The assignment should be presented as a Journal opinion article and Essay - 2

The assignment should be presented as a Journal opinion article and address an economic issue of current interest to Wall Street Journal readers - Essay Example This is according to the National Association of Realtors monthly survey on real- estate agents. On the other hand, foreclosing has incorporated selling out at a discount rate to traditional homes. This is because of lenders’ motivation to cut the price and in order to sell fast. In addition, the maintenance of these homes is not up to standard. As a result, a foreclosed property sale can bring down the ‘comps’ involved in appraising the value of other homes being sold in the neighborhood. A survey carried out indicates that, sales from previously owned homes have gone down during the last eight months. The sales were down 7.5% a year earlier, resulting to five consecutive months where sales have dropped below the year earlier level (Timiraos, 2014). Moreover, some of the decline in the existing home sales is because of shrinking supply of distressed homes. To the home sellers and builders, this is good news, unlike for the investors or real estate agents whose living was depended on recycling these properties onto the market. Although the home prices no longer depreciate, traditional sellers have been reluctant in listing their homes for sale. In addition, the building of new homes is still low. The impact of this is that, the homes in the market are not many. The effect of this is that, prices are very high due to the high demand but the homes are less in supply. To the homeowners, this is a great deal but unwelcoming to anyone in search for a house and currently does not possess one. Therefore, even as home sales have decreased, monthly supply of homes is way below the highs of housing bust because there are few homes available to make a choice. The slowing effect of housing market is therefore due to a few homes available for sale, leading to high prices. These gains are the cause of homes being less affordable, particularly after mortgage rates heightened recently.

Global Enterprise and Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global Enterprise and Innovation - Essay Example The world has witnessed major changes in the global marketplace since the 1980s (Chai 1998). Liberalisation of capital markets and world trade encouraged by globalisation has produced a new competitive field for all businesses. With the development towards more interdependence among countries, a number of adjustments in the business setting have appeared. There has been an appearance of international markets for financial investment, labour, products, and services. The demands of consumers all over the world have met. Growing liberalisation of trade and investment promoted by developments in communication and transportation technologies has led to even more global business transactions. These developments have resulted in two major impacts of globalisation, namely, (1) global market opportunities, and (2) global market threats. It is clear that the process of globalisation not just provides more opportunities to business organisations, but greater degree of threats as well. Although opportunities can be created by globalisation, instability and competition are unavoidable. Even though largely cited in earlier literature, studies connecting these influences to business performance remain limited. This requires more research on the relationships between globalisation and firm performance. These two areas will be discussed in relation to international business activities in China. The Impact of Legal and Political Environment of China on Business Activities Because economic change started in 1978, the Chinese government has intentionally initiated commercial and legal reforms in order to exploit the economic interest of China, both locally and internationally (Guthrie 2008). Loosening of regulations on foreign direct investment (FDI), changing State ownership and economic liberalisation in general are just practical instruments. The government views the free market as a way to achieve its goals, not as an ideological tool (Wei & Xiaming 2001). The policies will tr ansform whenever it is believed that it is important to do so. The Chinese government is acting in harmony with Confucianism; laissez-faire capitalism is applied to create wealth (Wei & Xiaming 2001), but it is the state’s duty to make sure that the produced wealth is spent for the most needed goals. New policies on FDI are proclaimed almost every year and smaller regulatory reforms more frequently than that. The 1990s also witnessed the start of a development towards power devolution to local and regional governments (Xiaojuan 2003). Hence, one of the most important rules of dealing with the Chinese government is to acknowledge that various departments at various levels could have the right to meddle with business activities. And, they could each be operating towards completely distinct objectives. The Chinese government has major powers. It can turn down future projects, and it can remove permits from current ones. In 1996, on a single day, the Tianjin government remove per mits for numerous joint ventures, because of conflicts between partners and/or problem with productivity (Ambler & Witzel 2003). Government also has major influence. As different from power, this implies that the Chinese gover

Procurement Strategy For Jh Private Hospital Construction Essay

Procurement Strategy For Jh Private Hospital Construction Essay In regards to this Im glad to inform you that I will be going though with report of procurement strategies. I will also analyse each strategy and show a list of advantages and disadvantages of each type with recommendations and in summary come with the most suitable method to satisfy requirements vis-ÃÆ'Â  -vis the key client requirements. I will try to make the report recommendations as clear to understand as possible and reasons for disregarding alternative methods again regarding the clients brief. Thank you very much for contacting me i currently have no issues for further clarification The traditional method has been used in the construction industry for many years. It one of the most used methods of procurement and has two main features. Firstly each stage is separate with no overlap between the design and construction phases. Secondly all of the drawings, schedules and quantities must be given by the client before contractor can start tendering process for carrying out any work (jctltd.co.uk/traditional-procurement). Pros One advantage of the traditional procurement method is that the cost of the project is usually known before the construction is started therefore reducing any finance issues. A contractual commitment on price gives the client more pieces of mind and greater security when applying for finance. Pricing is competitive for contractors. As the design is finished before the build this generally means the design is well documented and therefore has better clarity for the construction stage. Low risk in project allocation. (Procurement_SingleStageTendering_Nov08) Cons With the traditional procurement method design and construction are separate processes this means that the time on the particular project will be vastly greater than that of other jobs. Another disadvantage with using the traditional procurement method is that as the design and construction are done at separate stages which means that any issues that arise in the construction stage can be very difficult and costly to fix. If financial issues do arise the contract does have can adjust the costs. Traditional Method with Two Stage Tendering The traditional procurement method with two stage tendering, is a slightly different process to single stage tendering. A Contractor is appointed on the basis of a first stage tender which determines the level of overhead and profit for each Contractor (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk). The Contractor works with the Project Team in the second stage and then develops the designs to determine costs for the work. This gets a fixed price for the designs. Pros Early appointment of the main contractor and a quicker start on site. Securing the involvement of a contractor on a competitive basis More client involvement in the appointment of subcontractors. Motivating the design and construction teams to reduce cost and increase value (all 4 above from www.building.co.uk). Cons This method requires a second stage period in which to design and tender the different work which lengthens time before construction can start on site. Increases the risks of an increase in price and a less clarification on completion date (Procuement.PDF). Design and Build The design and build process is again a very commonly used method of procurement. The Client appoints a building contractor. As with traditional methods, cost for the project is agreed and set with contracts. The Contractor is responsible for design and construction. The Contractor can be chosen through a tender process. The client can appoint a consultant to oversee the works. (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk) Pros Design and build is a much quicker process than the traditional method. Main contractor is responsible for the design and the construction of the project which means better flow between both processes. Costs are certain as with traditional which means easier gathering of funds from the bank. Almost 70% of traditional contracts end up over budget, compared to DB which is only around 25-30% over budget (wiki.answers.com) Cons Could cost more as bidders and can increase the price as they are tied into both the design and build stages. The contractor has no incentive to save money as they will always end up with a percentage. Some bidders will leave things out looking for expensive changes. Construction Management Construction Management is a fast track strategy this means a reduction in project time by overlapping the project design and construction phases. The provider will appoint a Construction Manager to manage the overall for a fee. Also the project has early involvement from the contractor. In this process the contracts for the sub-contractors are placed directly between the client and the sub-contractor. Construction management also has a high level of client involvement in both phases of work. Final costs unlike traditional and design and build are not known until after the project work has finished (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk). Pros Quick method to use as design and build stages overlap Early involvement from contractor which benefits the client, getting early cost estimates (www.davislangdon.com). Design can be changed during the build process far easier than with traditional methods. Cons Final costs are unknown until work has finished. Construction manager has no direct contract with the trade contractors (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Difficult to control cost increases (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Public Private Partnerships (PPP), Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Public Private Partnerships (PPP), particularly Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) projects are were a project is designed built and paid for by a business who appoints a contractor; it is then leased back to the client usually over a 30 year period. This tendering process in this procurement route is expensive and requires negotiation rather than competitive tendering. (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk) Pros The Risks of the project lye with private sector rather than the client. Method involves specialist private sector construction knowledge (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Cons In comparison with other procurement methods it takes a lot longer for work to start on site. Loss of control in the construction trade by the public sector. Can be hard to show value for money (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Confusion over what happens at the end of the buildings lease also brings up issues. Management Contracting Management contracting is also a fast track strategy which overlaps the design and construction stages and allows the project construction to start before the design is fully completed. The Management Contractor is appointed early in the design (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk). However like PFI and PPP final costs cannot be determined until the build is finished as adaptations to the design can increase cost. Pros Management Contractor has early involvement and manages works contractors (www.worldservicesgroup.com) One management structure which means the project can run more smoothly Cons No responsibility for design and construction. Management Contractor only responsible for workmanship to the extent that works contractor is responsible /able to pay (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Decision Matrix Criteria S= Score WS= Weighted Score Weighting Traditional Method. Traditional Method With 2 Stage. Design and Build. Construction Management. PFI, PPP. Management Contracting. S WS S WS S WS S WS S WS S WS A). Early contractor input into the design process. 6 2 12 2 12 5 30 6 36 6 36 6 36 B). Early start and finish or shortest total procurement time. 5 3 15 1 5 6 30 5 25 1 5 4 20 C). The building is highly specialised and technologically advanced. 4 6 24 6 24 4 16 4 16 5 20 4 16 D). A high quality of finish is important. 3 5 15 5 15 3 9 1 3 2 6 4 12 E). Project sponsor to retain design team control. 2 4 8 4 8 6 12 5 10 4 8 3 6 F). Flexibility to make changes once the work has begun. 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 5 5 4 4 5 5 Total Weighted Score 75 65 100 95 79 95 Recommendation of the Most Suitable Client-Financed Procurement Option The recommended procurement type for the John Hopkins Private Hospital in the Northeast is design and build. This is for many reasons. Firstly on the decision matrix the order of priority which has been specified by the client, design and build arrives at the highest score of 100. Design and build also rates highly on the top 3 most important factors in the decision matrix. A key aspect in the design brief is the fact the hospital must be high spec containing high tech equipment to make the John Hopkins Private Hospital a European centre of excellence. Design and build performs well to create a high spec building as there is no incentive by the contractor to save money which may be considered a disadvantage in some cases but not in this instance. Also in the budget sense unlike construction management, PFI and management contracting, the precise costs are known from the outset of the project once the design has been finished and before the construction begins and unlike the traditional methods, the majority of design and build projects finish on budget. Another important factor specified was early input from the contractor. Design and build performs well here too, as the contractor is appointed early and also as an added bonus runs both the design and build stages of the project which means smoother running and less likelihood of mistakes in both the design and construction stages of the project. However unlike construction management, PFI and management contracting, design and build does not perform as well as it is more difficult to alter the design once construction has started, yet this is not particularly high on the agenda for the project. Finally design and build projects on whole do have an early start and finish time which is high up on the criteria. This is because as the contractor is selected early and runs both the design and construction stages the project runs smoother and therefore faster yet maintains quality.

Geothermal Energy is the Solution to the Energy Crisis Essay examples -

Geothermal Energy: A Solution to the Energy Crisis Abstract So far, scientists have not found a successful substitute for fossil fuels that can handle both the large demand for energy and solve the global warming problem. I propose that geothermal energy is a clean, widely available, and renewable alternative to the usage of fossil fuels. In this paper, I will explain how use of geothermal resources can be energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective. I believe that the US government should increase funding for geothermal energy research. This may be the solution to our present energy crisis and global warming. Introduction There is a call of action to solve today’s energy crisis. What we need urgently is a clean, abundant, and reliable source of energy. Geothermal energy may be the solution. Geothermal energy does not produce CO2 and is inexpensive compared to the unbelievably high gas prices. This type of energy is also renewable so it can continue to feed the growing population of the world. â€Å"New [geothermal] facilities can produce electricity for being between 4.5 and 7.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, making it competitive with new conventional fossil fuel-fired power plants.† (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2) This shows that if there is more research focused onto this topic, geothermal energy may become the solution to our energy crisis. Current Energy Consumption Currently, the energy consumption has been increasing exponentially. Energy consumption increases by 2% each year causing a doubling in only 35 years. As of 2003, the energy consumptions in quadrillion BTU (British Thermal Unit= 1055.06 Joules) are: North America- 118.3, Europe- 127.4, Asia- 120.2, Middle East- 19.6, Central/South America- 21.9, ... ...y source." 22 Jan. 2007. 27 June 2008 . Moore, Bill. "Sustainble Iceland: Geothermal Wonderland." 25 July 2008 . Sandoval, Steve. "Valles Caldera Geothermal focus of talk Thursday at Laboratory's Bradbury Science Museum." 26 July 2008 . Solar4Scholars. "Geothermal Energy." 25 July 2008 . Union of Concerned Scientists. How Geothermal Energy Works. 21 July 2008 . World Chancing Team. ""Hot Rocks" for Home Energy." Tools, Models and Ideas for Building a Bright Green Future. 21 July 2008 .

Communications and Information Technology and Legislation

Aistear is the curriculum framework for children from birth to six years. The Framework helps children grow and develop as confident and competent learners through fun, interesting and challenging experiences. The Aistear Toolkit is the place where you can access lots of practical resources online to help you get started with using Aistear. One of the topics discussed on the Aistear toolkit is learning through play. Children love to play and these resources will help a teacher to support children to learn through their play as suggested throughout the curriculum. We will now review one of the Aistear videos named Planning and Organising Play. The video is produced by an infant teacher. The teacher looks at pedagogical framing and her experiences of planning and organising her own classroom. There are many excellent suggestions as to how to set up play in a class room environment which I will explain next, however there are one or two weaknesses that if I was given the opportunity I would change to this video. Overall the video is very helpful and it does give excellent advice from an experienced infant teacher that would be like gold dust to an inexperienced teacher new to this profession. We will name the teacher Mary for the purpose of this critique as Aistear does not state the name of the presenter. Mary looks at pedagogical framing which she states lays the foundations for play. She calls it behind the scene work. According to Mary it includes the provision of resources, arrangement of space, and the establishment of daily routines, thematic planning and assessment. Mary communicates her message across in an orderly and mannerly tone. She is easy to listen to and reminds me of a teacher that I had many years ago wise and well experienced. I would be confident to implement her suggestions just by the tone of her voice. If I had one negative point in relation to the speaker that would be that she does not appear at any point throughout the video. It would be nice to be able to connect with her as she explains her view. The video has many strengths and I found many parts very helpful for planning play activities in the past. Mary uses her past experiences to help give advice with planning and organising a class room. The video starts by recommending different play areas that could be introduced into the classroom, Mary recommends that the teacher should choose five or six areas for the academic year. Such as sand area, water area, block area, small world, creative and social dramatic areas. Mary takes each play area that she recommends and explains the benefits of using these for the children’s learning and development. Using her experience she explains that the sand area works very well in her classroom, she goes on to explain that sand areas are excellent for small group play and that it encourages the children to use their imagination. Her advice is very helpful when she suggests that the children should select other resources from other types of play e. g. small world. I found her suggestions very helpful when planning my own activities and my learning goals were achieved when using the ideas from this video. The video explains the learning goals that can be achieved using these play areas such as having a sand area in the class room creates a learning environment, children learn sorting, counting and learn mathematical questions naturally. When I was planning activities and trying to introduce the Aistear themes such as Exploring and Thinking I introduced the sand activity to help the children understand concepts such as matching, ordering, counting, sorting, and capacity in an enjoyable and meaningful way. Mary explains that by using a water area for play it arouses the children’s curiosity and that whilst children play in the water area they are verbally interacting together. Asking questions and making comments bring forward ideas and suggestions and helps groups agree on solutions. She talks about real life or imaginative experiences using the blocks area. That play must be purposeful. This is very relevant to Aistear as throughout the Aistear curriculum it is suggested that play must have meaning so that the children will achieve there learning goals. Mary explains all the areas of play in great detail and links are evident throughout that the Aistear Curriculum is at the heart of this video, however if you as a viewer were not familiar with the curriculum and were using this video to help you to create your activity plans your plans would not meet the level that the curriculum would expect because the video does not make any distinct links to the actual layout of the Aistear curriculum. She does not mention the themes such as Well-being, Identity and Belonging, Communicating or Exploring and Thinking. The play areas that are mentioned do cover the learning goals for the themes and for an inexperienced person training to be a teacher they would not make this connection. If the video had captions throughout of the themes it would link the curriculum and the video perfectly. The Curriculum is designed around different age groups (birth to six years). The video does not mention the age groups or how each play area could be used for the different age categories. Throughout the Aistear Curriculum examples are given for babies, toddlers and young children and Mary does not implement this important distinction in the video once. The video suggests types of play that are low cost for materials and easy to set up using everyday items. The teacher recommends that the play areas be changed annually to prevent boredom for the teacher and the children. However the teacher recommends that the socio dramatic area should always be present in the classroom but does not explain why. Mary talks about the physical layout of the classroom finally which I feel was not necessary as there is a separate video in the toolkit which explores this topic in great detail. The video in my opinion is not long enough for this topic to be mentioned. This time could have been allocated to the Aistear themes and how they were achieved using the play areas discussed throughout the video. Overall the video has many useful ideas that can easily be taken and used to create a playful environment but I feel from all the information available to me that there is not a strong enough connection between the actually hard copy of Aistear and the video. References: Aistear Curriculum www.ncca.ie Aistear Toolkit www.ncca.ie/aisteartoolkit‎ Video: Planning and Organising Play http://vimeo.com/21112275

H&M: Target Costing and Business Model Essay

In the world globalization competitive increasingly environment, how is H&M’s business model maintain and enhance the competitiveness of high-speed growth? With the research of target costing and business model of system innovation theory, you can understand the H&M’s successful business. And you can understand to make much more profit by controlling target costing. Password 1: Accurately grasp and dig into the demand of the client value. Customer, this is undoubtedly the center of the whole enterprise. Philip Kotler , who from American Marketing From EMKT.com.cn think solving the problem in accordance with the conventional innovation of logic in such a competitive market is no longer applicable. But creative thinking that is based on customers showing growing charm. It is by the original alternative concept and product development to stimulate new markets and profit growth. Obviously, H&M is the master of â€Å"creative thinking† to customer demand, H&M noted that almost every shopper likes fashionable design and image of luxury clothes. But the vast majority of people have to wait until the clearance sale. Why cannot meet the customers demand of famous brand fashion design and cheap parity? According to the survey of professional organizations Verdict Research, the average price of clothing in 1995 fell 34%. But in the same period the number of women buying clothes has doubled. This suggests that consumers pay more attention to the fashion style. They buy more clothes, but wearing the times less. Meanwhile, the current consumer market is showing to the two extreme diversion state of â€Å"luxury† and â€Å"save money. In the â€Å"luxury† mode, consumers buy product and service of high quality, reflecting the personality characteristics and meeting the emotional needs at any cost. In the â€Å"save money† mode, consumers try their best to find low-cost but high-quality goods. These â€Å"contradictions† demand implies the desire of consumers for affordable fashion. H&M Fashion Group, which is to see the change of social structure and consumers, seeking to find crack password equilibrium point, creating a cheap fashion clothing brand positioning. It use the combination of its use of changing fashion and luxury quality and public evaluation to realize trafficking â€Å"fashion† like McDonald’s selling hamburgers.