History of work-family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History of work-family - Essay Example This essay seeks to address how these changes have had an effect on employees and their relationships with their families. The project will also expatiate on the rules that have been put in place to help individuals have the ability to balance their lives in terms of family and work. Unlike in the past, employees are faced with so much pressure of being able to support their families. Coupled with the harsh economic times, it is becoming more difficult for employees to be able to have quality time spent with their families as many individuals opt to have two or more jobs so as to maximize on their income. This paper also discusses the history of work since the 19th century. It also examines the challenges that men and women who were in employment faced as they tried to acquire a balance between family and work (Hammill, 2005). The paper also looks at how social levels have an effect on family structures, and how these structures change with time. Finally, the paper also glimpses at t he expectations that the society had of men and women who had employment outside the home thorough 40s to the 60s. At some point between 1960 and 1980, the dynamics of the family changed, and this could be attributed to a number of factors. These issues included divorce, single parenting and same sex partners. Currently, some companies are implementing commitments to employees by creating environments of open communication, appealing jobs, safe working conditions, and good benefits. Researching European work/ family policies we can see where legislation might need to change to become beneficial to all. During the industrial revolution in America in late 19th century, many of the working class in America and Europe moved from the rural areas to find urban jobs. There was also massive migration of people from their countries to the new American and European cities. As a result of these movements from the rural farms and foreigners into America and Europe, there was a total disruption of the social engagement of the people. This was because of the mix-up of the numerous cultures of the people in the newly formed American and European cities (Gornick & Meyers, 2004). It formed a prominent need for these people to be able to interact due to their diverse backgrounds. Fortunately for these huge populations, their numbers called for a vibrant economy which left some workers and employees a frustrated lot as they faced exploitation and unjust working conditions. The reformers of the time identified this problem and created organizations which came to be known as labor unions. Their goal was to fight for the rights of all workers to have fair terms of employment. They also advocated for a balance between work and family. The unions also had the goal of seeking economic protection of workers. These unions provided workers with the sense of belonging to a group with common goals, a factor that also served to motivate them in their workplaces. As these unions continued to gain influence and recognition in America, they also began to make public issues that were once thought to be private. Such included the employment of women and children. The organizations helped draw the line between children helping their parents and families, and engaging them in laborious work for little or no pay. By the year 1910, there were clear laws in place regarding child labor and exploitation, the appropriate working hours, and unsafe practices in

I Just Wanna be Average by Mike Rose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

I Just Wanna be Average by Mike Rose - Essay Example According to Rose, how does coming from a working-class background shape one's identity? Mike Rose had come from a working-class family which had sacrificed a lot to enable their son to join a Catholic school in expectation of enhanced education. However, Rose was put in the vocational education by mistake and his parents also could do nothing about it since they had no idea about the standardized education system of America. According to Rose, if a child belongs to the working class in a vocational education, he is treated in a guarded manner. In other words, he is considered‘ slow’ by the school, he is given a curriculum which doesn’t liberate rather restrains him from gaining knowledge and even if some training is provided it is always below the esteem level of the society (Rose, 1989). 3. According to Rose, how do students act "average'? Students who are unable to cope up with the vocation education system often defend themselves by acting â€Å"average†. ...These vocational schools trigger them to act ‘average’ because instead of giving them a better education to rectify their disabilities, they provide them a below average education from under-qualified teachers (Rose, 1989). 4. What does Rose mean by "students will float to the mark you set?" By saying â€Å"students will float to the mark†, Rose wants to imply that the attitude a teacher carries for the student, the same attitude will be replicated by the students. In other words, if a teacher does not put any endeavor in teaching the students a lesson, the students will also not put any endeavor in comprehending it. For instance, a teacher who is tedious and delusional and exerts only verbal power cannot teach anything to his students and as a result, the students will also not show any interest and effort towards learning. Higher the willingness and quality of teaching of the teacher, higher will be the degree of an outcome of the students (Rose, 1989). 5 . What does Jack MacFarland offer Rose that finally helps him learn? MacFarland saw great potential in Rose and swayed him to pursue a college education. It was under the tutelage of MacFarland that Rose developed the passion for learning, reading, and writing. The influence of MacFarland helped Rose recognize his true inner self and what he wanted to be. Owing to hard work and the complete support of MacFarland, Rose was finally able to attend college (Rose, 1989). 6. Can you, as a former high school student, relate to any parts of this article? Explain. As a former high school student, I can definitely relate to the hardships that these working-class students or those with learning disabilities have to go through.

The Role of a Quantity Surveyor

The Role of a Quantity Surveyor Quantity Surveyors are also widely known as construction economist or cost manager. They are known as one of the professional advisers to the construction industry. As an advisory, Quantity Surveyors estimate and monitor all construction cost thought the whole development process which is shown as below:- In each phase there consists of many stages. Quantity Surveyors are also involve with tax depreciation schedules, replacement cost estimation for insurance purposes and if necessary intervention and negotiation. Quantity Surveyors are mostly employed as consultants to the clients on major building and construction projects. In the development process Quantity Surveyors tend to work closely together with architects, projects owner, accountants, insurance underwriters, lawyers and judges and also with all levels of government authorities. These are the stages in each phase:- However, the Quantity Surveyors mainly involved themselves from the feasibility stage of a project to the completion of the construction period. Inception Phase During the inception phase, clients instructions are given to Quantity Surveyors. Also, Quantity Surveyors will advise the client on the need to obtain statutory approvals and of the duties of the client under the CDM regulations. After they received information about the shop lots from the client, then they will visit the shop lots and carry out an initial appraisal. Appraisal The appraisal stage is the first stage in the development process which involves both identifying the clients requirements and the possible constraints on development. Studies will be undertaken to enable a client to decide on whether to proceed and if so which procurement route should be selected, on the basis of the outcomes required. In the other words, Quantity Surveyors will carry out studies to determine the feasibility of the Clients requirement. Strategic Briefing The strategic briefing stage, which is done by or on behalf of the client, identifies the key requirements and constraints involved. It identifies the procedures, organizational structure and the type and range of consultants to be used. It is important during this early part of the process to consider a range of issues that are going to determine whether the project has any chance of coming to fruition. Feasibility and Viability At feasibility stage, Quantity Surveyors use their knowledge of construction methods and costs to advise the owner on the most economical way of achieving his or her requirements. They may use techniques such as Cost Planning, Estimating, Cost Analysis, Cost-in-use Studies and Value Management to establish and control a project budget. Accurately determining the construction cost at project inception is the key to setting an achievable budget and assessing project feasibility. This is available for any proposed development including subdivision, construction, refurbishment or maintenance concept. Construction Phase During construction phase, Quantity Surveyors are called on to fairly value Progress Payments at regular intervals. They will also value changes to design or quantities which may arise by reference to appropriate Bill of Quantities rates. The contractors Quantity Surveyor/contract administrator will have prepared claims for progress payments and additional work. Mobilisation Mobilisation is the award of the building contract to the successful firm and the formal appointment of the contractor. During mobilisation, Quantity Surveyors provide production information as requested for the building contract and for construction of the shop lots. Construction to Practical Completion Construction to Practical Completion is the stage when the contractor commences the work on the shop lots. Throughout this stage, formal written instruction order are given to the contractor for changes in the design and valuation of the partially completed works are prepared and agreed for the purpose of interim payment certificates. Quantity Surveyors will make visits to the works in connection with the Architects design and provide further information reasonable required for construction. Upon completion, the formal signing over the project to the responsibilities of the client is made. Assessment, preparation and negotiation of the final account statement with the contractor, completes the projects construction financial status. When construction is completed, Quantity Surveyors can produce depreciation schedules of the various project components and advise on realistic insurance replacement costs. In the case of construction disputes the Quantity Surveyors are often called on as an expert witness, and some quantity surveyors act as arbitrators. Both the contractors and owners quantity surveyors will be involved in this. Finally, on completion the contractors hand over the building to the developer. Usually a defects liability period is written into the contract, and the contractor remains liable for repairs for a specified period. Finally, all outstanding payments will be settled and the building will be, hopefully, put into its intended use. Occupation Phase After Practical Completion After Practical Completion is one of the stages during occupation phase. One of the main tasks of Quantity Surveyors is to ensure that the project can be completed to the specified quality, the calculated costs and within the appreciate time scale. Besides that, they have to identify defects, make final inspections and also settle Final Account. Demolition Phase Demolition phase is the final stage in a projects life cycle. It may also a possible new beginning of the life cycle on the same site. In addition to new projects, Quantity Surveyor s also uses their skills in refurbishment of old buildings, alterations to existing buildings and insurance replacement estimates. In public authorities Quantity Surveyors maintain cost statistics on a state or nation-wide basis, and there are opportunities for academic careers in the building disciplines. Design Phase When this shop lots project approaches design phase, Quantity Surveyors involve themselves a lot in this phase. Outline proposals, detailed proposals, final proposals, production information, tender documentation and tender action are the stages in design phase. Outline Proposals As this stage progresses towards finalized plan, comparison and preparation of several alternative schemes are done in order to determine the general approach to the layout, design, and construction. Quantity Surveyors have to closely collaborate with all the members of the design team and the clients. An approximation of construction cost on shop lots is provided by Quantity Surveyors. Therefore, the Quantity Surveyors must maintain close contact with contractor as well as other professionals such as Architects and Engineers in order to determine the cost suggestion of the alternative proposals as they are prepared. Detailed Proposals At this stage, the shop lots design is getting more settled with more details which are contributed by all members of design teams. This detailed proposal is derived from the outline proposal. The specification, method of construction, and the preparation of a cost plan are critically examined. The cost plan prepared by the Quantity Surveyors shows the proposed distribution of costs over the elements or components of the shop lots. All the relevant design information such as ground floor plan, roof floor plan and ground beam details of the shop lots is collected. A detailed report regarding the design and the cost plan can be submitted to the clients before the detailed proposal is developed. The cost estimation, including both initial and future cost, of the shop lots is provided by the Quantity Surveyors. Final Proposals The detailed design of shop lots is finalized at this stage in order to move to the end of a set of final tender documentation. A variety of ideas from the members of design teams contribute greatly to final outcome. A fully estimation of cost on shop lots is prepared by Quantity Surveyors to provide clients with a possible tender price and cost checks for specific items in order to confirm that the cost required for the items is not over budget. Providing accurate cost estimation is crucial in this stage because there might have any changes in the design which will result in abortive work. Production Information Production information is prepared for tender purposes. The preparation of final drawings, schedules, and supporting specifications on the shop lots will be now preceded by the architects, engineers, and quantity surveyors. Preliminary tendering procedures is determined by Quantity Surveyors during this stage in order to prepare a list of potential main contractors, enquiries to sub-contractors and suppliers, invitation to tender, and information to tender documents. Tender Documentation At this stage, Quantity Surveyors play an important role to ensure that the project is carried out smoothly. The tender documents such as condition of contracts, specification, drawings and Bills of Quantities (BQ) are going to be finalized. These tender documents are provided by Quantity Surveyors to contractors, clients, and sub contractors for tender purpose. Quantity Surveyors prepare and collect the tender documents in adequate details to enable tenders to be attained. The role of Quantity Surveyors in this shop lots project is to ensure all the drawings, schedules, and specification particulars are correct. The BQ are designed principally as tendering documents, yet a valuable aid is also provided to the pricing of variations and computation of valuations for interim certificates. Besides, BQ which is prepared by Quantity Surveyors provides a good basic for cost planning and help in identification of work to ensure the cash flow in a correct way. The Quantity Surveyors also hav e to prepare the Prime Cost Sums and Provisional Sums of the shop lots. If there has an argument between clients and contractors regarding their interest on the shop lots, the Quantity Surveyors appear to solve this kind of conflicts. Tender Action The main purpose of the tender action is to choose the appropriate contractor to carry out construction work diligently. Various methods, which the client and his adviser may use to obtain offers, are covered in tendering procedures. The tendering procedures are divided into two parts which are open and selected tendering. In open tendering procedure, any firm that may be interested in this shop lots construction project is being invited through the press advertisement to submit a tender. On the other hand, the selected qualified contractor is contacted based on the financial background and other features in the selected tendering procedure. The Quantity Surveyors will ask the opinion of the selected contractor. Quantity Surveyors will also recommend the most suitable contractor to the client. The contractors who have more experiences in shop lots construction project are the first choice to be selected. This stage typically is approached about one month before the tender documents a re circulated. Conclusion The existence of Quantity Surveyors are getting more and more important in the construction field such as building construction , heavy construction or civil construction and industrial construction. Basically, Quantity Surveyor is the person who is responsible for figuring out just what a building is going to be cost and in some cases for making sure that the construction costs and production are managed as efficiently as possible such as the shop lots that in mentioned in Question 1. Shop lots are one of the examples of the commercial development. In order to build shop lots, millions of dollars which is depend on the client need is needed. Quantity Surveyors should be aware that the materials price of some important materials such as cement, iron, ready mix and others will always changes. Besides acts as the financial overseer of a particular project, Quantity Surveyors translate the plans into detailed costs. Quantity Surveyors also help to minimize the time scales, the costs of a project and enhance value for money, while still achieving the required standards and quality. Through negotiation, successful Quantity Surveyors can save large amounts of money for the companies th ey work for. In the current economic climate, where the construction industry is booming and construction companies are under increasing pressure to meet the needs of developers, and given the shortage of personnel, it is no surprise that Quantity Surveyors have expanded their role in this way. However, this practice must be monitored closely to prevent the integrity of the profession ever being called into question. Besides, Quantity Surveyors also must be flexible to any kind of work conditions such as site and office. For example, Quantity Surveyors are not only required to help the client in calculating the costs for a projects such as shop lots, they still need to go to site to ensure that the job had be done by the contractor according to the agreement that had be done before passing the project to the contractor. This can avoid contractual disputes to happen. In construction and development projects where the watch word is VALUE FOR MONEY , the Quantity Surveyors must be involved from the inception phase to . Last but not least, it is a truth that Quantity Surveyors professional skills are highly respected and often achieved top managerial status.

Creationism vs. Evolution Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Where we come from is a question as old as mankind itself. There are countless numbers of religions, each with their own twist on the origins of earth and mankind, but one of the most highly visible debates would be creationism vs. evolution. Depending on where your beliefs lie, the Earth has been around somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000 years to 4.5 billion years. One would tend to believe that this vast difference in time would make it impossible to have 2 â€Å"theories† that are so widely accepted. However this debate gives you just that. Each argument has its variations, however it comes down to either God created the Earth and all things in it as they are now or that life today has evolved from a single one-celled organism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Genesis God created the Earth and all things in it in 7 days (actually six days and one day for a little R&R). There are within the belief wide ranges of explanations for the scientific discoveries in modern times. In 2000 the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) created a committee to study the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis. What they found were 4 different views of creation days within their group. The first view is that God created the world in 6 consecutive days, with each day being a normal Earth calendar day (24 hours), any geological formations seen today (such as sedimentary rock formations with ten’s of thousands of years of different layers) are said to have come from the Flood in Noah’s time. The most generally accepted date of the creation of the Earth was October 22, 4004 B.C.E. Certain groups such as and especially Christian fundamentalists who believe in the inerrancy and literal interpretation of the Bible a re the main subscribers of this train of thought. One example of how this would be possible even when scientific evidence suggest that the Earth is far older then 6,000 years is that when God created things, he created them with a history. Trees would have been created already containing rings. New mountains would appear already eroded. In short, the world would appear much older then it actually is. Other examples such as the â€Å"Gap Theory† states that the days were in fact 24-hour periods, however there were large gaps of time between each one of them, enough time to accommodate many geological ages. The second view is th... ...tionism. Arkansas wanted equal time for evolution and creationism, while Louisiana was looking for either both be taught or neither. These laws were met with great resistance and were later deemed unconstitutional under the 1st amendment. In an ironical turn of events fundamentalist and evangelical Christians are now trying to get creationism back into the lesson plans of the science department, a total 180 from just 2 decades ago.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The evidence supporting evolution continues to increase, and someday we may be able to prove without a doubt that mankind developed from a more primitive species. Some fundamentalist groups though may never update their way of thinking no matter what science is able to prove, however, in my opinion, the vast majority of the â€Å"developed† world, will eventually make their way to a theistic evolutionary outlook. The combination of science and religion will offer someone the gift of knowledge with the piece of mind of knowing there is some guiding force, and not just some natural process without a specific goal. Albert Einstein said it best when he said, â€Å"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.†

A Review on Lifeboat Ethics Essay

Lifeboat ethics: the case against helping the poor is a famous essay written by Garret Hardin, a human ecologist in 1974. This article aims to re examine the lifeboat ethics which was developed by the author to support his controversial proposal. In the theory, the world is compared to a lifeboat with a carrying capacity of 60. There are totally 50 people on board, representing comparatively rich nations, while the 100 others swimming in the ocean outside the lifeboat stands for the poor nations. To solve the dilemma of whether the swimmers should be allowed to climb aboard at the risk of lifeboat’s safety, Hardin suggested that no admission should be granted to boat, or to interpret it in a straight way, no humanitarian aids should be offered to the poor countries. Regardless of the additional factors which the author took into consideration from the real world in the essay, in my opinion, the basic metaphor itself is questionable. Firstly, the status of the lifeboat is not an accurate reflection of reality. Arguably, natural resources of the earth are finite, however, this does not equal to the scarcity of resources in the control of the rich nations. On the contrary, nowadays in the developed countries, what the rich have used is out of proportion to their actual needs, which not only leads to colossal waste each year but also creates disposal problems. A familiar example is the popularity of losing weight among the western world, which is not solely a way of pursing beauty but also a clear indication of the growing number of obese people who consume food excessively. In contrast, in the third world especially poverty-stricken nations like Ethiopia, millions of people are filled with untold suffering. They drag themselves on the street from day to day, begging for only a slice of stale bread. Due to the unfair distribution of resources caused by the affluent people’s favorable political position, most rich nations currently obtain more than enough resources and they are still casting their greedy eyes on the untapped poor regions. In the light of the facts above, in the lifeboat metaphor people on board actually occupy  more room than normal and the real carrying capacity of a lifeboat is more than 60. With no admission given to those swimmers who are in need, the room is not allocated â€Å"to each according to his needs†, a principle the author cited in explanation of the rationale behind the lifeboat ethics. The second doubtful point is related to Hardin’s computation of conscience. In defense of the survivors’ guilt arising from not helping the poor, he claimed that â€Å"the net result of conscience-stricken people giving up their unjustly held seats is the elimination of that sort of conscience from the lifeboat†. He defined guilty about one’s good luck as a type of conscience and the newcomer’s lack of guilt about the rich people’s loss as conscience drain; but the author deliberately omitted the morality of rich people’s indifference to the poor asking for help. Counting the negative effects on total conscience in the lifeboat if no rescue is attempted, the final solution to the lifeboat dilemma might be changed. Essentially, the author’s negligence of social injustice against impoverished people and the ethical issue indifference is just a result of his bias for the rich countries. To improve the general population quality, the author repeatedly emphasized the necessity of reproduction control in poor nations and increasing the proportion of rich nation’s population. This suggestion in fact is based on the assumption that the people in rich nations are innately superior to their counterparts in poor countries, which is an apparent violation of the creed that everyone is born equal. In conclusion, the poor people should not be the sacrifice of the population growth in the developed regions. Logic and rigorous as the essay Lifeboat ethics: the case against helping the poor may appear to be, the author wrote more on behalf of the countries on board, group of which he belonged to. The author urged people to get rid of sentiment and make rational decisions, but ironically he himself deceived his mind with prejudice and sense of superiority.

Education and Funds Allocation: A Comparative Analysis Essay

Education, the act process of being educated or of educating, is an important aspect of a nation’s development (Houghton Miifflin, 2009). It is a key tool in the development of a civic awareness, competence, and cooperation (Stephenson, 2005). In the United States (US) Educational System, progression is from one to two years of pre-school education, to 12 years of average instruction, and to a four-stage higher education system (US Department of State, 2008). In 2004, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) set down different variables or indicators that determine how well a country’s educational system works (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2004). I. Indicators/Response and Explanatory Variables A. Response Variable. Response variables are those that indicate how effective a state’s education system is. From the indicators set by the UNESCO, this study will be focusing on the following response variables: Teachers’ Pay, Income per capita (income per person, including children), the percent of students graduating from the high schools, the number of people that are illiterate, and average Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) Verbal and Math Scores. B. Explanatory Variables. On the other hand, explanatory variables are those that affect or relate to the response variable. In the study, explanatory variables are: Dollars per Pupil, State Population, the Governor’s Salary, and the percentage of high school students taking the SAT. C. Analysis of Relationship between Variables. In general, explanatory variables affect and relate to response variables in different ways. Appendix A presents a table of the different education indicators in the different states and regions of US (Table 1). From these data, Table 1A was generated to present the summarized average statistical indicators per region. Figure 1 presents a line graph comparing the explanatory and response variables of each region. For purposes of comparison, figures from Table 1Awere adjusted to multiples of ten. In Figure 1, it can be seen that most of the response variables are directly related to the explanatory variable population. The spikes in the graph show that if the population is high, then consequently, the dollars per pupil is also high. This also goes for the teachers’ salary, except for the Western region where even though there was a dip in the population line, there was an increase in the line for Teachers’ Pay. Also, the West differed from the other regions when an increase in the income per capita line and percentage of high school graduates contradicted the plunge in the population line. The average SAT scores and illiteracy differed from the other indicators, since a rise in the population line showed a dip in the SAT and illiteracy lines. In all, population affects the response variables in different ways per region. On the other hand, the Governor’s pay, showed no definite effect or relation on the other response variables. II. Analysis of Basic Data Table 1B presents the condensed data on the educational indicators of the states of Nebraska and Virginia. Table 1B, along with Table 1A, can be seen in the appendices section. A. Nebraska Educational Indicators. The state of Nebraska has a population of 1,578,000. With this population, the following educational indicators were recorded: $4,831 dollars per student, an income per capita of $4,508, an average teachers’ pay of $26,600, an average SAT score of 484 (verbal) and 546 (math), a 59. 3 percentage of high school graduates, and a rate of six illiterate individuals out of every 100 people of Nebraska. B. Virginia Educational Indicators. In total contrast, the state of Virginia has a population of 6,187,000. Also, the following educational indicators were reported: $5,360 dollars per student, an income per capita of $4,701, an average teachers’ pay of $32,400, an average SAT score of 425 (verbal) and 470 (math), a 47. 8 percentage of high school graduates, and a rate of fourteen illiterate individuals out of every 100 people of Nebraska III. Comparison of the Two States A. Comparison of the Two States against Each Other Figure 2 presents a bar graph depicting the differences between the states of Virginia and Nebraska. From the graph, it can be seen that the state of Virginia has a larger population (6,187,000), especially when compared to that of Nebraska’s only around 1,578,000. And so, it is rather expected that Virginia has a higher dollars per pupil rate and a higher income per capita, also shown from the graph. With this population discrepancy, it is also expected that the state of Virginia also has a larger teachers’ pay.