Euthanasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Euthanasia - Essay Example Specifically, euthanasia has been defined as, â€Å"a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering" (Harris 2001, p. 70). Globally there are a variety of legal perspectives on euthanasia. In these regards one considers the nature of voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia, when the act occurs with the willful consent of the patient, is permitted in some countries. Conversely, involuntary euthanasia is globally prohibited. The last two decades have experienced tremendous controversy over euthanasia as individuals such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian popularized the practice, gaining significant media attention in the process; still, one must note that even as Kevorkian gained some mainstream acceptance, he was ultimately convicted for his actions. While legal considerations of euthanasia are a major concern, of late ethical concerns have most prominently dominated the collective discussion. This essay exam ines ethical concerns within secular and catholic perspectives. While Catholic doctrine spans a wide array of considerations, one of the most comprehensive perspectives exists in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Part 3, section 2 of the catechism addresses many considerations related to euthanasia. One considers that the Ten Commandments is a foundational doctrine not simply of the Catholic Church, but of the Christian faith. ... The catechism states, "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being" ("Vatican VA"). One considers that this passage more accurately stands against the act of euthanasia. Rather than simply prohibiting the act of murder this consideration extends the notion to include life as sacred from beginning to end, and granting God specific domain over life decisions. The preceding examples demonstrate that Catholic doctrine prohibits acts related to euthanasia. Still, individuals have argued that the nature of euthanasia – delivering one from their suffering – would be in line with the general mode of Christian thought. Further analytic consideration has been given to this counter-ar gument. While delivering an individual from suffering would seemingly be viewed as a positive step, it has been argued that Jesus suffering on the cross is positioned within the New Testament and larger Christian faith as a necessary aspect of life. In these regards, the suffering resulted in the forgiving of humanities sins. On a broader symbolic level it represents that oftentimes-suffering functions as a means of developing character or for ultimately positive reasons (Pavone). While the Catholic perspective on euthanasia strictly forbids its occurrence, there is a variety differing secular perspectives. In the realm of medical ethics one of the prominent ethical approaches is that of natural law. Natural law as established in Greek antiquity states that, â€Å"man should live life

Augusta Nationals Two Female Members Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Augusta Nationals Two Female Members - Essay Example The Augusta National Golf Club has shown gender discrimination throughout its history by allowing none of its almost 300 members to be a woman until recently, when the Cub took an action long overdue on it by announcing Condoleezza Rice, the former US Secretary of State, and Darla Moore, the South Carolina financier to be its members. The Club was also publicly pressured by Martha Burk, the women’s rights activist in the year 2001 to allow membership to women, but Hootie Johnson, the chairman of the Club at that time said in response that the Club might alter its policy one day â€Å"but not at the point of a bayonet† (Johnson cited in Tyler). When Bubba Watson joined the Augusta National Golf Club’s tradition of wearing the green jacket upon winning the Masters Golf Tournament, the celebrations were tarnished by the exclusive discrimination displayed by the Club towards the women. One of the lawyers said that the implications of this discrimination could be broader and extend to all working women. The Augusta National Golf Club has been disreputable for a long time in history because of its disallowance for women to become its members. â€Å"The fathers and sons of Augusta know full well that they have built for themselves not just a golf course but one of the great corridors of power in America, and with chests fully puffed, have fiercely and proudly denied women access to those corridors† (Brennan).... In addition to that, all of the past IBM CEOs had served as the Club’s members. The only factor that differed this time was that the CEO was a woman unlike the past CEO members who were all men. Payne retreated the discussion and Rometty did not wear the green jacket to symbolize the club’s membership over the weekend. David Scher, the Employment Law Group’s attorney expected the effects of the exclusive policy of the Augusta National Golf Club to reach all working women. He said, â€Å"This is not the only place that this is happening. Free association allows all kinds of clubs, but there are lots of men's organizations that keep women out of the workforce and it is really time for that to change† (Scher cited in Mielach). 21st century is the time for the discrimination to recede, be that against races or genders. Discriminatory policies do not help any organization holding it, but just serves to complicate things for certain members of the society. †Å"Playing golf and other pastimes is integral to the business world, and outright discrimination against women in the private golf world, although technically legal, can have a severe and lasting illegal impact in the workplace† (Scher cited in Mielach). Grant of the Augusta National Golf Club’s membership to two women in this year is a very big milestone in the way of realization of the equality of genders and will have far-reaching effects for all women in the society and bring a positive revolutionary change in the acceptability of women in the business world in general and the sports in particular. Something like selection of women members for the first time since the establishment of a prestigious club will have an effect on the policies of similar

Closing Guantanamo Prison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Closing Guantanamo Prison - Essay Example This study stresses that  Guantanamo Bay prison should remain open because if the prisoners are released, then they will join terrorist groups. In fact, these prisoners are criminals and may be a threat for national security so that they must be detained in the prison. However, what people don’t understand is the fact that they are making an assumption that all the prisoners detained there are criminals and will sooner or later join terrorist groups. This assumption is absolutely wrong because these prisoners are deprived of their basic rights and military courts are biased to pass any judgment about them. A criminal is a person who is proven guilty by law but when there is no law in the prison then how can we judge that these prisoners are criminals. It is vital to understand that no proper justice is carried out in these prisons and this is why such prisoners cannot be named as criminals and such judgment of them joining terrorist groups doesn't make any sense.  This pap er highlights that  the whole purpose of justice system is to make sure that no one is wrongfully convicted or sentenced. If everyone could judge and decide about guilt or innocence of a person, then why there is a need for the justice system? The fact that many American citizens have lost their life cannot be ignored but this should not neglect the right of these prisoners to prove their involvement level in such acts, if any. People should understand that everyone has some basic rights and they cannot be hijacked for any reason whatsoever.... In fact, these prisoners are criminals and may be a threat for national security so that they must be detained in the prison. However, what people don’t understand is the fact that they are making an assumption that all the prisoners detained there are criminals and will sooner or later join terrorist groups. This assumption is absolutely wrong because these prisoners are deprived of their basic rights and military courts are biased to pass any judgment about them. A criminal is a person who is proven guilty by law but when there is no law in the prison then how can we judge that these prisoners are criminals. It is vital to understand that no proper justice is carried out in these prisons and this is why such prisoners cannot be named as criminals and such judgment of them joining terrorist groups doesn't make any sense. People also ignore the inhumane actions of the forces in the Guantanamo Bay prison reasoning that to the suppose damage these prisoners have caused to the so ciety (Cratty, 2009). Thus, a proper justice must be existed in order to determine whether or not these prisoners are criminals. Moreover, what these people fail to understand is the fact that justice is the right of everyone. The whole purpose of justice system is to make sure that no one is wrongfully convicted or sentenced. If everyone could judge and decide about guilt or innocence of a person, then why there is a need for the justice system? The fact that many American citizens have lost their life cannot be ignored but this should not neglect the right of these prisoners to prove their involvement level in such acts, if any. People should understand that everyone has some basic rights and they cannot be hijacked for any reason whatsoever. Do serial killers not get

Augusta Nationals Two Female Members Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Augusta Nationals Two Female Members - Essay Example The Augusta National Golf Club has shown gender discrimination throughout its history by allowing none of its almost 300 members to be a woman until recently, when the Cub took an action long overdue on it by announcing Condoleezza Rice, the former US Secretary of State, and Darla Moore, the South Carolina financier to be its members. The Club was also publicly pressured by Martha Burk, the women’s rights activist in the year 2001 to allow membership to women, but Hootie Johnson, the chairman of the Club at that time said in response that the Club might alter its policy one day â€Å"but not at the point of a bayonet† (Johnson cited in Tyler). When Bubba Watson joined the Augusta National Golf Club’s tradition of wearing the green jacket upon winning the Masters Golf Tournament, the celebrations were tarnished by the exclusive discrimination displayed by the Club towards the women. One of the lawyers said that the implications of this discrimination could be broader and extend to all working women. The Augusta National Golf Club has been disreputable for a long time in history because of its disallowance for women to become its members. â€Å"The fathers and sons of Augusta know full well that they have built for themselves not just a golf course but one of the great corridors of power in America, and with chests fully puffed, have fiercely and proudly denied women access to those corridors† (Brennan).... In addition to that, all of the past IBM CEOs had served as the Club’s members. The only factor that differed this time was that the CEO was a woman unlike the past CEO members who were all men. Payne retreated the discussion and Rometty did not wear the green jacket to symbolize the club’s membership over the weekend. David Scher, the Employment Law Group’s attorney expected the effects of the exclusive policy of the Augusta National Golf Club to reach all working women. He said, â€Å"This is not the only place that this is happening. Free association allows all kinds of clubs, but there are lots of men's organizations that keep women out of the workforce and it is really time for that to change† (Scher cited in Mielach). 21st century is the time for the discrimination to recede, be that against races or genders. Discriminatory policies do not help any organization holding it, but just serves to complicate things for certain members of the society. †Å"Playing golf and other pastimes is integral to the business world, and outright discrimination against women in the private golf world, although technically legal, can have a severe and lasting illegal impact in the workplace† (Scher cited in Mielach). Grant of the Augusta National Golf Club’s membership to two women in this year is a very big milestone in the way of realization of the equality of genders and will have far-reaching effects for all women in the society and bring a positive revolutionary change in the acceptability of women in the business world in general and the sports in particular. Something like selection of women members for the first time since the establishment of a prestigious club will have an effect on the policies of similar

A Tale of Two Cities Essay Example for Free

A Tale of Two Cities Essay Throughout well-known stories, authors tend to develop memorable characters in order to enhance the plot; although they may not always be portrayed in the most considerate manner. In Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities, he also uses such characters. First, Lucie’s role of over dramatic damsel in distress. Second, Miss Pross’ participation as the over protective mother figure. And third, Mme. Defarge as the bloodthirsty crazed villain. Through these characters, Dickens portrays women in the three most stereotypical demeanors: weak and fragile, a worrisome mother and a psychotic wife. Throughout the novel, Lucie is a feeble girl who cannot stand up to the hardships of life. â€Å"Perfectly still and silent, and not even fallen back in her chair, she sat under his hand, utterly insensible; with her eyes fixed upon him and with that last expression looking as if it were carved or branded in to her forehead† (Dickens 25). This is Lucie’s reaction to the news from Mr. Lorry that her father, presumed to be dead, has been found alive after spending eighteen years in the Bastille. Instead of a normal reaction of tears and joy, she is simply so stunned that she cannot even move; her expression of shock and fear is frozen upon her face. She reacts very similarly when she goes to meet  her father for the first time. Dickens writes, â€Å"Mr. Lorry got his arm securely round the daughter’s waist, and held that she was sinking†¦ ‘I am afraid of it’ she answered, shuddering. ‘Of it? What?’ ‘I mean of him. Of my father’ † (36). Of course it would be intimidating for her to meet her father for the first time in her life but she is on the verge of fainting a second time just from thinking about her father. She also does not even see him as human referring to him as â€Å"it†, not even wanting to approach her father. Finally, when her husband is taken away to prison, again she displays weakness, â€Å"As he went out at the prisoners’ door, she turned laid her head lovingly on her father’s breast, tried to speak to him and fell at his feet† (324). Yes it horrible to have her husband sentenced to death and is taken away to prison. But, she has a 6 year old daughter, she cannot give in to self-pity and weakness, it is the time for her to be strong not only for herself but for her daughter as well. It is important for her to see her mother strong and able to be there for her, but when she faints, her hope falls alongside her mother’s body. It seems Lucie has never had to really fight or be strong for anything in her life before. She acts like she always needs to rely upon someone else; she is very dependant upon others. Miss Pross’ role in the novel, although not very large, was nonetheless very important, especially for Lucie. Miss Pross was the mother figure in Lucie’s life, always caring for her and always nurturing her. When Lucie faints at the mention of her father, it is Miss Pross who is the first to her side: â€Å" ‘Why, look at you all!’ bawled this figure, addressing the inn servants. ‘Why don’t you go and fetch things, instead of standing there staring at me?†¦if you don’t bring smelling salts, cold water, and vinegar, quick, I  will’ † (26). She quickly takes charge of the situation and gives out orders in the same urgency as if it was her own daughter. It is also always Lucie for whom she is most concerned about: â€Å" ‘O me, O me! All is lost!’ cried she, wringing her hands. ‘What is to be told to Ladybird? He doesn’t know me, and is making shoes!’ † (187). Dr. Manette has a relapse and is no longer coherent. Miss Pross’ first concern is not restoring Dr. Manette back to health, but what the impact of seeing her father like this will do to Lucie. Finally, Miss Pross demonstrates her love for Lucie because she is willing to lay down her life for Lucie: â€Å" ‘I am a Briton,’ said Miss Pross, ‘I am desperate. I don’t care an English twopence for myself. I know that the longer I keep you here, the greater hope there is for my ladybird’ † (356). This demonstrates Miss Pross’ love for Lucie, risking her life in the hope that her sacrifice will keep Lucie safe. Miss Pross means well and is always looking out for Lucie and would do anything for her. However at times her actions are a bit eccentric. Finally, there is Mme Defarge, a very angry and vengeful woman. Mme Defarge takes it upon herself to make a register of all the nobility whom she proclaims as enemies to the revolution: â€Å" ‘Knitted in her own stiches and her own symbols, it will always be as plain to her as the sun. Confide in Madame Defarge. It would be easier for the weakest poltroon that lives, to erase himself from existence, than to erase one letter of his name of crimes from the knitted register of Madame Defarge’ † (166). This is M. Defarge explaining his wife’s register to others of the revolution, and saying that any who make it onto the register; will meet certain death. Not only does she register all  nobility in her knitting, but Mme Defarge also makes a point to remember the faces of anyone who is an enemy to the revolution: â€Å" ‘His appearance; is it known?’ ‘Age, about forty years; height, about five feet nine; black hair; complexion dark; generally, rather handsome visage; eyes dark, face thin, long and sallow; nose aquiline, but not straight, having a peculiar inclination towards the left cheek’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœIt is a portrait!’ said madame, laughing. ‘He shall be registered to-morrow’ † (171). Just from this short description, Mme Defarge already has a mental image of this man and even commits it to her memory. Finally, once she decides to kill someone, she will stop at nothing to kill them: â€Å" ‘I have been in the streets from the first, nothing has stopped me, I will tear you to pieces, but I will have you from that door’ † (356). This is Mme Defarge when she is confronting Miss Pross, telling her that she has been fighting in the streets for the revolution since day one, and nothing will keep her from killing Lucie as well. Mme Defarge’s rage and thirst for blood did greatly help the revolution. However, it became something that ultimately consumed her and turned her in to what she set out to destroy in the first place. It is through these characters that Dickens portrays women very unjustly. Lucie as delicate and flimsy, not being able to handle life’s hardships. Miss Pross as the overprotective mother, sometimes taking her job to the extreme. Mme Defarge as the crazed wife, always full of anger and violence. Even though women display these qualities from time to time, is it really fair to say that these traits define their whole character.

Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay

Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay Health issues are the primary concern of the government and needs to be dealt with high priority. This project is about ABC hospital trust which is under performing given the available hospital infrastructure. The desired result is to improve the hospital infrastructure and provide relief to the local community. There are two options available: 1) New Build project 2) Refurbishment of the old hospital building. The new build project seems to be a sound financial investment with regards to the public sector procurement. Benefits to be derived from this would be lower operational costs, lower maintenance costs, lower energy consumption, better budget control, high quality, improved functionality, and timely completion of the project. In Public sector procurement great deal of preference should also be given to the full life value of the project rather than short term capital cost. This report is a consideration of different procurement options with respect to addressing the objectives of the client and to achieve best value for money with a focus on the public sector procurement. It also presents a project management plan that includes various tasks which needs to be carried out for successful completion of the project. The Work Breakdown structure (WBS), linear responsibility Chart (LRC) and Action Plan (AP) are used to illustrate the type and scope of work which needs to be done over the entire life of the project. By taking all these factors in to consideration the integrated approach in the form of Design and build- Novation is adjudged as the best form of procurement. The main points which make this system reliable are speed of construction, single point responsibility (usually a contractor who would be responsible for managing the design and construction of the project); savings in cost along with maintain design standards throughout the phases of the project. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 66-90) INTRODUCTION The project is to provide a 6 storey hospital building providing acute care, accident and emergency, maternity and outpatient provision according to NHS Estates own design standards. Majority of the building will be given to inpatient services. The new build project option would comprise not only of the hospital building but also the associated road works, parking, hard and soft landscaping drainage and external works along with office accommodation, restaurant, and warehouse and delivery areas. The new build site is derelict and has been demolished to the ground level. It was used by heavy industry and has slabs and foundation remaining. The site is also subjected to subsidence and requires ground stabilization. There is a derelict pedestrian bridge which needs to be demolished. Also there are mineshafts which need to be blocked before the commencement of construction as it would be a major safety hazard. The refurbishment option of the existing building would involve substantial refurbishment and remodeling of the existing building. This would require intricate phasing and planning to allow its healthcare activities to continue. This would hinder the progress of the project which could in turn affect project completion times. The trust cannot afford this as they have limited time in their hands to make the facilities operational. Moreover substantial refurbishment and remodeling would involve costs which will be highly uncertain. The client is familiar with only conventional or the traditional procurement system. Traditional system requires design to be completed well before the actual construction commences. The sequential, fragmented and confrontational nature of the traditional system can result in lengthy design and construction periods, poor communication between clients and the project team and problems of buildability. (Masterman, 2006). The client has only 48 months to get the improved facilities operational. Hence, due to time constraint the client needs recommendation for new types of procurement systems to cope up with project deadlines and budget. STAKEHOLDERS A project stakeholder is a person or a group of people who have a vested interest in the success of the project and the environment within which the project operates. (Olander Landin, 2005, p. 1). The inference is that stakeholder can be an individual or a group of individuals which have the power to be a threat or a benefit for the project. Project managers should try to address the concerns of all stakeholders with effective communication to avoid conflicts and controversies in the project to ensure smooth completion of the project. (Olander Landin, 2005, pp. 1-8). Lack of integral engagement with stakeholders could also lead to failure of the project. They form an integral part of the project and one of the crucial factors in smooth completion of project. On the other hand, Business also has some stake in the individuals or groups for using their resources or their influences for running the business. (Walker Marr, 2001) For this purpose they have to be analysed in the following way : Identification of stakeholders Stakeholder mapping by Power/interest matrix Power/predictability matrix Stakeholder Management IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS Different stakeholders that can be associated with this project will be ABC hospital trust, City council local authority, Project manager, Architects, Contractors, Material Suppliers, Site Engineer, Structural consultants, NHS, Health and safety regulations, Wild life conservation, Insurance company, General Public- end users(patients and visitors),Hospital employees, Fire department. STAKEHOLDER MAPPING Stakeholder mapping can be done by arranging all the stakeholders of this hospital project into Power/Level of interest matrix and Power/Predictability matrix. Power / Level of Interest Matrix for this project Stakeholders with low level of interests and low power are easy to manage and would require minimal effort. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interests and low power to influence them needs to be informed about the major decisions of the project. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with low level of interest but with high power should be dealt with carefully and should be kept satisfied, failing to which their level of interests will rise and they will become stakeholders with high power and high level of interest. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interest and high power are key players and should be given top priority. The strategy of the project should have their consent at all times. (Newcombe, 2003) Power / Predictability Matrix for this project According to Power/Predictability matrix following inferences can be obtained: Stakeholders with low power and low predictability are manageable. Stakeholders with low power and high predictability will seldom cause any problems. STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT PROCESS. Project success criteria should be carefully evaluated in terms of time, cost and performance which might be influenced by or affect or concern the stakeholders directly. For effective execution of the project, resources should be available on time. These resources many a times would be at the discretion of the stakeholders. So after carefully analyzing stakeholder groups and interest levels along with predictability, stakeholder analysis with respect to stakeholders attitude should be carried out. (Turner, 2003, pp. 103-107) Stakeholder attitude can be accessed by the current level of support for the project by key stakeholders. With progress of the project, the stakeholders attitude towards the project can change which needs to be carefully monitored by the project manager. The different attitudes of the stakeholders can be summarized as follows: Changing the negative stakeholders attitude will require efforts by the project team. Key stakeholders should be the main focus of the team as they can affect the success of the project. When the stakeholders current commitment towards the project match their required commitment level then they must not be ignored, as ignoring them might change their attitude towards the project which is not desirable for the progress of the project. (Turner, 2003, pp. 109-110) STAKE HOLDER OBJECTIVES The main objective of the stakeholders would be to get high quality of health care operational within precincts of time, budget and quality. Future developments should be sustainable. CLIENT OBJECTIVES To select the best procurement route to achieve better value for money and to ensure the requirements of the stakeholders are met. To ensure the new facilities are in accordance with NHS design panel. To ensure that the project is completed within the time frame of 48 months given to them from the government. PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement is a strategy to satisfy clients development and/or operational needs with respect to the provision of constructed facilities for a discrete life cycle-By International Commission on Building (CIB W92) during its 1997 meeting. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 26-27) It can also be defined as the process that involves design, specification and acquisition of goods and services. (Carter Kirby, 2006) Procurement not only should encompass the method in design and construction of the project but also the cultural, economic, managerial, political and environmental issues raised by their implementation (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999) CLASSIFICATION OF PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement systems can be classified as follows: Separated procurement system Integrated procurement system Management oriented procurement system Discretionary system 1)Separated procurement systems: This type of system also known as the conventional system has the responsibilities for design and construction allotted to separate teams such as design team, quantity surveyors, contractors etc. For proper execution of the project the client has to deal with all the members of the project team and is himself responsible for funding and risks involved. Traditional system of procurement comes under this category. (Masterman, 2006, p. 28) 2)Integrated procurement systems: This type of system deals with responsibilities for the design and construction bestowed usually on the contractor. Hence in theory, the client has to deal with only a single organization. Design and build, novated design and build, package deal, turnkey approach are examples of this type of procurement system. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29). 3)Management-oriented procurement systems: This type of systems has the management aspect of the project carried out by an organization in co-ordination with designers, consultants to execute various activities of the project. The client will have a greater involvement in the project as compared to other procurement systems. Management contracting, construction management and design and manage come under the category of management oriented procurement systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29) 4)Discretionary systems: This system many a times can be argued that in reality this is not a procurement system, instead it can be means of controlling the project. The definition by Construction Industry Board (CIB) W92 states that It is a strategy to satisfy clients development and / or operational needs. The selection of the procurement system depends on the client and he lays down a framework for the overall administration of the project. Partnering and British Property Federation system are examples of this type. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 28-29,131-136) SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE FOR HOSPITAL BUILDING Selection of a procurement route involves many factors to be considered such as Project cost, completion time, quality standards required, size of the project, risks involved, complexity of the project. Based on all the above factors Design and build novated system seems to be a suitable option for the hospital project. The main factors to be considered in this project keeping in mind the requirements of ABC hospital trust are: Project completion time Project management efficiency Project costs Provide relief to the community. Best value for money Project completion time is a major factor to be considered as any delay in this project completion would result in closure of the hospital which would have a major impact on quality of health care in the city. Delay in completion time would also result in delayed commissioning of medical equipments. Design and build Novated system enables design and construction stages to be overlapped in the project enabling speedy completion of the project. Commissioning of medical equipments and making quality healthcare operational within 48 months can be achieved by using this procurement system. Walker (1997) agrees to Smith and Wilkins (1996) that non-traditional procurement systems are more likely to enhance construction performance. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006) As design and construction stages are overlapped it helps in improving communications between the client (ABC hospital trust) and the contractor. Hence overall project management efficiency is improved along with shorter project completion time. Certainty of project costs in this kind of procurement system can be achieved as there is no ambiguity in the clients requirements. Evidence also exists to support the widely held belief that when using this system the initial and final costs are lower than when using other methods of procurement basically as a result of diminished design costs, the integration of design and construction elements and the in-buildability of detailed design. This evidence was given further support by the University of Readings report when it was established that projects procured using this system were a minimum 13 percent cheaper than those using more conventional approaches. (Masterman, 2006, p. 79) Existing hospital can continue to provide some relief to the community till the new hospital building is constructed. Best value for money can be achieved by assessing on the whole life cost of the hospital rather than the initial capital costs. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006). Whole life costs will not only include construction costs but also operational and maintenance cost over the life cycle of the project. WHY NEW BUILD PROJECT Benefits of choosing a new build project with design and build- novated type of procurement (New build) as compared to refurbishment are as follows: Refurbishment Existing Hospital. Design Build Novated Approach Requirements of the client 1) Uncertainty of Project costs as refurbishment can bring out many unknown costs involved in it. Certainty of Project costs. Project costs should be certain and should not exceed the estimated costs. 2) Uncertainty in completion time required for the project as the hospital would be in operation during refurbishment. Project completion time is certain. High speed of completion as it overlaps design and construction phase. Construction is 12% faster as compared to conventional systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 78) Project should meet the 48 month deadline and should be fully operational. 3) Being an old building, it will be difficult to incorporate energy efficient methods or new technology leading to higher operational costs. New buildings can accommodate for energy efficiency which would lower the operational costs of the building. Low operational cost of the building. 4) Though the report show that refurbishment costs are lower as compared to new building, uncertainty in time and costs will lead to choosing new build. Construction costs are higher but certain. Low construction costs. 5) Whole life cycle costs would be more because of high operational costs throughout the life time of the project. Whole life cycle costs will be less and good value for money can be achieved. Best value for money. 6) Less energy efficient building. High costs would be involved to employ energy efficient methods Sustainability can be achieved with lower costs of accommodating energy efficient methods. Sustainable Construction. 7) Difficult to accommodate changes in design of building. Can be built as per the latest design required to incorporate changes in technology. Flexibility in design to accommodate changes in technology. 8) Existing health care facilities would be partially available to the public as refurbishing activities would be going on simultaneously. Existing health care facilities will be available to the public in the old hospital. Maintaining the existing healthcare facilities and upgrading them for future. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Supply chain management can be defined as the network of organizations that are involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of products and services in the hands of the ultimate customer. (Vrijhoef Koskela, 2000) Supply chain management involves selection from different sellers and buyers inorder to get greater benefit from them rather than just focusing on an individual. Well managed supply chains often save upto 20% of the total supply chain costs whereas a poorly managed supply chain can ruin the economy of the company. (Gattorna, 2003). Present advances made by commercial companies in understanding the ways in which the supply chain works leads to significantly enhanced expectations for people who are responsible for procuring, commissioning and managing the construction activities. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 41-42). EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON SUPPLY CHAIN The most problematic area in the procurement process lies in the different stages of the construction supply chain between the interfaces of organizations. (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999, p. 58) In design and build Novated approach, the contractor is responsible for design and construction of the project. Being the sole person or agency it reduces the interfaces between organizations leading to efficient supply chain management. Also, the contractor might be having business relations with suppliers which would enable faster and effective communication between them regarding the requirements of the project. EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON QUALITY The designers have a task to integrate all the requirements in the project like fit for purpose, sustainable considerations, durability, strength, the aesthetics of the building, construction methods, selection of materials etc. This system has the same design team throughout the progress of the project providing better co ordination and clear objective for achieving high quality sustainability in the project. RISK MONITORING Construction projects require decisions to be made. Risk management is the technique used for decision making process. It is critical to have sufficient knowledge regarding the impact of the decision. Delay in making decision for gathering more information would result in delays in the project which would be highly detrimental and decisions made without sufficient information could have huge impact on the project. Hence, Risk identification and analysis form the basic steps to be performed in any project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, 2006) Risk identification should be done for the entire project life cycle rather than only construction phase. Selection of suitable procurement route will ensure that risks are dealt in the best possible way. Risks not identified at the inception stage would require negotiations with the contractor which may or may not be successful. If successful then it would involve increased financial implications on the part of the client leading to cost over-runs. Risk identification can be done by three different methodologies: Brainstorming sessions. Analysis of historical data. Use of Industrial checklists. Assumption analysis. Delphi technique. The primary motive of risk identification is the recognition of potential sources of risk rather than perfect predictions of the future. Be any kind of procurement, risks are bound to be involved. We can just minimize the risks involved by selecting procurement system based on the requirements of the client and objectives of the project. Cheung (1997) suggests that risks should be allocated using the following priorities : person or organization best able to control risk effectively, who can absorb it financially, who has most information to control it, who benefits most from scheming it or for whom risk is normal in it business role. This can be used to allocate risk properly to the right agency which will benefit project progress. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 18-19) EFFECT OF SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE ON RISK ALLOCATION. In design and build novated approach, it is the responsibility of the contractor to deal with design, construct and commissioning. Sometimes, operation and maintenance are also included in contractors scope of work for ensuring that it is upto the clients specification. All the risks associated are borne by the contractor rather than the client. The inference is that the clients involvement in the project would be minimal. This approach increases the risks for the contractor when compared to conventional approach. Once the specifications are finalized it is difficult for client to alter them. Altering the specifications would result in increased premiums. So it is essential to prepare the specifications carefully to avoid cost associated risks involved in the project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, Risk allocation in Contracting Cycle, 2006). BEST VALUE FOR MONEY ABC hospital trust can achieve best value for money by choosing the new build project as it would lead to reduced whole life cycle cost, lower operational and maintenance cost. Being a new building, it would be easy to accommodate for energy efficient new technologies. It would lead to sustainable construction practices which wont be possible or will be difficult to implement in refurbishing the hospital building. Design and build-novated procurement system gives high speed of construction(early completion of the project) along with certainty of cost making it the ideal procurement system for this project with respect to value for time and money. BENCHMARKING PERFORMANCE Performance can be measured during construction by: Milestone Completion: Experienced Project Managers know that it is important to check the planned and actual completion dates of project milestones and physical evidence that the work is actually completed. (Schwalbe, 2006) Performance Review meetings Periodic project performance review meetings with the management help in tracking the project and control project schedules. A tracking Gantt chart that compares planned and actual project schedule information can be used for reporting the information to the stakeholders of the project. (Schwalbe, 2006) Worker morale The morale of workers and their work behavior will give a clear indication of the schedule performance. For example: If the project team members are working for extra hours every day then it will be a clear indication that the schedules are not realistic and the project manager would have to add more resources or reschedule it. Performance can be measured after construction by UK Best Practice Program (BPP) by evaluating the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Client Satisfaction Product, Client Satisfaction-Service, Defects, Predictability-Cost, Predictability-Time, Profitability, Productivity, Construction Cost and Construction Time. (Kagioglou, Cooper, Aouad, 2001) Performance of the hospital project can also be measured in terms of productivity. Productivity of this project can be defined as the ratio of the output of a production process to that of the input production process. In relation to the construction industry it can be calculated by ratio of work units completed during a period to its associated costs in terms of man hours or dollars. According to Thomas Kramer work hours, quantities and productivity are evaluated with baseline values used in project estimates. Effectiveness of the current performance can be measured by comparing current performance to the historical data or planned productivity. (Cox, Issa, Ahrens, 2003) RECOMMENDATION CONCLUSION The recommendation for ABC hospital trust is to construct a new hospital building using design and build Novated procurement system. This approach would reduce project completion time and increase cost effectiveness for the project. Quality at site, sustainability in construction activities can also be achieved with great success. Selection of this kind of approach would deliver good value for money for public sector procurement. This report also recommends periodical assessment of risk and stakeholders simultaneously with the progress of the project for avoiding conflicts. With careful monitoring of interests of the stakeholders in the project and appropriate risk management, the hospital project can be completed in an effective manner. Finally the end result to be achieved by this project would be win-win solution for all.

Comparing my Outputs to the Specification :: Computer Science

Comparing my Outputs to the Specification ========================================= The logo My solution to the task allows the users of the system to print off a ready designed promotion package and customise each part of it to include their name and the address of their particular branch of Daisy Chain. The users can alter the logo slightly and can also create a completely new logo from the user guide. They can edit details quickly, for example if a shop moves or a designer is employed, then these details can be added to the business card or letterheaded paper. The system can only use fonts and borders that exist on the software- they can't create original ones. I have managed to produce a suitable logo that meets all the points on the specification. It has been significantly changed since I drew the initial design and I now feel that it is now much better than the original version. Everyone I have asked about it has confirmed this. There are however some points that you can't really say whether the logo has met- you can't tell whether the logo will date or not. If it does then following the user guides could produce a new one. To produce most of the items in the promotional package I used Adobe, which isn't strictly a graphics program, but it has sufficient features to meet all the needs of this project. The Business Card ================= I have produced a business card that meets all the requirements set out in my design specification. It  · Looks professional  · Contains the logo  · Contains the name, address, postcode and website of the company  · Has space for the employees name  · Is striking and very bright, without being garish  · Contains a short statement about what the company does. The card is only one sided and this was something that was said could be improved. This isn't necessary, but could be done quite easily, if the company decided to invest more time and money into it. I have created a user guide that has been successfully tested, so other cards of different styles could be created. There isn't really a need for this however as I feel that the design I have created is successful and doesn't need altering. The card I created is much more interesting than any of the other cards I have looked at, and it meets all the requirements in my design specification. Realistically it may be too expensive to produce but this would depend on how wealthy the company was, and whether it wished to spend a lot of money publicising its image. The Letterhead The letterhead meets all the requirements set by the design Comparing my Outputs to the Specification :: Computer Science Comparing my Outputs to the Specification ========================================= The logo My solution to the task allows the users of the system to print off a ready designed promotion package and customise each part of it to include their name and the address of their particular branch of Daisy Chain. The users can alter the logo slightly and can also create a completely new logo from the user guide. They can edit details quickly, for example if a shop moves or a designer is employed, then these details can be added to the business card or letterheaded paper. The system can only use fonts and borders that exist on the software- they can't create original ones. I have managed to produce a suitable logo that meets all the points on the specification. It has been significantly changed since I drew the initial design and I now feel that it is now much better than the original version. Everyone I have asked about it has confirmed this. There are however some points that you can't really say whether the logo has met- you can't tell whether the logo will date or not. If it does then following the user guides could produce a new one. To produce most of the items in the promotional package I used Adobe, which isn't strictly a graphics program, but it has sufficient features to meet all the needs of this project. The Business Card ================= I have produced a business card that meets all the requirements set out in my design specification. It  · Looks professional  · Contains the logo  · Contains the name, address, postcode and website of the company  · Has space for the employees name  · Is striking and very bright, without being garish  · Contains a short statement about what the company does. The card is only one sided and this was something that was said could be improved. This isn't necessary, but could be done quite easily, if the company decided to invest more time and money into it. I have created a user guide that has been successfully tested, so other cards of different styles could be created. There isn't really a need for this however as I feel that the design I have created is successful and doesn't need altering. The card I created is much more interesting than any of the other cards I have looked at, and it meets all the requirements in my design specification. Realistically it may be too expensive to produce but this would depend on how wealthy the company was, and whether it wished to spend a lot of money publicising its image. The Letterhead The letterhead meets all the requirements set by the design