Annotated bibliography title page
Sunday, August 23, 2020
The Trouble with Celebrity Endorsers Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
The Trouble with Celebrity Endorsers - Article Example Another point raised is brand value. Brand value is something that the organization works after some time so as to separate itself from different rivals in the market. The article recommends that as opposed to utilizing on celebrityââ¬â¢s picture, the brand ought to have the option to build up its own value through forgetting about expensive advancement into including more item includes, and so on. Having learned in showcasing that advancement is a vital aspect for making client mindfulness, I accept that organizations ought to put resources into advancement particularly in the principal months or long stretches of a brand so as to acquaint it with shoppers. Notwithstanding, in the last life, the genuine worth ought to be conveyed to clients. This article makes me fully aware of the difficulties looked by promoting tactician. Advancement is unmistakably more entangled than having big name wears the item or suggests the brand. There ought to be an arrangement in the picture of the big name just as the VIP being utilized for advancement. The article features how Nokia is faring through the financial downturn in industrialized economies particularly the United States. The previous months have seen how the world monetary pioneer in the past is experiencing the downturn. As a shopper, I have perused and perceived how venture firms breakdown, workers laid-off, and even the more productive retailersââ¬â¢ close down. Taking a gander at in an advertising perspective, this adjustment in the business condition moves organizations to reexamine themselves and their different methodologies so as to endure. Nokiaââ¬â¢s reaction to the circumstance is to slice cost so as to look after productivity. Be that as it may, the low interest realized by the hopeless monetary viewpoint and lower buying intensity of clients remains the key thought. Hence, organizations should concentrate on systems other than limiting activities and promoting costs.
Friday, August 21, 2020
america :: essays research papers
Americans/America America is it genuinely known to be the place that is known for opportunity, opportunity and diverse culture. à à à à à Robert Hayden in his book of gathered sonnets talks about America and its diverse culture and issue. He clarifies by utilizing various perspectives and point of view to exhibit what he consider America and Americans. à à à à à In Robert Hayden ââ¬Å"American Journal Hayden had an Alien proceed to watch America. The Alien clarifies that America is a nation of multi-social distinction and that Americans are exceptionally fiery. As he keep on inspecting he clarify that America is a place that is known for viciousness and ghetto and that it resembles that since Americans permit it to be that way. Hayden utilizes pictures to examine a large portion of what the outsider see. He is stating America is loaded with various culture, itââ¬â¢s the place where there is opportunity and despite the fact that itââ¬â¢s like that a few people exploit it. Despite the fact that America has its concern Hayden clarify that the outsider is connected and he like it. The outsider can't name or determine what it is about America that has him append however he simply like it in America. à à à à à ââ¬Å"Words in the grieving timeâ⬠Hayden starts to clarify America as reckless, and self-sold out. He feels Americans dread passing regular and to be a human Americans need to accomplish it. Hayden then proceeds to clarify the craving issue Americans face. There are numerous destitute and hungry Americans. In the sonnet he utilizes the pictures of somebody sitting at a table and a ravenous man come and take their food. He at that point proceeds to clarify that America is tied in with slaughtering regardless of who get injured as long as itââ¬â¢s not the American individuals. Hayden utilizes the Vietnam War for instance when the town and the blameless school understudy were mercilessly slaughtered. Hayden then disclose America to be rough inside there society the Americans murder one another. He clarifies that America is brimming with ghetto and ghettos. He clarify that albeit little fellows from good Americans homes are circumventing slaughtering one another (98) American man ought not be alarmed to the evilââ¬â¢s that America face, they ought to continue attempting to be perceived as human. Disregard the prejudice and the danger, simply recollect that man will be man and ought to be allowed to take care of business. (98) à à à à à ââ¬Å"The Rag manâ⬠Hayden utilizes a picture of a man who is destitute and is strolling the virus winter lanes in just clothes.
Thursday, July 9, 2020
Free Nature vs Nurture Essay Example
Nature vs Nurture Essay Example In this Nature vs. Nurture essay example, we will offer topics, titles, an outline, and what it takes to make a great paper. We begin with a strong introduction and thesis statement, followed by body paragraphs that offer in depth analysis of the topics as well as current evidence. We end the essay with a succinct recap of everything under the conclusion section. In critical essays, the main thing to focus on is development of a strong perspective to offer readers a unique and interpretive analysis of a text or topic(s). Titles What came first, the chicken or the egg? Is Nurture more influential than Nature? To be or not to be: Nature versus Nurture The Eternal Debate: Nature versus Nurture Selected Title: Understanding Origins: Nature versus Nurture Topics Background on the Debate of Nature vs. Nurture Heritability Estimates Interaction of Genes and Environment Personality Traits and Genetics Outline I. à Introduction II. à Body A. à Background B. à Nature C. à Nurture D. à Middle of the Road III. à Conclusion Introduction The nature versus nurture debate has existed for thousands of years. Although the phrase was coined in 1869 by Francis Galton, an English polymath, humans have wondered what determined a personââ¬â¢s behavior and actions. While many believe a humanââ¬â¢s behavior and personality are formed via a mixture of both nature and nurture, some have taken the side of ââ¬Ënatureââ¬â¢, while others take on the side of ââ¬Ënurtureââ¬â¢. Those that feel the nature side shapes people, contend that genotype and DNA determine personalities and traits. Those on the nurture side contend that humanity is born with a ââ¬Ëblank slateââ¬â¢. Interactions and learning experiences thus shape a personââ¬â¢s understanding of life, allowing a person to acquire various attributes. Essay Hook: The age-old debate of nature versus nurture is nothing new, except now that humanity has a better understanding of genes and genomes, such knowledge has paved the way for new exploration of an archaic topic. Thesis Statement Whichever side people choose, there is merit to nature and nurture in helping form a better picture of what makes humans, human; this essay will explore nature and nurture and provide a potential ââ¬Ëmiddle of the roadââ¬â¢ interpretation, representing modern perspectives on the topic. Background The nature versus nurture debate first came into the spotlight via ancient Greek philosophers through their examination of nature versus nurture in child development. (Rutherford) When the topic was raised again in the early modern era, developmental researchers sought to explore nature and nurture further, by using empirical research that provided context via theories. This is when they tested hypotheses and chose sides. Some became Nativists (those that support ââ¬Ënature) and others became Empiricists (those that support nurture). ââ¬Å"Nativists believe that aspects of human development such as intelligence and personality are determined by genetic make-up. Empiricists however, believe that there are acquired.â⬠(Conkbayir 186) Notable Empiricists like John Lock made popular the Latin phrase: tabula rasa. This phrase means ââ¬Ëblack slateââ¬â¢. The childââ¬â¢s mind serves as a blank slate from which learned experiences and interactions can form a childââ¬â¢s personality later and into adulthood. When Empiricists examine child development, they aim to look for how the child was raised, who they interacted with, what traumatic experiences they endured. They then base their conclusions on what they can gather from the childââ¬â¢s past. Nativists demonstrated their beliefs from the nature perspective through examples like Chomskyââ¬â¢s 1965 Language Acquisition Device. Chomsky believed ââ¬Å"the ability to understand and reproduce language was innate in all humans due to an existing mental capacity and the requisite vocal mechanisms.â⬠(Conkbayir 187) Certain aspects of human personality like anger, flight or fight, or language can be interpreted as ââ¬Ënatureââ¬â¢ driven developments. Chomsky and those with similar perspectives, provided strong evidence supporting the idea that genes can impact how a person behaves as he or she develops. Nature When examining the debate from the nature perspective, language appears to be the best direction to further understand this side of nature versus nurture. Chomsky believed human beings possess an innate ability to develop language. Although children can imitate and form habits, thus allowing nurture to provide some role in language acquisition, it is the potential predisposition to acquire competency and speech in language that makes it lean more towards nature. According to Chomsky, children can map language. There is, I believe, good evidence that a generative grammar for a human language contains a system of base rules of a highly restricted sort, a set of grammatical transformations that map the deep structures formed in accordance with base rules onto surface structures, and a set of phonological rules that assign phonetic interpretations, in a universal phonetic alphabet, to surface structures. (Chomsky 150-151) Modern technology has dispelled much of nativist thinking in relation to certain aspects of language development. However, new research into genetics has reopened the nature side of the argument. Genetics has been used to better understand the criminal mind as well as the origins of mental illness. Robert Plomin in his article, ââ¬Å"Beyond Nature versus Nurtureâ⬠, refers to nature as inheritance. People inherit from their parentsââ¬â¢ certain predispositions that may make them more inclined to be aggressive, depressed, alcoholic, and so forth. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ cognitive ability and scholastic achievement, several recent studies found genetic effects overlap completely. For behavior problems, similar results indicating genetic overlap have been reported for major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, major depression, and phobias, and major depression and alcoholism.â⬠(Plomin 30) When people are analyzed and evaluated for their behavior, some of it can be related back to family history and genetic predisposition. If humans inherit some aspects of their personality, then the idea that certain things that make people human come from pre-determined information seems plausible. Although genetics cannot account for every part of a human beingââ¬â¢s personality and behavior, it can account for some of it. A good example of this is schizophrenia. Researchers are still unsure of the number of genes responsible for development of schizophrenia, but they believe it to be an inherited mental disorder. (Plomin) People who have schizophrenia have the tendency to have a relative who also developed it at one point during their life. Schizophrenia can manifest early in life or very late in life. The prevalence of very late-onset schizophrenia is low affecting roughly 1% of the population. However, those that are affected experience auditory and visual hallucinations. The most common cause of the development of this form of the disorder is family history. (Plomin) Although a genetic link cannot be established, those with family history of schizophrenia are more likely to develop it than others with no prior family history. Because family history plays a role in developing schizophrenia, it can be used in the nature argument. Meaning, people born with a specific problem stemming from family genes could result in mental health problems or disordered behavior. Although people with a family history can become schizophrenic, the potentiality for development is not 100%. Saying Schizophrenia is inherited does not automatically denote certain development of the disorder. However, genetically speaking, a predisposition makes the brain more vulnerable to environmental stressors that allow for formation of this mental disorder. The same can be said of alcoholism. Not everyone with alcoholism in the family will become alcoholic, but when exposed to drinking these people may be more predisposed to developing an addiction to alcohol than other people. Environmental stressors are another part of the nature versus nurture debate and represent the ââ¬Ënurtureââ¬â¢ side of the argument. Nurture Empiricists see the environment as playing a crucial role in the development of a child. As an infant, the person experiences according to the empiricist, a ââ¬Ëblank slateââ¬â¢ mentality where nothing has influenced his or her thought processes. From there, various experiences and interactions begin to form the identity and behavior of the person. ââ¬Å"Empiricists assert that there is no endowed knowledge at birth. Instead, all knowledge comes through the senses, and mental development reflects learned associations. They argue that external stimuli naturally provoke sensations.â⬠(Bornstein, et al. 3) Furthermore, through association, individual raw sensations meld into what is considered, ââ¬Ëmeaningful perceptions, creating a personality and behavior. For example, two siblings with the same mother and father are raised in different households. They both have a genetic predisposition to depression but only one sibling is exposed to physical and verbal abuse. Later in life, the sibling that experienced abuse develops depression, while the sibling that grew up in a loving, stable home is active and happy. Although both siblings have a brain more vulnerable to depression, only one develops depression due to the environment that sibling grew up in. Empiricists feel the personality and behavior of an individual is learned as he or she ages rather than having these attributes be innate. A strong proponent for environmental learning, John Watson believed he could train infants (chosen randomly), to become any kind of specialist he wanted. He believed a childââ¬â¢s talents, race, or potentialities had no impact on what the child could become because the environment dictated how the child develops. Watson proposed that most ââ¬Å"emotional reactions are the result of learned associations between unconditioned stimuli and neutral events so that these neutral events come to elicit emotional responses through classic conditioning.â⬠(Bornstein, et al. 257) Some of what Watson stated may be correct however, it is important to also see what modern researchers believe when it comes to environmental learning. In the last few decades, new theories have emerged to explain how humans learn. Social learning theory posits that human behavior stems from the integrated point of view of behavioral, environmental, and cognitive influences.à Modeling allows for continuous reciprocation of these influences. ââ¬Å"Banduraââ¬â¢s work emphasized the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others from the assumption that most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling.â⬠(Baker and Brandell 128) If humans see something, they understand how it is done and can learn how to do it themselves. For instance, a person sees another person fishing. That person did not know how to fish before. However, after seeing what steps the other person took to fish, that person can mimic these steps and learn. Learned behavior serves as the basis for nurture. If parents teach their children to behave in a certain way, they will learn to act accordingly. An example of this is writing using the right hand. Some children are born left-handed but may be taught to only write with their right hand. Therefore, although the trait is left-handedness, the learned behavior replaces the right hand as the dominant hand. This changes not just how the child writes, but uses his or her hands. Many other examples exist where children are taught to behave in one way that counteracts what the children are born with and develop. à This perspective strips the potential influence of genes, and proposes that all behavior is learned behavior. However, as Chomsky noted, as geneticists note, not all behavior is learned behavior. This is where the Empiricist perspective falls short. To state that hereditary factors remain irrelevant to a personââ¬â¢s development is not supported enough by evidence. Even when taking into consideration what the mother eats and where she lives as the fetus develops in her womb, that is not enough to determine the environment as the sole cause of human development. Therefore, the latest research is dedicated to incorporating both nature and nurture in human development. Nature represents the potentiality of an individual and nurture and environmental stressors. Middle of the Road When it comes to combining the nature and nurture sides of the debate, many use the 50-year Twin Study example to state human development involves nature and nurture. The study, published in May 2015 in the Nature Genetics journal, surveyed 2,748 studies all conducted within the last fifty years as well as researched 14.5 million sets of twins and their respective personality traits. What the researchers found was remarkable. ââ¬Å"the reported heritability is 49%.â⬠à (Downey 25) This means, loosely, that nurture counts for almost 50% of what people become. The other 50% percent is genetic. The study did not state every case was 50/50. Some that had bipolar disorder has a 70% genetic origin and 30% due to environmental factors. Still, what the twin studies show, is the murky line of nature and nurture. What seems like a potentially one-sided explanation turns into a complex, multifaceted exploration of causes and development structure. It seems like life and the way the human body works, the origins of human behavior, lie within the mixture of genetic and environmental. This makes sense considering the spectrum that is visible in all of life. From the range of emotions people feel to the varied processes happening within the human body, balance is needed to create stability in life. Humans require a mixture of influences to develop normally. Epigenetics seems to marry nature and nurture by determining that factors like environment, can cause change in phenotype while keeping the genotype the same. For example, many people in the United States suffer from obesity. Obesity has an impact on health by making many people who are obese, more susceptible to certain cancers. Three systems, including histone modification, non-coding RNA-related gene silencing, and DNA methylation are presently considered to start and maintain epigenetic change. If obesity promotes development of diabetes, some segments of the population that never experienced diabetes, are beginning to see occurrence of the disease to the point where it becomes family history (Clark and Lappin). Obesity and diabetes appear to be a major topic of interest in epigenetics. ââ¬Å"Studies are beginning to uncover specific genes affected by epigenetic modifications that accumulate over time. One diabetes-specific example is the hypermethylation of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit Vlla polypeptide 1 promoter in elderly twins compared with young twins.â⬠(Clark and Lappin 140) If specific aspects of nutrition play a part in diabetes development, which then affects genes, this leads to a combination of nature and nurture in that, the environment affects the genes that lead to development of predisposition. Although epigenetics is new, this area of study can answer many questions that were left unanswered from the Nativists and Empiricists of the past. Gene expression is the execution of the blueprints that are genes. Gene expression can be affected by the genes themselves and the environment. Epigenome is the interface regulating gene expression via environmental feedback. Putting it simply, when the directions in the blueprints cannot be executed properly because there are missing components like proteins and carbohydrates, changes occur. Without these proteins and carbohydrates or anything else needed to run the blueprint, the environment can then have an impact on the development of a personââ¬â¢s genes. This can be seen in the human immune system. Sophisticated host defense mechanisms have developed among vertebrate animals to help combat potentially hostile antigens. These mechanisms chiefly consist of ââ¬Å"the immune system and the epithelial cells that cover the body surface. Accumulating studies reveal epigenetic mechanisms in collaboration with signal transduction networks regulate gene expression over the course of differentiation, proliferation and function of immune and epithelial cells.â⬠(Obata, et al. 226) Fine-tuned via physiological conditions, these cells change. Although some environmental factors can lead to inflammation and immunodeficiency disorders. Multiple Sclerosis for example, generates problems with a personââ¬â¢s myelination processes within the brain. Epigenetic regulation of the immune system constantly shifts due to introduction of new viruses and other pathogens. Europeans were exposed to many different pathogens when they ventured into the Americas. The natives however, were not exposed to such pathogens, which resulted in the deaths of millions. This shows the environment having a direct effect on the genes and the genes expressing themselves in a way that precedes environmental stimulation. If the environment plays a role in how humans develop at the genetic level and the consequences is altered genes that then create pre-existing conditions, this shows how nature and nurture can go together. Epigenetics is a great new area of research that promised a better understanding of nature versus nurture. It offers deeper insight into how humans development and evolve on earth. Furthermore, it provides the idea that one does not exist without the other. Conclusion à In conclusion nature versus nurture has deep roots in the work of ancient Greek philosophers. They sought to understand child development and see what causes a child to behave and act a certain way. This was then carried on to the 19th century and beyond where people like Chomsky and Watson chose sides to see which made the most sense. From a Nativist perspective, people were born with innate knowledge and potentiality. To some extent this is true because people are born with certain predispositions. Some may be more predisposed to alcohol addiction, while others to mental disorders. From an Empiricist perspective, people exhibit learned behavior due to their environment. Two siblings sharing the same parents could exhibit different behavior and lifestyle choices based on where they were raised. To some extent this way of thinking rings true because learning does involve interactions and experiences with the environment. However, neither nurture or nature could explain the reality of human development as seen in the 50-year long Twin Study. In the end, it seems 50% of human development can be attributed to the environment, and 50% to genes. When putting this into context through the study of epigenetics, this means nature and nurture play a part in how humans behave. Epigenetics states gene expression can be changed leading to a change in the genes. People see this through the immune systems of people exposed to various pathogens compared to those not exposed. Whether epigenetics will answer all the nature versus nurture questions is still unknown. But, it does offer some understanding of how genes play a role in development and how the environment could affect genes. There is so much to discover when it comes to genetics and the environment. It remains a mystery that is begging to be solved. Hopefully it will be in time. Works Cited Baker, Karen E, and Jerrold R. Brandell.à Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis: One Hundred Years After little Hans. Routledge,à 2013. Bornstein, Marc H, et al.à Development in Infancy, Fifth Edition: A Contemporary Introduction. Taylor and Francis,à 2013. Chomsky, Noam.à Language and Mind. 3rdà ed., Cambridge University Press,à 2006. Clark, Alexander, and Shalom Lappin.à Linguistic Nativism and the Poverty of the Stimulus. John Wiley Sons,à 2010. Conkbayir, Mine.à Early Childhood and Neuroscience: Theory, Research and Implications for Practice. Bloomsbury Publishing,à 2016. Downey, Myles.à Enabling genius: A mindset for success in the 21st century. LID Editorial,à 2016. Niculescu, Mihai D, et al.à Nutrition in Epigenetics. Wiley,à 2011. Plomin, Robert. Beyond Nature versus Nurture.à Genetics and Mental Illness,à 1996, pp.à 29-50. Rutherford, M.à D.à Developmental Psychology: An Evolutionary Perspective. Lulu Press,à 2016. After reading this Nature vs. Nurture essay example, we hope this helps you understand what it takes to craft a quality essay for your academic endeavors. Nature vs. Nurture can be a difficult topic to tackle because it lacks the kind of finite direction that other topics have. However, we hope we have assisted you on your journey towards academic success. If you need any additional assistance, feel free to leave a comment below, and weââ¬â¢ll be sure to assist you. View or Download this full document in (.docx) format. --> Open Full Document Open full document and source list OR Order A Custom Written Essay Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Synthesis And Recrystallization Of Adipic Acid - 1366 Words
Experiment 1: Synthesis and Recrystallization of Adipic Acid Aim The current experiment sought to prepare 1,6-hexanedioic acid (adipic acid) by catalytic oxidation of cyclohexene in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst (Aliquat 336), using sodium tungstate as a catalyst and hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. Introduction The carbon-carbon double bond of alkenes represents a site that has a high electron intensity. This site is susceptible to oxidation. Depending on the conditions or reagents used to initiate the oxidation of alkenes, various products can be obtained. With relative mild oxidation, it is only the pi bond of an alkene that is cleaved resulting in the production of 1,2-diols or epoxides. However, when there is more vigorousâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦This way, cyclohexane is converted to adipic acid or hexanedioic acid. Since the product is soluble in hot water, the two-phase systems (organic cyclohexane and aqueous hydrogen peroxide) slowly become a single aqueous phase. In the end, only H2O2 and cyclohexene can be changed, tungstate and the phase transfer catalyst can be tapped and reused. The phase transfer catalyst used were a mixture of aliquat 336 and potassium hydrogen sulphate. Experimental procedure A 0.5 g of sodium tungstate dihydrate was weighed and transferred into a 50-mL round-bottom flask with a magnetic stir bar. Approximately 0.6mL of Aliquat 336 was then transferred carefully into the round bottom flask using a 1mL syringe. The round bottom flask and its contents were then set up in an oil bath. 11mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide and 0.37 g of potassium bisulphate were added to the reaction mixture in the round bottom flask and stirred using a magnetic stirrer. Lastly, 2.5mL of cyclohexene was added using automatic dispenser and the mixture stirred. A condenser was fitted on the round bottom flask, clamped and attached to water horses. The reaction mixture was then heated on the oil bath and the reflux process initiated for an hour while stirring the mixture vigorously. Half way while rinsing, any trapped cyclohexene in the condenser was rinsed. After 1 hour, the round bottom flask was rinsedShow MoreRelatedSynthesis of Adipic Acid Essay example1667 Words à |à 7 PagesEx periment 8: Synthesis of Adipic Acid Performed November 8th amp; 10th By Jennifer Seitz Organic Chemistry 344 Section 803 Fall 2011 Objective: The purpose of this experiment was to synthesize adipic acid from cyclohexanol via an oxidation reaction that was catalyzed by sulfuric acid. Purity of the product was assessed by measuring the melting point. Physical Properties/Structures: Name | Formula | Molecular Weight (g/mol) | Boiling Point (0C) | Melting Point(0C) | Density(g/mL)Read MoreAdipic Acid43555 Words à |à 175 PagesINTRODUCTION 1. HISTORY AND GENERAL INFORMATION ON ADIPIC ACID 1. History on The Production Adipic acid is an important organic chemical raw material. In China, it is used as raw material in the production of Nylon 6/6 salt, polyurethane, plasticizers, high-grade lubricants and food additives. With the rapid growth of development, the application of adipic acid keeps expanding. The production of adipic acid is controlled in the hands of multinationals. An American chemical
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Teaching Implications That Derive From The Recursive Theory
It is important that we explore the teaching implications that derive from the recursive theory, particularly for teachers in secondary classroom. It is assumed that by the time a student reaches secondary school, he or she has already had some practice with writing and has already been introduced to writing tools or conventions. In other words, the student is not new to the writing process but is beginning to hone their skills. This theory of a recursive writing process has many implications in how writing is taught in the classroom, particularly these secondary classrooms where the students have a higher skill level than elementary students and are at the point where they need to begin to take ownership of their writing process. Aâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦(Arbogast 14) Instead of giving them a map to follow, they must be given the tools they need to draw their own map. They should simply receive help in starting the process instead of being told the kind and manner of process they should use (Britton 31). As they are given tools and the power to use them, they will have the ability to compose in a way that is most authentic for them in each situation (Sharp 86). This will also leave room for them to change their meaning as they write because this process stresses the fact that meaning is often honed or even changed as one goes about the business of writing. Next, it is important that the teacher strikes a delicate balance between when to give students freedoms and when to give them constraints. Examples of freedoms are anything that would give them support or a motivation. Having dialogue with the students about the assignment, discussing literature examples, looking at inspiring paintings, viewing models,, providing them with options or skills they may need, allowing abnormal writing behavior, giving them the freedom to chose their topic or style, permitting them to not complete a writing assignment (if teacher and student both agree it is a bust), or withholding comments or evaluation (Emig 130). Examples of constraints include removing any of these freedoms or establishing specific required guidelines such as audience, conventions, etc. (Emig 130).Show MoreRelatedOrganizational Behaviour Analysis28615 Words à |à 115 PagesNovember 2007 à © Dr. Lesley Prince 2007. Organisational Analysis: Notes and Essays Page i Page ii Please do not attempt to eat these notes. 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Corporate Governance Policies and Environment MyAssignmenthelp.com
Question: Discuss about the Corporate Governance Policies and Environment. Answer: Introduction: In relation to One.Tel, it can be observed that the company to establish its position in the market used several strategies and within a minimal amount of time; it became a massive company with an immense base of customers. However, in relation to the longer-run, the company was unable to sustain its position and therefore, it collapsed. Several factors would have contributed to an enhanced inherent risk assessment of the company at its financial report level. Firstly, it is notable that the management of One.Tel was completely incapable in performing their duties efficiently. There were major loopholes and the management was incapable of addressing the issue properly. Besides, if the management cannot assist in enhancing the companys affairs, it cannot progress until some corrective action is implemented. However, the management of One.Tel did not operate effectively, thereby contributing to an increase in the inherent risk of the company together with an inefficient internal control. Moreover, this incapability on the part of the management can also be witnessed from the companys financial statements, as they followed a strategy of management by crisis that was nowhere leading towards progress (Kaplan, 2011). In addition, the management also made sure to the company stakeholders that they had sufficient amount of resources to make the company run, but the scenario was completely the opposite. Secondly, despite suffering immense losses of approximately $291 million, the company took steps to pay dividends and bonuses to its shareholders. This gives rise to the fact that the companys Board of Directors were not operating in the best of the companys interest. In addition, this also concludes that the directors lacked efficiency and integrity that is very vital for the smooth running of a business (Bhasin, 2008). Therefore, since the directors were not effectively engaged with the management, various misleading information was provided to the stakeholders, thereby creating a massive havoc for the company. Hence, there appeared a bottleneck and a proper communication was missing that led to the issues. Besides, it was also proved in the year 1999 that the financial reports of the company incorporated around 48 flaws that clearly gives weight to the previously mentioned scenario. Deficiency in the financial report clearly indicates that the company has not performed to the best of the ability that calls for major attention by the management (Manoharan, 2011). Thirdly, it can be observed from the financial reports of the company that it was encountering the problem of lesser balance of cash and aging debtors, which proves that it was not operating appropriately. Moreover, such responsibility lies upon the companys chartered accountant, but in this case, he failed to indicate the company about such happening, thereby leading towards a more dreadful condition (Brown et. al, 2006). As a chartered accountant, a proper guidance should have been provided whereby the deviation should have been intimated and the same should have been addressed. However, the faulty planning and lack of attention made the condition worse. Fourthly, the true cash position of the company was not highlighted by the finance director of the company and was constantly influenced to portray a favorable image of the company in the eyes of the stakeholders. Moreover, the company was bound to implement proper due diligence process in order to encounter any such falsification of relevant information but it did not do so, thereby resulting in an increased inherent risk within the company (Elder et. al, 2010). In addition, the deferred expenses of the company were drastically enhanced that in reality was not needed at that point in time. Lastly, the board often attempted to publish an unqualified report to the stakeholders of the company that was a clear-cut fraudulent representation on the companys part. This is because after taking into account several inappropriate practices prevailing within the company, the opinion of auditors regarding the financial statements can never be an unqualified judgment. Besides, in the prevalence of a qualified report, it has an advantage of being reasonable. This factor clearly gives rise to a fact that the role of auditors within the company was completely questionable as they failed to perform their part of the duties in an effective manner. It is expected that the auditor will provide a true and fair view of the business and will spot any frailties in the organization (Goodstein, 2011). However, the same was absent. Moreover, their incapability to provide an independent judgment regarding the financial statements of the company played a key role in increasing the inherent risks o f the company. Besides, the stakeholders highly rely upon such auditors judgment so that they can determine whether the company is performing effectively in the market and whether the financial statements of the company are true to the best of their knowledge or not. Therefore, when such reports are misleading or misguiding in nature, the stakeholders are also misguided, and hence, they make inappropriate decisions based on such judgment, thereby creating a complication for the long run. It even reflects the ethical violation of the company and the failure of the internal control of the company to look into such issues (Kruger, 2009). In relation to the previously mentioned factors, some of them can be observed by examining the financial statements of the company. This process of examination refers to strategic business risk assessment wherein the flaws and pitfalls prevalent in the companys financial statements can be easily taken into due consideration. These factors are as follows: Firstly, deterioration in the profits of the company could have been easily noticed and corrective actions could be implemented in respect of the same, but the company failed to examine such factor, thereby making the problem increase to an infinite stage. Secondly, even after encountering an immense loss of $291 million, payments of bonuses and dividends came out as a shock, and it was the duty of the management to implement appropriate mechanisms to take care of such a problem but no corrective action was implemented and as a result, the company had to tackle disintegration in the long run. Lastly, the ineffective operation on the part of the management was required to be altered immediately so that the stakeholders can obtain effective information and results, but here again, there was no such step. The management contained huge frailties and failed to cope up with the scenarios that ultimately led to a huge downfall (Bhasin, 2008). In any scenario, the management must be well versed with the external and internal environment and a failure to cope up with the same leads to a decline in the functioning of the company. In relation to One.Tel, several factors contributed towards an increased assessment of inherent risk in their account balance level. They are as follows: Tel offered various services to its customers at casual prices that conclude the fact that the subscribers procured the services at a price, which was lesser than what the company was supposed to expend. Secondly, the company was already aware of the fact that there were around six competitors in the telecommunication industry, which gave strict competition to it, but still, it implemented an approach wherein high-quality services were provided to the subscribers at minimal prices (Heeler, 2009). Although such approach could be beneficial in the short run for the company, yet it could not play a relevant part in the end and therefore, the company failed to establish a dominant position in the Australian market. Thirdly, most of the strategies and measures of the company relied on Optus and Telstra who were the key competitors in the telecommunication business. This is because the company brought phones from such companies and sold to subscribers in wholesale quantities. Besides, the prices charged was lesser than what the company was supposed to pay. In contrast to this, both Optus and Telstra implemented ways for minimizing their operating expenses that provided them an added advantage. Lastly, the expenditures made by One.Tel was immense in nature in comparison to its financial abilities. The expenses were huge and became a burden on the company. The company failed to realize revenue and the expenses became huge on their part calling for necessary action. Therefore, this generated a huge risk for the company in terms of financial obligations in the future. In addition, the company also did not procure access fees from their subscribers that played a key role in enhancing the risks. This is because there was no surety that the subscribers would utilize the services offered by the company and expends resources for the same. In relation to the above-mentioned factors, the factors that can be observed during the assessment of strategic risks are as follows: Firstly, the credit checks procedure implemented by the company was very slow because most of the subscribers either did not pay their bill or paid their bills very late. As a result, this contributed towards a deterioration of the companys revenues, thereby creating various complications for the company to carry on its affairs in a smooth manner (Cook, 2001). It created a dent in the system and therefore, the company failed to realize the amount that ultimately affected the operations. Secondly, in order to enhance the prices of shares, the company provided dividends and bonuses to their stakeholders, thereby resulting towards an increase in the sale of the shares. However, such an approach could not be regarded an effective one because it was not generating profits for the company, as revenues came on one hand while it slipped out of the other. Besides, this can be proved by the fact that the operating profits of the company minimized from $11.3 million in 1999 to a negative amount of $262.4 million in the year 2000 (Cook, 2001). The company fabricated the entire matter so as to retain the investors. The dividends were declared and provided out of nowhere. The internal control mechanism was weak that failed to keep a check on the fabrications. Lastly, the retained profits of the company deteriorated on an immense level that concludes the fact that the same could have been easily observed but still, the company failed to do so. Moreover, both the figures of dividend and retained earnings depicted a huge fall on the part of the company, thereby proving the fact that the companys financial condition constantly deteriorated (Kruger, 2009). On a whole, all such factors could have been identified during the assessment of strategic risks within the company. After taking into account the financial statements of the company, it can be stated that it is very problematic for One.Tel to continue its activities in the end. This is because the situation of the company relating to its revenues is in a very bad position. The aging of debtors proves that the company will encounter problems to meet its debt obligations in the upcoming period. Moreover, an effective financial structure is needed to continue a business in the end and in this case, the management of One.Tel has provided misleading information to its stakeholders regarding their financials (Gilbert et. al, 2005). In addition, the reserves and parent equity funds have also been utilized by the company and are in negative figures in the current scenario. Therefore, all these factors conclude that the future of One.Tel is dark and it will surely encounter massive complications to continue its operations. Besides, in a going concern concept, a company concentrates on their short-term oper ation that is generally one year. In relation to One.Tel, it can also be observed that even though it publishes an unqualified auditors report to its stakeholders, yet it is dubious whether it can continue its affairs or not. This is because the companys statement of cash flow depicts that the share issues have immensely enhanced but this has been done through attachment of several benefits that altogether cannot be regarded as authentic in nature. Furthermore, in relation to the intangible assets of a company, these are very significant from the financial point of view because they are generated through innovation and possess an organizational influence on the Human Resource practices (Cappelleto, 2010). In addition, such intangibles also enhance the companys value even though these are non-material in nature. However, around 6% to 30% value of One.Tel is generated through its tangible assets while 40% of its assets are intangible. This proves that the companys structure is kept according to the wishes of the manage ment so that they can utilize it based on their requirements to attain core competencies (Cook, 2001). Nonetheless, the affairs of One.Tel was effective because it endeavored to operate on a broader scale in the market in the prevalence of major rivals like Optus and Telstra. For such motive, the company offered enhanced facilities to its subscribers through the implementation of measures like low costs, internet services, etc (Kruger, 2009). The company aimed to procure the best outcomes through the provision of such facilities to their customers. However, because of the inefficiency on the part of the management, the company had to witness a drastic decline in terms of reputation and financial aspects as a whole (Fernando, 2009). In addition, the inappropriate financial statements of the company made its internal control measures questionable to everyone (Black, 2010). On a whole, based on the financial statements of the company, it can be clearly witnessed that the company is no longer in a position to carry on its affairs in the upcoming period, as its reserves are empty and profi ts depict a negative figure. Therefore, in lieu of faulty planning and management, together with improper due diligence processes, governance, and ethical standards, the company may soon be disregarded from the listing segment because it has not implemented any corrective actions as of now. Moreover, in the absence of inadequate resources, it may surely be very difficult to gain a competitive advantage in the business, that too in the presence of huge rivals. References Bhasin, M. L 2008, Corporate Governance and Role of the Forensic Accountant, The Chartered Secretary Journal, vol. 38, no. 10, pp. 1361-1368. Black, W. K 2010, Epidemics of Control Fraud lead to Recurrent, Intensifying Bubbles and Crises, Working paper, University of Missouri-Kansas City. Brown, J.W, Chasek, P. Downie, D.L 2006, Global Environmental Politics, Boulder, CO:Westview Press. Cappelleto, G. 2010, Challenges Facing Accounting Education in Australia, AFAANZ, Cook, T 2001, Collapse of Australia's fourth largest telco adds to growing list of corporate failures viewed 12 May 2017 https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2001/06/onte-j08.html Elder, J. R, Beasley S. M. Arens A. A 2010, Auditing and Assurance Services, Person Education, New Jersey: USA Fernando, A C 2009, Corporate Governance Policies and Principles, Prentice Hall. Gilbert, W, Joseph J Terry J. E 2005, The Use of Control Self-Assessment by Independent Auditors, The CPA Journal, vol.3, pp. 66-92 Goodstein, E 2011, Ethics and Economics, Economics and the Environment, Wiley Heeler, D 2009, Audit Principles, Risk Assessment Effective Reporting, Pearson Press Kaplan, R.S., 2011, Accounting scholarship that advances professional knowledge and practice, The Accounting Review, vol. 86, no. 2, pp. 367383. Kruger, C 2009, Numbers finally start to add up as operators go back to basics, viewed 12 May 2017 https://www.smh.com.au/business/numbers-finally-start-to-add-up-as-operators-go-back-to-basics-20110121-19zy6.html Kruger, P., 2015, Corporate goodness and shareholder wealth, Journal of Financial economics, pp. 304-329 Manoharan, T.N., 2011, Financial Statement Fraud and Corporate Governance, The George Washington University.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Mitigation of Delayed Projects in the UAE
Introduction In the construction industry, one of the most common and recurrent problem is the delay that is associated with projects. Delays in the launching and completion of projects cost the parties involved in terms of money, time, safety of the project, and the overall quality. These effects are not only felt in the construction industry but also other sectors of the economy that are hurt as well.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mitigation of Delayed Projects in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The effects are multiple in a country that earns most of its revenue through the projects and the construction industry in general. The best example is the United Arab Emirates. It is estimated that the construction industry in the UAE contributes to more than 14% of the GDP, which makes the industry an important one to the countryââ¬â¢s economy. Investigation is required into the causes of delay in the in dustry, as it leads to loss of revenue. It was reported that over 50% of the projects in the UAE experience delays with their completion surpassing the set time (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.67). Some of the causes of delays in the construction industry and especially in the UAE include delay in the approval of drawings, inadequate and late planning, and slow decision-making for the part of the owners. Some of the people involved in the delays include the owners, the stakeholders, construction professionals, and the final users of the projects. These people are also the main causes of the delay based on the part they play in the project construction. The delay of projects causes increase in overhead costs. After the project is complete, the total cost used in construction is more than that projected at its start. Some of the projects delayed in the UAE include the construction of housing units, office blocks, airports, and industries. This paper focuses on the mitigation of delayed p rojects in the UAE by looking at the case studies for some of the delayed projects in the country over the past decade. Reasons for Delays Many people view completion of a project on the time projected for completion especially the construction companies to be a sign of success (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.67). The planning of projects therefore takes into consideration the consequences of construction delays. Significant effort is spent here. However, despite the meticulous planning and adequate preparation, over 50% of the projects in the world are not completed on time. The delay in completion of projects in the UAE is because of many factors, which may co-exist to push the completion time further.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Project delays are both in principle and in the actual construction phase. Delays start in the conception of the project, the planning, and in t he interpretation of the designs. Previous studies have listed the causes of project delays to be in the construction phase while at the same time ignoring the delays that may take place in the development of the plan, the drawings, and in the other pre-construction events. It is therefore necessary to know that many delays can take place in a project even before the groundbreaking takes place. Some of the reasons behind the delay in these stages include financial constraints, poor competence of the planners, constant revision of the plans, and delay in inspection of the plans by the government authorities overseeing the legal factors. Differences between the investors and other parties involved in the construction have caused delays of projects in the past (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.68). After the construction of a project has started, delay can take place at any stage. One of the major causes of delay at this stage is the financial constraints. Many projects have run out of mone y at a period in their construction. This case has necessitated their abandonment and suspension for a given period. Design flaws have also caused major projects to be suspended and in the end delayed in the UAE. When the contractor starts working on the designs, flaws may be found thus necessitating revision. Work on the project stops to facilitate revision of the designs. Project delays can be internal or external to the project. This classification is based on the origin of the delay (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.69). The signatories of the contract who include consultants, contractors, and the clients cause internal delays (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.67). External causes of delay arise from events and individuals who are not involved in the contract. These causes are not in the control of the parties (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.69). Some of the external factors causing delay in project completion include natural events such as disasters, delay in provision of building materials by the suppliers, and changes in government policy during the construction process. Another classification of delays is the categorization into ââ¬Å"excusable but non-compensable delay, compensable delay, and inexcusable delayâ⬠(Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.69). The first delay is caused by factors external to the organization. It is equivalent to external delay in the previous classification. Compensable delays ââ¬Å"result from acts or omissions of the owner or someone for whose acts an owner is liableâ⬠(Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.69).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mitigation of Delayed Projects in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Inexcusable delay results from the contractor, the suppliers of the materials to be used in construction, or the sub-contractors involved in the process of construction. The most common cause of delay in the UAE projects is due to internal factors mainly in the financing of the projects (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.69). Some researchers have concluded that most of the causes of project delays in the construction process can be found in the preliminary phases. These include poor estimation of quantities, errors in the design, conditions at the project construction site, elevation of costs of materials, and construction process (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.70). The estimate is important in project construction. In fact, it is done through plans and or quotes (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.70). Delays caused by cost escalation, underestimation of the costs, inflation, and complex projects are the main causes of the overrun costs (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.70). Project managers should therefore use real quantitative data to make thorough studies of the projects to be constructed ââ¬Å"in order to formulate pertinent terms before starting to attribute the said projectâ⬠(Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.70). Industrialists in the construct ion industry should also be given special attention during project planning since their involvement will contribute in the reduction of delays due to cost escalation (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.70). The engagement of poor contractors in the construction of major projects has not been discussed in the past as a cause of project delays in the UAE. However, it is believed that poor planning and the communication breakdown caused by the engagement of poor contractors in the project management is a significant cause of delay in the completion of some of the projects. Reasons for mitigation of Delayed Projects The UAE and Dubai in particular present a challenge to the construction industry due to a number of factors. These include the rapid construction growth, the tight schedule involved, and the unique architectural expectations of each project from the clients in the country (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p. 71). The industry also has players from a number of countries. With the divergent views and specifications, the challenge of completion of projects on time presents very often. With the large number of projects being undertaken in the country, the performance of the economy is related to the outcome of these projects. Any poor outcome has a negative effect on the economy. Examples of reasons for the delay in the projects in the country include the large-scale nature of the projects (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.71). Some of the large projects completed in the recent past or under construction include the Dubai Marian, Souk Al Nakheel, the palm Islands, the extension of Dubai international Airport, and the Burj Khalifa (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p. 70).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Most of these projects experienced delays in their construction. Those under construction have had the dates of completion pushed forward. International companies mainly do the construction of the major projects in the UAE due to the inability of the local companies to undertake projects of such large magnitude. The international companies are involved in disputes and settlement cases in the process with the subcontractors. This often leads to project delays. Project delays lead to increase in pricing of the final items under construction due to the increase in overhead costs in the extra time the projects take. The problems of inflation also contribute to the rise in the final costs of the unit. This condition is often felt with the increase in the time required for project completion. Another reason for delays in construction projects in the UAE is the procurement approach by the companies involved in the projects (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.71). For most of the projects in the U AE, the traditional procurement approach is favored with the foreign consultants involved in the preparation of contract documents and project design (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.72). The market has also experienced an influx in small contractors who are also affected by the market trends. When the market trends change with time, small contractors end up delaying any of the projects they are undertaking and hence a major cause of delays in the Emirates (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.72). With the boom in construction industry and the large returns experienced by the real estate business, many of the contractors are involved in commitments that are well above their capabilities (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.72). They often end up taking a number of projects, which also end up being delayed. There is a need to mitigate the delay in projects caused by this kind of workmanship. The effects are detrimental to the economy if left unchecked. With the prices of oil meant to reduce over the nex t decade, the UAE economy will be dependent on the revenue earned in the construction of the projects and in the completed ones. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the projects undertaken are not delayed, as this will have a significant effect on the UAE economy. Suggestions for Delayed Projects The financial crisis that rocked the world after the year 2007 is a major factor in the delay of projects experienced in the UAE. Avoiding it was not possible for the industry. However, the method of dealing with the repercussions of the crisis in the construction of projects is important to the clients, as it determines the eventual fate of the projects. Since the delays in the past have been caused by the unrealistic duration set by the owners and the contractors, the control of most of these projects should be done by the authorities in the construction industry, which should also be allowed to set the time for completion of the projects. The making of provisional sums and additiona l costs to the projects has also been a cause of delay in the part of the client. Adequate financial planning should be done with enough room being left for any added costs. The government should also come up with a legal framework of streamlining the industry. In some of the delayed projects, the contractors have abandoned the project at times due to delays in payment from the clients. This case could be avoided if the clients and the project contractors plan adequately for the financing of the projects with the clients respecting the terms of the contract. The consultant firms in the UAE and especially in the state of Dubai, which has been experiencing a construction boom, are usually full of drawings for the many projects being planned. However, these firms are not willing to let any business pass them. They end up overworking their employees. With the increased speed at which the drawings are demanded by the clients and the large workload, the designs are often full of flaws who se correction causes delay in the construction process, as the errors are corrected (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.73). The main problem affecting the designing of projects and their approval in the UAE is the limited number of consultants. It is therefore common for projects to have documents, which are incomplete, frequent changes in the specifications of the building, and an involving inspection procedure (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.74). The mitigation of delays caused by the shortage of specialists in the construction industry could be achieved by the training of more specialists in the country, engaging more foreign-based consultants, and providing suitable conditions for the working of immigrant specialists in the country (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.75). The contractors have often been the source of delays in some of the projects due to differences in culture, mistakes during construction, and breakdown in communication between the internal and external participants of the pro jects. This situation can be corrected by increasing the number of contractors in the country and or facilitating the creation of better working conditions in the industry. The government has a number of measures that it can implement to streamline the construction industry to ensure a better return on the investments it makes in this field. With the experience from the global economic crisis, the authorities here should relook into the development agenda and do more planning to ensure that a repeat of the same does not occur in the future. There is also a need to train more professionals in the construction industry especially specialists. This effort will improve delivery of quality projects on time. Some of the causes of delays are beyond individual, company, or government control. They should therefore be pre-empted with adequate planning being done beforehand. Case Studies Delay in the completion and opening of projects in the United Arab Emirates is common. Most of the complet e projects and those under construction have experienced some degree of delay at some point in their construction. It is therefore important to focus on some of the major projects that have reported delay in their completion, as this would assist in the efforts to mitigate delayed projects in this country. In the following case studies, profiles of the projects are discussed with focus being made on the causes of delay in each of them. This case is then followed by recommendation on the steps that could have been taken to avert the delays. Burj Khalifa The Burj Khalifa is currently the worldââ¬â¢s tallest building, and currently the landmark of downtown Dubai. The building was an ambitious project undertaken by Emaar Properties PJSC at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion US dollars (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). It took six years to construct with construction beginning on January 2004 and completion taking place on January 2010. The notable features of the project include the Dubai founta in, which is on record as the tallest functional fountain in the world, as it shoots water a hundred and fifty meters high as it is illuminated by thousands of lights and 50 color projectors (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). The fountain also has music playing as it shoots the water up. Other records include the ââ¬Å"worldââ¬â¢s highest observatory deck with an outdoor terrace located on Level 124â⬠(Foreman, 2011, p. 24). The building was the crowning piece of the project that entailed the construction of a 500 acre mixed use development, ââ¬Å"Downtown Dubaiâ⬠(Foreman, 2011, p. 25). Apart from the construction of this 828-meter building, the project also involved the construction of the largest shopping mall in the world and an entertainment destination (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). The building, when completed, would be 160-storey high incorporating 185,000 square meters of residential space and more than 28,000 square meters of office space (Foreman, 2011, p. 24). The building also has the ââ¬Å"worldââ¬â¢s first 160-room Armani Hotel in addition to the worldââ¬â¢s highest swimming pool, located on Level 76â⬠(Foreman, 2011, p. 26). The whole project was initially valued at 20 billion US dollars. More than 12,000 workers were on the site (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). 22 million labor hours went into the construction of the project with the laborers coming from over 100 countries (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). The project also included the construction of a park, which is on a lake with an island on it. Millions of people witnessed the opening ceremony of the project internationally, as it was aired on the internet and in the broadcast stations. It also received awards for the many records that it attained at its completion. Apart from all the glory and praise that the project enjoyed, and still enjoys after its completion, there were some delays in the opening of the project, which pushed the inauguration date to a number of days past the scheduled date of completion. Until the year 2006, the construction progress of the Burj Khalifa was remarkable and well ahead of schedule. However, the construction started lagging behind after workers form countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan started complaining of the low wages they were receiving at the project (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). The building also received economic blows especially in the year 2008 when the real estate markets started experiencing the economic crisis. The world economic crisis reduced the prices of the investment while at the same time making the prices of materials escalate (Foreman, 2011, p. 24). The same year experienced a fall in world trade with the prices of oil in the international market slumping (Foreman, 2011, p. 24). It is reported, ââ¬Å"In late 2008, the price of property at Burj Dubai slumped by about 50%-60% while prices in the surrounding Downtown Burj Dubai fell by at least 22%â⬠(Foreman, 2011, p. 24). The construction delays in the proj ect are a combination of internal and external factors as discussed above. Some of them could have been avoided if the contractor, engineers, and the owner of the project had evaluated and predicted the causes of delay before the start of the project. For the economic crisis of 2008, the project managers and financier could have done little to avert the delay caused by it. However, the delay could have been mitigated by adapting the crisis adequately. The project contractor and the owner should have also allowed a longer time of construction by stating a hypothetical completion date and working towards beating the deadline. For a project of its magnitude, the number of employees employed is large. This case may have caused the cost escalation as evidenced during the completion of the project. Even after the completion of the project, the company responsible for the investment reported a delay in the occupation of the completed units and office suites (Faridi, El-Sayegh, 2006, p.67) . Should adequate planning have taken place before the start of the project, these problems could have been simulated and planned. During the construction process of the tower, the workers are said to have rioted due to poor pay and poor working conditions (Foreman, 2011, p. 26). The riots led to the destruction of property and a halt in construction work. This case was also a source of delay in the completion of the project. It is reported that the cause of the riot was a delay in the buses used by the workers in the evening with most of them being stranded at the work place. Workers did not work for company in the days following the protest despite going back to their stations (Foreman, 2011, p. 25). This was one of the causes of reduction in output by the workers in the construction process and hence a major cause of the delay in the project completion. The awarding of better pay could have prevented the strike by the employees. It would also have contributed to the completion of the project on time. The working conditions of the workers and their housing units were said to be poor and hence a factor in their grievances. Improvement of the living conditions of the workers could have been done by ensuring that adequate planning takes place in the welfare of the employees. The company should have set up proper housing units for the employees before the start of the project. The project is the most ambitious in recent times in Dubai. The delay in the completion elicited a change in the policy on the planning for projects in the UAE state. The financial crisis that took place in the years presiding the opening of the building was also a very significant factor in the delay of completion of the project. The state of Dubai was forced to ask for a bail out from Abu Dhabi to aid in the completion of the project along with others that had stalled. A grant was then made to the state. This act was viewed as a positive gesture by the Dubai administration. In return, na me of the tower was changed from Burj Dubai to its present name; Burj Khalifa (Foreman, 2011, p. 23) meaning that the project could have been delayed farther should Abu Dhabi have declined to offer the grant to her neighbor. The main reason for the economic hardship experienced by Dubai during the economic crisis of 2008 is the large number of projects that it was undertaking mainly in the construction industry (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). To mitigate the delays, the government therefore has to come up with a limit to the number of construction projects it can undertake at a particular time. This strategy will ensure that there is regular supply of the required capital for subsequent projects. The Burj Khalifa stands as evidence that delay in the construction industry is inevitable even in the large-scale projects. The surrounding ââ¬ËDowntown Dubaiââ¬â¢ also experienced delays in completion. This case was also because of a number of factors (Foreman, 2011, p. 25). These were relat ed to the causes of delay in the Burk Khalifa. If same measures were put, the problem would have been solved. In the mitigation of delays in the projects in the UAE, the Burj Khalifa project is important to consider. The findings would help the authorities involved in the planning for future projects of that scale. The Dubai Waterfront The Dubai waterfront just next to the palm islands was designed to be the largest project of its kind in the world. The developers, engineers, project designers, and the owners of the project also stated that the project would be the single largest development ever made by man (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The construction of the project is similar to the construction of the palm islands adjacent to it. It would involve a series of islands and artificial canals when completed (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The project was originally intended to serve as a destination for the wealthy in the area and in the world after the creation of its luxurious housing projects an d hotels. The project would also have zones, which would be residential, commercial, and amenity zones (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The owners of the investment scheduled the projectââ¬â¢s completion to the year 2020 though this has been debated due to the suspension of the project on financial grounds. The Dubai waterfront company is responsible for the running of the project. Nakheel, which is a real estate investment company, has a 51% stake in the project (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). Nakheel is a well-established real estate company with branches in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. Its involvement in the project was therefore a significant contribution to the popularity of the project, and the financing was to be made by using the Islamic bonds that it possesses. Several companies are also involved in the project though they have smaller stakes in the project. The original plan of the project was made to resemble the star and crescent symbol, which is a common symbol in the Is lamic world (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The construction of this crescent-shaped archipelago of Islands would also involve the construction of the Palm Jebel Ali that is also constructed by the same real estate investment company Nakheel (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The palm island would be at the center of the crescent. It would be sheltered by it from the sea (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The construction works started with the construction of the canal running parallel to the Dubai coastline in the year 2007 (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The construction was halted at this stage. The reason behind the suspension was financial constraints. The project is expected to be delayed for a number of years because of the financial crisis, which hit the world at the time of the start of the project. The project owners have however announced that several parts of the project would be opened to the public. The parts completed have successfully sold. The suspension of the project is also expected to last until the ma rket for the envisioned units and components improves (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). With the global financial outlook, this case is likely to take place slowly. The project will therefore be delayed longer or done away with (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The above project is just but an example of a delay that is caused by a combination of internal and external factors. With the ambitious development by the project owners, the financial planning was poorly done. The managers and the investment company involved in the project supervision and development should have done adequate planning to ensure that the project is complete. Nakheel Real Estate Investment Company was engaged in the construction of many projects at the time of construction of this project. The case reveals the delays experienced in its construction. Most of the projects that the company had planned to undertake at this particular time and those it had been working on have also stalled with some of them being cancelled. With adequa te planning, the company could have foreseen the impending financial crisis besides reserving some of the money to complete the on-going projects before engaging in new ones. Dubai Maritime City The ambitious project, which happens to be a member of the Dubai World Group of companies, is expected to be the first of its kind in the world (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The completion of the project was slated for the year 2012. However, delays have been experienced from its start. The project involves the construction of a maritime city in Dubai, which will have residential, industrial, educational, and recreational areas. The delay in the construction of the project are mainly due to the financial constraints experienced in the construction period, the difficulty in the construction of the components of the project, and the delay due to correction of the original plans. With the drop in the property value experienced in the UAE in the advent of the global crisis, the project received a blow as the demand for most of the units under construction fell with those remaining retailing at a cheaper price. The client also had to invest more money on the project. The delay in the payments to professional means that time was lost in the construction process. There has been growing speculations as to the actual completion date of the project with some of the professionals in the field stating that it would take more than five years beyond the time earmarked for completion (Foreman, 2011, p. 29). The World Island Project The World Island Project is another project that has experienced a number of belays since it began in the year 2003. The project consists of many artificial small islands arranged to make an illustration of the world. These islands were then sold off to developers with the intention of developing them to residential and recreational areas. By the year 2010, the islands were still to be developed despite their completion with only one building existing on them. Th e building was used as a show-home (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The main culprit for the reduction in demand for the islands and the drop in the prices is the global financial crisis, which is thought to have resulted in the reduced demand and increased cost of materials for construction (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The project has since stalled with rumors that the islands had begun eroding and sinking into the sea (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). Some suggestions were also made that the islands are inhabitable. This case has discouraged many investors in the project. It is reported that the price of properties in the UAE fell by 58% in the year 2008 thus qualifying as a major factor in the abandonment of the project by most of the investors initially interested in the development (Foreman, 2011, p. 29). The company involved in the transport of people to and from the islands has also experienced the economic blow. It has since considered pulling out of the agreement. This situation is a major blow to th e project since the value of the units is set to drop as the owners sell them off. Nakheel Investment Company that is responsible for the project has not set any time for completion of the project. The duration of the delay in completion therefore remains unknown (Foreman, 2011, p. 29). Analysis The above projects demonstrate the need for mitigation measures in the delays of projects. The main reason for most of the delays in the projects has been cited as the financial constraints arising after their start with almost all of them being affected by the global financial crisis, which took place in the year 2008. Billions of dollars were lost in the delay of the projects due to the escalation of the building costs. The prices of property in the UAE are also said to have dropped with the global financial crisis. This situation discouraged further investment in the ongoing projects (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). The growing uncertainty in the market is also said to have locked potential propert y buyers in the industry here. This decision locked the much-desired money for property investment in the UAE. The economy is also said to have been affected by the delays in the completion of the projects being undertaken here. In Particular, Dubai had to take a grant from its neighbor Abu Dhabi (Foreman, 2011, p. 23). The financial crisis and the effect on the economy led to some people referring to it as the Dubai financial crisis (Frasca, 2011, p. 34). In the year 2008 alone, more than 200 projects in Dubai were stalled or suspended following the pending resolution of the financial crisis. Most of them were not to resume construction. The auctioning of the construction equipment took place for some. The contractors closed their operations in the country with others concentrating their resources on a number of projects. Some of the causes of the delay in completion of the projects were internal to the parties involved in construction. However, these were of little significance. T he mitigation efforts in place for the delayed projects in the UEA are mainly the control of the stalled projects by the government and the intervention that it took in the wake of the global financial crisis. Recommendations In the mitigation of delayed projects in the UAE, some measures are necessary. They need participation from all the parties involved in the construction of the projects. The major player in the mitigation efforts is the federal government of the UAE, which has the control in the industry. It should therefore actively participate in the streamlining of the industry by setting standards in the construction industry, and embarking on the vigorous training of consultant specialists in this field. The government should also set up a committee or a board whose function would be to look into the financial implications of new projects in a bid to recommend the actions to be taken in the case when the projects are delayed. The industry should also find a way to attract more specialists into the country. This move will reduce the burden on the few specialists. In the end, the delays caused by the constant revision of drawings and plans due to poor work by the consultants would be mitigated. There is also a need to motivate workers in all levels in the projects. This case will improve their output thus reducing the delays caused by this party. The UAE has enjoyed a boom in construction industries over the past. This situation has often had an effect on the pricing of the property in this part of the world. The federal government should make legislation aimed at regulating the industry to ensure that the investors do not lose the money they invest in the projects. Conclusion As discussed above, a number of projects in the UAE have been delayed due to one reason or another. A need has therefore arisen for the mitigation of the delay in projects in this country. The federal government is the main player in the mitigation measures. Some of the major cau ses of delays discussed above include the financial crisis of 2008, the escalation of construction costs, and the drop in the cost of completed units in the UAE. These delays are said to have influenced the local economies in a significant way and hence the need to avoid the same in the future. Some of the recommendations have been provided on how to prevent a repeat of the same in the future. Reference List Faridi, A., El-Sayegh, S. (2006). Significant factors causing delay in the UAE construction industry. Construction Management Economics, 24(11), 67ââ¬â76. Foreman, C. (2011). Abu Dhabi projects: turning a vision into reality. Dubai, UAE: MEED. Frasca, A. (2011). Dubai, debt, and dependency the political and economic implications of the bailout of Dubai. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas. This essay on Mitigation of Delayed Projects in the UAE was written and submitted by user Lennox Valdez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
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