages† of nursing. It was an age where caring of the sick and nurses’ status reached to the lowest levels ever imaginable (5). A clergyman named Theodor Fliedner in 1836 founded the institution Kaiserwerth where they trained specially chosen women as deaconesses. The institution was then to be famous for its high standards and levels of training as well as the care given to the sick. The institution then grew very famous and finally became the centre for training nurses and as a result received very many trainees, and from all parts of the world. Some of these trainees later opened up centers in their respective countries. Modern nursing has hence evolved as a result of the influence Kaiserwerth had on individuals like Florence Nightingle. She had spent two weeks at Kaiserwerth in 1850 and later visited the institution again in 1851 and was named Superintendent for Establishment for Gentlewomen during Illness. She became famous when she took with her a team of thirty nurses to Scutari where they were met with a lot of resistance from medics who refused them to take care of the sick and injured soldiers. She however did not give up and devoted her time and energy to improving bad conditions in the camps through the introduction of communal as well as personal hygiene, organization of excellent food supply, getting hold of medical supplies, and basic sanitary conditions like washing of hands and also the importance of fresh air. In a span of two to three weeks, the opposition she had earlier faced was no more and the nurses were then called back to come and take care of the sick. Florence Nightingle was viewed as an idol by the soldiers because she brought hope and comfort to the sick just by the light of the lamp she used t carry at night, hence she was later came to be known as the Lady of the Lamp. In the case of Australia, very little interest was paid for the care of the sick when the original English colony was established at Sydney Cove. In 1811, Sydney hospital was opened and the staff included of female convicts with some male convicts also carrying out nursing duties. They were however received no wages for the labor they offered although they received their keep. The nurses’ behavior here was wanting and they were known to be of poor character with them being drunk in most cases while on duty. In 1811, Australia opened its first lunatic asylum and it was characterized by untrained mental attendants. As a way of control, huge numbers of disturbed individuals were literally restrained because most of the staff were custodians and there was no emphasis whatsoever on treatment (Funnel et al, 2005, p. 5). In 1838, the first group of trained nurses arrived in Sydney. They were five in number. The influence of Nightingale was experienced in 1868. The principles of Nightingale were gradually adapted and the physically ill could now be cared for. Nurses were not left behind either. Practical skills were taught to them such as those of leeching, dressing, as well as administering enemas. Emphasis was however put on their punctuality, sexual purity, cleanliness, and most importantly obedience. A huge percentage of nursing comprised of housekeeping, and was dominated by house hold work. It was however acknowledged that compassion and also dignity were characteristics that were desirable for all those who took care of the sick. The necessity for nurses training in Australia grew as scientific advances continued to be made. By the year 1900, most of the Australian hospitals had a three year training program for student nurses where lectures were delivered by the medical staff. The students could not however maintain their concentration in class as a result of long hours of work. IN the wake of the twentieth century, conflict would arise whether nursing should be viewed as a vocation, subordinate to medicine, or as a profession which is different but of equal status with medicine. (Funnel et al, 2005, p. 6) add that in the year 1867, an Act of Parliament was passed which stated that all individuals displaying signs of mental impairments should be sent to mental asylums and not prisons. As a result, the developmentally disabled were then able to be separated from the mentally ill. Nursing in these mental asylums was delivered mostly by male attendants, and even though care remained and continued to be custodial, the medical staff was able to offer some lectures to these attendants. This is the period in which female attendants begun receiving serious considerations. As the increase in training of nurses continued to increase, so was the agitation for nurses’ registration. In 1920, South Australia was the first of the states to pass the relevant legislation followed by Western Australia in 1922 and Victoria and New South Wales in 1924. Industrial issues emerged as the sense of professionalism emerged among nurses. In 1924, the Australian Nursing Federation was able to hold its first meeting and the meting addressed several issues including the improved working conditions, improved wages, and the need for greater professional acknowledgment. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (1986), home nursing in Australia started in 1885 when a group of concerned nationals came together in Victoria and founded the Melbourne District Nursing Service. The main objective of the group was to look after the underprivileged sick people at home. Since then, nursing services have been seen to spread to every territory and state. Today, there are more than two hundred institutions using modern technology to take care of the sick and at the same time offer both general and specialized nursing services to the citizens of Australia. Australian Bureau of Statistics states that the link with district nurses from England is apparent in the growth of nursing institutes in Australia. In England, nurses begun to be trained for work districts in 1848. One, Mr. William Rathborne, in 1859, saw the need to provide a nurse who was meant to work amongst the poor in Liverpool. He later founded a training school for district nurses using his own personal finances. These nurses were not only seen as caring but also as social reformers due to their knowledge and also direct contact they established with those they cared for. During Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Year in 1887, some of the funds collected for her gift were given by the queen for the setting up of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Institute of Nurses. Throughout England for many years, the establishment facilitated both the employment and training of district nurses. A considerable number of district nurses also came to undertake this particular training program. The relevant information regarding district nursing services was brought to Australia by Dr. Caffyn and Rev. C. Strong who were from England. They were both very instrumental when it came to setting up the first home nursing in Australia which was known as the Melbourne District Nursing Society (204). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the first State to introduce a district nursing service in Australia was that of Victoria in 1885. It was then followed by South Australia in the year 1894, then came Tasmania in 1896, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia in 1900, 1904, and 1905 respectively. One notable nursing service was the Blue Nursing Service. According to the history of Blue care, Blue care started off being known as the Blue Nursing Services. The service came to be through the vision and urgings of Rev. Arthur Preston, who was the founder. There was a great shortage of hospital beds in Australia and the nursing bodies that were in existence then were not able to cope with the demands of an ever growing population. This was the reason the founders saw the need to establish a new home nursing service to cater for this rising need. In 1977, together with the Methodist and Presbyterian churches, Blue Nursing was seen as a uniting factor in Australia. It is evident from the history of district nursing that the establishment of all nursing organizations was triggered by identified health care needs present in the society. At fist, focus was mainly at the poor, disadvantaged, and the sick. Services were however later made accessible to everyone in society. This was attributed to the government started issuing subsidies to most of these organizations. Nursing institutions today operate in very different structures and also under different support like voluntary bodies, local government, and hospitals. At the same time, nurses working in these organizations share one common goal and commitment: that of providing quality care in the society. There has been new demand on those nurses working in the society caused by the increased development of both technological and medical services. This has its results as people are now being discharged from hospitals earlier and also at a more accurate stage of sickness. Nurses have been forced to further and upgrade their current education so that they can keep up with helping and providing quality care to the community. For Australia, district nursing is a record of success. Realizing their extended roles as nurses which are based on their expertise, experience, as well as knowledge is crucial if at all effectiveness is to be maintained in delivery of their services.

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne is one of the most contradictive persons in the history of contemporary rock music. On the one hand, he is a famous singer being famous for his unique image, clothing and lifestyle and his music is surely beloved by thousands of fans, whereas, on the other hand he has had serious problems with drug and alcohol addictions. Nevertheless, his struggle for survival has to be praised and respected.  It is apparent that literature search revealed over 100 articles and books on the history of rock music and Osbourne’s career. Over half of these were prescriptive and written by practitioners, consultants and journalists.Adams, Deanna R.   Rock ‘n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2002.This book is not intended to be a definitive history of rock music, documenting every fact or thoroughly analyzing every decade. Rather, it is about those people and events responsible for making this the â€Å"Rock ‘n' Roll Capital of the World.† The book presents rather extraordinary and interesting viewpoint concerning Ozzy Osbourne and his musical career.Appleyard, Bryan. â€Å"Blizzard of Oz†, The Sunday Times Magazine, November 27, 2005.The article suggests that Ozzy Osbourne is surely one of the most interesting and at the same time shocking singer due to his unique image, clothing and lifestyle. He is known to shock publicity with extraordinary appearance, hair cuts and colors mixture. Nevertheless, author states that practically every star has his own â€Å"blizzards†. Concerning Osbourne it is his drug and alcohol addictions, though he has managed to cope with disease having proven that he is able to struggle for life and popularity. He underwent treatments for alcohol and drug abuse.   And now he is famous for both musical and TV careers.Davidson, Sandra (ed.) & Winfield, Betty Houchin (ed.). Bleep! Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999.The book is ab out societal attempts to control rock and rap music in a democracy. This book explains how governmental statutes, agency regulations, business controls and parents have tried to censor the music and when they have succeeded or why not. The book also focuses on the dilemma of a people who ideally believe in free expression as part of a democracy. It is apparent that attempts to censor Osbourne are also involved in the book.Dodd, P. The Book of Rock. London: Pavilion, 2001.The book is about the individual artists and groups associated with Rock music involving Ozzy Osbourne and his contradictive career and person. It is seen that the book is of great importance for current research, because it provides thorough examination and analysis of rock music history. The book is meant for a wide circle of readers who are fond of rock and Ozzy Osbourne.Exclusive: Ozzy Osbourne on Everything. Sunday Mirror, 2005, April 3: 16.The article presents interview with a famous singer about his private l ife and musical career. Ozzy believes his lavish family home in the English countryside is cursed. It is stated that in spite his millions and his transatlantic lifestyle, Ozzy is astonished at the cost of living in Britain – and feels that the working man is being priced out of the country.Goldberg, Jonah. Ozzy without Harriet: What the Osbournes Tells Us about Drugs. National Review, 54, 11 (2002, June 17): 23-24.The Osbournes, the reality-TV show about the 53-year-old former lead singer of the metal band Black Sabbath and his dysfunctional family, is an unprecedented hit. It receives the highest ratings in MTV's history. The article provides details of the show stating that is one of the most popular as it present daily life of a singer.Gosset, Pol & Leyser, Brady J.   Rock Stars/Pop Stars: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 1955-1994. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.This bibliography is a listing of over 3,600 books about the individual artists and groups associated with Rock/Pop music involving Ozzy Osbourne. It is seen that the book is of great importance for current research, because it aims at providing the most accurate and comprehensive bibliography available on Rock/Pop stars.The article says that Wildman rocker was invited to the White House due to the success launch of reality show â€Å"The Osbournes†. According to statistic provided in the article show has more that three million viewers. Family values and problems are incorporated in research. The article touches Osbourne’s problems with drugs and alcohol stating that he has had also problems with crashing hotel rooms and cars.Ozzy Rules: in a Rock World Dominated by Bad Boys, Ozzy Osbourne Stood out. The Daily Mail, 2005, November 19: 16.Newspaper article provides information about Osbourne’s problems with drug and alcohol considering that now he has been cured. The author suggests that Osbourne is really amazed by his new image as a family man. Osbournes has becom e one of Britain's, and America's most famous families. They are laughed at because of their crazy antics, thoih held in affection because of their obvious love for each other.The Ozzy Osbourne of Wolverhampton. The Birmingham Post, 2006, July 19: 5.Actually the article argues about Osbourne’s popularity and states that many fans are willing to behave and look like their music ideal. For example, A parrot-killer who decapitated his beloved pet in a drunken rage has been jailed for five-and-a-half months after a magistrate branded him â€Å"the Ozzy Osbourne of Wolverhampton†.ReferencesAdams, Deanna R.   Rock ‘n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2002.Appleyard, Bryan. â€Å"Blizzard of Oz†, The Sunday Times Magazine, November 27, 2005.Davidson, Sandra (ed.) & Winfield, Betty Houchin (ed.). Bleep! Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999.Dodd, P. The Book of Rock. London: Pavilion, 2001.Excl usive: Ozzy Osbourne on Everything. Sunday Mirror, 2005, April 3: 16.Goldberg, Jonah. Ozzy without Harriet: What the Osbournes Tells Us about Drugs. National Review, 54, 11 (2002, June 17): 23-24.Gosset, Pol & Leyser, Brady J.   Rock Stars/Pop Stars: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 1955-1994. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.Ozzy Osbourne â€Å"Invited to White House†, 2002, April 4. Avaiable at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1911033.stmOzzy Rules: in a Rock World Dominated by Bad Boys, Ozzy Osbourne Stood out. The Daily Mail, 2005, November 19: 16.The Ozzy Osbourne of Wolverhampton. The Birmingham Post, 2006, July 19: 5.

Prejudice And Discrimination Article Essay

One of the most interesting places to visit in this world is India. Located in South Asia it is officially called the Republic of India. India is well-known for being the second most populous nation in the world next to China.   There are many diverse ethnic groups among the people of India. The six (6) main ethnic groups are Negrito, Proto (Australoids or Austrics), Mongoloids, Mediterranean or Dravidian, Western Brachycephals and the Nordic Aryans (â€Å"People of India,† n.d.). India is also known to be the country from which one of the world’s largest religious congregations has originated, Hinduism. Thus, â€Å"about 80% of the population is Hindu, and 14% is Muslim. Other significant religions include Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists. There is no state religion (â€Å"India,† n.d.).† India and the large number of its population is home to a vast array of culture and people, and a distinct classification of its Hindu believing population of the structural and hierarchical classification of its own members known as the caste system.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The caste is a closed group whose members are severely restricted in their choice of occupation and degree of social participation. Marriage outside the caste is prohibited. Social status is determined by the caste of one’s birth and may only rarely be transcended† (â€Å"Caste,† n.d.). The caste system is an intricate classification of its population and many people can directly associate the said term with the â€Å"untouchables† or the Panchamas or Dalits who are the lowest ranked within the system and are tasked to perform the most menial tasks of the community (â€Å"Caste,† n.d; â€Å"Dalit,† n.d.). Even though the Constitution of the Republic of India disallows â€Å"untouchability† the caste remains to be very influential in Indian Society (â€Å"India,† n.d.). Likened to other countries or states, India is also home to its own indigenous people, one of which is the so called Adivasis or literally the â€Å"original inhabitants† who comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India.   These Indian tribes are also called Atavika (forest dwellers, in Sanskrit texts), Vanvasis or Girijans (hill people, e.g. by Mahatma Gandhi) (â€Å"Adivasi,† n.d.).† Together with the Dalits, the Adivasis form the most discriminated group of people in the Indian community. These groups of people are said to be constantly subjected to ridicule and shame all over India in a constant basis. A study conducted by Mayell, H. (2003) has chronicled some atrocities committed particularly against the Dalits who are historically the only   ones referred to as â€Å"untouchables† by citing that â€Å"Statistics compiled by India’s National Crime Records Bureau indicate that in the year 2000, the last year for which figures are available, 25,455 crimes were committed against Dalits. Every hour two Dalits are assaulted; every day three Dalit women are raped, two Dalits are murdered, and two Dalit homes are torched.† Furthermore, she stated that â€Å"No one believes these numbers are anywhere close to the reality of crimes committed against Dalits. Because the police, village councils, and government officials often support the caste system, which is based on the religious teachings of Hinduism, many crimes go unreported due to fear of reprisal, intimidation by police, inability to pay bribes demanded by police, or simply the knowledge that the police will do nothing (Mayell, 2003.)† The Dalits can trace its being oppressed from the fact that India being largely a country of people adhering to Hindu beliefs from which the caste system is derived, are the people who are supposed to be the untouchables or, as discussed, ranked at the lowest. As a result of this, naturally the Dalits are can be rightfully perceived and treated the way religion, tradition and history has treated them, which is sadly bordering on slavery.   However, without passing judgment, albeit being quite possibly insensitive, the plight of the Dalits can easily be viewed as part of the natural made up of the Hinduism belief from which any non-Hindu society member can not and should not question. Religiously speaking, based on the Hindu belief a Dalit is a person who has does not have any â€Å"varnas†. Varna refers to the Hindu belief that most humans were supposedly created from different parts of the body of the divinity Purusha. The part from which a Varna was supposedly created defines a person’s social status with regards to issues such as who they can marry and which professions they could hold (â€Å"Dalit,† n.d.). For their parts, the Adivasis being the original dwellers of India had their own unique way of societal structure, culture and tradition which has like most indigenous tribes all over the world become outmoded as the modern world around them evolved. The discrimination and pitiful situation of the Adivasis are not directly rooted to Hinduism but possibly to a mix of modernization and the former. This possible mix can not be easily discounted knowing the fact that most people in India are Hindu or believers of Hinduism. It is important to stress that the Adivasis as a classification within the Indian population is not brought about or classified as such by Hinduism per se or as part of its caste system. As discussed, the Adivasis is an ethnic group who are original inhabitants of India possibly even prior to the birth of Hinduism whose culture has failed to completely cope up with the modern world. Thus, Bijoy, C. (2003) said â€Å"relegating the Adivasis to the lowest rung in the social ladder was but natural and formed the basis of social and political decision making by the largely upper caste controlled mainstream. The ancient Indian scriptures, scripted by the upper castes, also further provided legitimacy to this.† Hence, even though that the Adivasis can mostly trace their own problems from the failure of their culture and practices to conform to the modern world, as contrast to that of the Dalits, which can easily trace their own problems from its religion, the Adivasis by simply being not well-equipped enough to cope with the modern world are easily lumped together with the Dalits. As a result, together the Dalits and Adivasis form the most oppressed people in India who are more known as the untouchables. According to Tarique (2008) it is not only a struggle for dignity and self-respect that these poor groups of Indian people are fighting for. They are also engaged in the â€Å"struggle for their rights and entitlements for land, access to natural resources, livelihood, employment and to market in general. (Tarique, 2008.)† It is sad to note that these said factual happenings in a modern world such as ours are still happening.   It is but a semblance of irony knowing that the problems that these people are facing and fighting everyday are rooted to one of man’s most sacred possessions, his religious beliefs, which in itself has taught us notions of goodness and the proper way to which we should live our lives; religion, from which ideas of turning away from sin and helping one’s own fellowman being the exact cause of a structuralized system of discrimination and oppression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strictly speaking it is difficult to question the plight of these untouchables more so with the Dalits than the Adivasis because the former’s pitiful situation can be justified by the fact that society has adapted it as part of its religious beliefs. An outsider or any non-Hindu looking into the said situation may not have the proper perspective to look into the plight of these untouchables.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, it is without a doubt that when one adapts the globally accepted notion of humane treatment, the sorry plight of these untouchables more so that of the Adivasis who are clearly not directly   Hindu in origin, but more of an â€Å"accidental untouchables†, are well   below the world standards of humane treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Today as the world has chosen to progress and adapt globally its own evolving norms of legal and illegal, acceptable and taboo, good or bad, the world has given more emphasis to equality among ALL MEN without qualifications based on race, gender, birth, color of skin and etc. It is without a doubt that the untouchables of India both the Dalits and Adivasis are victims of a society who have failed to progress with the times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Adapting the global perspective and the trend to which modern world is predominantly practicing, today’s world would put any country into shame when one does not act upon or even question the sad and pitiful plight of the Dalits and the Adivasis, the so called untouchables, the accidental slaves of society, people who are as early as birth are discriminated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In fact as already pointed out, it shall be everyone’s dream to realize and fulfill the perceived mandate of the Indian Constitution itself that outlaws this form of treatment of the so called untouchables. Perhaps only then one can give more emphasis and be prouder to claim India as a country truly rich in culture and proud history. References: Adivasi. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Adivasi Bijoy, C. (2003). The Adivasis of India. A History of Discrimination, Conflict and Resistance. PUCL Bulletin. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Dalit-tribal/2003/adivasi.htm Caste. (n.d.). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/columbia/caste Dalit. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Dalit India. (n.d.). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 10, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/columbia/India Mayell, H. (2003). India’s â€Å"Untouchables† Face Violence, Discrimination. National Geographic News. Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables.html People of India. (n.d.). People of India. Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://www.webindia123.com/india/people/people.htm Tarique (2008). Fact Finding Mission on the Violence against Dalit and Adivasis Kundahamal District. India News. Retrieved January 10, 2008, from http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2008/jan/09/fact_finding_mission_violence_against_dalit_and_adivais_kundahamal_district.html

Comprehensive Study Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Comprehensive Study Project - Essay Example Consequently, a wealth of literature exists on the benefits and risks of improving sustainability, and the decisive responsibility of facilities management to influence balance between ecological preservation, social equity and contributing positively to the economy. But because facilities management is an expansive interrelation of phases from construction into dilapidation, opportunities of sustainability are plenty. Benefits of sustainable facilities management present in reduced water consumption, energy use and fewer emissions that contribute to climate change. Optimization of resource consumption and increased value opens the plethora of social, ecological, and financial benefits. The application of sustainability in buildings enhances in value by 8-10 times the operational savings as presented in the journals of Cooper (2002), : A management tool for occupant fit out "comprises of core components to define the aims and objectives for the research paper of Technology, Engineering and the Environment. The terms of reference for analyzing the relationship between Sustainability and Facilities management for Occupant fit out: This research focuses on critical success factors and its effectiveness on the facilities management of the organizations. Deductive approach assists in designing the research framework based on literature review and existing theory to derive a conclusion. TThe research design enables researchers to find solutions to research problems through passing the various phases of research - collecting, analysing and interpreting observations (Nachmias and Nachmias, 1996). The research design needs to address data collection process. The correct understanding of the research problem is necessary for finding the required solutions (Ghauri, Grnhaug and Kristianslund, 1995). Research can follow the three approaches from exploratory, descriptive and causal methods. Exploratory research explores the boundaries of the environment with respect to the problems, opportunities or situations of concern for identifying related and relevant variables to the research project (Talaq, 2004). Descriptive research also provides a correct and valid representation of the selected variables from exploratory research. Causal research approach is instrumental in establishing causal link between these variables (Talaq, 2004). For the purpose of

A Raisin in the Sun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

A Raisin in the Sun - Essay Example Another aspect that sets the book apart is the use of gender, class and race to describe the main theme. This book is a stark example of how an ordinary black family living in that period in America is restricted from accomplishing their dreams and goals. Therefore, through this aspect, Hansberry has tried to explain how the question of race and class takes over and leads to influencing people in reality even though most people try to do away with such concepts and live for the better tomorrow of humanity. During the course of the play, one of the characters, Asagai says to another character, Benethea, â€Å"You came up to me and you said†¦ "Mr. Asagai – I want very much to talk with you. About Africa. You see, Mr. Asagai, I am looking for my  identity!† (1.2.98) Through these lines it is evident that each and every person finds it very important to explore where it is that he came from. Every person is interested in knowing where his roots lie and how he fits in to the world. Much the same way, Asagai mocks in a playful manner saying these lines as he would like to understand more about the African culture from where he descends. This play thus is a platform for raising issues pertaining to justice in terms of gender, class and race and the role that different people played in the formation and making up of society. Each and every character within this play and the Youngers family, feels a sense of loss when he is on his own, because on his own, he is made to face the cultural impediments and impact of being subject to ridicule just for being a part of a different race. The mother of the family says, â€Å"Them houses they put up for colored in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other houses. I did the best I could.† This dialogue is a perfect example of the kind of discrimination that was faced by each one of them and how the older family members knew about the raging levels of the same and were used to it. With ti me, the family had learned to pay less attention to these surroundings that they existed in because they knew that there was very little done that could be reformed. Such established racist laws that demarcated even housing and shelter for black people and white people, made it even more difficult for African –Americans to leave the slum areas and even think of leading a better life. This play depicts the kind of disdain that people belonging to African American families, were living in during the times of the war. Women were not given equal status, they were subject to living within the households as housewives, take care of the household and the many babies that they were forced to raise and nurture. Careers were very bleak, even for the men belonging to such a descent, and they could not get any jobs except for ordinary chores or running mundane minimum wage errands. Poverty was stark within such households, in addition to such people being looked down upon. Such was the t rauma and turmoil that people belonging to black families were forced to live within and adapt to. Fighting for equality for such families, as depicted through the play, had become a matter of reasoning that the other, white and powerful people were not even interested in listening to. In Act I, Scene II, the kind of life that the different members of the family were living, has been shown very well. Each member was

Marketing Degree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Marketing Degree - Essay Example Marketing revolves around the entire business. The marketing penetrates in all areas of the business. All the business activities from purchases t till display all revolves around marketing. Marketing as a philosophy revolves around customer satisfaction and it do not focus on earning the profits. It can be done for social welfare. It can be done for customer orientation. The philosophy is to meet and satisfy the desires of the customers. However the marketing as a set of business activities is totally different concept. It basic aim is to earn profit. Though the marketing manager in any enterprise focus on customer's needs and desires but their aim is to earn profit and they were not doing marketing for social or charitable purpose. So marketing is also a philosophy to satisfy the customer's desires simultaneously it is a set of business activities to earn profit. And in this way both these terms are related to each other. In this ever changing and fast moving business world, the socially conscious customers are now become a challenge for the business enterprenurers. The social awareness of the consumer brings many opportunities and threats for the enterprises. ... They have to look for the brands which are on top, commodities which are in fashion and which gives them a nice and trendy look. No matter the consumer is buying clothes or accessories or house hold items. Except groceries and necessities the consumer is going trend conscious. This brings lots of new opportunities for the entrepreneurs. Now they focus more on producing trendy and in fashion products for the consumers. For this they have to work aggressively on their markets strategies. Further more the managers has to work hard to market their products as now the consumer focus on every little detail the company is offering in its product. The consumer looks at the design, availability, price, trends of the products. However it opens the doors for service industry as many people are offering their service to literate people about the trends in the market. This business is boosting up rapidly. In short, the socially conscious consumers is aware of his social values and now focus more on it while purchasing any product which brings many opportunities and threats for many businesses. 3. What are the differences between organizational buying behaviour and consumer buying behaviour (Jobber & Fahy, Ch. 3, P. 76, Study question 1) The consumer buying behavior is relatively a narrow terms. It describes the buying behavior of any consumer. In buying any product or service, the consumer prefers his need and choice. The quantity is small and can be purchased from any shop. However organization buying behavior is broader term. It focuses upon the need of the organization. It evolves a deep and thorough analysis of the product or service needs to be purchased. Organization purchases include high complex

Assignment 4 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

4 - Assignment Example Deltek Systems Inc. decided to go public in 1997 by offering its shares in the market. Every organization has to ensure that it makes the final decision of going ahead with initial public offerings (IPO) after evaluating all vital factors properly. In case of Deltek, the company decided to offer its shares to the general public for numerous reasons. The foremost factor that led the company’s management to go public was to avail the opportunity of accumulating funds for the purpose of expansion. One of the expansion strategies is to allow the organization to go public so that shares can be bought by the shareholders and, accordingly, the amount can be used for expansion. This trend was common during that time period as the software companies that were incurring losses were going public to utilize the chance of earning a good amount of revenue. According to the case, Deltek decided to go public because it allowed the probability of acquiring additional funds for financing its gr owth along with enhanced visibility. When a company is listed in the stock market, its awareness is increased and it has an advantage of enhancing its prestige among its valuable customers. Gaining awareness amongst mass consumers is another positive point of allowing the organization to be listed on the stock exchange. The central driving force that led to the decision of going public was that the employees of the company should be given the opportunity of reaping benefits for having the stock options. Since the company was a private venture, there was no market for selling the company’s stocks. Considering the scenario of the company, it wanted to offer its employees a platform to utilize the avenue of earning additional income. Since the technological firms were able to make further revenue from the stock market as a result of inflationary prices, it was a logical decision to exploit this proposal for improving the company’s performance and financial viability of th e employees. Human resources are an important asset for the organization and their financial stability in the firm should be one of the utmost concerns for the management to ensure productive services by the employees. Question 2 What advantages did Deltek find in going public once it became a public company? What disadvantages did it face? Answer 2 When Deltek Systems Inc. became a public company in 1997, it was proficient in earning an excessive amount of profit because its stock prices were growing at an accelerating pace. The biggest advantage to the company for going public was the ability of making use of its strong position in the technology market along with the stock market. It had a robust performance initially but, like all other companies, it had to face various turbulences as the stock market has the feature of intense fluctuations throughout the year. In late February 1997, the company sold about 2.9 million shares on the stock market for $11 each. During the following summer, the sales of the company grew at an exponential rate that was evident from its reported strong earnings in the stock market. By August, the earnings doubled, and this trend continued until the next year. However, afterwards, the company saw huge variations in the stock price of its shares as it oscillated in between $15 per share to $24.50 per share. This fluctuating behavior of the

Hyatt Hotel chain and its Internal evaluation Term Paper

Hyatt Hotel chain and its Internal evaluation - Term Paper Example The mission is to provide a change in the people’s live by authentic service of hospitality. The company under consideration focuses on their mission with the aim to become the most desirable brand in every segment they are dealing with. It has own franchises in the names of Hyatt branded resorts, residents, hotels and properties around the world. The hotel chain has the 549 portfolios throughout the world. Currently Hyatt has cemented its place across 43 nations. The chain of hotels provides luxurious services to its guests in the major cites of the world. Hyatt is famous for its design and features of providing meeting venues, art program, fitness and spa centers, signature restaurant etc. Hyatt is continuously expanding in different parts of the world through its chain of hotels. Its brands include Grand Hyatt, Andaz, Park Hyatt, Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Hotels, Hyatt Zilara, Hyatt Regency, and Hyatt Residence Club. Hyatt brands are very prospering. After decades with the brands like Hyatt Regency, Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Hotel Corp recently the company added many more hotels in its hotel chain for providing extra ordinary service to its guests. The company is aggressively developing its business with the brand name Hyatt (Chon and Maier, 2009). It is the luxury brand of hotels presented in the major cities, premier leisure travel destinations. The company has positioned this brand featuring sophisticated luxury in a contemporary style for those persons who wants to get service in a filtered environment. This brand provides luxurious accommodation in an elegant style. It provides its guests the experience of specific regional character. This brand is positioned with well designed room for meetings and conferences, guests. Presently there are 33 Park Hyatt Hotels worldwide (Ford, Sturman and Heaton 2011). This chain of hotel is positioned in magnificent public place, lobby, dramatic architecture and multiple entertainment places and dining

International Business Law Assessment Assignment

International Business Law Assessment - Assignment Example In addition, the new generation business law include, market contestability which mainly focuses on anti competitive behavior and market contestability which deals with abuse of dominant position (Emerson 2009, p.78-80). Note however that, the arbitration system and enforcement capacities also have a role to play as far as business law is concerned. Under this sphere are the commercial courts and the specialized economic courts. They come in when transactions between parties are not honored and to a larger extent interpret business law to the affected parties. Business just like any other discipline which involves interaction between two or more parties cannot be wholly exonerated from instances of conflicts. This confirms the essentialities in existence of the two types of courts mentioned. To expound on our introductory classification on the already mentioned dimensions of business law, bussines law attempts to address diverse issues in a business. It enables swift and efficient en forcement of contracts ensures adequate legal protection to both private and personal property. It ensures clear frame work and mechanisms for transferring and registering property. Furthermore, it also sees to it that intellectual property get due protection and enforcement. Business law ensures stability and the existence of a frame work able to accommodate the management, oparations and establishment of companies. It foresees sound and secured regimes that can enable transactions making a business be able to obtain credit. Lastly, bussines law ensures a relatively easy and transparent market. To commence with, contract laws emphasis the fact that agreements made between or among parties in a transaction must be honored. This has mechanisms in place to ensure that parties uphold their terms of agreement throughout the transaction session. These laws protect mostly those transactions that are long term in nature. For example, an infrastructure contract between a company and the gov ernment. Such contract may span for several years which qualifies the need for mechanisms to be put in place to guide both parties during work progress until it is completed. Violation of any of these terms by any of the trading partners means that a contract law has been broken and this necessitates a further step from the affected partner. Contract laws also give a contracting partner the constitutional right to know if the other partner is credit worthy. This factor plays a role in preventing future payment disputes in case of defaults from any of the parties. This law ensures that there are mechanism and measures which are in place to enable debt recovery in circumstances of payment defaults. This may apply to scenarios where payments are made through cheques that bounce. Contract law empowers the courts to collect debts if such scenarios of payment default arise. Secondly there is high regard to property ownership which is protected in business law under the personal property r ights. These states that the owner of any property has got the due constitutional authority to sell, exchange, transfer or even consume his property. Property may be listed as buildings, land, physical possessions and also intellectual property which majorly encompass innovations of mind such as music or any other invention. For instance, a

Setting up a car sales garage Essay Example for Free

Setting up a car sales garage Essay I Have Chosen To Provide A Good Service To My Customers Because I Think This Will Differentiate From The Competition And I Expect To Gain More Customers Through This. I Have Chosen To Increase Sales And Profit As I Will Then Be Able To Input More Money Into The Business And Expand My Stores Into New Areas And Expand My Product Range. Source Of Finance Most Of My Money Will Come From My Partnership And This Money Will Be Used To Pay For Rent Which Will Be Approximately   1500 Per Month. I have Based This On Internet Research Which Identified Medium Sized Outlet In Newcastle Would Cost Around This Amount To Rent. The Money Will Be Used For Refurbishment And Initial Stock And If Any Money Is Needed I Will Ask The Bank For A Small Loan/Overdraft For Up To 5000. If I Take Out A Loan I Expect To Pay 6-7% Interest If I Take It Out Over 5 Years. This Percentage Is Because The Current Interest Rate Set By The Bank Of England Is 5. 5%. If Grants Are Available To Locate In Newcastle Would Apply For One As They Are Available To Certain Areas For Example Rundown Areas. I Have Chosen Not To Get A Mortgage Because It Would Tie Me In For A Period Of Up To 25 Years And Make It Difficult To Relocate To Another Property Or Area Because I Would Have To Sell My Existing Property First. Competitor Scan In This Section I Will Undertake a competitor scan by visiting local competitors or researching the internet. I Will Outline 3 main competitors in the local area. I Will Then Explain their strengths and weaknesses and outline how you will make your business better than theirs. I collected my info from 100 people, this gives me an accurate amount of results and an even sample percentage. I chose 100 people and used their answers and put them in graph. I chose these people with random sampling. This is where I choose people to do it at random when I was giving them out so that everyone has an equal chance of getting chosen. The results are as follows: 1. Sex The Graph above shows that males seem to be more interested in my shop so I will aim my products towards a male population. The graph shows that a majority of people under age 30 were interested in my shop. So I will target this group. 3. Wages The graph shows the majority of people earn   10000 30000. I will aim my products toward these people. As a lot of my accessories I will be selling are expensive it is better to aim the price range to higher earning individuals. 4. Cars The graph shows the four most dominant types of car owned by my target market. As these cars are most popular I will specialise in selling accessories for these models. I am now going to summarise my questions. Most people whom I questioned said that they probably would buy my product. Most people said they would pay between i 300 i 1500 depending on the item. The majority of people would buy their parts from a car hypermarket. Most people said they look for quality and well priced parts when purchasing them, these are also the reasons people said I improve my services to differentiate me from all competitors. Laws Affecting My Business The Race Relations Act, 1976 Makes discrimination on grounds of race illegal in the same way as the Sex Discrimination Act. Again, there is scope for GOQs for example, advertising for an Italian waiter to work in an Italian restaurant. How It Affects My Business Prevents people from racial discrimination at work and prevents colour prejudice such as when applying for a job. The Equal Pay Act of 1970 Sets out that women and men should receive the same pay for doing the same type of work or ranked as being of the same value. How It Affects My Business This prevents men and women being paid different wages for the same job. And means I will have to pay both sexes equally. When recruiting people I must make sure they are getting paid the same as someone else doing the same job. have chosen these companies to supply these parts as they are well known by my target age group and are reasonably priced. The parts will be specifically suited for different makes and models of cars. The main cars I will stock for are the Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio, Vauxhall Corsa and the Ford Focus. I will stock these parts for these cars as my target market identified these as popular choices. I will differentiate myself by offering special discounts to store card holders and allow them to purchase items on credit. I will give each customer free fitting for customers who spend over i 1250 and will give all customers a year long money back guarantee and free servicing if they are store card holders, this differentiates me from my competition because none of them offer this service. I have chosen not to offer credit agreements as a lot of companies have lost a lot of money in recent months through customers being unable to pay the money back. I will try to portray my company as a company that offers good quality named products at very competitive prices. This will in turn create a well respected image for my business which will help me stand out from the competition, this will help attract my target market. I have chosen the name AutoModz as my company name as this relates to the products Im selling and is catchy. Product Life Cycle Introduction During this stage my sales will be low. Heavy promotional spending is needed I will do this by spending a large portion of my money on advertising such as leaflets and paper advertisements. The aim of my promotional strategy is to create awareness of my business. Growth During this stage sales and profits are steadily rising, I will need a lot of advertising to promote the demand. I will attempt to build up customer loyalty before the entry of competitors. I will use persuasive advertising such as special offers and customer guarantees. Maturity During this stage the product will be bought by the majority of my target market also during this stage the rate of sales growth will start to slow down.

Study On Different Organization Types Business Essay

Study On Different Organization Types Business Essay A Sole Trader business exists amongst other businesses in a society. A Sole Trader is a person that owns and controls his/her own business, therefore profits earned from the business goes to the owner of the business. Sole Trader business also includes business like cosmetics, hairdressing and nails, plumbing and photographers. Sole trader business are cheap and easy to setup also its private. Sole traders are their own owners so they dont any separate legal existence. Unlimited liability is when the owners of a sole trader business have to pay their debts with the money theyve earned. The purpose of a sole trader is to provide services or sell/produce products. Advantages: Can choose hours of work Can make your own decisions All the profit made is yours Can claim expenses and certain costs against income tax Disadvantages: Cant have a sickness pay Cant have a set holiday pay Time consuming accounting is done in your own free time Continuity of work http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/business/aims/partnershipsrev1.shtml http://www.answers.com/ Partnership A Partnership is another type of business organization in a society which involves a planned agreement or relationship between two or more people. If two or more people decide to open a business together, a contract called deed of partnership is normally drawn up. This states the type of partnership it is, how much assets each person has contributed, and how profits and losses will be shared. Typical examples of experts who may go into partnership together are doctors, dentists and solicitors. They can benefit from shared expertise, but like the sole trader, have unlimited liability. A partnership can also have a sleeping partner this person invest the business but does not have dealings in the day to day running of the enterprise. The purpose of a Partnership is to make a profit and to provide services or sell/produce products. Advantages: Partnerships are relatively easy to establish. One of them could have the skill to raise funds The profits that the business makes flow directly through the partners personal tax returns You can share out the responsibilities between the partners. This means that no single person is responsible for running all of the business. Partnerships provide moral support and will allow for more creative brainstorms Disadvantages: Partners may have different visions or goals for the business There may be unequal commitment in terms of time and finances There may also be personal disputes Each partner may also be liable for debts incurred, decisions made, and actions taken by the other partner or partners At some time, there most certainly will be disagreements in management plans, operational procedures, and future vision for the business You may encounter difficulty in attracting investors http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/business/aims/partnershipsrev2.shtml http://www.answers.com/ Charity A charity is an organization that allows one group  to help another group, whether its people, animals or nature. Many of the best-known charities were set up by people who felt passionate about a cause that they believed was wrong or preventable. A charity is a particular type of voluntary organization one that takes a distinctive legal form and has a special tax status. Charities can be organized in a number of different ways they can be an unincorporated association, a trust or a company limited by guarantee. Examples of charities are Christian Aid, British Red Cross and Greenpeace. The purpose of a Charity is to help provide resources for a particular cause. Advantages: They dont normally have to pay income/ corporation tax, capital gains tax, stamp duty, and gifts to charities are free of inheritance tax They dont have to pay no more than 20% of normal business rates on the buildings they use and occupy to further their purpose They can get special VAT treatment in some circumstances They can formally represent and help to meet the needs of the community Charities are often able to raise funds from the public, grant making trusts and local government more easily than non charitable bodies Disadvantages: Charities must obey with charities legislation Charity trustees may not generally benefit personally, whether through receipt of a salary or of profits or otherwise Personal responsibility of charity trustees for misuse of funds Charities must produce an annual report and annual return http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4710000/newsid_4710300/4710352.stm http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/what_is_charity.htm http://www.answers.com/ Voluntary Organizations A Voluntary Organization is any organization that uses the human resources of volunteers for achieving its main purpose. Voluntary Organization is a not-for-profit organization because they use their income to help those in need. Voluntary Organizations are provided in areas such as environmental, global development and community care. Examples of voluntary organizations are Scouts, National Trust and Girl Guides. The purpose of a Voluntary Organization is to provide a service to those in need. BTEC First Business by Carol Carysforth and Mike Neild http://www.answers.com/ Ltd (Private Limited Company) A private limited company is a company that is organized to give its owners limited liability. The company exists in their own rights; this means the finances from the company are separate from the personal finances of their owners. The owners of the company each own part of the business this makes the owners shareholders of the company. Private limited companies are usually family concerns or were firstly so. This type of organization is often chosen when a sole trader wants to expand and retain control of a company. Ltd companies are seen as firm projects by banks and customers. The companies are run by directors and shareholders. Examples of Ltd companies are Virgin and Clarks. The purpose of an Ltd is to maximise profit and to expand the company. Advantages: The company has a legal existence separate from management and its members The companys name is protected Approved company income plots usually provide better benefits than those paid under contracts with the self-employed and those in non-pensionable employment Disadvantages: They have to pay Corporation tax on top of any existing taxes Wanted benefit from economies of scale Lack of capital due to no share issue to the general public BTEC First Business by Carol Carysforth and Mike Neild http://www.answers.com/ Franchises This type of business starts by using the name of a popular/well known organization. A franchise is an agreement or license between two parties which gives a person or group of people (the franchisee) the rights to market a product or service using the trademark of another business (the franchisor). The Franchisor gives the Franchisee help and support to run their business. Examples are KFC and Prontoprint. The purpose of Franchise is to make a profit by using the name of a well known business and its resources. Advantages: Training and help on how to run or open the is provided Risks associated with the business are smaller than most other businesses You dont need to have experience to open or run the business The finance is easily reachable and its at affordable rates The business is a proven concept and is already set up The supplies needed are available at discount prices   Disadvantages: You have to work long hours The franchisor has control over the franchisee and will want and need high standards Franchisors usually want franchisees to follow their operations manual to a tee in order to ensure reliability The franchisor might go out of business All profits are shared with the franchisor Other franchisees could give the brand a bad reputation BTEC First Business by Carol Carysforth and Mike Neild http://www.answers.com/ PLC (Public Limited Company) Public Limited Company (PLC) is a type of business which is permitted to offer its shares to the public. All public limited companies names end in plc. PLC companies must have at least two shareholders, two directors and a trained secretary. A Public limited Company is different from a Private Limited company because its shares can be bought and sold by the public. Directors are paid to run the company and may or may not own shares of the company. To be a PLC  £50K share capital is needed. The purpose of PLC is to generate enough money to expand and evolve into an enterprise. Advantages: Large plcs may find it easier to borrow from banks Shares can be advertised Benefit from economies of scale Cheaper borrowing and bulk purchasing Shares can be sold through the stock exchange Disadvantages: Risk of takeover by rival companies who have bought shares in the company(E.g. Kraft trying to take over Cadbury chocolate) Going public can be expensive Some plcs can grow so large that they may become difficult to manage effectively BTEC First Business by Carol Carysforth and Mike Neild http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCESitemId=1073789599 http://www.answers.com/ Co-operatives Co-operatives are a number of individuals or businesses work together to achieve a usual point. The business is jointly owned and run by the workers. All profits made from the business are shared and the owners make combined decisions about how the business should run. Self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality and solidarity are the values that Cooperatives are based on. The purpose of the Co-operatives is to serve their members in a prudent and effective manner and to help them generate an income and possibly profits. Advantages: Usually more stable , caring and responsible employers Can give job satisfaction and variety Encourages strong work commitments More responsible to customers and the community within the business Disadvantages: There could be conflict between members Longer decision-making process Extensive record keeping necessary Employment benefits often cant match those offered by other business types Less reason to invest additional capital They can limit your choice of outside finance Participation of members required for success http://kribhco.net/english/what_coop.htm BTEC First Business by Carol Carysforth and Mike Neild http://www.answers.com/ Public Sector Public Sector is a part of the public which is controlled by the government. The Public Sector is owned by the sate and provides many services free of charge and other at or below a price. The purpose of a public Sector is to provide a quality service to the community. The aim of the Public Sector is to improve service condition and to operate within budget. The Public Sector includes the government departments, local councils, NHS hospitals and state schools. Examples of Public Sector Organization are London Underground, Police and National Health Service. The purpose of a Public Sector is to provide goods and/or service and to provide value for money. Advantages: The job security is very tight, its difficult to get fired Generous benefits More relaxed atmosphere Disadvantages: Fewer positions available Lower pay Less flexibility BTEC First Business by Carol Carysforth and Mike Neild http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci1154572,00.html# http://www.answers.com/

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.

Contemporary History in Anil’s Ghost Essay -- Literary Analysis

There is always a problem of historical inaccuracies in fiction. When certain historical events become a part of the narrative (especially when these events are controversial), it is important to understand what they mean in the author’s conception of history and reality in general. Far more important is to understand their place in this conception when we see that the author’s depiction of facts is unusual and what he does seems to be not the reflection of existing reality but the deconstruction of a different one. Terrorism, civil war, separatism – it is hard to remember the themes that would be more complicated and controversial in the modern world, because questions like these never have a certain answer. Michael Ondaatje’s Anil’s Ghost is a good example of a novel that deals with the most important problems of contemporary history. Anil’s Ghost, first published in 2000, and is dedicated to events of Sri Lankan Civil War. Michael Ondaatje claimed in interviews that his book is not â€Å"just about Sri Lanka; it could be Guatemala or Bosnia or Ireland† (Scanlan 302) – so it can be suggested that the author is trying to describe not this particular conflict, but the situation in general. In another interview Ondaatje says: â€Å"Anil's Ghost is a more faithful or more nonfictive version. It's a fiction. It is a novel, and it is also a point of view† (Coughlan). Sri Lanka is mentioned as one of the places in which the war â€Å"always seems to be there, and nobody goes to it anymore† (Champeon). The conflict that still takes place is set between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist group. Different issues state that at the moment the number of victims is about 80.000 people. The action takes place at the end o... ...every country with the similar circumstances and not only in Sri Lanka. The experience of civil war is reconstructed in destinies of main characters – everyone of them has his personal tragedy and deals with it the way he can. And when neither the executioner nor the victim can be identified, it becomes important to give the identity to at least one of the murdered. It has to be named, and the problem has to be named, too. Through the historical situation the author tries to show us the necessity of personal choice in the times when there is no choice for the nation or the whole country. Anil’s ghost is many different ghosts – ghost of innocent people, who disappeared or died, ghost of the past, which has to be dealt with; ghost of Sarath, who finally becomes a martyr. And these ghosts don’t seem to be Anil’s only. In some reasons they belong to each other.

Ideas De Tolstoi Vs. Camus :: essays research papers

Las experiencias son sin duda el factor mà ¡s determinante en la forma en las que el autor escribe, sin incluir por supuesto el estado de à ¡nimo en el que el autor se encuentre cuando escribe sin importar, el gà ©nero. Es frecuente leer un libro de una manera superficial porque se piensa que asà ­ esta escrita y luego encontrar biografà ­as e historias del autor y encontrar que no es coherente su manera de escribir y el tema en el cual circula la trama. Despuà ©s de volver a leer el libro te das cuenta que el libro estaba lleno de simbolismos, metà ¡foras formadas por toda una situacià ³n, y muchas otras sorpresas que no te imaginas al leerlo superficialmente. (Esto me sucedià ³ con Sidney Sheldon con un libro llamado â€Å"Morning, Noon & Night†). Es en ese punto en donde quiero enfocar este ensayo. Las diferencias que tienen las vidas de Tolstoi y la de Camus. Esa diferencia que se multiplica al escribir. Tolstoi que por un lado vivià ³ teniendo todo lo material y que se le pintaba una vida fà ¡cil y econà ³micamente holgada mientras que a Camus con su infancia y juventud llena de obstà ¡culos que afortunadamente logra sobrepasar. Pero en medio de todas esas diferencias existe una gran similitud en cuanto a la relacià ³n que existe entre sus vidas y los temas que escogen. El tema claramente no es el mismo, pero su forma de vida y su forma de escribir toman un rumbo igual en ambos autores. Si nos ponemos a relacionar el tema de â€Å"Metamorfosis† y la vida de Camus encontraremos que Gregorio es lo opuesto a Camus. En el libro, Gregorio es la apatà ­a total la falta de interà ©s por cualquier cosa, en cambio la vida de Camus es admirable, llena de logros y obstà ¡culos sobrepasados, enfermedades que a cualquier persona le pondrà ­a un alto y que a Camus no le impidieron seguir con su vida. Sucede igual con Tolstoi y â€Å"Ana Karenina†. Tolstoi que vive sin tener que preocuparse por el dinero ni por ningà ºn bien material habla y critica lo que mas le repugna de una clase que vio de cerca: la falsedad social y moral. Y es lo opuesto la soltura econà ³mica si lo vemos de la siguiente manera. Es cada vez mas comà ºn encontrar esa hipocresà ­a en la gente mientras nos ubicamos en un sector socioeconà ³mico mas elevado. Otra cosa que me ha llamado la atencià ³n y que me ha hecho ponerme a pensar es la cuestià ³n que se refiere al hecho de que un autor exprese todas esas tramas que de algà ºn modo se le relacionan.

Feminism in Jane Eyre Essay

Abstract: Charlotte Bronte’ masterpiece Jane Eyre symbolized a new era in the history of literature. It awakened women’s awareness to be independent. It brought about a completely new concept of marriage and of the value of life to a woman. That is marriage should base on true love, equality and respect rather than social ranks, materials or appearance. Marriage should be the combination of souls as well as bodies. The heroine of the novel Jane Eyre has successfully demonstrated the image of a woman who is intelligent, independent, kind-hearted and most importantly, brave enough to say â€Å"no† to the social conventions and live up to her principle in life. The author Charlotte Bronte is acclaimed to be a pioneer in the campaign of feminism. This essay is to explore and appreciate the spirits of feminism reflected in this novel and also reveal the limitations in demonstrating the concept of feminism. Key Words: Jane Eyre, feminism, limitations ?. Introduction: In the 19th century, women were considered to be appendages to men. Marriage and family life were the whole world to women. Women depended upon men physically, financially and spiritually. This essay is to explore and appreciate the spirits of feminism reflected in this novel Jane Eyre, whose author took the lead in the campaign of feminism. There are three parts in the process of demonstration. The first part is about the oppression laid by the four main men characters on Jane. The second part is about three main women characters and their images in this novel. The last part is to point out some limitations of the author when illustrating feminism. ?. Body 1. Men’s oppression upon women The novel was written in the early 19th century when men played a dominant role in society. Women were considered to be inferior to men. All that women were supposed to do was follow the instructions of men and be the subsidiary addition to men’s life. Four men in Jane’s life had laid oppression on her in different degrees. Jane survives the oppression and led herself constantly to her own desirable life. 1. The oppression from John Reed The first male character to oppress Jane was her cousin John Reed, who in part made little Jane live in shadow and fears when she was only a young girl. The boy hit Jane whenever he felt like only because Jane was an orphan. Poor little Jane could do nothing but bear the hurts both physically and spiritually. At last, Jane’s feelings of hatred and indignity went out of control. For the first time, Jane stood up and fought back when John hit her again. Her cry of â€Å" Wicked boy† at John declares her determination to fight against this unfair world. This quarrel and fight led to her life in Lowood in which she felt much happier. 2. The oppression from Mr. Brocklehurst Mr. Brocklehurst represents those who had firm belief in women-inferiority theory. He demanded the girls in Lowood to wear ugly or even broken clothes, eat far-from-enough harsh food and led a hard life. In his opinion, girls should lead a simple life in order to cultivate the virtue of subordination and dependence. He once insulted Jane in front of Jane’s teachers and classmates. He claimed Jane to be a wicked girl only because Mrs. Reed, Jane’s Aunt, told him so. Though depressed and heart-broken, Jane finally showed with her own deeds to her teachers and classmates that she was not a wicked girl as Mr. Brocklehurst claimed. 3. The oppression from Edward Rochester Even Edward Rochester, Jane’s lover, wanted to lay some oppression or control upon Jane. Before their marriage, he wanted to use the necklace to circle up the thoughts and feelings of Jane. He wanted the ring to restrict Jane’s actions. Further, he wanted the beautiful wedding dress to change Jane’s appearance a little bit. Though at first, out of the love for Mr. Rochester, Jane intended to give in, but in the end she refused all of them. She just wanted to act what Jane was like and preserve her own unique characteristics. 4. The oppression from St. John St. John hold absolute faith in the social convention that a woman’s value was realized only when she devoted her life to a man. He took it for granted that it was the privilege and honor of Jane to go to India with him and help his work as his wife. He thought Jane would agree with him at last because it was what a good woman should be like. Jane firmly declined this idea because she wanted a marriage based on true love and mutual understandings. 2. The image of women characters The heroine of the novel Jane Eyre has undoubtedly succeeded in building up the image of a woman who has the courage to fight against the unfair reality and pursue the equality in life. She calls for women to struggle for and be the mastery of their own lives. During the whole story, Jane serves as a positive character. By the development of Jane’s thoughts and feelings, the author conveys the spirits of feminism. Miss Blanch Ingram serves as a contract character against Jane. She represents the typical girls from noble families in that time. All she wanted was to find a rich man to depend on and get married with him. In her opinion, a woman’s duty was to make her appearance attractive and beautiful in order to win the heart of a rich man. Marriage should base on social ranks and money only and husbands and children are the whole world for a woman. Her rude behaviors and contempt upon â€Å"ordinary† people have fully illustrated her lack of cultivation and education. The image of Miss Blanch Ingram also symbolized the women victims of the social conventions. They lost their soul or even lost control of their bodies and they didn’t have the slightest idea of the value of a woman’s life. hey lived and were quite willing to live as the belongs of men. The mad women living on the 3rd floor arouses readers’ suspicion and speed up the development of the plot. In addition, she helped to turn on a new page of Jane’s life (Rosemarie Putnam Tong, 1998). Because of the terrible set by the mad woman, the Thornfield was reduced to ashes and Mr. Rochester became blind and lost one arm. Everything in the past had become history and a new chapter in Jane’s life had opened. In Ferndean Manor, a quiet and peaceful place, Jane and her beloved Mr. Rochester began to lead a new life in which Jane was no longer inferior to him and Jane’s stature has changed because she was rich thanks to the heritage from her dead uncle. 3. The limitations in demonstrating Feminism It’s beyond any doubt that Charlotte Bronte has brought about the idea of feminism in this novel but she failed to demonstrate the concept perfectly. The spirits of feminism are supposed to advocate equality between men and women (Rosemarie Putnam Tong, 1998). The reason why the author failed is she demonstrated the concept of â€Å"equality† partially. In the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester, Jane was a relatively stronger character. At the first time they met, Jane helped the injured Mr. Rochester and at the end of the novel, Jane helped Mr. Rochester to deal with his daily life because of his blindness and disability. Furthermore, Jane was rich while Mr. Rochester turned poor, old and ugly. The author seems to arrange their marriage in this kind of condition on purpose. In Jane’s preparation for her marriage when she was still a governess in Thornfield, she refused all the jewelry or beautiful dresses Mr. Rochester had prepared for her. She didn’t want to be changed into another woman. The very reason for this kind of feelings and was Her refusal of the offer is due to her strong sense of inferiority. She was poor and her social status was low at that time. The author didn’t’ arrange Jane’s marriage in the condition. Instead, Jane got married with Mr. Rochester when she was rich and Mr. Rochester was poor due to the big fire. Only in this circumstance, Jane was willing enough to marry Mr. Rochester because â€Å"I love you better now, when I can really be useful to you, than I did in your state of proud independence, when you disdained every part but that of the giver and protector† (Charlotte Bronte, 1975:451). Jane’s marriage was in fact based on a kind of incompleteness and inequality at least in terms of the couple’s physical conditions and social status. Charlotte subtly conveys the idea that feminism can be realized only in an incomplete marriage. The readers would be a little distressed when intelligent, kind-hearted and independent Jane gained her happiness in this way. The concept of feminism the author conveys to some extent goes to extremes. ? Conclusion The novel Jane Eyre successfully constituted an intelligent, kind-hearted and independent woman image. It arouses people’s awareness of feminism. The four men characters’ oppression upon the heroine Jane reveals the low social status of women in that period of time. The three women images in the novel represent different thoughts or ideas among women in that age. The novel serves as a pioneer in the cause of women’s liberation though it fails to convey the concept of â€Å" feminism† to the fullest extent because it fails due to its failure to balance the equality between men and women.