The Influences Of Rational Thought On Western Civilization :: Philosophy Ration

The Greek's idea of objective idea is an extremely solid motivation behind why Western Civilization has gotten so compelling on the planet today. During their time, the Greeks prodded a scholarly transformation. They scrutinized the implications of life and started utilizing their brains to grow the world. As indicated by Glenn Blackburn: From numerous points of view, they found the human mind through their way of thinking and reasonable idea [ . . . ](64). Their opening of the psyche affected all lifestyles and society. Significant thoughts bloomed like legislative issues, administering laws, writing, workmanship, history, and new innovations. Logical reasoning was momentous among Greek personalities. Thoughts of arithmetic, space science, engineering, and life structures fascinated people in general. This upheaval of sane idea overwhelmed society and started a progress in Western Civilization since individuals started utilizing motivation to clarify human and regular occasions, as opposed to the divine beings (Blackburn, 67). Indeed, even today, balanced idea is utilized by us all and keeps on impacting society. The intensity of the advanced brain has demonstrated more prominent than some other Greek could have ever anticipated. The production of judicious idea started in the Greek city of Ionia. The residents there were available to new thoughts and impacted by brokers from around the globe. Laws were created by these Ionians and recorded to communicate the desire of their general public. The best and most perceived Ionian mastermind was a man named Thales of Miletues. Thought about one of the seven wises men of the day, Thales considered water and its association with the universe. Blackburn comments that Thales thoughts: mark[ed] a significant change in western logical idea (68). Thales additionally utilized I explanations when he philosophized stamping without precedent for history a human utilized explanation and the judicious psyche. Different thinkers surfaced in Ionia during this period making the investigation of the universe, or universe. They additionally established the investigation of past human undertakings or history. This new thought of levelheaded idea spread to the Greek legislative hall, Athens. Here governmental issues and vote based system detonated. Lawmakers and residents were currently ready to discuss issues and question equity. This type of autonomous reasoning carried extraordinary pride and fearlessness to individuals from the Greek society. This took into consideration enormous triumphs for additional way of thinking, design, workmanship, arithmetic, life systems, natural science, writing, and innovativeness. Among the most acclaimed of the Greek logicians were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Scrum master Or A Project Manager Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Talk about the Scrum ace Or A Project Manager. Answer: The likeness of a scrum ace and a task proprietor lies in the way that them two give direction and lead the group to progress. Without the direction of a scrum ace or an undertaking administrator, it turns out to be amazingly hard to satisfy the task destinations. The contrasts between a scrum ace and a venture director is that, scrum ace goes about as a mentor for his groups while venture administrator helps in dealing with the group appropriately. Then again, the item proprietor helps in getting supporters for the task, which makes crafted by an undertaking director and a scrum ace significantly simpler. I figure I would be a superior item proprietor than a scrum ace as I am sure and equipped for building up various working associations with different providers and partners. I have built up a decent association with the senior administration, which would make the task endorsement process simpler. I have a specific involvement with planning also, since have firmly worked in venture planning. Besides, I have a decent administration abilities that would help me in building up a fitting undertaking targets. In this manner, I unequivocally accept that ownership of these characteristics with a little encounter will help me in improving as an item proprietor than a scrum ace.

Managing Catastrophic Thinking in PTSD

Managing Catastrophic Thinking in PTSD PTSD Coping Print Managing Catastrophic Thinking in PTSD By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on June 24, 2019 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children Marc Dufresne / Getty Images People with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often experience cognitive distortions such as catastrophic thinkingâ€"a tendency to expect the worst to happen without considering other possibilities. Cognitive distortions are extreme, exaggerated thoughts that dont match up with the reality of a situation. For example, a woman with  PTSD who was traumatized by rape may have the catastrophic thought that if she goes out on a date, she will be assaulted again. Although that could occur, its much more likely that the date will not feature anything upsettingâ€"it could even go well. But people who struggle with catastrophic thinking typically dont even consider that anything but the worst could happen. Understandably, focusing on the worst-case scenario leads to a good deal of anxiety and stressâ€"and in this case, could cause the woman to refuse the date. How Catastrophic Thinking Develops Living through a traumatic event destroys positive beliefs that people typically have about the world, such as that theyre safe from deliberate harm or, after someone elses traumatic event, that This cant ever happen to me. So it makes sense that someone with PTSD might fall into catastrophic thinking after exposure to a traumatic event: The trauma is viewed as proof that the worst actually can happenâ€"and seen as a sign that only traumatic events will happen from now on. No other possible outcomes are even considered. As time goes on, catastrophic thinking develops into a day-to-day coping strategy designed to help ensure that the person will never be placed in a dangerous situation again. But having catastrophic thoughts over and over can be paralyzing, leading to extreme anxiety, avoidance, and isolation. This may have the effect of undermining the coping strategy. How? By bringing back the persons sense of being constantly in danger and not safe anywhere. How to Manage The first step in managing catastrophic thoughts is knowing when you have them. Self-monitoring can be an excellent way of increasing awareness of your thoughts and the effects they have on your mood and actions. Next, take steps to move your thinking away from extremes. Allow yourself to consider other options. When catastrophic thinking starts, it may be helpful to ask yourself these questions: What evidence do I have that this thought is realistic?What evidence do I have that it isnt?Have there been times when Ive had this thought and it didnt come true?Do I have this kind of thought when Im feeling okay, or when I feel sad, angry, or anxious?What would I tell someone else who was having this thought?Is it possible that Im having this thought just out of habit?What might be a different, more realistic thought in this situation? Asking yourself these types of questions can help you break the habit of catastrophic thinking by learning to be more flexible in considering your options. Youll know youre succeeding when you feel that 1) youre not as anxious as you were before or 2) your anxiety isnt getting any worse. It may also help if you practice mindfulness about your thoughts, which can help weaken their power over your mood. Its easy: When you notice that youre having a catastrophic thought, simply view it as just a thought, nothing elseâ€"just something your mind does when youre feeling a certain way or are faced with a certain situation. Just a habit. You may decide to go out and test how well youre managing your catastrophic thinking. Similar to exposure therapy, the idea is to slowly approach the situations that brought up catastrophic thoughts in the past and see what happens now. If you dont have such thoughts, or they arent as strong and threatening as before, youll know youre making progress. Manage Symptoms With the 9 Best Online Therapy Programs Getting Treatment If you have many catastrophic thoughts, you may find it helpful to discuss them with a cognitive behavioral therapist. Cognitive-behavior therapy places a strong emphasis on the thoughts people have and how those thoughts influence their emotions and behaviors.

How Does The Group Identity Affect The Participant s...

Research Question: How does the group identity affect the participant’s social preferences? Contributions: Social identity theory was developed by Tajfel and Turner (1979) to understand the psychological basis for intergroup discrimination. After that, many studies such as Tajfel and Turner (1986), Deaux (1996), Shih (1999), Hogg (2003), Benjamin et al. (2006) etc. done in the social identity area. This study has two innovations in comparison to social psychology experiments. First, it uses a much wider class of games to measure the effects of identity on various aspects of social preferences. Second, in spite of social psychology experiments, it uses the real monetary payoffs in the other-other allocation. Moreover, in recent years, numerous studies have been done in economics experiments on group identity. However, Akerlof and Kranton (2000) systematically introduced the identity into economic analysis. In General, this study makes two contributions to the economics literature. First, it introduces a framework for the empirical foundation for incorporating identity into economic models. Second, it reveals practical implications for organization design. Design: This laboratory experiment includes one control and five treatments (Original, RandomWithin, Randombetween, NoChat and NoHelp). The treatment sessions conducted in four stages. In stage 1 (Group Assignment), participants were divided into two groups based on their reported painting preferences over five pairs ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on Human Behaviour and Social Norms1593 Words   |  7 PagesRunning head: HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND SOCIAL NORMS Do social norms influence human behaviour? Human behaviour is the response to given stimuli, which are socially and environmentally affected. This response is something that can easily be influenced and shaped through many personal, situational, social, biological, mental factors. In this essay the case of social norms influencing human behaviour will be analyzed using previous studies. Social norms are part of a larger influentialRead MoreExploring The Personality Traits Of People Who Have Materialistic Values And Goals8413 Words   |  34 Pagesand how it affects self esteem, mood and identity, values, ethics, and spirituality. I will also discuss how people manage money and accept financial responsibility is often based on media and advertising. Media and advertising also affects spending and priorities in children, adolescents, and adults. Wanting to have material objects is not the problem. Materialism becomes a problem when it interferes with academics and learning, adults in the workplace, and includes social skills, social responsibilityRead More The Effect of Music on Psychology and Behavior Essay2703 Words   |  11 Pageseffects music has on ones behavior, and how it’s related to Psychology. The truth has never really been verified among common knowledge, but it’s usually something that intrigues people. They say heavy metal and rap can make teenagers violent, sad and depressing music can make teenagers sad and depressed, and some say it’s best to listen to classical music when doing schoolwork because it makes your brain more active. There have been many people that reported how music has effects on their behaviorRead More Critical Review of Helping Students Meet the Challenges of Academic Writing by Fernsten and Reda 1386 Words   |  6 Pages ‘Helping students meet the c hallenges of academic writing’ by Fernsten and Reda is an interesting study how reflective writing practices can be useful for marginalized students, who are struggling with â€Å"negative writer self-identity. 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Montano Brandman University SOCIAL MEDIA ADOLESCENTS 2 Abstract This paper examines the affect social media has on adolescents, ranging from ages 12-18. It is argued that social media has both positive and negative influences on todays youth. The aspect of social media being researched would involve how social media is being utilized. Through the research of

Essay Living in Utopia - 517 Words

Living in Utopia Private property is abolished in Utopia, and society is communally organized in such a way that there is no shortage and that everyone has work, food, a home and opportunities for cultural expression. Sounds great, eh? Would you like to live there, and if not, why? Your answer should take account of Mores context (why he wrote Utopia?) and should be supported by reference to the text. In Thomas Mores Utopia life is very structured there is no crime or prejudices. The people live everyday the same as the last. They dress the same, live in houses that are all designed the same, have very strictly scheduled workdays, and very regulated family life. Whatever you may think of their doctrines, you wont find†¦show more content†¦All of the houses consist of a front door, which leads to the street, and a back door that leads into a garden. These doors are double swing-doors that open easily and close behind you. The homes consist of these types of swinging doors so that anyone can go in and out when they please. Not only are all the houses designed the same but all the people also dress alike. Everyone wears the same sort of clothes-except that they vary slightly according to sex and marital status. Their fashion never changes either therefore there are no tailors or dressmakers. The outfits are very simple and loose. They dont need to be wearing anyth ing fancy because everyone looks the same. The working days are scheduled to a tee. The people must work six-hour days, three hours in the morning, and then they get lunch. After lunch they get a two-hour break then they have to finish off their workday with three more hours in the afternoon. After work everyone goes home for supper and then they have some free time. Bedtime is 8 oclock sharp and everyone must sleep for eight hours. The time that is not already planned out for them, they are free to do whatever they want, but this time must be used wisely. The family organization is quite interesting considering they actually keep track of the amount of people in your home. There is a law that states that no household shall consist of less than ten or more than sixteen adults. WhenShow MoreRelatedLiving in a Utopia Essay980 Words   |  4 PagesLiving in a Utopia This house beli eves that realised anarchy, as a political idea is the way to create a perfect society. Imagine a future utopia of our species: A global community of humanity, which will have overcome the disunity of its primitive origin. A united human race, without boundaries dividing it against itself, living harmoniously with itself and with all Nature. ARead MoreMy Vision Of My Utopia989 Words   |  4 Pagesyou could have the power to create your own utopia, what do you envision? There are a vast amount of utopias that one could build, but since imagination is the only source as of now, what characteristics would I consider for my own? There are many questions that might run through one’s head, like for example: What will the utopia look like? What is the social mechanism within this society? Finally, how will everyone eat since no one starves in a utopia? While there are tons of other questions toRead MoreSimilarities Between The Truman Show And Animal Farm1717 Words   |  7 PagesHow should power be balanced out amongst a society? What balance of power can result in a beautiful utopia? How can we all lead a good life without stripping others of their own? The answers to these questions must be known if we want to lead a good, functioning society today and the answers can be found in the book, Animal Farm, written by George Orwell and the movie, The Truman Show, directed by Peter Weir. Both fictional stories help us understand where we need to set boundaries in our lives andRead MoreA Utopia By George Orwell1477 Words   |  6 Pagesthe society that americans live in now demonstrate a utopia, therefore, they also demonstrate a dystopia. A utopia is a perfect world in which there are no problems like war, disease, poverty, oppression, discrimination, inequality, and more universal problems existing. A dystopia is a world in which nothing is perfect. Problems are extreme things are dysfunctional and problematic. A utopia does not turn into a dystopia until the people living in that society do not live authentic lives. Until theyRead MoreRole Of Uniformity In Utopia1019 Words   |  5 Pages The Role of Uniformity in Utopia Utopia by Thomas More creates a unique opportunity for readers to examine the society of a fictional island filled with practices out of the collective norms. More’s Utopia written in 1516, addresses the customs, faith, and politics of a fictional island. Utopia is described by traveling philosopher Hythloday as a perfect society that values sameness and old traditions. Utopia, a crescent-shaped island built by General Utopus, is 500 miles of uniformity inRead MoreA Utopia Sounds Like A Wonderful Thing1433 Words   |  6 PagesFYS Final A utopia sounds like a wonderful thing. The Oxford English Dictionary defines â€Å"utopia† as an â€Å"imagined or hypothetical place, system, or state of existence in which everything is perfect, esp. in respect of social structure, laws, and politics.† (OED, 2015, entry 2) But what happens when someone tries to bring this imagined land of perfection into reality? Both in fictional literature and in real life applications, utopian dreams destroy societies. The word utopia originates from SirRead MoreThe Perfect Society In Sir Thomas Mores Utopia790 Words   |  4 Pages What is a Utopia? When people think of the term Utopia they think of an ideal or perfect Society. In Sir Thomas More’s â€Å"Utopia† we are introduced to such a society. However, today’s reader can see that the society More’s mention’s is filled with many underlying problems that make it seem less ideal or perfect, because it puts too much stress on the freedom’s and rights of its citizens. Such an act is detrimental in creating a utopia, because if the citizens are not happy with their freedom’s andRead MoreHumans Are Naturally Born Imperfect1680 Words   |  7 Pagesourselves to choose the morally right choice when it comes to living in a world that functions upon laws, and standards. It is within the government, and communities to set these laws, and standards in such a way, that no matter which good, or â€Å"bad† (less than morally good choice, but not considered unmoral) is chosen by a human, they are still considered per fect. 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Let me first explain what utopia and dystopia is. First off, utopia is a society that is considered perfect, a perfect world, no problems what so ever. The idea of utopia is basically a society that is equal. As for dystopia, it is the exact opposite of utopia. It’s a ruled society by the military and government, the

The Rise and Spread of Islam Free Essays

The rise and appeal of Islam can be attributed to many factors. Islam became popular because of the Qur’an, Muhammad’s personality, the immense faith among the early followers, it’s logical and clear principles and that those principles were consistent and logical (al-Islam). It was because of Mohammed’s personality that created the interest in Islam; the religion was not immediately popular when it was first introduced. We will write a custom essay sample on The Rise and Spread of Islam or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was only after Muhammad and his followers left their home for Medina, where the population welcomed Muhammad and the Muslims. Only after Muhammad became famous was he able to garner more followers and converts to Islam (World History Connections To Today, 257). Islam’s believers increased on a daily basis because of the caliphs and their agendas. Islam exploded rapidly during the times of the caliphate through successful military conquests. The campaigns were so successful and far-reaching, that by 750 AD, Muslims controlled land from present-day Iran in the east to present-day Portugal in the west and in North Africa to the south (World History Connections To Today, 260). Many people remained loyal to the religion after the empire detiorated because of the clear principle of the belief in one God. There were no others next to him, just prophets. There were also no conflicts within the religious teachings and the principle of treating all creatures with respect resonated within its followers. It was rare to have religious tolerance practiced toward different religions, yet the Qur’an celebrated it (al-Islam). Muhammad’s popularity was the primary attraction to Islam, but its message, principles and duties is what has kept the religion together throughout many centuries. People are still dutifully performing the requirements set forth in the five pillars which are, accepting God as the one true God, performing daily prayers, giving to the poor, fasting during Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca (World History Connections To Today, 258). Many factors had to congeal to form the Muslim faith, and it will continue to be strong as long as the basic tenets of the religion are held sacred. Works Cited Guertin, Wilson H. , and, Mohammed J. Chirri. â€Å"Why Is Islam Popular? † al-Islam. 2 January 2009 http://www. al-islam. org/inquiries/3. html. World History Connections to Today. Teacher’s ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Simon Schuster, 1999. Charlemagne, Contributions and the Church Charlemagne and the Carolingians contributed many legal and enlightening influences over the empire. He helped spread Christianity and sent out officials to ensure justice was met according to his laws (World History Connections To Today, 188). Improvements were also implemented in the educational sphere. Charlemagne ensured his officials maintained accurate records and even had a scholar from York named Alcuin set up a school based on the Latin curriculum. In turn, Alcuin hired scholars to copy ancient works which would be used as textbooks for almost 1000 years (World History Connections To Today, 189). The Carolingian’s ensured that educational advancements were taken seriously and as a result, there was a large exchange of information amongst schools, clerics and the court. Learning increased under the Carolingians where scholars and monks collected, copied and spread the ancient works. A type of library exchange occurred where authors would loan works and borrow books also (Schools Empire). Still under the Carolingian empire, Charlemagne was part of a groundbreaking occurrence when Pope Leo III crowned him â€Å"emperor. † The pope’s crowning implied that Charlemagne was the sole ruler of the Christian Roman Empire, a ruling that reverberated through Christendom. The crowning caused dissention between the eastern and western Christians and the Roman Catholic popes and subsequent German emperors. The split between the eastern and western churches happened because the head of the eastern empire in Constantinople was not pleased that Charlemagne was chosen as the sole head of the Christian empire (World History Connections To Today, 188). Even though Charlemagne’s kingdom deteriorated after his death, his positive reforms continued to help people (World History Connections To Today, 188). Works Cited â€Å"Schools of Carolingian Times. † School Empire. 12 January 2009 http://schoolsempire. netfirms. com/otschol. htm World History Connections to Today. Teacher’s ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Simon Schuster, 1999. Cathedrals and the Church The Roman Catholic Church and empire became very powerful and wealthy during the medieval period, therefore they built immense cathedrals to exhibit their wealth, their devotion to God and their tithing duties (World History Connections To Today, 227). Tithes were supposed to comprise 10% of a person’s income, so the wealthier a person was, the more money he or she would donate to the church (World History Connections To Today, 197). The cathedrals became a book for the teachings of the Bible and they exhibited civic pride within the community (Hilton, 1). Eventually, cathedrals became even more elaborate and began to acquire carved sculptures that depicted Bible stories to aid the uneducated, illiterate population in understanding the teachings of the Bible (World History Connections To Today, 228). Wealthy and devout congregations enabled grander and grander cathedrals to be built while the Roman Catholic Church became more powerful and more influential over its congregation. Cathedrals were even able to function as currency; some were laden with jewels so that in times of hardship, the church simply picked them out of the architecture and sold them for money (Hilton, 4). Since cathedrals were erected to exhibit devotion shows just how entrenched the church’s authority was within medieval life. The cathedrals’ and the community were governed by canon law, which were religious teachings that also governed everyday life (World History Connections To Today, 196). The church wielded absolute power and if a person violated canon law, he or she could be excommunicated, which would ban him or her from receiving the sacraments, being shunned by their peers and losing the right to a Christian burial (World History Connections To Today, 196). The church was also the hub of the village’s social life and even had theater performances and concerts held within it (Hilton, 5). The cathedral may have existed to show man’s devotion to God and as a means of educating the illiterate population, but its other function as a social center made them absolutely necessary. Works Cited Hilton, Alice. â€Å"How to Read the Great Cathedrals of Europe. † New York Times 19 April 1981. World History Connections to Today. Teacher’s ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Simon Schuster, 1999. Feudalism In feudalism, the nobility were comprised of several classes, the top of the hierarchy being the nobles. The ruler was the head and then there were the dukes, counts and knights. Knights were noblemen who left home at seven in order to learn how to ride, how to take care of their armor and how to fight. When a â€Å"trainee† turned 21, he became a knight. Knights existed to protect the lord and his land, which included the women and the peasants (World History Connections To Today, 192). The noblewoman’s education incorporated learning in the womanly crafts before she could be considered for marriage. Her learning consisted on knowing how to spin, how to weave and how to supervise servants. Her wifely duties were bearing many children, remaining loyal to her husband and to watch the manor while the man was away (World History Connections To Today, 193). The lord’s land was worked several days a week by peasants who received protection and housing from the lord, but were granted permission to work a small patch of land to farm for themselves. They were bound to the lord’s land and had to ask permission to leave it. If another family bought the manor, the serfs were included with it and thus, they had a new lord. In addition to working the lord’s land, they also made repairs around the manor. Peasants did not get free housing and free protection; they had to pay the lord when marrying, inheriting acres or using the mill to grind grain. The short supply of money meant that the payments were commonly in the form of chickens, eggs, grain, etc. (World History Connections To Today, 194). The clergy attended to the community and God. They were monks and nuns who rescinded their worldly lifestyle to become devoted to the spiritual one. They took oaths of poverty and vows of chastity, purity or obedience. Their main duties were prayer and worship and to provide basic social services to community like tending to the sick and impoverished. They were not completely cloistered; some became missionaries to spread Christianity and good works even further. (World History Connections To Today, 198). Therefore, everyone under the feudal system had a job. The nobles and knights gave shelter and protection, the noblewomen tended the manor, the peasants worked the land and the clergy assisted the village. How to cite The Rise and Spread of Islam, Papers

EOHS Law for Work Injury Compensation Act - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theEOHS Law for Work Injury Compensation Act. Answer: The employee has the right to make an objection against the assessment made by the Ministry of Manpower. The claim can be made within 14 days since the Notice of Assessment has been received by employee. In the given situation jack can be raise a claim if he is not satisfied in relation to the salary which has been disclosed by the employer to MOM. The employer discloses less salary so that the amount of compensation can be reduced. In addition jack can also make a claim if he believes that the assessment of the injury cause do him has not been done correctly as he has the right to dispute the assessment. Thus in the given situation where Jack is dissatisfied with the assessment made by the MOM he can file a dispute with the commissioner of labor in relation to his salary being underreported and the medical report which have been submitted by the doctor is not appropriate (1). A work injury claim can be disputed by an employer or there insurer within a time span of 14 days since the notice of assessment has been provided. In the given situation the employer has the right to claim that the assessor did not take into account the fact that the injury could have been caused due to a pre-existing disease to Jack and not the accident. In such situation it is not the liability of the employer to fully compensate jack for the injuries which have resulted out of a pre-existing disease and in relation to such right the employer can file a dispute to redo the medical assessment. Objections can include the question that whether the disease or injury is related to work or whether the Average monthly income which has been provided through the notice of assessment is appropriate. For the purpose of filing an objection the employer or the employee have to fill up the objection form attached with the NOA and such form has to be mailed or emailed to the case officer. The employees who had been subjected to Injury in relation to work have the option of choosing between a claim under the Work Injury Compensation Act and a common law claim. Both the types of claim are different from each other in relation to the process of making, withdrawing and the deadlines. The main differences between common law claim and a claim under WICA are as follows. For the purpose of making a claim under WICA the claim has to made to the MOM and will be decided by the assistant commissioner. The claim under common law can be made either to the high court or the states courts. In case of a common law claim the dispute would be adjudged by the court. In case of a claim under the WICA there is no need of a lawyer. The engagement of a lawyer is not mandatory as a lawyer is not required to complete the process of making a claim. The MOM itself guides a person making a claim through the process. However the information and guidance provided by the MOM are not given in form of a legal advice. In case of a common law claim a person requires a lawyer who needs to be paid the legal fees. When an injury claim is made under the WICA the amount of compensation which can be claimed is restricted to limits and has a set formula to be determined. On the other hand the compensation which is provided by the court has no fixed limit or formula to be determined. However the compensation is based on the provisions provided by the precedents and damages needs to be provided before the court for availing compensation. In case of the WICA proof is needed for the purpose of proving the claim. It has to be provided by the person making the claim that the injury or disease is related to work. There is no requirement of proving that there was negligence or fault on the part of the others. In case of a common law claim it has to be provided before the court that the other party was at fault and the three elements of negligence Duty of Care, Breach of Duty of care and causatio n has to be established. The suit which has been filed under WICA or common law can be withdrawn within one year since the accident has taken place. The civil claim can be filed only before the NOA has been provided by the MOM. The claim can also be withdrawn in 14 days where there is no dispute and 28 days in case of a dispute. Special damages are used by the court for the purpose of compensating the plaintiff for any quantifiable monetary losses. It is advisable to divide personal injury claims into consequential and incidental special damages claim. However there are certain restrictions in relation to obtaining compensation with respect to a special claim. Under WICA, compulsory insurance by employer and payment should be paid by insurance company. In addition jack has to prove the intention of the employer to recover $42000 from him in form of loans and advances. A special damages claim can be claimed if such damages are reasonably foreseeable. In the given situation special damages claim has been made by Jack as he predicts that the $42000 directed towards his injury would be charged by the employer in form of loans and advanced. In the given situation the insurers have the right to argue that the damages which are being claimed by Jack are not reasonably foreseeable. He cannot claim under WICA and Com mon law. It may also be argued by the insurers that claim which is made by Jack is not credible. In the case of Chang Mui Hoon v Lim Bee Leng [2013]SGHCR17 a claim for special damages had been filed by the plaintiff in Singapore which was rejected because it was not reasonable (2). In relation to the given scenario for the purpose of establishing negligence Lucy has to prove that the four essential elements of negligence were present with respect to the incident. The major elements of negligence are as follows Duty of care Breach of the duty of care Causation Remoteness of damages Duty of care- the theory for duty of care was given by the British case of Donoghue v Stevenson 1932 AC 522. The neighbor principle had been provided by this case which rules that a person must act as a good neighbor and protect any other person by taking precautions who may be reasonably injured by his actions (3). In Singapore the theory has been used in the case of Pang Koi Fa v Lim Djoe Phing [1993] 2 SLR (R) 366 (4). The fundamental principles related to the duty of care provide that a person (A) would be deemed to owe a duty of care towards any person (B) if As action can reasonably cause harm to B. The test for determining the duty of care known as the caprao test is also based on such principles as provided in the case of Caparo Industries pIc v Dickman [1990] 2 AC 605 (5) Breach of duty of care - the duty which is owed by A has to B has to be violated or breached for the purpose of establishing negligence. A duty is violated or not is analyzed by implementing the objective test which has been stated in the case of Vaughan v Menlove (1837) 3 Bing. N.C. 467 (6). According to the test if increased and enhanced safety measures are taken by a reasonable person in the same circumstances which had not been taken by A than B has violated the duty of care Causation- causation or better known as factual causation is also required to establish a negligence claim. According to the principles of causation the harm has to result out of the breach or violation of the duty of care. In case the harm is not caused directly or indirectly due to the Breach in the duty of care the concept of negligence would not be established. Remoteness- Remoteness is assessed for the purpose of determining damages in case of negligence. According to the principles of remoteness if the injury is too remote a claim for negligence cannot be made. Thus Lucy must prove that there was a duty of care which has been violated and the harm has resulted out of such violation and is not too remote. Issue The issue in this case is to determine whether Lucy can bring an action against Mark Rule For the purpose identifying whether Lucy can bring a claim against Mark it has to be proved that Mark owes a duty of care to Lucy. According to the principles of duty of care if a person can foresee the other getting injured due to ones actions a duty of care is owed by such person. The duty of care can also be established through the application of the neighbor principle or the caparo test. Application Through the application of the test in this situation it can be analyzed that a reasonable person in the position of Mark would know while driving his actions could injure the pedestrians. In addition to ensure that the duty is not breached Mark must have ensured that he checked everything was ok with the car when he left out of the garage. Thus Mark has violated the duty and injury has been cased to Lucy Conclusion Lucy can make a claim against Mark Issue Can Lucy make a claim against Abacus Garage Rule For the purpose identifying whether Lucy can bring a claim against Abacus Garage it has to be proved that Abacus Garage owes a duty of care to Lucy. According to the principles of duty of care if a person can foresee the other getting injured due to ones actions a duty of care is owed by such person. The duty of care can also be established through the application of the neighbor principle or the caparo test. The duty of care as per the objective test is violated if a reasonable person would have taken more precautions Application In the given situation if a reasonable person is paced in the situation of Abacus Garage he would be able to foresee that of breaks are not fixed the driver or any other person or property on the road may get injured. Thus there was a duty of care. The duty of care was violated as the breaks were not fixed the injury would not have been caused to Lucy if the duty was not violated Conclusion Lucy can bring a claim against Abacus Garage Issue Can Lucy bring a claim against the hospital Rules In the case of Barnett v Chelsea Kensington Hospital [1969] 1 QB 428 (7) it had the relative of the plaintiff was suffering from a terminal disease and had went to the hospital. The doctor advised the patient to go home. The patient died and a claim for negligence against the doctor had been brought by the relative. It was held by the court that negligence would only have occurred if the patient had not died if the doctor would have treated him. As the plaintiff would have died any way there was no negligence. The test provided by the court in this case was known as the But for test. Application In the given situation it can be determined through the application of the rules related to the duty of care that the hospital owed a duty of care to Lucy as it could be foreseen that the actions of the hospital may injure Lucy. The duty was breached by not giving her priority as a reasonable person would have treated the injury immediately. In the given situation through the application of the rules provided in the Barnett v Chelsea case it can be stated that Lucy would not have been injured if the hospital would have been more careful towards treating her injuries. She would have avoided permanent paralysis if she would have been immediately treated by the hospital. It was only because of the negligence of the hospital that Lucy was not able to get up and suffered paralysis. Thus it can be evidently stated that there was negligence on the part of the hospital in relation to Lucy. Conclusion As negligence has been established Lucy can make a claim against Abacus Garage. References The Work Injury Compensation Act 2016 Chang Mui Hoon v Lim Bee Leng [2013] SGHCR 17 Donoghue v Stevenson 1932 AC 522 Pang Koi Fa v Lim Djoe Phing [1993] 2 SLR (R) 366. Caparo Industries pIc v Dickman [1990] 2 AC 605 Vaughan v Menlove (1837) 3 Bing. N.C. 467 Barnett v Chelsea Kensington Hospital [1969] 1 QB 428

Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Cognitive Psychology Essay Example

Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Cognitive Psychology Essay Running head: COGNITION AND REALITY Raymond Summers Psychology 202 Cynda Hopper Change Blindness: The Proof of Ignorance Cognitive psychology is not so much difficult to see in action, but rather it is difficult to understand why. This did not stop cognitive psychologists Daniel Levin and Daniel Simons. They proposed that when a person meets another object, if that object is not important enough to the person, that same person will in fact pay less attention to it. They performed two experiments involving young and old subjects with a wide range of intellect. In the experiment one of the psychologists, Levin, would ask for directions from a subject (Daniel J. Simons and Daniel T. Levin 1997). Some time after the directions were asked the other psychologists, Simons, would rudely interrupt the discussion by carrying a door between the subject and Levin. During this interruption Simons would switch places with Levin and continue carrying on the discussion. Approximately 50% of the subjects noticed the difference even though both psychologists wore different attire, were of different build, had different hair cuts, and had noticeably different voices (Daniel J. Simons and Daniel T. Levin 1997). The majority of subjects that noticed a difference were roughly the same age as the psychologists. They performed this same experiment again only this time they dressed as construction workers, both different costumes. This time less than half of the subjects noticed the difference. They theorized that the younger subjects are more likely to associate them to there social group and are therefore more aware of the psychologist. The older subjects, however, most likely decided that the psychologists are merely students asking for directions so therefore are less aware of the psychologist. We will write a custom essay sample on Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Cognitive Psychology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Cognitive Psychology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Cognitive Psychology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This is the first experiment to prove that change blindness can occur outside of the laboratory (Daniel J. Simons and Daniel T. Levin 1997). Since then scientist have correlated this test with real life situations, for example when your friend gets a hair cut and even though you seem them everyday, you still fail to notice. This among many others is just one example of the incredible situation of change blindness. Reference Daniel J. Simons and Daniel T. Levin. (1997). Change Blindness. In [PDF]64 65. Retrieved Nov. 14, 2011, from http://public. wsu. edu/~fournier/Teaching/psych312/Lab3ChangeBlindness/Change_Blindness_Simon97. pdf.

Sustainable Development Through Energy Management in a Prototypical Small Gulf State

Sustainable Development Through Energy Management in a Prototypical Small Gulf State Free Online Research Papers Sustainable Development Through Energy Management in a Prototypical Small Gulf State Engineering Research Paper Abstract This paper studies sustainable economic development through energy management with special reference to Qatar. It raises the question on the factors that have propelled growth in the region. There is a need to identify the problems facing a fast paced economy and the measures that should be taken to sustain economic development. Furthermore, natural resource-based growth has largely tied regional development to oil price and revenue fluctuations, and has stymied efforts at economic diversification. Globalization is expected to dismantle barriers in information and communication technologies, but the corresponding opportunities that these advances may bring have not yet been fully exploited, though efforts are being made now. A platform of priorities for action identifies the key challenges that must be addressed, to enhance efforts towards sustainable development in Qatar, during the coming ten or twenty years. Introduction a.Energy Scenario in the Global Perspective Energy has been playing an important role in the economic development all over the world. World population is expected to double by the middle of this century, and economic development will continue at a faster pace in the developing world than that in the developed world. The likely result is a 3-5 fold increase in the world economic output over the next 5 decades. By 2100, per capita income in most of the currently developing countries will have reached, and surpassed levels characteristic of the developed countries today, making current distinction between the two totally obsolete. Energy availability and universal access to energy will play a major part in this growth. However, resulting from this rapid economic development, it is not certain that adequate energy services will become available to every citizen in the next hundred years. Demand for energy will continue to grow. Even though focus will shift from primary energy to final energy form, it is expected that primary en ergy requirement will increase globally by 1.5 to 3 fold by the year 2050. According to a World Energy Congress (WEC) study, energy services will move towards more flexible, convenient and clean fuels reaching the consumer. High quality energy forms will become transitional fuels of choice. Thus, there will be an obvious shift towards electricity and towards higher quality fuels, such as, natural gas, oil products, Methanol and eventually hydrogen. Environmental considerations will hold the key to the future consumption patterns of energy. b.Economy of Qatar One easily notices the rapid growth of Qatars economy in all sectors. Qatar’s gross domestic product (GDP) was over US$ 20 bn last year and it is expected to be close to US$ 22bn by the end of the current year. Such accomplishments are the natural outcome of huge investments in oil, gas and petrochemicals. When investments in huge developmental of projects of firms such as QatarGas and RasGas start bearing fruit, the already buoyant economy is expected to get a further boost by the end of the current decade. This rapid economic growth has enabled it to rank as one of the highest per capita income countries’ in the world within a very short period. Qatar has emerged as one of the world’s wealthiest states since discovery of oil in the 1970s and much later, natural gas. Thus, Petroleum products have continued to be, the cornerstone of Qatars economy for over 30 years and accounts for more than 60% of total government revenue, more than 30% of gross domestic product , and roughly 80% of export earnings. The Qatari economy’s vulnerability to oil price movements, as well as its limited crude oil resources has led the Government, in the early nineties, to explore Qatar’s huge reserve of natural gas by making a strategic business and investment decision to commercialize natural gas reserves by developing the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) sector. This led to the establishment of two major projects, namely RasGas and QatarGas, which are now major suppliers of LNG to world markets and contribute significantly to the State’s revenue. Also, Qatar has promoted investments in petrochemicals and fertilizer industries namely, QCHEM, QAFCO, QAFAC etc. Qatar has also promoted industries in the non-oil sector of the economy including Manufacturing, Construction, Finance, Insurance, Trading, Services and more recently Tourism. With such diversification in investment opportunities, production and export of natural gas in the form of LNG, pipe lin e gas, GTL and petrochemicals and fertilizers have registered a steady growth of Qatar economy during the last few years. The world demand for energy has been increasing. Table 1 below shows that Qatar’s oil and natural gas production has been increasing to cope up with the world trend. Table 1: Comparison of Qatar’s overall GDP contributors (Source: 2003 edition of the Middle East Economic Review) Overall Percentage Contribution to GDP (%) 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Oil Gas Sector 45.76 60.43 57.00 57.61 59.79 Non – Oil Sector 54.24 39.47 43.00 42.39 40.29 A study of GDP growth trend as above shows the following factors which contributed to such growth: The price of Qatar’s crude oil increased from year to year over last five years. During year 2003 the crude oil price was $27.9 p/b against corresponding price of $24.5 p/b as in 2002 registering an increase of 13.9%. The production volume of Qatar’s crude oil registered a steady growth. In 2003 the production was 714,000 bpd against 640,000 bpd in year 2002 showing a growth of 11.6%. The production of natural gas was increasing from year to year since its discovery. In 2003 the production of gas increased by 12.9% from the production of 2002. The production in 2002 registered a growth of 1.9% over the production of 2001. The export of LNG was rising. In 2003 the export of LNG stood at 14.4 million tons against 13.5 million tones in 2002 showing a growth of 6.7%. In real terms, the Non-Oil sector of the economy registered a growth, but its contribution as percentage of total GDP showed decline in growth because of rapid growth of the economy resulting from high contribution from oil and gas sector. (Note: 2004 statistics are not given as the price of crude oil and natural gas is too volatile to provide accurate statistics). It could be observed that contribution of Oil Natural Gas Sector to Qatars GDP has been growing steadily in the recent past. However, volatility of the price of crude oil and natural gas makes the Qatari economy quite vulnerable since revenues generated by energy exports becomes less insecure under such situations and also since the need for revenue is likely to be a source of competition for market share in future. 1. Objective of the Study This study analyzes the operating performances of Qatar Energy Industry under the present business environment for identification of the key result areas (KRAs) that are essential for strategic decision making. The report would cover the KRAs for improving upon business results and decision making as also how funds generated could be employed for sustainable development of socio economic condition of the Country. This is crucial for improvement of the living conditions, dignity and welfare of the people of Qatar. The project report will analyze past performance and the business environment to determine the world trend of business. After a SWOT-analysis, the report aims at preparing a holistic plan for sustainable development and growth of the energy industry in Qatar for its contribution to the society. 2. Methodology Since the growth in the non–oil sector correlates with the growth of the oil and gas sector, analysis of historical Balance Sheets and Profit Loss Accounts of the companies in the oil and gas sector would generate statistical data for determination of trend in the businesses. In modern process industries and in oil and gas production industries, capacity utilization, wastage minimization and cost reduction and cost control, besides energy conservation play a crucial role in improving productivity, quality and profitability in addition to growth. Continuous innovation in technology and management is a matter of necessity for survival in a liberalized economy. In the absence of in-house RD facilities in the areas of respective line of technology, it is essential to embark upon innovative management for identification of diversification areas matching with the line of business. Assuming the hydrocarbon in the world cannot last for very long the researchers have since embarked upon technology to develop clean energy from renewable sources. Already commercial exploitation of such technology and renewable sources has taken place. Attempts are already being made to develop eco-friendly bio-fuel to meet with ever-increasing demand for energy. A mega-research project for production of hydrogen as a fuel is already underway. All such innovation in science and technology will act as competitors to hydro-carbons. However, the results of these futuristic researches may not be applicable to the next couple of decades in this world. Accordingly, attempts must be made to make the best of the available resources in the coming decades. It is essential in the long run to slowly but steadily de-link the economy of the country purely based on exploration of hydro-carbon to a process of sustainable development in line with the movement of the world. However, it is required t o develop indices to be closely monitored so as to ensuring optimal utilization of the available resources during the coming decades. 2.1 Fund Flow and Ratio Analysis The process of determining KRAs will involve analysis of historical operating performances. This could be done initially from the audited annual reports. However, for in-depth analysis, a study may be required to be made at various levels in operating areas. For illustration purposes, the audited annual report of QAFCO (Qatar Fertiliser Company) for the year 2003 was studied against the audited balance sheet for the financial year 2002. The fund flow statement has been prepared as shown in Table 2. Table 2: Fund Flow Statement for QAFCO for the Financial Year 2003 Source of Fund Application of Fund Brief Particulars Qatari Riyal Brief Particulars Qatari Riyal Increase in Paid up Share Capital 100000000 Increase in Investment in Property, Plant and Equipment 522743745 Increase in Legal Reserves 20072377 Increase in Dues from Shareholders and Related Parties 96242101 Increase in Availability of Fund for Payment of Dividend 250000000 Increase in Accounts Receivable 29867635 Increase in Syndicated Loan 651560000 Increase in Other Receivables and Prepayments 25558104 Increase in Accrual of Employers’ Service Benefit 2461760 Increase in Cash Balance and Bank Balance 426388445 Increase in Accrual of Minority Interest 12217130 Reduction in Accounts Payable and Accruals 83100445 Increase in Dues to Share Holders and related Parties 42596559 Increase in Provision for Pension Liabilities 2548042 Reduction in Value of Inventory 22805252 Increase in Retained Earnings 79639355 Total 1183900475 Total 1183900475 An analysis of the important financial ratios worked out from the said annual report is presented in Table 3. Table 3: Financial Ratio Analysis of QAFCO for the Financial Years 2002 and 2003 Brief Particulars of the Ratio 2003 2002 Return on Investment 31.09% 13.65% Margin on Sales 45.43% 26.54% Profit/Fixed Assets 22.82% 11.22% Sales/Fixed Assets 50.24% 42.26% Sales/Current Assts 32.11% 29.33% Inventory/Sales 0.0715 0.0725 Debtors/Sales 0.0415 0.0328 Material/Sales 11.46% 13.45% Employment Cost/Sales 8.47% 12.34% Depreciation Cost/Sales 8.45% 12.34% Value Added Per Qatari Riyal Employment in Riyals 9.44 6.19 Increase in Sales 46.74% Increase in Material Cost 26.42% Increase in Employment Cost 1.85% Increase in Investment in Projects 24.82% From the study of the Tables 2 and 3 the following could be observed: Increase in turn-over in 2003 over 2002 was 46.74% with corresponding increase in material cost and employment cost at 26.42% and 1.85% respectively. The increase in investment during 2003 on productive fixed assets registered a figure of Qatari riyals 522,743,745 which is 24.83% more than that during 2002. Again employment cost which was 12.34% of sales in 2002 became 8.45% in 2003 when the sales registered a growth of 46.74%. This establishes that the employment cost was not KRA for this company. With 46.74% growth in sales, the material cost increased by 26.42%. Again material content of sales, which was 13.45% in 2002 dropped to 11.46% in 2003. This suggests that there are avenues in operations to reduce the material content of production. Ratio analysis in the table above shows that the inventory holding was for 3.77 weeks of sales which was reduced to 3.72 weeks in 2003. Therefore, not much benefit could be obtained from inventory management. This suggests that attempts should be made for price reduction of material, increase in yield of material and material wastage reduction for optimizing material content of production. It is noted that against an increase in investment in productive assets of 24.82% the growth of sales registered a figure of 46.74%. The ratio analysis shows that asset turn over ratio increased from 42.26% in 2002 to 50.24% in 2003 and the margin on sales increased from 26.54% in 2002 to 45.43% in 2003. This shows that capacity of the existing plant and machinery could not be utilized fully in 2003. As the company is highly technology intensive, cost of modernization from time to time may push up the fixed cost which might raise the break-even volume of sales at current price. This suggests a detailed analysis of the operations and also a detailed audit of the cost structure. The strategy adopted may be either low volume of production with high margin on sales if the market so permits. Alternatively, high volume of production at low price strategy could be adopted to cover more market share and ultimately become a monopolist. This practice has been adopted by the Chinese manufactur ing industry which has ultimately become the production center of all manufactured goods in the world today. The fund flow statement shows that increase in investment on property, plant and equipment amounting to Qatari riyal 522,743,745 was financed principally through increase in syndicated loan amounting to Qatari riyal 651,560,000, although there was increase in cash balance and bank balance to the tune of Qatari riyal 426,388,445 which represent 81.57% of the increased in investment. This might have reduced net profit and hence the retained earnings. Subsequently, a look at the capital structure of the company may yield results in terms of reduction in liabilities and increase in return on investment. In view of the foregoing, for identifying the key result areas it would be necessary to study the following particulars: Desk Research: (a) Annual reports of the company since its inception. (b) Annual Economic Review of the Government of Qatar for the last 5 years. (c) Audited Annual Reports of the competitors in the world since last 5 years. (d) Currency fluctuation statistics between Qatari riyals and the currency of the importing country for the last 5 years. (e) The present market segment of the company. (f) Proposed market segment of the company. (g) Statistics of gas and oil price fluctuations in Qatar for last 5 years. (h) Indication of areas of alternative investments of excess funds generated keeping in line with socio economic development goals Field Research: (a) Study of the operation of the plant. (b) Study of the technology and performance of the plant. (c) Study of cost structures and establishing of a management information system. (d) Market research on a global basis. (e) Determination of a techno-commercial model with variation in quantity of sales, price per unit, cost per unit, operation at different percentage of plant capacity utilization, foreign exchange fluctuations and oil price fluctuation in OPEC. Both the above studies must be made for all the companies in the oil and gas sector in Qatar. Above mentioned ratio analysis is an analytical tool for analyzing the performance of a firm. â€Å"While ratios are easy to compute, which in part explains their wide appeal, their interpretation is problematic, especially when two or more ratios provide conflicting signals. Indeed, ratio analysis is often criticized on the grounds of subjectivity that is the analyst must pick and choose ratios in order to assess the overall performance of a firm.† [refer Feroz E.H.et.al.] Accordingly, we apply Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which is basically an application of repeated linear programs, on the historical data on input and output to reinforce the study based on ratio analysis. 2.2 Introduction to DEA DEA is commonly used to evaluate the efficiency of a number of producers. A typical statistical approach is characterized as a central tendency approach and it evaluates producers relative to an average producer. In contrast, DEA is an extreme point method and compares each producer with only the best producers. By the way, in the DEA literature, a producer is usually referred to as a decision making unit or DMU. Extreme point methods are not always the right tool for a problem but are appropriate in certain cases. A fundamental assumption behind an extreme point method is that if a given producer, A, is capable of producing Y (A) units of output with X (A) units of inputs, then other producers should also be able to do the same if they were to operate efficiently. Similarly, if producer B is capable of producing Y (B) units of output with X (B) inputs, then other producers should also be capable of the same production schedule. Producers A, B and others can then be combined to form a composite producer with composite inputs and composite outputs. Since this composite producer does not necessarily exist, it is sometimes called a virtual producer. The heart of the analysis lies in finding the best virtual producer for each real producer. If the virtual producer is better than the original producer by either making more output with the same input or making the same output with less input then the original producer is inefficient. Some of the subtleties of DEA are introduced in the various ways that producers A and B can be scaled up or down and combined. The procedure of finding the best virtual producer can be formulated as a linear program. Analyzing the efficiency of n producers is then a set of n linear programming problems. The following formulation is one of the standard forms for DEA. Lambda (?) is a vector describing the percentages of other producers used to construct the virtual producer. X and Y and are the input and output vectors for the analyzed producer. Therefore, ?X and ?Y describe the virtual input and output respectively. The value of theta (?) is the producers efficiency. DEA Input-Oriented Primal Formulation s.t. ? free, ? ? 0 It should be emphasized that an LP of this form must be solved for each of the DMUs. There are other ways to formulate this problem such as the ratio approach or the dual problem but this formulation is the straightforward. The first constraint forces the virtual DMU to produce at least many outputs as the studied DMU. The second constraint finds out how much less input the virtual DMU would need. Hence, it is called input-oriented. The factor used to scale back the inputs is ? and this value is the efficiency of the DMU. The data required for application of this model are the historical data on input and output of a particular company. However, if this model is used for determination of the relative efficiencies of a particular company visvis its peers/competitors, then the input and output of all the companies are required. If historical input and output data are available, then trends of the relative efficiencies of the companies could also be easily studied. The format for data to be collected for implementing this model can be described as shown in the Table 4 below. Table 4: Format for Data to be collected for DEA Model (QAFCO, as a whole) Year Input Units (Amount/Nos.) Consumed/Used Output Units Produced Raw Materials # Employed Electricity Consumables Urea Ammonia 2003 2002 2001 etc. For determining relative efficiency of each of the four trains of QAFCO, similar format for data collection as shown in Table 5 may be adopted. Table 5: Format for Data to be collected for DEA Model (for different Trains of QAFCO) (For Year 2003) Train Input Units (Amount/Nos.) Consumed/Used Output Units Produced Raw Materials # Employed Electricity Consumables Urea Ammonia 1 2 3 4 (Repeat the same for other years like 2002, 2001, etc.) For determining relative efficiency of many companies engaged in similar kind of operations, similar format for data collection as shown in Table 6 may be adopted. Table 6: Format for Data to be collected for DEA Model (For more than one company like QAFCO) (For Year 2003, say) Co. Input Units (Amount/Nos.) Consumed/Used Output Units Produced Raw Materials # Employed Electricity Consumables Urea Ammonia 1. 2. 3. Etc. (Repeat the same for other years like 2002, 2001, etc.) 3. Research timetable Activity Estimated Timeframe Develop or adapt research objectives 1 day Design research protocol 1 week Recruit interviewers 2 weeks Translate instruments into local language 1 week Train interviewers (include pretesting and revising 2 weeks instruments in training) Collect data 2 weeks Transcribe recordings 1 week Translate transcripts 2 -3 weeks Preliminary analysis in field 2 weeks Prepare for presentation 1 day Presentation 1 day Complete analysis 2 weeks Prepare report 1 week 4. References 1) Doing Business with Qatar – Philip Dew 2) Landmark Regional Review (Arabian Gulf) Booklet – 2003 Edition 3) Landmark Technical Review Booklet – March 2003 Edition 4) Doing Business in Qatar – Qatar National Bank, 2003 Edition 5) Qatar Economic Review – Qatar National Bank, April 2003 Edition 6) International Petroleum Encyclopedia – PennWell, 2003 Edition 7) Oil and Gas in the Middle East – 2002 Edition 8) Qatari Projects: Current and Forthcoming – Qatar National Bank, March 2004 9) Mash’al Magazine – QP in-house magazine, January to August 2004 Editions 10) Structured Corporate Finance – Qatar National Bank, 2004 Edition 11) The LNG Industry – Andy Flower 12) Landmark Corporate Website (www.lgc.com) 13) RasGas Corporate Website (www.rasgas.com.qa) 14) Qatargas Corporate Website (www.qatargas.com.qa) 15) QP Corporate Website (www.qp.com.qa) 16) Official 2005 Business Plan for Dukhan Drilling – QP 17) Official 2004/2005 Dukhan Field Drilling and Workover sequence – QP 18) Business Plan for all QP Oil and Gas Projects – QP 19) Middle East Economic Review 2003 20) RasGas Magazine No. 8, July-September 2004 21) Qatar Economic Review, April, 2004 22) Oryx, August 2004 23) Annual Report – 2003, Qatar Petroleum 24) Annual Report – 2003, Qatar Fertiliser Company 25) Annual Report – 2003, Shaping the Future 26) The Peninsula, Sunday, August 29, 2004 27) Gulf Times, Saturday, August 28, 2004 28) Feroz E.H.; Kim S.; Raab R.L.; â€Å"Financial statement analysis: A data envelopment analysis approach†; Journal of the Operational Research Society; January 2003, Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 48-58 (11) 29) David Hawdon; â€Å"Efficiency, performance and regulation of the international gas industry a bootstrap DEA approach†; Department of Economics Surrey Energy Economics Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey,. GUP 7XH, UK. 5. Literature review Fetterman, D. M., Kaftarian, S. J., Wandersman, A., Eds. Empowerment Evaluation: Knowledge and Tool for Self Assessment and Accountability, Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage, 1996 Patton, M. Q. Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage, 2002 Research Papers on Sustainable Development Through Energy Management in a Prototypical Small Gulf StatePETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeThe Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaRiordan Manufacturing Production Plan

Production styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Production styles - Essay Example The late 1950s and early 1960s witnessed shifts in these production styles. With the gradual emergence of rock and roll in the late 1950s and early 1960s there was a corresponding loosening of cultural standards. In this way the music of this period increasingly incorporated sexual themes and innuendos. In terms of instrumentation, production styles increasingly came to incorporate guitars as the primary carrier of rhythm and melody. ‘Down in Mexico’. This song emerged at a transitional time for music. With 1950s style productions gradually being phased out for 1960s modes of production. In this way this song retains the 1950s instrumentation style, with the use of brass instruments as the major production method. Still, guitar and bass are incorporated to an increasing extent in this track. Perhaps a more notable element of this track is the increasing emphasis its places on darker themes. While the track retains much of the 1950s cultural standards, there is a distinct shift in tone from the light-hearted naivetà © that was reminiscent of the 50s, to the 1960s increasing willingness to incorporate darker and more challenging themes. landscape in the 1950s and 1960s. From an overarching perspective, it appears that rock music became more homogenized in the 1960s, although the difference depends on what categories one uses. The 1950s witnessed a disparate array of music styles. Rhythm and blues, country, doo-wop, jazz, and soul music also existed as major styles during this period. In this way there was considerable disparity in terms of the popular music landscape, as a dominant music genre had not yet emerged. As the 1960s occurred many of these disparate music styles merged under singular genres. For instance, rhythm and blues increasingly became associated with rock music. Additionally, rock music incorporated many influences from country music. In this

Manufacturing of Porous Steel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Manufacturing of Porous Steel - Essay Example The new industrial methodology for manufacturing and producing Porous Steel is a relatively new invention and was patented only recently in 2006-2007 through its Korean inventors Rin-soon, Yongsang, Wonjong-dong, Ojeong-gu, and Bucheon. (WO/2007/018403) Porous steel is a special type of steel which requires a method of manufacturing steel through special preparation of the metallic bodies with plural cores which are coated and then rearranging them in contact with each other in a certain position which allows the pores to be formed there between, and thus the arranged metal bodies are heated to be point welded. (WO/2007/018403) The above mentioned Porous methodology allows the pores formed in the porous special steel to be flexible enough to be able to change according to the size of the metallic bodies. This further allows other special steels to be manufactured with ease and flexibility according to the kind of cores and coating metals. (WO/2007/018403) Porous Steel manufacture relates to a method of manufacturing the special steel in diverse shapes and sizes due to its flexible pores. This is a novel invention in a time of heavy industrial development whereas the improvement in life environment necessitates an increasing need in the Steel industry for flexible raw materials. Porous steel is different from the traditional metallic steel products in the sense that they are found in powdery or other solid forms but the porous special steel with its flexible shapes and sizes has appeared in the various industrial uses and works better than ordinary steel by securing sufficient pores therein. This property of the metal allows to also serve a filtration purpose which having a function of filtering particles contained in gas or liquid can then be utilized as a highly efficient heat resistant material due to its qualities of excellent air permeability and conduciveness to heat. There is however a problem which can technically hinder the use of the porous steel. The conventional method of making Porous steel consists of a number of steps for example it will include the salts to be welded to each other and placed in a press die ,where as the raw metal will have lower fusion points. (Lee et al 2007) However the problem is that not only does this require a heavy use of equipment (like the use of magnanimous press dies in order to permeate the salts and metal into the raw metal) but the welding process can prove to be a nuisance in itself. (Lee et al 2007) However the inventors have also presented a new methodology to get around these complications with ease by the arrangement of metallic bodies in which a plurality of cores thereof is coated with metal. Such a method warrants better achievement of the dexterous task of manufacturing porous special steel, which is capable of manufacturing even complex-shaped special steel with ease. This will involve the coating of the cores of the metallic bodies with ferromagnetic metal. Then these metallic bodies will be magnetized to allow the arrangement to build a magnetic force between the metallic bodies. (Molin et al 2008). The method allows for the provision of easily manufacturing special steel alloys based on various cores and coated metals which are then capable of changing the

Computerised Accounting Information System Analysis

Computerised Accounting Information System Analysis The purpose of this report is to discuss how effective the computerized accounting information system will benefit a business that is expanding in expenditure, revenue and other key areas of business. Introduction to Accounting Information System AIS is a system that collects and stores accounting data, after that process the data into useful information used by the decision makers (internal and external users). The information produced by AIS can help decision maker to manage their business more efficiently strategically. However, accounting information system can be manual using the traditional way of recording business transactions manually using paper-and-pen. Today the term AIS referred to as compound computer base system that merges the ability of information technology together with traditional accounting principles and practices. A big benefit from computerize accounting information system is that they automate and make financial reporting more efficient. Accurate and summarized, timely information is a major tool for organizations decision making and financial reporting. The accounting information system pull imports data from the system database, process and transform it and eventually produces information and reports which can be easily consumed and analyzed by the users, managers and decision makers. These systems are required to ensure that the reports are timely and relevant so that decision makers are able to quickly and efficiently base on the information provided in the reports. Consolidation is one of the greatest characteristic of reporting as user does not have to go through a massive number of transactions. For example, at the end of the accounting period an accountant consolidates all payments by running a report on the system. The system application layer reclaims the data stored in the system database and produces a report with the total payments made to the vendors for that particular period. With large corporations which have huge volume of transactional data, generating a report without AIS can take day or even weeks. Case study background River Adventures is a fifteen years old company located in Cheddar, Somerset, owned and managed by Robin Forsythe. Until recently river adventures business has been highly seasonal offering two different kayaking instructions for beginners and Intermediate level as well as kayak and rafting trips down the river Axe in Somerset. They also usually rent equipment to participant if they required. However, the company is facing an exciting challenge which will alter the size, the type of service offered and the seasonality of the business. Robin has lately obtained two new sites and he is planning to launch a new team blinding course (corporate activity) and he is expecting a large number of new participants to this specific course. Financial management and business processes field Robin operating his business very informally using manual procedures in all areas. He always predicts the expenses for each course based on his working experience. He also manages the purchasing activities of the company and issue invoices for participants on the course. At the end of the year he determines his profit by his total revenue minus the total expenses during the year. Robin set the prices by consider his profit from the previous year, assess his competitors price and make adjustment for inflation. Robin employs an office administrator along with a number of kayak instructors and raft guides. The administrator manages Account Payable and Cash Receipts and records them in the Income Journal. He also maintains simple general ledger and payroll register for tax purposes only, and no use of this accounting data is made for financial planning or for operations control. River adventures advertise through leading outdoor magazine, he also advertises about the coming seasons program on popular kayak retail notice board. Problems Robin is not pleased with the arrangement of his business and he concern about how he will keep track on expenditure and revenues as the business get bigger. Robin feels that there is unnecessary wastage of the company resources as there is not real control over the cost of meals provided to the beginners course. In addition he notice that recently there is diminishing in the stock of camping as well as small items is also being lost. Robin has suspicion about the operation of marginally attended classes, but no analysis has been done to confirm his suspicion. Robin believes there is lack in his marketing activities and he can easily attract more customers by improving his marking activities. Business opportunity Robin know about 40% of kayaking course participants continue kayaking. As such his customer base reflects a target market for direct sales of kayaking and other equipment. He would like to expand his sales into a full scale direct mail/internet business. Doing so would enable him to provide year-round work for some kayaking personnel. Users of Financial Information Accounting information system objective is to identify record and communicate the economic events of an organization to the intended users. The type of information the user requires is dictated by the type of decisions they make. The information provided by the financial statements includes an organization resources and claims against those resources, as well as shareholders equity and changes in assets and liabilities. Financial information differs between the internal and external users. Accountants must understand the characteristics of information required by the different users of financial statements. In developing financial reporting standards, standard setters presume that those who use the resulting information will have a reasonable knowledge of business and economic activities and be able to read a financial report (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2006, p. 2). The aim of communicating financial information to user is to let accountants to address the needs and interest of users. There are many different users of financial information and these include: equity investors, suppliers, creditors, customers, employees, governments and their agencies and members of the public. Those users are identified as internal and external users of financial information. Internal Users Robin and his management use financial information to plan, organize and operate the business. And this includes the office administrator, the cook, maintenance person and the kayak instructors. External Users There are quite a few types of external users of financial information and this includes lenders investors, tax authorities, general mass and media. Invertors use financial information to determine whether to buy, hold or sell their shares. Whilst suppliers and lenders view financial statement to assess the health of an organization and to ensure timely repayment of credit. Other external users include equity investors, customers, creditors, general public and governments and their agencies and regulatory bodies. The Functions, Features and Reports of UBS Accounting Information System UBS Accounting Software Since Robin is willing to expand his business activities, UBS Accounting software will enable him to handle and speed up all accounting functions in his business. UBS has the function to handle multiple company transactions. By implementing UBS Robin will be able to assess the performance of the three sites that he owns efficiently and effectively. UBS has the function to view all accounts and reports of each site separately. The software will also provide him with a consolidated account where he can assess the performance of the entire business. In addition UBS accounting has the function to compute good and service required by government agencies, so the office administrator is no longer required to spend time with the general ledger computing tax liabilities and he can focus on other aspect of business instead. UBS accounting software is very flexible; it is capable to handle up to 18 months transactions therefore, the company will not have any difficulties to implement the softwa re at any time they want to. UBS Accounting produces pre define reports. However most of the reports can be modified to suit any business requirement. The Software standard reports are: General ledger Listing Trial balance Trading, Profit Loss Account Balance Sheet   Fixed Assets Depreciation Report   Manufacturing Account    Trading, Profit Loss Account for individual project   Cash Flow Budget Variance Reports Gain/Loss on disposal of Fixed Assets Bank Reconciliation Debtors Creditors Statements Debtors Creditors Listing and Labels Debtors Creditors Aging Report Receipts printing Payment Vouchers printing and management reports UBS Stock Control Software UBS Stock Control is a real time system that updates the stock immediately after entries. It also performs as an invoicing system whereby Robin will be able to print invoices and delivery orders. A simple yet powerful Bill of Material module has been included to enhance the system. Four method of stock valuation are provided in the system, namely Fixed Cost, First in First out (FIFO), Monthly Moving Average and Moving Average. If required, a picture of stock item can also be inserted. By implementing UBS Stock Control, Robin will have superior control over his stock since the software can control and track all the movement of inventory in the company Besides the software has ability to handle multiple company transactions therefore he can control the inventory of each arm of business separately. UBS Stock Control produces the following reports: Print Delivery Order / Invoice / Cash Sale Print Sales Order / Purchase Order / Debit Note / Credit Note Re-order / Stock replenishment recommendation Stock Cards Month to Date stock status reports Stock aging reports   Multi-sorted sales analysis report by :- Customer/Salesman/area/product/invoice Gross profit analysis reports by :- Customer/product/bill/agent/area Yearly sales purchase report Top 25 product sales by quantity and sales value Item graded reports Serial number reports UBS Payroll Software UBS Payroll for Windows fulfills all government requirements such as KWSP Borang A, SOCSO Borang 8A / 2 / 3 and Income Tax EA Form, CP8D, CP22, CP22A, CP39 and CP159. It has become an effective payroll system for all type of businesses and industries due to its capability of  computing monthly,weekly, daily, hourly piece rating. It has 3 mode of payment- monthly, daily and hourly. In addition it compute allowances table, user defined overtime as well as tip point and piece rate computation. Reports generated by UBS Payroll: A.   Statutory Reports: CPF   IR8A / IR8S SDL / FWL B.   Management and operational reports: Payslip Payroll Summary Basic Pay / Allowances / Deduction / Overtime / CPF / SDL / FWL Personal and Payroll reports Leave taken / given reports Work force / Turn over analysis Cash denomination Net pay by cash / bank Yearly employee pay summary   C.   Reports to be submitted via computer diskettes: Employees contributions / net pay can be output to diskette and sent to bank, EPF, Socso and IRD for accounts to be updated. The System Requirement Pentium II 266 MHz or higher 128 MB memory or more   800 MB or more disk space 1 floppy disk drive   1 CD Rom Drive Windows 98, Win2000, WinXP and above   Mouse   Printer Users and Stakeholders Requirements AIS aim to provide information for both internal and external users-primarily for external information users. Given that external users have a range of information needs, financial accounts need to conform to certain standards in order to satisfy them. To that end, the identified users of financial accounting information should have their information needs addressed. In that way, one can determine the context in which accountants produce financial reports. Investors In the case of River Adventure, Robin is the only shareholder of the company. Robin will be able to base his investment decision on the financial position and profitability of the business which is provided by the new accounting system. The information provided by the AIS may also be useful for potential investors in the case if Robin want to expand his business in the future and sale shares of the company to other investors. Robin would be concern about the viability of the company or his return on investment, while potential investors want to know that they are investing in a strong company. Management The highly summarized nature of financial accounts provided by the new system, allows Robin and his management to assess whether the companys strategic and tactical objectives are being met. Knowing the position of the company allows them to fine-tune the day-to-day running of the company with knowledge of the impact of their decisions on the companys strength and viability. Lenders Creditors like banks and financial institutions have a preference to deal with a financially well company with a strong cash flow because they are worried with debt repayment and recovery. Employees Employees such as the raft guides, camp cook, instructors and the office administrator are concerned with whether the company will continue a going concern and if they might face and whether can ask for wage increases. Trade unions usually observe the financial position of an organizations to make wage increase demands as well. Suppliers Suppliers such as Rustic Retreats, local butcher, grocers and camping and sport equipment suppliers are concerned with whether they supply the company on credit terms and may desire to contract with the company as a going concern. Customers/Clients (and financial advisers/analysts) Customers like corporation wishing to send their employees on team building course and individual students, would also be concerned with the business being a going concern. Tax authorities Tax authorities like Inland Revenue, Yearend returns and Tax liabilities need to assess chargeable income of an entity to determine whether the right amount of tax is being levied in a particular year. Government Government includes all government or state agencies like the Central Bank. These agencies would use financial statements to ensure compliance, especially with the representation of the financial position of the business and accounting standards. The government also uses information from financial accounts for national statistics such as Gross Domestic Product. Public public simply refers to the rest of society. Business actions have an effect on society and the environment where River Adventure operates its business, so the public, which includes lobby group, would assess the entity as a corporate citizen. Business process models The revenue cycle Sales The sales segment of the revenue cycle begins when a consumer places an order. When the purchase order is received, an employee of the company enters the required data into the accounting system keying the order into an input screen.With the available online data files, the input data can be revised, the customers credit statues can be studied, and inventory level can be checked. Also a customers credit limits will be reviewed so that it does not exceed and keep tab of the available inventory items. The customers accounts records and sales records can be updated using the order processing. Relevant documents needed to fill and ship the order are printed. These documents include a pick list, a packing slip, an invoice, and bill of lading. The pick list serves as a list for warehouse employees to select items from the warehouse shelves. The packing slip is utilized by the shipping personnel to ensure correct items are packed. An agreement between the common carrier and the company comes in the form of the bill of lading. The invoice is then sent to the customer. Towards the end of the month, customers are given the bill according to the statement. Regular monthly reports would include sales reports, inventory status reports, and account receivable reports. The expenditure cycle Payroll To keep the payroll in check, an electronic time clock collects time and attendance when employees insert their time sheet into the clock. The time clock then reads the bar codes on the employees time sheet. The system thencollects data through-out the period and automatically calculates batch totals. The data batches are then used to prepare paychecks and the payroll register. Purchases The purchasing department order items from a vendor and an employee must enter a purchase order into the accounting software by keying data into the fields of a purchase order form on the screen. The receiving department receives the goods and compares the packing slip with the purchase order to confirm part numbers and quantities. A receiving report is prepared by an employee filling in the appropriate fields in a receiving screen in the software and inventory records are updated, the person completing this screen must choose the purchase order that matches this receiving report. When the vendor name or ID number is entered, the system will list open purchase order with that vendor. After the vendor has provided an invoice, the invoice must also be entered into an entry screen in the accounting software. Again the proper purchase order must be chosen from a list to open purchase orders. If the purchase order, receiving report and invoice match as to part numbers, quantities and pric es, the liability is approved for payment. At the due date of the invoice, a designated person must select certain invoices to pay and have the system generate a batch of checks. How the outputs of the new accounting information system will help River Adventure to solve their problems. The new accounting software has the ability to generate profit/loss and balance sheet at any time required thus Robin can keep track on his business expenditure and revenues as the business expand. The new accounting software also has the ability to produce break-even point reports so Robin and his management can confirm their suspicious about the operational marginality of each course. The sales reports, and account receivable reports produced by the new accounting system will solve the problem of cash sales being disappeared from the company accounts. After implementing UBS the company will have a proper control over the cost of meals provider to the beginners course as the software have the facilities of budgeting process in an organization as well as management controls of business activity. Unnecessary wastage of food material will not be occurred as the unused bulks of food will recorded as Work In Progress Inventories by the new software. UBS Stock Control real-time update of stock with each receipt and issue of items, the company will not have the problem of inventory item being lost as the software can track the stock via unique serial code. The company can make a better control over the stock whereby the software will provide comprehensive inventory report at any time required. After implementing UBS payroll the office administrator will not have the difficulties of computing the salaries and bonuses to be paid for his instructors since UBS Payroll ease the task of stuff payroll calculation and payments. Since the new accounting software will save a lot of time and effort to the employees of River Adventure, the management will have more time to focus on other aspect of business and to improve their marketing activities.

Bae Hbr

Harvard Business School 9-396-311 Rev. November 6, 1996 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System No airport anywhere in the world is as technologically advanced as the Denver International Airport. 1 It’s dramatic. If your bag [got] on the track, your bag [was] in pieces. 2 In November 1989 ground was broken to build the Denver International Airport (DIA). Located 25 miles from downtown Denver, Colorado, it was the first major airport to be built in the United States since the opening of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in 1974.In 1992, two years into construction, the project’s top managers recommended inclusion of an airport-wide integrated baggage-handling system that could dramatically improve the efficiency of luggage delivery. Originally contracted by United Airlines to cover its operations, the system was to be expanded to serve the entire airport. It was expected that the integrated system would improve ground time efficiency, reduce close-out time for hub operations, and decrease time-consuming manual baggage sorting and handling.There were, however, a number of risks inherent in the endeavor: the scale of the large project size; the enormous complexity of the expanded system; the newness of the technology; the large number of resident entities to be served by the same system; the high degree of technical and project definition uncertainty; and the short time span for completion. Due to its significant experience implementing baggage-handling technology on a smaller scale, BAE Automated Systems Inc. , an engineering consulting and manufacturing company based in Carollton, Texas, was awarded the contract.Construction problems kept the new airport from opening on the originally scheduled opening date in October 1993. Subsequently, problems with the implementation of the baggage system forced delays in the opening of the airport another three times in seven months. In May 1994, under growing pressure from shareholders, the business community, Denver residents, Federal 1Fred Isaac, Federal Aviation Administration regional administrator, quoted in â€Å"Denver Still Working Out Kinks as Its First Birthday Arrives,† USA Today (February 28, 1996), p. 4b. Fred Renville, United Airlines employee quoted in â€Å"Denver Still Working Out Kinks as Its First Birthday Arrives,† USA Today (February 28, 1996), p. 4b. Assistant Professor Ramiro Montealegre and Research Associate H. James Nelson of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Research Associate Carin Isabel Knoop, and Professor Lynda M. Applegate prepared this case as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Some names have been disguised. Copyright  © 1996 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College.To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685 or write Harvard Business School Publishing, Bosto n, MA 02163. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 1 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 396-311 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling SystemAviation Administration (FAA) commissioners, and the tenant airlines and concessionaires, Denver mayor Wellington Webb announced that he was hiring the German firm Logplan to help assess the state of the automated baggage system. In July, Logplan issued an 11-page report to the City of Denver that characterized BAE’s system as â€Å"highly advanced† and â€Å"theoretically† capable of living up to its promised â€Å"capacities, services and performances,† but acknowledged mechanical and electrical problems that  "make it most improbable to achieve a stable and reliable operation. Logplan suggested that it would take approximately five months to get the complete BAE system working reliably. It also suggested that a backup system of tugs, carts, and conveyor belts could be constructed in less than five months. In August 1994, Mayor Webb approved the construction of a backup baggage system. At the same time, he notified BAE of a $12,000-a-day penalty for not finishing the baggage system by DIA’s original October 29, 1993 completion date. Webb also demanded that BAE pay for the $50 million conventional tug-and-cart baggage system.Gene Di Fonso, President of BAE, knew that his company could demonstrate that flaws in the overall design of the airport and an unsystematic approach to project changes had affected implementation of the integrated baggage system. He wondered whether he should just cancel the contract and cut his losses, or attempt to negotiate with the city for the support requ ired to finish the system as specified, despite the severe deterioration in communication and rising hostility. Could the problems with the automated system be overcome with the dedication of additional resources?Given that the system represented a significant departure from conventional technology, would reducing its size and complexity facilitate resolution of the problems that plagued it? And, if the city could be persuaded to accept a simplified system, would the tenant airlines, particularly those with hubbing operations that had been promised more advanced functionality and better performance, be likely to sue? Building the Most Efficient Airport in the World Until about 1970, Denver’s Stapleton Airport had managed to accommodate an ever-growing number of airplanes and passengers.Its operational capacity was severely limited by runway layout; Stapleton had two parallel north-south runways and two additional parallel east-west runways that accommodated only commuter air carriers. Denver’s economy grew and expanded greatly in the early 1980s, consequent to booms in the oil, real estate, and tourism industries. An aging and saturated Stapleton Airport was increasingly seen as a liability that limited the attractiveness of the region to the many businesses that were flocking to it. Delays had become chronic.Neither the north-south nor east-west parallel runways had sufficient lateral separation to accommodate simultaneous parallel arrival streams during poor weather conditions when instrument flight rules were in effect. This lack of runway separation and the layout of Stapleton’s taxiways tended to cause delays during high-traffic periods, even when weather conditions were good. Denver’s geographic location and the growing size of its population and commerce made it an attractive location for airline hubbing operations. At one point, Stapleton had housed four airline hubs, more than any other airport in the United States.In poor weather and during periods of hightraffic volume, however, its limitations disrupted connection schedules that were important to maintaining these operations. A local storm could easily congest air traffic across the entire United States. 3 3According to James Barnes [1993], â€Å"By 1994, Stapleton was one of the top five most constrained airports in the US. There were over 50,000 hours of delay in 1988 and by 1997 the FAA had projected that Stapleton would experience over 100,000 hours of delay per year. † 2 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System 396-311 The City and County of Denver had determined in the mid-1970s that Stapleton International Airport was in need of expansion or replacement. In July 1979, a study to assess the airport's needs was commissioned by the City of Denver to the Denver Regional Council of Governments. Upon completion of the study in 198 3, a report was issued saying that, due to its size and geographic location, and strong commitments by United and Continental Airlines, Denver would remain a significant hub for at least one major U. S. arrier. The study recommended expansion of Stapleton’s capacity. Political Situation4 The City of Denver’s 1983 mayoral race precipitated initiatives to improve the airfield infrastructure. Three candidates were vying for mayor: Monte Pascoe, Dale Tooley, and Frederico Pena. Pascoe, a prominent Denver attorney and former State Democratic Party co-chair, seized upon the airport issue, forcing other candidates to adopt stronger positions on airport expansion than they might have otherwise. 5 Pena and Tooley, however, drew the highest numbers of votes in the general election, and were forced into a runoff.At the persistent urging of the Colorado Forum (a collection of 50 of the state’s top business executives), Pena and Tooley signed a joint statement committing the mselves to airport expansion. Pena won the runoff. Committed by a public promise that could have been enforced, if necessary, by the most highly motivated members of the region’s business leadership, Pena immediately restated his intent to expand Stapleton. The City of Denver and neighboring Adams County began to develop plans for long-term airport development in 1984. In 1985, a new site northeast of Denver was chosen.Consummation of the airport siting issue, however, was left to Adams County voters, which had to vote to permit the City of Denver to annex property therein. The city hired a consulting firm to help organize its resources and its efforts to work through the legal process. The data that was gathered through the master planning and environmental assessment later proved useful for public education. An â€Å"Annexation Agreement† between Adams County and the City of Denver was reached on April 21, 1988. Adams Country voters approved a plan to let Denver anne x 43. 3 square miles for the construction of an airport.In a special election on May 16, 1989, voters of Denver endorsed a â€Å"New Airport† by a margin of 62. 7% to 37. 3%. According to Edmond, â€Å"Those two referendums passed largely on the merits of the economic benefits: jobs and sales tax revenues. † Economic Considerations A number of trends and events in the mid-1980s alarmed bank economists and other of the region's business leaders in the mid-1980s. The collapse of oil shale ventures between 1982 and 1986 saw mining employment fall from 42,000 to 26,000 jobs, while service support jobs fell from 25,300 jobs to 13,700. Construction jobs fell from 50,700 to 36,600 jobs, and the value of private construction plummeted from $24 billion to $9. 5 billion. 7 A lackluster economy led many government officials in counties and municipalities as well as in Denver to embark upon an unprecedented policy of massive public construction to save the region from what was reg arded in 1987 as an economic free-fall. A $180 million-plus municipal bond was issued for public improvements, including a new downtown library, neighborhood and major roadway improvements, and a host of overdue infrastructure investments.During the same period, 4Extracted from: Moore, S. T. : â€Å"Between Growth Machine and Garbage Can: Determining Whether to Expand the Denver Airport, 1982-1988,† Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Atlanta, Georgia, November 4, 1994. 5Ibid. 6 7 Colorado Business Outlook Forum, University of Colorado School of Business, 1990. Small Area Employment Estimates; Construction Review, U. S. Department of Commerce, 1990 3 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 396-311 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System he Pena administration moved decisively to confront an increasingly aggressive Chamber of Commerce leadership that was promoting airport reloca tion. The determination of the â€Å"pro-New-Airport† clan was growing. The project was being marketed as a technologically advanced, state-of-the-art structure to draw businesses, import federal capital, and fund the creation of new jobs with bonded debts to overcome the short-term decline in the economy. The airport was to become a grandiose project to revive the Colorado economy and a master showcase for the Public Works Department. The entire business community,† recalled a member of the Mayor's administrative team: The Chamber of Commerce, members of the city council, the mayor, and state legislators, participated in informational discussions with other cities that had recently built airports. [This enabled] everybody to understand the magnitude of the project. So we studied the other two airports that had been built in the United States in the last 50 years and said, â€Å"Tell us everything that you went through and all the places you think there will be problem s. † We were not going into it blindly.Forecasts of aviation activity at Stapleton by the Airport Consultant team, the FAA, and others, however, did not anticipate events such as a new phase of post-deregulation consolidation, the acquisition in 1986 of Frontier Airlines by Texas Air (the owner of Continental), significant increases in air fares for flights in and out of Stapleton, and the bankruptcy of Continental. Consequently, the level of aviation activity in Denver was overestimated. Instead of rising, Stapleton’s share of total U. S. domestic passenger enplanements fell 4% per year from 1986 through 1989. 8 The Master PlanThe City of Denver's approach to preparing a master plan for the airport was typical. â€Å"One hires the best consultants on airfield layout, noise impacts, terminal layout, on-site roadways, off-site roadways, cost estimating, financial analysis, and forecasting,† observed DIA administrator Gail Edmond. â€Å"They brainstorm and generat e as many alternate layouts as possible. † Alternatives were discussed and eliminated at periodic joint working sessions, and a technical subcommittee was organized to gather input from the eventual airport users, airlines, pilots, and the FAA. â€Å"Everybody knows how to begin an airport master plan,† Edmond added.Following a bid, the consulting contract was awarded to the joint venture of Greiner, Inc. and Morrison-Knudsen Engineers for their combined expertise in the fields of transportation and construction. The consulting team, working under the direction of the DIA Director of Aviation, focused first on four elements: site selection; the master plan; the environmental assessment; and developing support by educating the public on economic benefit. The final master plan presented to the city by the team in the fall of 1987 called for the construction of the world’s most efficient airport.It was to be created from the ground up with no predetermined limitatio ns. The plan was to allow the airport to grow and expand without compromising efficiency. Twice the size of Manhattan at 53 square miles, the nation's largest airport was to be designed for steady traffic flow in all weather conditions. It was to comprise a terminal with east and west buildings joined by an atrium structure, three concourses, an automated underground people mover, and five parallel 12,000-foot-long runways on which as many as 1,750 planes could take off and land daily.Its flow-through traffic patterns would allow planes to land, taxi to concourse gates, and take 8 Furthermore, when selling the project to voters, planners at one point forecast up to 36 weekly flights to Europe by 1993. The number recorded in 1993, however, was four. The number of passengers departing form Denver was to rise from 16 million in 1985 to some 26 million by 1995. The 1994 figure, however, was about the same as the number of passengers in 1985, or half of Stapleton’s capacity. 4 Pur chased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] om) on April 11, 2012 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System 396-311 off again all in one direction. The ultimate buildout, projected for the year 2020, was to include up to 12 full service runways, more than 200 gates, and a capacity of 110 million passengers annually. Estimated cost (excluding land acquisition and pre-1990 planning costs) was $2 billion. By the end of 1991, the estimated cost had increased to $2. 66 billion. Plans called for the project's completion by the fall of 1993.In September 1989, Federal officials signed a $60 million grant agreement for the new airport, which was to be financed in multiple ways—by issuing revenue bonds and securing federal grants— supplemented by a sizable investment by the city [county of Denver 1991]. Estimated federal grants for the new airport originally totaled $501 million. Portions of these were forthcoming from the FAA, for feder al fiscal year 1990 in the amount of $90 million and for federal fiscal year 1991 in the amount of $25 million. The remainder of the $501 million letter of intent was to be received on an annual basis through fiscal year 1997.The revenue bonds assumed the â€Å"Date of Beneficial Occupancy† (DBO) to be January 1, 1994, with bond repayments to begin on that date. At that time, the city determined that DIA would meet the DBO no later than October 31, 1993. A member of the Mayor’s administrative team described the approach. What we did was plan the DBO date and then we planned an extra six months just in case there was a lag in the opening, which, in essence, allowed us to create stability in the market. The other thing we did was that we conservatively financed and filled every reserve account to the maximum.So we borrowed as much money as we could at the lower interest rate and were able to average the debt cost down, not up, as we thought it would be. A Build-Design Pr oject By the time construction began at DIA in November 1989, a transfer of authority was taking place in the City of Denver. Wellington Webb was elected the new mayor. According to one of his assistants, the Pena administration had announced that the airport would be operational in October 1993. â€Å"This was a build-design project, which means that we were building the airport [while] we were designing it,† he explained. Because of the delays early on in the project, we had to accelerate construction immediately. There was a lot of pressure and too many players. This was an airport built by committee. We had regular meetings to straighten things out, but it didn’t always work. † Although the Webb administration inherited the airport project without a commitment on the part of the major carriers, the support and input of concerned airlines were absolutely key, not only financially but also in terms of input on overall airport layout, scope, and capacity, and su pporting systems such as fueling and baggage handling.Denver launched the DIA program without specific commitments from either of Stapleton airport's two major tenant airlines, United and Continental, which together accounted for more than 70% of existing passenger traffic. Continental committed to the new airport in February 1990, United in December 1991. Fundamental changes were made to the airport layout plan and facilities (some already under construction) to accommodate the operational needs of these carriers. The Webb administration followed the predecessor administration’s emphasis on assuring that the project’s greatest beneficiaries would be local businesses.The desire was to involve as many individual firms as practicable and to use Denver area talent. It was reasoned that local talent was easily accessible to the program management team (PMT), knew Denver building codes and practices, and had available the necessary professional labor pool to accomplish the design in accordance with the demanding schedule. In addition, existing law stated that 30% minority-owned firms and 6% women-owned firms had to participate in a public works program. The result was a contracting philosophy that maximized opportunities for regional businesses and the local workforce to compete for the work.At least five of 60 contracts awarded for the design of DIA went to Denverarea firms. These 60 design contracts generated 110 construction contracts. Eighty-eight professional service contracts also had to be coordinated. Many local firms had to be hired and the program was 5 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 396-311 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System chopped up into many small projects. Involvement totaled 200 to 300 firms and reached 400 during the construction phase. Five different firms designed the runways, four the terminal.The city's emphasis on encouraging everyone to comp ete and yet be part of the project increased the potential for interface and coordination problems. Denver’s flat economy led the administration to keep construction money within the city. Although this benefited the city, it introduced an additional burden on administration. As many as 40-50 concurrent contracts involved many interrelated milestones and contiguous or overlapping operational areas. The estimated daily on-site work force population exceeded 2,500 workers for a 15 to 18-month period beginning in mid-1991 and peaked at between 9,000 and 10,000 in mid-1992.Adding to the human resource coordination problems was a forecasted 4,000 deliveries daily. Construction volume for six months in mid-1992 exceeded $100 million per month. The prolonged period of assessment and negotiation prior to final approval of the project, and the financial plan selected (which required that bond repayments begin on January 1, 1994), pressured the PMT to push the project ahead at all cost . Because the project had to assume the characteristics of a â€Å"fast-track† project early in the construction startup, the compressed design period precipitated a more dynamic construction effort han might be anticipated for a â€Å"competitively bid, fixed price† program. Reliance on a design/build method for the project was, according to one DIA official, â€Å"unusual because projects this complex normally happen during separate stages. For example, you need to finish up the site selection before you begin the master planning. † Moreover, communication channels between the city, project management team, and consultants were neither well defined or controlled. â€Å"If a contractor fell behind,† a resident engineer who reported to one of the area managers said, the resident engineer would alert the contractor and document this.The resident engineer would document what would have to be done and what additional resources were necessary to get back on s chedule and finish the contract on time. As a public agency it was enormous, the amount of documentation that we did. I don’t know how many trees we cut down just for this project. The resident engineer had about five to eight 12-drawer filing cabinets of documentation and this was nothing compared to what the area manager had. It was just incredible. There were at least four to six copies of everything. The scheduling manager described the evolution of the tracking system that was used.One of the biggest problems we had was keeping track of all the changes. So we developed a database system that was installed at each one of the resident engineer’s trailers and each contract administrator was then charged with keeping that system up to date and feeding us disks, which we would then merge together periodically to produce an integrated report. But every party had developed their own tracking system before the start of the project. That worked well for each group, but the re was no way to take each one of these divergent systems and combine it into one, comprehensive report.So when we introduced the change tracking system everybody said, â€Å"fine, that’s wonderful, and I’ll update it when I get to it and when I get time. † It took three years to implement the tracking system. Project Management In a fast-moving, ever-changing environment such as the development of a new airport, the management structure must be able to rapidly produce engineering alternatives and the supporting 6 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System 396-311 ost and schedule data. 9 But because DIA was financed by many sources and was a public works program, project administrators had to balance administrative, political, and social imperatives. 10 The City of Denver staff and consultant team shared leadership of the project and coordinated the in itial facets of DIA design. â€Å"The initial thought,† reflected one staff member, â€Å"was that the city staff would do their thing and the consulting staff do theirs and later we would coordinate. It became evident within a very short time that we were doing duplicate duties, which was inefficient.Finally the city decided to coordinate resources. † The city selected a team of city employees and consultants and drafted a work scope document that clearly separated the city’s from the consultants’ responsibilities. The elements the city did not delegate to consultants included ultimate policy and facility decisions, approval of payments, negotiation and execution of contracts, facilitation of FAA approvals, affirmative action, settlement of contractor claims and disputes, selection of consultants, and utility agreements.The city delegated some elements such as value engineering, construction market analysis, claim management, on-site staff and organizati on, and state-of-the-art project control (computerized management of budget and schedule). Exhibit 1 depicts the DIA management structure. The program management team became the organization dedicated to overseeing planning and development for the new airport. Headed by the associate director of aviation, the team was partially staffed by city career service employees.To add experience and capability, the city augmented the PMT with personnel from the joint venture of Greiner Engineering and MorrisonKnudsen Engineers, the consulting team. Observed one program management team member, â€Å"This working partnership of the City of Denver and consulting joint venture team developed into a fully integrated single organization, capitalizing on the best to be offered by all participants, and optimizing the use of personnel resources. † DIA’s operational project structure comprised five different areas subdivided into smaller units.The working areas were: site development (ear thmoving, grading, and drainage); roadways and on-grade parking (service roads, on-airport roads, and off-airport roads connecting to highways); airfield paving; building design (people-mover/baggage-handler, tunnel, concourses, passenger bridge, terminal, and parking); and utility/special systems and other facilities (electrical transmission, oil, and gas line removal and relocation). An area manager controlled construction within each area.Area managers were responsible for the administration of all assigned contracts and, in coordination with other area managers, for management of the portion of the overall site in which their work took place. United Airlines’ Baggage System From the public’s perspective, the â€Å"friendliness† of any airport is measured by time. No matter how architecturally stimulating a new airport structure, the perception of business or leisure travelers is often registered in terms of efficiency in checking luggage at the departure are a or waiting to claim a bag in the arrival area.The larger the airport, the more critical the efficient handling of baggage. Remote concourses connected by underground tunnels present special problems for airport planners and operators because of the great distances passengers and baggage must travel. The purpose of an airport being to move passengers as efficiently as possible, moving bags as quickly is 9 The DIA project used the so-called â€Å"fast-tracking† method, which made it possible to compress some activities along the critical path and manage the construction project as a series of overlapping tasks. 0 These included considerations such as affirmative action, local participation, neighborhood concerns, civic pride, input from the disabled community, art, secondary employment benefits of contract packaging, concern for the environment, and political interest. 7 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 396-311 BAE Automated Systems (A ): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System part and parcel of that responsibility. Rapid transport of frequent flyers accomplishes very little if bags are left behind.DIA's Concourse A, which was to house Continental Airlines, was situated some 400 meters, and United Airlines’ Concourse B nearly 1,000 meters, north of the main terminal. Concourse C, home to other carriers including American, Delta, Northwest, America West, and TWA, sat parallel to the other two concourses more than 1,600 meters north of the main terminal. The initial project design did not incorporate an airport-wide baggage system; the airport expected the individual airlines to build their own systems as in most other American airports. 1 United Airlines, which in June 1991 signed on to use DIA as its second-largest hub airport, proceeded to do just that. Needing an automated baggage handling system if it was to turn aircraft around in less than 30 minutes, United, in December 1991, commissione d BAE Automatic Systems, Inc. , a world leader in the design and implementation of material handling systems, to develop an automated baggage handling system for its B Concourse at DIA. The contract, which included engineering and early parts procurement only, was valued at $20 million; and the task was estimated to be completed in two and one-half years. We began working at DIA under a contract directly with United Airlines,† recalled Di Fonso. â€Å"Obviously, United Airlines has experience with airports. They concluded that the schedule had gotten totally out of control from the standpoint of baggage and they acted to serve their own needs, basically to protect themselves. We contracted with United and were already designing their portion of the system before the city went out for competitive bidding. † BAE was founded as a division of Docutel Corporation in 1968.Docutel, which had developed the Telecar (a track-mounted automated baggage system), constructed an autom ated baggage system for United Airlines at San Francisco airport in 1978. When Docutel ran into financial difficulties during this installation, United asked Boeing, a major supplier of its aircraft, to take over the company. Boeing agreed and the new company, a wholly-owned subsidiary dubbed Boeing Airport Equipment, completed the San Francisco installation. In 1982, Boeing sold the company to its senior management, which renamed it BAE Automated Systems.In August 1985, BAE became an operating unit of Clarkson Industries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of London-based BTR plc. BTR plc (formerly British Tire and Rubber), was a $10 billion conglomerate with global interests in building, paper and printing products, and agricultural and aircraft equipment. In 1994, BAE's 365 employees worked on projects across the United States and in Europe and Australia. In-house engineering, manufacturing, and field support capabilities enabled BAE to develop, design, manufacture, install, and support e very project it undertook from start to finish.BAE also provided consulting, engineering, and management services for airport projects and a variety of material handling applications. With sales of $100 million in 1994, up from approximately $40 million in 1991, BAE accounted for 90% of U. S. baggage sorting equipment sales. Between 1972 and 1994, the company had successfully designed, manufactured, and installed nearly 70 automated baggage handling systems (worth almost $500 million dollars) at major airports in the United States, in New York, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Newark, and Pittsburgh.It had also installed systems in Vancouver and London and was selected, in 1992, as a consultant to the $550 million main terminal for the New Seoul Metropolitan Airport in South Korea. BAE was a very self-contained, integrated company structured along two business lines: manufacturing and engineering. Its approximately 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility was capable of producing nearly all of the components required by BAE systems save motors, gearboxes, and bearings. The engineering department was structured according to major projects. Each project was assigned a project manager who reported directly to the company president. 1 Rifkin, G. : â€Å"What Really Happened at Denver’s Airport,† Forbes, SAP Supplement, August 29, 1994. 8 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System 396-311 Implementing an Integrated Baggage-Handling System BAE had already commenced work on United's baggage system when the PMT recognized the potential benefits of an airport-wide integrated baggage system. Moreover, as one DIA senior manager explained, â€Å"airlines other than United simply were not coming forward with plans to develop their own baggage systems. Airport planners and consultants began to draw up specifications and th e city sent out a request for bids. Of 16 companies contacted, both in the United States and abroad, only three responded. A consulting firm recommended against the submitted designs, on the grounds that the configurations would not meet the airport’s needs. BAE was among the companies that had decided not to bid for the job. BAE had installed the Telecar system at a number of other airports and the basic technologies of the Telecar, laser barcode readers, and conveyor belt systems were not new. What was new was the size and complexity of the system. A grand airport like DIA needs a complex baggage system,† explained Di Fonso, Therefore the type of technology to be used for such a system is the kind of decision that must be made very early in a project. If there is a surprise like no bidders there is still time to react. At DIA, this never happened. Working with United Airlines, we had concluded that destination-coded vehicles moving at high speed was the technology nee ded. But quite honestly, although we had that technology developed, its implementation in a complex project like this would have required significantly greater time than the city had left available.A United project manager concurred: â€Å"BAE told them from the beginning that they were going to need at least one more year to get the system up and running, but no one wanted to hear that. † The City of Denver was getting the same story from the technical advisers to the Franz Josef Strauss Airport in Munich. The Munich Airport had an automated baggage system, but one far less complex than DIA’s. Nevertheless, Munich’s technical advisors had spent two years testing the system and the system had been running 24 hours a day for six months before the airport opened. Formulating IntentionsAs BAE was already working on United’s automated baggage handling system and enjoyed a world-wide reputation as a superior baggage system builder, Denver approached the compan y. BAE was asked to study how the United concept could be expanded into an integrated airport system that could serve the other carriers in the various concourses. BAE presented the City of Denver with a proposal to develop the â€Å"most complex automated baggage system ever built,† according to Di Fonso. It was to be effective in delivering bags to and from passengers, and efficient in terms of operating reliability, maintainability, and future flexibility.The system was to be capable of directing bags (including suitcases of all sizes, skis, and golf clubs) from the main terminal through a tunnel into a remote concourse and directly to a gate. Such efficient delivery would save precious ground time, reduce close-out time for hub operations, and cut time-consuming manual baggage sorting and handling. Although an automated system was more expensive initially than simple tugs and baggage carts, it was expected that it would reduce the manpower which was required to distribute bags to the correct locations.Bags unloaded from an aircraft arriving at a particular concourse would barely be touched by human hands. Moved through the airport at speeds up to 20 mph, they would be waiting when passengers arrived at the terminal. To prove the capability of its mechanical aspects, and demonstrate the proposed system to the airlines and politicians, BAE built a prototype automated baggage handling system in a 50,000 square foot warehouse near its manufacturing plant in Carrollton, Texas. The prototype system convinced Chief Airport Engineer Walter Slinger that the automated system would work. [The City of Denver] approached us based on one core concept,† recalled Di Fonso. â€Å"They wanted to have a fully integrated, airport-wide baggage system. The city 9 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 396-311 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System had two major concerns. First, they had no acceptable proposal. Second, United was probably going to go ahead and build what it needed and the rest of the airport would have been equipped with something else. Di Fonso continued, When we arrived on the scene, we were faced with fully defined project specs, which obviously in the long run proved to be a major planning error. The city had fallen into a trap, which historically architects and engineers tend to fall into as they severely underplay the importance and significance of some of the requirements of a baggage system, that is, arranging things for the space into which it must fit, accommodating the weight it may impose on the building structure, the power it requires to run, and the ventilation and air conditioning that may be necessary to dissipate the heat it generates.In April 1992, BAE was awarded the $175. 6 million contract to build the entire airport system. According to Di Fonso, company executives and city officials hammered out a deal in three intense working sessions. â€Å"We placed a number of conditions on accepting the job,† he observed. The design was not to be changed beyond a given date and there would be a number of freeze dates for mechanical design, software design, permanent power requirements and the like. The contract made it obvious that both signatory parties were very concerned about the ability to complete.The provisions dealt mostly with all-around access, timely completion of certain areas, provision of permanent power, provision of computer rooms. All these elements were delineated as milestones. Denver officials accepted these requirements and, in addition, committed to unrestricted access for BAE equipment. Because of the tight deadlines, BAE would have priority in any area where it needed to install the system. Di Fonso elaborated, When we entered into the contract, Continental Airlines was still under bankruptcy law protection.The city was very concerned that they would be unable to pay for their concourse . They only contracted for about 40% of the equipment that is now in concourse A, which was the concourse that Continental had leased. Beyond that, concourse C had no signatory airlines as leaseholders at the time. The city, therefore, wanted the simplest, most elementary baggage system possible for concourse C. The outputs and inputs were very, very crude, intentionally crude to keep the costs down because the city had no assurance of revenue stream at that point in time.The city did not get the airlines together or ask them what they wanted or needed to operate. The approach was more along the lines of â€Å"we will build the apartment building and then you come in and rent a set of rooms. † Project Organization and Management No major organizational changes to accommodate the new baggage system were deemed necessary, although some managerial adjustments were made on the DIA project. Design of the United baggage system was frozen on May 15, 1992, when the PMT assumed manage rial responsibility for the integrated baggage system.The direct relationship with BAE was delegated to Working Area 4, which also had responsibility for building design efforts such as the people-mover, airside concourse building, passenger bridge main landside building complex and parking garage, and various other smaller structures. The area manager, although he had no experience in airport construction, baggage system technologies, or the introduction of new technologies, possessed vast experience in construction project control management. BAE had to change its working structure to conform to DIA's project management structure. Di Fonso explained, 10Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System 396-311 There was a senior manager for each of the concourses and a manager for the main terminal. The bag system, however, traversed all of them. If I had to argue a case for righ t of way I would have to go to all the managers because I was traversing all four empires. In addition, because changes were happening fast at each of these sites, there was no time to have an information system to see what is concourse A deciding and what is concourse B deciding.We had to be personally involved to understand what was going on. There was no one to tie it all together and overlap all these effects because the basic organization was to manage it as discrete areas. It was pandemonium. We would keep saying that over and over again. Who is in charge? For the first two years of the project, Di Fonso was the project manager. The project was divided into three general areas of expertise: mechanical engineering, industrial control, and software design.Mechanical engineering was responsible for all mechanical components and their installation, industrial control for industrial control design, logic controller programming, and motor control panels, and software design for writ ing real-time process control software to manage the system. At the time the contract with BAE was signed, construction had already begun on the terminal and concourses. Substantial changes had to be made to the overall design of the terminal and some construction already completed had to be taken out and reinstalled to accommodate the expanded system.Installation of the expanded system was initially estimated to require more than $100 million in construction work. Walls had to be removed and a new floor installed in the terminal building to support the new system. Moreover, major changes in project governance were taking place during the baggage system negotiations. In May 1992, shortly after the baggage system negotiations commenced, the head of the DIA project resigned. The death in October 1992 of Chief Airport Engineer Slinger, who had been a strong proponent of the baggage system and closely involved in negotiations with BAE, also exerted a significant impact on the project.Hi s cooperation had been essential because of the amount of heavy machinery and track that had to be moved and installed and the amount of construction work required to accommodate the system. His replacement, Gail Edmond, was selected because she had worked closely with him and knew all the players. Her managerial style, however, was quite different from Slinger’s. A Public Works manager recalled his first reaction to the change: â€Å"[The airport] is not going to be open on time. † A United Airlines project manager summarized Edmond’s challenge thus: Slinger was a real problem solver.He was controversial because of his attitude, but he was never afraid to address problems. He had a lot of autonomy and could get things done. Gail was in a completely different position. Basically, she had a good understanding of how the project was organized and who the key players were, but didn’t know much about the actual construction. Also, the city council didnâ€℠¢t give her anywhere near the autonomy and the authority that Slinger had and she had to get approval from the council on just about all decisions. They really tied her hands and everyone knew it.Di Fonso echoed the project manager's assessment: Walter [Slinger] understood that one of the things we had to have was unrestricted access. I think he clearly understood the problem the city was facing and he understood the short timeframe under which we were operating. He was the one that accepted all of the contractual conditions, all the milestones of the original contract. He really had no opportunity to influence the outcome of this project, however, because he died within months after the contract was signed. I think Gail 11 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 96-311 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System did an excellent job [but] she was overwhelmed. 12 She just had too much. The layers below focused inw ard, worrying about their own little corners of the world. â€Å"Not only did we not get the unrestricted access that was agreed upon,† Di Fonso emphasized, â€Å"we didn’t even have reasonable access. † Ten days after Slinger’s death, a BAE millwright found a truck from Hensel Phelps, the contractor building Concourse C, blocking her work site. She asked someone to move the truck or leave the keys so it could be moved.According to a BAE superintendent, â€Å"she was told that ‘This is not a BAE job and we can park anywhere we please: is that clear? ’† Elsewhere, BAE electricians had to leave work areas where concrete grinders were creating clouds of dust. Fumes from chemical sealants forced other BAE workers to flee. Di Fonso pleaded with the city for help. â€Å"We ask that the city take prompt action to assure BAE the ability to continue its work in an uninterrupted manner,† he wrote. â€Å"Without the city’s help, th e delays to BAE’s work will quickly become unrecoverable. 13 To further complicate matters, the airlines began requesting changes to the system’s design even though the mechanical and software designs were supposed to be frozen. â€Å"Six months prior to opening the airport,† Di Fonso recalled, â€Å"we were still moving equipment around, changing controls, changing software design. † In August 1992, for example, United altered plans for a transfer system for bags changing planes, requesting that BAE eliminate an entire loop of track from Concourse B. Rather than two complete loops of track, United would have only one.This change saved approximately $20 million, but required a system redesign. Additional ski-claim devices and odd-size baggage elevators added in four of the six sections of the terminal added $1. 61 million to the cost of the system. One month later, Continental requested that automated baggage sorting systems be added to its west basement at an additional cost of $4. 67 million. The ski claim area length was first changed from 94 feet to 127 feet, then in January 1993, shortened to 112 feet. The first change added $295,800, the second subtracted $125,000, from the cost.The same month, maintenance tracks were added to permit the Telecars to be serviced without having to lift them off the main tracks at an additional cost of $912,000. One year later, United requested alterations to its odd-size baggage inputs—cost of the change: $432,000. Another problem was the city’s inability to supply â€Å"clean† electricity to the baggage system. The motors and circuitry used in the system were extremely sensitive to power surges and fluctuations. When electrical feedback tripped circuit breakers on hundreds of motors, an engineer was called in to design filters to correct the problem.Although ordered at that time, the filters still had not arrived several months later. A city worker had canceled a contract w ithout realizing that the filters were part of it. The filters finally arrived in March 1994. A third, albeit disputed, complication related to Denver’s requirement, and city law, that a certain percentage of jobs be contracted to minority-owned companies. The City of Denver had denied BAE’s original contract because it did not comply with hiring requirements, where upon BAE engaged some outside contractors in lieu of BAE employees. Di Fonso estimated that this increased costs by approximately $6 million, a claim ejected by the Mayor's Office of Contract Compliance. Then, in September 1993, BAE’s contract negotiations with the City of Denver over maintenance of the system resulted in a two-day strike of 300 millwrights that was joined by some 200 electricians. BAE negotiated with Denver for maintenance workers to earn $12 per hour on certain jobs that the union contended should be worth $20 per hour. As a result, BAE lost the maintenance contract. 12 In addition to her role as Chief Airport Engineer, Edmond kept her previous responsibilities as Chief of Construction and Acting Director of Aviation. 3 Rocky Mountain News, January 29, 1995 12 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System 396-311 Project Relations Much of the effort for implementing the baggage system was directed within one of the four working areas. â€Å"The relationship with the management team was very poor,† recalled Di Fonso. The management team had no prior baggage handling competence or experience. This was treated as a major public works project.The management team treated the baggage system as similar to pouring concrete or putting in air-conditioning ducts. When we would make our complaints about delays and access and so forth, other contractors would argue their position. The standard answer was, â€Å"Go work it out among yourselves. † . . . With contractors basically on their own, this led almost to anarchy. Everyone was doing his or her own thing. Another perspective was offered by a project manager from Stone & Webster, a consultant to the PMT, reflecting on the work done by BAE: â€Å"This contractor simply did not respond to the obvious incredible workload they were faced with.Their inexperienced project management vastly underestimated their task. Their work ethic was deplorable. †14 PMT management insisted that access and mechanical issues weren’t the problem. â€Å"They were running cars in Concourse B all summer (1993),† Edmund observed. â€Å"The problem was that the programming was not done and BAE had full control of the programming. †15 Lawsuits and a Backup Baggage System In February 1993, Mayor Webb delayed the scheduled October 1993 airport opening to December 19, 1993. Later, this December date was changed to March 9, 1994. Everybody got into the panic mode of trying to get t o this magical date that nobody was ready for,† a senior vicepresident for BAE recalled. In September 1993, the opening was again postponed—this time until May 15, 1994. In late April 1994, the City of Denver invited reporters to observe the first test of the baggage system, without notifying BAE. Seven thousand bags were to be moved to Continental’s Concourse A and United’s Concourse B. So many problems were discovered that testing had to be halted. Reporters saw piles of disgorged clothes and other personal items lying beneath the Telecar’s tracks.Most of the problems related to errors in the system’s computer software, but mechanical problems also played a part. The software that controlled the delivery of empty cars to the terminal building, for example, often sent the cars back to the waiting pool. Another problem was â€Å"jam logic† software, which was designed to shut down a section of track behind a jammed car, but instead shu t down an entire loop of track. Optical sensors designed to detect and monitor cars were dirty causing the system to believe that a section of track was empty when, in fact, it had held a stopped car.Collisions between cars dumped baggage on tracks and on the floor; jammed cars jumped the track and bent the rails; faulty switches caused the Telecars to dump luggage onto the tracks or against the walls of the tunnels. After the test, Mayor Webb delayed the airport’s opening yet again, this time indefinitely. â€Å"Clearly, the automated baggage system now underway at DIA is not yet at a level that meets the requirements of the city, the airlines, or the traveling public,† the mayor stated. The city set the costs of the delay at $330,000 per month.Recognizing that his reputation was staked on his ability to have a baggage system performing to a point at which the new airport could be opened, Mayor Webb engaged, in May 1994, the German firm Logplan to assess the state of the automated baggage system. In July, Logplan isolated a loop of track that contained every feature of the automated baggage 14 15 Forbes, ASAP Supplement, August 29, 1994. Forbes, ASAP Supplement, August 29, 1994. 13 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 396-311 BAE Automated Systems (A): Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System ystem and intended to run it for an extended period to test the reliability of the Telecars. Jams on the conveyor belts and collisions between cars caused the test to be halted. The system did not run long enough to determine if there was a basic design flaw or to analyze where the problems were. Logplan recommended construction of a backup baggage system, and suggested using Rapistan Demag, a firm it had worked with in the past. Construction of a backup system was announced in August 1994. The system itself cost $10. million, but electrical upgrades and major building modifications raised the projected cost to $50 million. In the meantime, the City of Denver, as well as many major airlines, hired legal firms to assist with negotiations and future litigation. â€Å"We will have enough legal action for the rest of this century,† a city administrator mused. The City of Denver had to communicate with such parties as the United States Federal grand jury, Securities Exchange Commission, and the General Accounting Office. The federal grand jury was conducting a general investigation concerning DIA.The SEC was investigating the sale of $3. 2 billion in bonds to finance DIA’s construction, and GAO the use of Congressional funds. Di Fonso, reviewing Mayor Webb’s letter and requests that BAE pay a $12,000-a-day penalty for missing DIA’s original October 29, 1993 completion date, as well as assuming the costs of building the $50 million conventional tug-and-cart baggage system, summed up the situation thus: â€Å"We have gotten to the point with the city that literally we are not talking to each other. Consultants recommended a backup baggage system, and the minute that the decision was made, the city had to defend it.We are left out in limbo. † 14 Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012 396-311 -15- Exhibit 1 Organization Chart Acting Associate Director of Aviation Denver International Airport City Attorneys Contract Compliance DIA Coordinator Tenant Facilities Administrative Assistant Marketing/Public Information Manager Planner Program Manager Computer Systems Administration Deputy Program Manager Airline Specialty Systems Environmental Engineer Contracts Risk Management Financial Manager of Design Contract Administration Administrative AssistantManager of Project Controls Architectural Supervisor Engineering Supervisor Document Control Contracts Staff Clerical Staff MIS Schedule Cost Estimating Project Managers & Support Staff Manager of Construction Project Controls Support Staff Safety Manager Senior Project Engineer QA/QC Manager Employee Relations Area 1&2 Manager Area 3 Manager Area 4A Manager Area 4B Manager Area 5 Manager Construction Support Staff Source: City and County of Denver, Colorado, Airport System Review Bonds, Series 1991D, October 1991. Purchased by Ashley Matcheck ([email  protected] com) on April 11, 2012