Professional Development Plan Essay Example for Free

Professional Development Plan Essay Each person has a certain personality type and each person has strengths and weaknesses members will bring to the group. Understanding how to use the group member’s strength will help to overcome the potential weaknesses. By using one group members strength for one task can allow another team member to use her strengths in other areas. Developing a professional development plan can help the team work together to get the job done. In evaluating the group member’s personality types, there are three dominate personalities considered â€Å"The Producer,† and one group member who is an interactive personality known as â€Å"The Impresser. † By having three dominate personalities, the team will have to make sure that the members are not all trying to take control of the situation and leading the group in three different ways. We will also have to make sure that we can delegate tasks to other group members to make sure we are not overwhelmed and making other members think their work is not good enough. The assessment of myself was spot on from the behavioral evaluation. Even though I have worked hard not coming across so blunt to people and understanding that people have their own way of getting the job done. I am a person who sometimes does not like to express my feeling and just want to get the job done. I am a person who likes to get large tasks accomplished in a short amount of time to have the achievement of accomplishment. I do like to finish a task from start to finish, and it bothers me if I have to jump to another task before I am finished. I am a fast-paced person and can change my pace depending on if the business picks up. Possessing a dominate personality also has its downfalls. Dominate personalities can be stubborn, impatient, and tough. Sometimes this can be an issue when I become close-minded to others ideas and impatient with other group members. Dominate personalities like to be in control and do not want to lose that control. I will have to say this is  an issue that I need to work on. I do not like losing control and when I do analysis how I could have changed it instead of letting go of the situation. Another area that dominate personalities do not handle well is d ealing with feelings. I have had to overcome this over the years and learn that sometimes I may not mean to come across harsh, but to some people it can come across that way. I have learned that I have to take into consideration the person I am dealing with and make sure I take the group members feelings into consideration before speaking. Dominate personality types also have to understand that we will not always prevail on every issue that comes up. The section of the assessment that was very interesting but also very true was how dominate personalities react under stress. The assessment stated that dominate personality types are restless, critical, blunt, intrusive, uncooperative, irritable, aggressive, and pushy (Alessandra, 2013). I can see myself going through these behaviors when I am stressed and understand why it is important not to take things out on others and that the situation will get resolved even if I am not in control of it. Another area that was interesting was how to reduce conflict. The section that stated their anger is directed at the situation and the lack of desired results (Alessandra, 2013). These outbursts and behaviors may appea r to be personal attacks when they are not meant to (Alessandra, 2013). I have had this happen a few times when I am speaking with my husband, and he always thinks I am mad at him instead. I have to learn to state I am stress over the situation and not make people think I am blaming them. In evaluating the other team member’s personality type, one member is considered to be the interactive style. The interactive personality style actions are spontaneous, dislike working alone, work quickly and excitedly with others, and have good persuasive skills (Alessandra, 2013). Some weaknesses for the interactive style is that they can be disorganized, careless, exaggerates, and poor follow-through (Alessandra, 2013). The interactive personality type main focus is people and dominate personality type are goal focused. Interactive personality types like to brainstorm and interact with colleagues. Dominate personalities like to work alone to make sure the task is completed. They also like freedom from control and like to have the chance to influence or motivat e others. Dominate personalities like to be in control and strive for results. The interactive personality type can  express anger as a general response to a personal attack on them. Interactive personalities tend to be more emotional that dominate personality types. Dominate and interactive personality types are direct and fast-paced people. We frequently us gestures and voices to emphasize our point, tend to be less patient and more competitive, frequently contribute to groups and can express opinions readily (Alessandra, 2013). Dominate personalities tend to be guarded and direct behaviors, whereas interactive personalities are direct and open behaviors. Even with both personality types preferring fast-paced work styles some tension may result based on that interactive personality’s emphasis is on people and dominate personality’s emphasis is on the goals. Some degree of tension is likely to result in our interactions because of the difference in priority (Alessandra, 2013). In evaluating the team’s personality types, we will have to make sure we are taking into consideration people and goals to get tasks accomplished. Both personality types like a fast-paced environment and can become impatient. The interactive personality type will help to contribute the emotional component need and the dominate personality will help to give order and structure in a timely manner. When working in a group each member must take into consideration that not every team member functions as another one may. If each team member can use each person’s strengths forward and whatever weaknesses come up can be benefited by another team member. When working in a group make sure to be open minded and make sure that everyone is heard and not overlooked. Work Cited Alessandra, T. The DISC Platinum Rule Behavioral Style Assessment. (2013) Retrieved from: http://UOP.BlanchardAssessment.com.

Failures Of The Juvenile Justice System Criminology Essay

Failures Of The Juvenile Justice System Criminology Essay Juvenile justice systems across the country are experiencing major challenges resulted in a failure to meet their original goal to change the deviant behavior of the juvenile delinquent by focusing on rehabilitation in order to ensure juveniles have an opportunity for a future life as a productive citizen. Despite this goal juvenile justice system, in many cases, has failed to rehabilitate the juvenile and instead have become more prone to placing juvenile delinquents in juvenile detention facilities, or trying them as adult offenders. Once the juvenile delinquent becomes a part of the system, adult or juvenile, they have difficulty escaping from the stigma and moving on to create better lives. Instead of delinquents making positive changes in their life, they instead graduate up to adult prison and become adult criminal offenders. These failings within the juvenile justice system can be attributed to the lack of education, lack of support services and an inability to incarcerate the more serious juvenile offenders. In fact 80% of juveniles who enter New Yorks juvenile facilities end up returning or graduating to adult prisons within three years (Louis, 2008). This recidivism rate is 20% higher that the New York adult criminal justice system. In other states, such as Oklahoma or Texas, the rate is even higher. The juvenile justice system has also failed to provide a fair and equal juvenile justice process which is obvious based on the racial disparities present in Americaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s juvenile justice system. Minorities, African Americans especially, are placed in juvenile detention centers or receive waivers that require them to be tried as adults. These failures have been attributed to the delinquent or criminal behavior of the minority by the juvenile justice system but by critics it has been attributed to racial profiling of police and bias in the juvenile courts. The fact is in the juvenile justice system there have been many failures that have resulted in many challenges. These challenges make it difficult for the juvenile justice system to meet its original goal of rehabilitation and have resulted instead with juveniles that are not reformed but instead have the tools to become adult offenders. When juveniles are removed from their homes and placed in a juvenile detention they do not become reformed but instead there behavior will worsen in this type of an environment. Juveniles that are laced in detention centers are faced with becoming more aggressive than the next juvenile just to survive. Instead of learning to become more productive members of society the juvenile learns new criminal skills. Juvenile offenders in current society commit the same delinquent acts of the past but they also commit offenses that are far more serious and violent than when the juvenile justice system was first established. Instead of rehabilitating juvenile and taking steps in repairing the family the juvenile justice system has been quick to punish the juvenile. The lacking of effective counseling services for juvenile delinquents before and after being detained or incarcerated has been considered a large part of the overall problem in the juvenile justice system as well as a very low success rate in making positive changes in the life of the juvenile offender. The research will seek to understand the extent of the failures of the juvenile justice system by presenting statistical research and real world examples of these failures. The better juvenile justice professionals understand the failure of the system the more effective they can be in developing more effective measures for ensuring the juvenile learns new and positive behavior and does not grow up to become an adult criminal offender. Through rehabilitative services and programs the juvenile will have an opportunity to make positive changes in their lives and become more productive members of society. Literature Review Research has shown that the juvenile justice system has failed in their goal to rehabilitate juveniles to ensure they do not grow up to become adult criminals. In research conducted by Annie Casey Foundation it was discovered that the juvenile justice system is ineffective, dangerous, and inadequate. Instead of investing in the future of juveniles the system is just focused on punishing the juvenile and removing them from society. Juveniles that are detained or that are adjudicated to the adult court system are not taught new positive behaviors that assist them in becoming upstanding members of society and instead they learn new criminal behaviors. In Oklahoma, precisely the Creek County area of Oklahoma, which is likely one of the highest areas of juvenile offenders in the state there exists a definite problem of dealing with the issues of juvenile crime. Furthermore, the juvenile justice system has no real punitive measures that can be put in place to deal with juvenile offenders who should be removed from society. The lacking of effective counseling services for pre-incarceration level and post-incarceration level offenders has been considered a large part of the overall problem in the State of Oklahoma. In fact despite the proof that rehabilitative programs can work the state has failed to aggressively implement them and prefers instead to detain or incarcerate. The Juvenile Re-entry of Oklahoma County program is one such program that has been shown to be successful with only a 10% failure rate (Kelly, 2010). The program provides the juveniles with an opportunity to obtain their high school diploma or G.E.D and an opportunity to learn a new job skill. In a recent analysis of the program it was discovered that many of the participants not only obtain their education but go on to obtain their college degrees. The state of Texas has one of the largest the juvenile justice populations in the country and juveniles are detained in a large majority of cases. The Texas juvenile justice system has large caseloads where juveniles in some cases will be detained for a year without ever going in front of a judge. The judges in the state are quick to detain the juvenile because the state has become limited in the resources available to rehabilitee the juvenile offender. In New York the juvenile justice system became so corrupt and the treatment of juveniles so inhumane the governor called for a complete overhaul and reform of the New York juvenile justice system (Louis, 2008). Juveniles were routinely restrained while in custody and left face first on the ground for hours. Juvenile justice officers were known for being cruel and aggressive. Since the reform efforts the juvenile receive discipline but is not subject to inhuman treatment. Perhaps one of the alleged problems are the extremely restrictive laws which were passed as result of the 14th Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Whereas; juvenile offenders are to be handled in such a restrictive manner as it give the offenders the idea that thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s nothing the system can do to them, in such a case like Thompson V. Oklahoma, where the State of Oklahoma petitioned to charge the defendant as an adult for premeditate murder, or 1st degree murder, which was approved and Thompson was so tried and convicted, to be later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court (487 U.S. 815, 1988). The trend for the juvenile justice system to detain the juvenile over finding effective rehabilitative services is not the only challenge facing juvenile justice systems across the nation. After a two-and-a-half year investigation by the Civil Right Division it was discovered similar to the adult criminal justice system that the minority is treated more harshly than the non-minority. The research showed that law enforcement, which has discretion in what happens to the juvenile, is far more likely to detain the minority juvenile and release the non-minority juvenile into the custody of their parents or guardian. The report also said black juveniles were treated more harshly than white teenagers in detention practices and transfers to criminal court to be tried as adults (Dries, 2012). As a result there is a major overrepresentation of minorities in both the juvenile and adult justice systems. All criminal offenders in the juvenile justice system should be guaranteed an equal and fair juvenile justice process but this is just not the case. While juveniles are afforded some due process rights, the juvenile justice system is not focused on equality or even justice. It is instead focused on punishing juveniles for their bad behavior. When juveniles are placed within juvenile detention centers instead of sent being home with their parents and being required to attend rehabilitative programs and services that will assist them in changing their behavior and leading a more positive lifestyle. Research has shown that juveniles that are placed in juvenile detention centers are seven times more likely to grow up to become adult criminal offenders or to be tried as an adult while juveniles. Further, those who ended up being sentenced to juvenile prison were 37 times more likely to be arrested again as adults, compared with similarly misbehaved kids who were either not caught or not put into the system (Szalavitz, 2009). The failure to employ rehabilitative services has resulted in a growing juvenile justice population.

Countless stereotypes and negative representations exist

Countless stereotypes and negative representations exist I. Introduction A countless stereotypes and negative representations exist about the Middle East by the Western media. It is known that media is very powerful source that shapes peoples minds and opinions. For some people, media is the only source they acquire their information through, especially when it comes to other cultures and populations. Western media coverage of the Middle East issues, Arab, and Muslim world is clearly a continuous subject. These stereotypes and negative representations have negative associations as Westerns assume that every member of a certain group has the same characteristics. As mentioned by Macdonald (2003), stereotypes homogenize people and put them under the same umbrella which results in biased pictures. While stereotypes can be sometimes positive, still negative stereotypes are much more problematic, causing conflicts. (Macdonald 2003). It seems that Western media is have always been having the tendency to misrepresent Arab Muslim women as Islam came around. As Miladi (2010) said, Western does not know much about neither Islam nor Arab cultures nor traditions. As a result of this lack of knowledge, the Western media tends to represent Arab Muslim women as oppressed, victimized, and have no voice, and this is because of Islam, mainly the veil. In his research paper, Morin (2009) pointed out that the veil is being misrepresented by the Western media since forever; the Western media is fascinated by the veil or the Hijab. The issue of veil and women who wear the veil is a common misunderstood concept in the West. Westerners often think that this is a harsh custom that Islam requires of women. They claim that these women have no freedom or dignity for wearing these veils and that they look like ghosts in this custom. In some old movies, the Islamic custom is portrayed as a way for women to play with identity and her sexuality. But in fact, these veils actuality help protect women. (Posetty, 2006). Stereotypes may take the form of both physical stereotypes and mental stereotypes. The physical stereotypes are usually related to the concept of the veil as women who wear the veil are seen as anti-West and extremists. As for the mental stereotypes which can be very dangerous, it is caused by narrow-minded ideas and false data. Mental stereotyping of Arabs in the Western media includes portrays anti-Western attitudes, extremism and terrorism. In fact, the Westerns have ignored the fact that Islam is a tolerant religion that gave women the right to be educated and the right to participate in political, economical, and social activities in their community. Women were also given the right to vote, the right to inherit property and take charge of their possessions (Miladi, 2010). Perhaps some of these rights are disallowed or denied by Muslim women today not because of Islam, but because of cultural traditions that should not be correlated to Islam. The problem of these negative stereotypes has begun long time ago as it was rooted by the Arab misrepresentation. Stereotyping of Arabs has been dominating the Western media and was highly evoked since the incident of 9/11. All Arabs have been stereotyped as terrorists and extremists. It also started with the theory of The Clash of Civilizations that was written by Samuel P. Huntington in 1997. (Macdonald 2003). In his thesis, Huntington stated that the conflicts between the West and the Middle East will be resulted by the clashes of religions, and cultures, and that there is a new enemy to the Western world that is emerging which is Islam. According to Morin (2009), what also evoked the stereotyping towards Arabs and Muslim world is that the Arab media that is also practicing stereotyping of Westerners as enemies of Islam and Muslims across the world. Somehow through these misconceptions, Western media is always under the impression that Arab women are caged in the Arab world and its culture as well as being oppressed and victimized just because of the way they dress. Because of these images, it is always neglected that there are so many business women in the Arab world and that the rate of education in the Arab world is very high among women who indicates that women are well educated at the Arab World as well as that they are granted almost the same rights of men (Ahmed, 1992). In order to improve the situation in the Western media according to Ahmed (1992), it is the role of mass media to create better understanding about the Arab cultures, religions, and traditions about the Arab Muslim women. In addition, it is the Arab Muslim womens role in political, social, and cultural fields to change these stereotyping that is dominating the mass media. II. Literature Review Since the last couple of decades, the subjects of Islam, the Muslim community and especially Muslim women seem to have dominated the Western media. It started with the excessive coverage of September 11, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the banning of the veil in Europe, to the terrorist attacks and suicide bombers in the Middle East. These are just a few images to name that the Western societies and countries have been absorbing in their daily lives, eventually forming their attitudes, perceptions and ideas about the Muslim world. It all started with Samuel P. Huntington (1997) â€Å"Clash of Civilizations†, according to Macdonald (2006). It was Huntington who came within reach of this problematic relationship between the East and the West. â€Å"Clash of Civilizations† is a part in his book that is called â€Å"The Rest Vs. The West. (Macdonald, 2006). After the Cold War ended, the desire to search for a new global ideological threat has emerged to replace the collapse of Communism. Since then, it was predicted by the Westerns experts that the Western World is facing a new enemy: Islam. Macdonald (2006). Huntington notion pointed out that Islam has a noticeable contradictory vision and action to the Western ideology, ideas of liberty, and democracy. This phenomenon has been developed and spread into a discourse and got fully attention of the Westerns (United States, the United Kingdom and its allies) perceptions and its relationships towards the world of the Middle East, the Muslims and Islam. As a result of such phenomenon and ideology, the stereotypical idea that Islam and its followers are anti-democracy and anti-Western has become fixed within the minds of the Western society. (Macdonald, 2006). The acts of stereotyping persuade people to respond and behave in the same way that is both negative and prejudiced. The word Arabs is meant to portray a person from the Middle East, it also meant to portray this Arab as terrorist, ignorant, and a person that contradicts with the Western ideologies. In spite of the reality that these persons are from different countries, with varied cultures, attitudes, beliefs, and a diversity of religions, they are typify by one word â€Å" Arabs†. (Cheney, 1986). Several movies have been misrepresenting Arabs men and women through the years. It is has been pointed out by Cheney (1986), that Jack Shaheen, (2003), stated that 900 films done by in the American cinema showed how Arab men women and children shaped as different and threatening. Hollywood films from 1896 until today portraying Arabs as heartless, enemies, cruel, burglars, extremist in their religion, brutal murderers, and abusers of women. (Cheney, 1986). History shows that since the beginning of cinema, Hollywoods movies have been misrepresenting Arab women. Clearly, film makers did not create these images but inherited Europes pre-existing Arab stereotypes. These images have been created long ago; in the 18th and 19th centuries, European artists and writers offered fictional versions of women as bathed and submissive exotic â€Å"objects†. As a result, through the time, the stereotype came to be accepted as valid, becoming a permanent part of European popular culture (Cheney, 1986). In his book â€Å"Reel Bad Arabs†, Shaheen noticed that â€Å"In Arabian Nights fantasies such as The Sheik (1921), Slave Girl (1947), and John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (1964), Arab women appear as leering out from thin veils, or as unsatisfied, disposable ‘knick-knacks lounging on ornate cushions, scantily-clad harem maidens with bare midriffs, closeted in the palaces womens quarters and/or on display in slave markets† (Shaheen, 2001:23, cited in Cheney, 1986). The stream continues in the third millennium. In Disneys remake of â€Å"Around the World in Eighty Days† (2004), for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger portrays Prince Hapi, a Mideast sheikh with ‘one hundred or so wives. This means that films continue to show Arab woman as a slave for sex, even though the image of a terrorist dominated after 9/11. A research paper aimed to analyze U.S. and international newspaper articles on Arab and Muslim women from 9/11/01 till 9/11/05, in order to understand how women who wear the veil are represented in western media. It was found that Reporters rarely give women the chance to speak to look beyond the stereotype and get to know Arab women. Whether oppressed, victimized or turned into a superwoman, that woman in the news is more often not caricature of the Arab and Muslim woman in real life. Readers have not yet able to receive a consistent and accurate representation of the diverse personalities, lives and opinions of these women. (Sakr, 2004). Its been always known that TV shows influence Western people perceptions and attitudes towards various issues, especially when it comes to issues related to the Middle East and Arabs. So, most of the misperceptions towards Arab women are caused by the flow of information through TV stations. (Kaufer Al Malki 2009) According to Kaufer Al Malki (2009), on the 28th of September 2009, Oprah Winfrey hosted the â€Å"Goodwill Ambassador for the UNICEF†; the famous Lebanese singer â€Å"Nancy Ajram† on her TV show on CBS station. In that show, Winfrey referred to Lebanon as being â€Å"deeply conservative† and presented a documentary that shows Lebanese women veiled like the Afghani ones and compared these women with Nancys Ajram style and dance moves. With no doubt, Oprahs documentary misrepresented Lebanese women and created misconception in the minds of Western people about Lebanese women who are the most modernized women in the region. In fact, Nancy Ajram style and fashion represent a large segment of Lebanese females. Statistics show that 75% of the Lebanese women are unveiled and have freedom of dress; they have their full education that exceeds that of men with 44 % compared to 40 % of men. The media is fascinated by the portrayal of Arab women and they way they dress. According to Ahmed (1992), when it comes to portraying Muslim woman, the media in the West seems to be attentive and obsessed by the way they dress which is the veil in particular which has resulted in a great number of reactions and debates. These debates shows that the veil is perceived as a sign of cultural difference in the Western world as it differentiate Arab women from Western ones. (Ahmed, 1992). Muslim Arab woman are always badly portrayed as the shapeless and ghost women in their Islamic dress .they are really confusing the western normal people as its not their fault that what they are seeing on TV is that its the fault of the western media. The Negative stereotyping and reactionary reporting have historically symbolized coverage of Islam and Muslims and have been reflected clearly in the theory of Orientalism created by Edward Said in 1978 which states that the East and its populations are considered backward, barbaric and outsiders to Western society. (Posetty, 2008). As a result, it seems that the media helps in creating the image of the Muslim women as the oppressed other, which will lead to imprecise conclusions, stereotypes and misperceptions of these women. (Macdonald,2006). According to the Orientalist theory, when women are portrayed, they are portrayed as being oppressed, exotic, mysterious, and shy. In addition, the Western media have always been portraying Arabs as violent, stupid, and cruel people that treat women as objects and that they are marginalized in their own society, and that the East all alike in their image for the West. (Macdonald,2006). Therefore, when the Western media frames women as sexual slave and oppressed by men as they are abusing their women, beaten, and humiliated, they are being truthful as this is the image that has been always stuck in the Westerns minds. In fact, the West has been stereotyping Arab women since forever, and they didnt change their look for the Arab women till now. Photographs and Frencp9th Century paintings represented Arab women as property, toy of men, submissive and still, dependent on a man who is the only motive for their survival. (kaufer, 2009). Terms such as the veil, the harem, female circumcision helped in the formation of such misconceptions as well as gave the impression to some of the associated images with the oppressed Muslim woman. The problem is that these perceptions have been incorrectly generalized with no differentiation. (Gwinn, 1997). This problem has made it harder for the veiled Muslim women living in the West, as they tend to suffer more from the intolerance from the way they dress, in addition, they are hardly accepted in the Western communities. (Mohanty, 2005). Arab women in immigrant communities and who are living in Western societies, are victims of these negative stereotypes and gender based media representations. As Morin (2009), noted that these women face negative media coverage that is based on cultural misconceptions and the recent political conflicts that have spoiled Arab-Western relations. As a result, Arab women in immigrant communities cannot win the fight for better media recognition while they continue to be viewed inside the limit of traditional Arab-Islamic stereotypes. (Morin, 2009). As Posetty (2008) stated in his article, in the portrayal of Muslim women, attention is frequently focused on the way they dress, with their clothing seen as a symbol of their threatening, alien status. Images of Islamic dress are increasingly used in the media as visual shorthand for dangerous extremism, and Muslims all over Europe are suffering from the consequences of such associations. The main problem as Ahmed (1992) pointed out, is that the act of veiling among Muslim women or the veil itself is often associated with the lack of traditionalism and backwardness that does not fit into the modern society and among Western women who do not need to veil (Ahmed, 1992). This phenomenon suggests that we can reach the other cultural difference and how the West is fascinated with otherness and still continues within the Western media towards the Muslim world (Ahmed, 1992). Ayish (2010) pointed out in his paper that the Western media tends to portray Arab men as aggressive and abusers of women, and that they control women. Media portray that the women is always wearing her veil, staying at home raising children and only obey her husband who she fears. Newspapers studies has showed that Western illustration of Muslim marriage issues is vague and this is because the lack of the knowledge of foreign cultures and religions One could disagree that the major issue is Islamophobia, many Western journalists, unfamiliar with Islam religion, have a tendency to view the faith as cruel, backward and the contradictory of tolerance. (Ayish, 2010). Morin (2009) stated in his research that stories investigated about Muslim women have shown that Western news reports represents women as the oppressed, mistreated wife, who is obligated to a prearranged marriage by her parents or obligated out of a marriage, and that she is helpless and voiceless in both situations. Another disproportionate as stated by Ayish (2010), Sometimes, the Arab Muslim women is represented as the money hunter, who does not think about who she marries as long as the man she is going to marry is rich enough to indulge her hunger for money. In these situations on the other hand, Arab Muslim men think with different greed, they are sexually deprived and tends to treat women as sexual objects. The men are also harsh and controlling, playing with womens feelings and threats women through oral divorce. Women are thus represented by the Western media as weak and have no rights which permit men to claim superiority (Ayish, 2010). Dominant images of the veiled Muslim woman are always covered in the Western media to present the Muslim woman as a victim as well as being oppressed. (Ahmed, 1992). The veiled of Arab Muslim women has always been misrepresented by the media as it has became a symbol of the oppression of the Muslim woman. This representation as stated by Ahmed (1992), has been highly evoked since the event of the 9/11. As noted in Posetty (2008) research paper, Alison Donnell argues that the September 11 terrorist attacks resulted in media representations of veiling as an object of mystique, exoticism and eroticism and that the veil, or headscarf, is seen as a highly visible sign of a despised difference. The oppression of Muslim women has been regularly used in Western media as suggestive of the barbaric and pre-modern characteristics of Islam. As Helen Watson comments in her article ‘the image of the veiled Muslim woman seems to be one of the most popular Western ways of representing the â€Å"problem of Islam†. (Posetty, 2008). According to Ahmed (1992), the veil has become the typical symbol of womens oppression in Islam, and is perceived as it creates hostility to Westerns. In fact, the Western media has ignored the fact that veiling as a practice existed before the rise of Islam, especially in Syria and Arabia. It was also a custom among Greeks, Romans, Jews and Assyrians, and not only to Islam. At that time, the veiled Arab woman was perceived as respectable and protected. (Ahmed, 1992). However, as Ahmed (1992) pointed out, the veiled woman is usually represented as having denied pleasure, fun, or bodily self-expression. In some of the Western conceptualizations veiling is used as a means of performing femininity self-exploration and play with identity. With these rising and continuous prejudices against Muslims and, especially, Muslim women, it seems to demonstrate that there is still a huge gap, a barrier that appears to prevent a sense, approval and understanding towards the Muslim ‘other. And by ‘the other we mean ‘the oppressed, ‘the traditional-bound, ‘the factory-worker, ‘the poor, etc. (Macdonald,2006). As mentioned before, besides the veil, discussions of the circumcision, polygamy, the sharia (Islamic) law, the harem, forced marriages, etc, are just a few issues that have made this group of women fit into the absolute, homogenous ‘oppressed Muslim woman category. (Macdonald,2006). As noted in Falah Nagel (2005) paper, the problem lies when these visual images tend to portray Muslim women as a stereotypical figure; an oppressed figure suffering from a harsh culture. The veil especially is the major theme that is associated with the limitations and the oppression of Muslim Arab women as it was constantly deployed and replayed again in our visually dominated culture. Falah Nagel (2005) argue that the veil is not only representing the oppressed Muslims and Muslim women world, but also the hidden assumption about the superiority of the West in relation to that world. In this case, the figure of the veiled Muslim woman that is being represented through the media, is tending to represent these women as passive victims, muted, untraditional, and oppressed, which therefore creates a cultural-ideological barrier with the Western women. Thus, the problem is that the danger that is resulted from these representations of veiled Muslim women tends to create a division bet ween Western women (as modern, liberated) and Eastern women (as backward, oppressed), while also ignoring the diversity of practices, views and experiences of these women. As Falah Nagel (2005) pointed out, it seems important that the question on how to communicate with the other who is culturally and traditionally different has become one of the most urgent and immediate agendas within North-South/West-East relations and interactions. What is needed is an understanding of this sense of ‘urgency, ‘gaps and ‘barriers that links to the Westerns knowledge of the ‘veiled Muslim woman (Falah Nagel, 2005). As a result, veiled Muslim women become muted and misrepresented. Another major feature found in the Western media especially in advertising is the imagined perspectives such as the myths and fantasies Western culture has about Islam, the Muslims, and especially, veiled Muslim women. This means that not only misconceptions and misunderstandings towards Muslim women have been continuous in modern times, but it has also became widespread and universal by the advent of modern technology. (Falah Nagel, 2005). Miladi (2010) pointed out in his research paper that modern images of Muslim women in American advertisements, argues that Western advertisers tend to spread stereotypes and the wrong representations of the veil and Muslim women in order to appeal to consumers. As a result, advertisers use certain images of Muslim women that have been historically fixed in the Western mind, such as the harem, the hammas (public baths), the mysterious veiled woman or the oppressed woman living under an oppressive ruler or men and use this to attract consumers. The veil especially is itself is considered as an enormous marketing tool, as marketers often use the veil in order to sell sex. (Miladi, 2010). The use of the oppressed women and the veil in advertisements will make the Western consumers think that by buying the advertised product as well as buying the favors of the mysterious woman behind the veil. (Miladi, 2010). The problem as stated by Miladi (2010), is that Westerners are usually buying certain products for buying these imaginary images of the ‘other. As a result, through the continuous and repetitive collective exposition to the media, a larger collective imagination will continue to be created and produced about this image of the imaginary veiled Muslim woman â€Å"other†. As mentioned by Gwinn (1997), the oppressed veiled Muslim woman in the ads may also be connected to the rising prejudices and debates that surround Muslim women and the veil in the Western world. The oppressed stereotypes of Arab Muslim women as stated by Ahadi (2009), has negative impacts on those women that is very obvious. Stereotypes occur when individuals are classifieds by others as having something in common because they are members of a particular group or category of people. Media stereotyping of women as objects and helpless beings creates very low expectations for societys Arab women. As mentioned by Morin (2009), women living abroad face distinctive discriminations from the Western communities. Western women are always considered as superior to Arab Muslim women especially, the veiled ones. In fact, Arab Muslim women are being oppressed by the negative representations created by the Western media. In addition, these representations may impact on these women psychologically as Western populations perceive the veil as a barrier between them and the veiled women. III. Body Numerous stereotypes and defaming of Arab Muslim women have been controlling the western media. Samuel P. Huntington wrote a theory called Clash of Civilization about Islam has different believes and values that contradict with the Western idea of liberty and democracy, and that Islam is the solo enemy of westerns and the main reason that the world will not going to improve. Islam and Arabs have a way of thinking and believes that is very different than the west has. And that the west see that the road to freedom and democracy of the societies is blocked by the Islam ideologies that block the world from reaching freedom and democracy at its fullest point, from here the stereotyping of Arab Muslim women began. The stereotyping of Arabs in general has taken its fullest load since the incident of 9/11. Westerns have blamed Muslims and Arabs for this tragic incident, and they started to look at them as the main enemies of the west and that if there are any terrorists in the world they are Muslims or Arab Muslims. The westerns have been Arabs have been subjected to discrimination and violence since 9/11, a Muslim girl for example that works in a rental car company was simply fired because she was told that she cannot wear her veil, also a hotel employee stated that he was cursed many times and that people called him Taliban and Osama. Following the September 9/11 attacks on the USA, stereotyping of Muslims, and Muslim women began with such great hatred toward Muslims and Arabs. That the Islam and Muslims are terrorists, thieves, spiteful, merciless, extremist, vicious murderers, and abusers of women. The beginning of the stereotyping of women in the western media was that the women are abused by the Arab men, and they are beaten and they are sex tools for the men, and they abuse them mentally and physically, and that they only please the wishes of men without thinking, and theses are some examples of the way of the western media portrayals of Arab Muslim women. After the attacks of 9/11, the world initiated a campaign against Islam and they started condemning Islam as a religion of violence and terrorists. Surrounded by all these accusation there were people who needed to understand the accuracy of the religion of Islam, to know if it is in fact a religion of terrorism or not?. The overstatements of the media reporting after 9/11 attacks, lead the people to be convinced that the Arabs and Muslims are terrorists and they are cruel and heartless that they want to demolish the west. Hollywood and media personnel are also responsible for making the people believe that the Muslims and Arabs are terrorists. Film creators, and Cinema producers continue to make movies and films that target the Arabs as a terrorists and murderers, they stereotype the Arabs with the 5 Bs, which are Billionaires, Bombers, Belly dancers, Bedouins, and Barbarians. Jack Shaheen made a movie called Reel Bad Arabs demonstrated that the western movies industry are fanatical with portraying Arab women in their movies, and they portray the Arab women from the western point of views, and they didnt change anything during the years of portraying of Arab women, its the same point of view. Jack Shaheen said that the portray in western media of Arab women are mostly as slave girls, a woman wears veil that shows all her body, they are belly dancers that seduce men, barbarian, they are gold diggers, that they are welling to do absolutely anything for the sake of their well being. Jack Shaheen in the part of the western portrayals of Arab women as gold diggers, and barbarians and gypsies is right and I agree with him in this part. Furthermore, the remake of the Disney movie Around the world in 80 days they show Arnold Schwarzenegger as an Arab Sheikh, that have over a 100 wives, that are slaves just for sex. This shows that the Arab men are not pleased with just one woman or wife; they need more from everything, even from women. This part tackles a very important issue which is Shariaa Islamic law, which states that the man has the right to marry 4 wives at the same time, and this believe of marring more than one wife is totally rejected in the western believes and ideologies from the beginning, they dont understand this part from the Islamic law to talk about it or to misrepresent it like this in their movies. Even though they portray Arab women in diverse descriptions, Slave girl, playful, self centered, but after the September 9/11 attacks, the terrorist image was the image that controlled over the mind of the western people and the western media. The TV manipulate the people in a huge way, it affects the attitude, behavior, believes and the opinions of the people. Media people take gain of this point, and the western people are badly informed about Arabs and Arab women, and that their information about Arabs is from movies and TV shows. The image there are consistent in the movies is that the Arabs are terrorists, they take this part and they stereotype Arabs and Arab women without studying them or their culture, they stereotype them in the way they would like the world to see them in it. they have succeeded in making the people when they hear the word Arab or Arab women they think of terrorists, cruel, merciless, barbarians, gypsies, robbers, monsters, beaters of women, use women just for sex, women are slaves. Its widely known from the western media and western image what is the image the Arab have in general, the image that have started by the Arab are Orientalists about Harem of the Arab, Arab dancing, Arab women are locked in doors and they are not allowed to get out except with the permission of her husband, and that the women are substandard than men, they are not allowed to be involved in public issues. These are the idea and images that the western have about the Arab women, in western media and cartoons regrettably. The majority of Arabs are passive to the stereotypes of western media toward them, but for the Arab women the issue is very sensitive. Western media is fanatical about the dress code of Arab women, mostly the Veil of the Arab women. Arab women are portrayed as overweight, loose-fitting women, in their loose dress and their unattractive shaped veil that doesnt show the feature of their body, they portray them even in caricature and some magazine and programs. The concept of the Arab veil for the western was always that the Arab women have the life of suppressed and the victimized, poor, isolated creature politically and culturally that is forcibly is wearing this veil and is being like this. According to Gwinn (1997), he tackled the point that the veil of the Arab women is reflecting in the western media to be the well-known method of representing the Arab women and to represent the dilemma of Islam. The fact is the veil was in the pre Islam era, was the custom of Romans, Jews, and Gr eeks. But after the Islam had spread and the Muslim women started to wear the veil as God said to cover their hair, the west started to stereotype the veil with Islam and Muslim women, and finally terrorists women. The veil of Arab women is distinguished as a threatening to the peace and as a terrorist symbol and its also seen as a alien as declared by Posetty (2008) in his article. The way Arab women dress and the veil is seen in the western media as a symbol of terrorists. Consequently, the Arabs are suffering from the result of these stereotypes all over Europe and the west countries, that make them in a continues threat every minute of everyday due to these portrayals. According to Ahmed (1992), the issue of veiling of women is that the concept is associated to the lack of traditional values and backwardness that doesnt go with the

Compare how Nichols and Alvi explore the issue of identity in Hurricane

Compare how Nichols and Alvi explore the issue of identity in Hurricane Hits England and Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan In this essay I aim to compare the two poems Compare how Nichols and Alvi explore the issue of identity in â€Å"Hurricane Hits England† and â€Å"Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan† In this essay I aim to compare the two poems â€Å"Hurricane Hits England† by Grace Nichols and â€Å"Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan† by Moniza Alvi. I aim to analyse the language and structure shape of different meanings, also to see what acts as a trigger in the two poems and finally to compare the issues rose about culture. Both of the poets feelings about their culture are triggered by something, which makes them think about how they feel. Alvi uses the presents to act as a trigger, which makes her realise, she isn’t as happy as what she could be. When she describes herself as †Staring through the fretwork,† she shows that she feels torn between the two cultures. She also feels that she is stuck within the English culture but wants to widen her knowledge to the Pakistani culture and maybe even switch her culture. Another meaning to when she says this, is she doesn’t feel the fretwork is only iron but the English culture is there stopping her and not the iron frame. Or it could even be herself that is stopping her because she is afraid of not fitting in since she has changed so much. In comparison, Nichols uses the hurricane to act as her trigger, however, it doesn’t have the same effect on her as it did on Alvi. When Nichols says â€Å"It took a hurricane to bring her closer to the landscape,† she is talking about herself. When she says this, she means that ever since she moved to England, she has felt that he... ...ow the traditions as well. The quotes show that the Pakistani culture follows a tradition of wearing a salwar kameez, whereas the English culture follows a tradition of â€Å"quick and easy beds†. She uses this as a contrast between the two cultures to make them apart. Throughout the poem Alvi explores the different cultures and there meanings. Nichols refers to the cultures in different ways. When she writes, †Talk to me Huracon†¦Oya†¦Shango,† she is directly addressing them and talks to them as if they were her family. I personally think that each of these poems has its own unique qualities, however my personal favourite is Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan. I like this poem because Moniza Alvi manages to express her feelings in a way that I have never been able to and also because she can explore the way she feels by choosing different things to compare.

Analysis of Baldwins Giovannis Room Essay -- Giovannis Room Baldwin

Baldwin portrays sexual oppression in his novel entitled, Giovanni's Room. Sexual oppression is exemplified through individual homosexual white men who are unable to find happiness or contentment in themselves or in everyday relationships. In Baldwin's 'Everybody's Protest Novel' he writes, 'but our humanity is our burden, our life; we need not battle for it; we need only to do what is infinitely more difficult-that is, accept it.' Giovanni's Room is about each individual's need to accept their own humanity and societies need to embrace the universal theme of suffering. Baldwin uses the main character David to exemplify an individual's struggle to accept himself, unfortunately his rite of passage is thwarted by his inability to accept his humanity in a world of socially ascribed sexual categories. One of the main themes expressed in Giovanni's Room is that of societies loneliness. Baldwin portrays this universal suffering among all of his characters and he uses this suffering as a means of motivation. Loneliness plagues each of the characters, regardless of whether or not they have accepted their humanity. Everyone from David?s father to Jacques to Hella is searching for a love or a meaningful connection in the world. At the beginning of the novel, when we are first introduced to the narrator, David, we learn about his friendship with Joey. This relationship provides David with his first sense of joy and contentment, yet his fear of falling outside of societies sexual definitions overpower these feelings and leads him back into the arms of loneliness. The narrator reflects on his experience and Baldwin writes, ?the power and the promise and the mystery of that body made me suddenly afraid. That bo... ...revents him from ever grasping his true humanity. Baldwin exemplifies his words in ?Everybody?s Protest Novel? through this novel by painting a picture of how difficult it can actually be to accept our own humanity. Baldwin clearly states a message which promotes universal understanding in a world of complex individuals. He portrays the reality of human beings common suffering, while campaigning for humanity to accept and not define individual categorizations. Baldwin uses David to show the power of love and human connection in society, along with the negative effect socially defined roles can have on individuals development. Work Cited Baldwin, James. Giovanni's Room. New York: Random House Inc., 2000. Work Consulted Mengay, Donald H. "The Failed Copy: Giovanni's Room and the (Re)Contextualization of Difference." Genders. No 17, Fall 1993.

Value Management And Value Engineering Study Report

This Value Management and Value Engineering (VM/VE) Study Report summarizes the benefits of various proposals for a strategic level Value Management process followed by Value Engineering Study in order to obtain a better Value for Money (VFM) for any projects. This report is prepared specially for our Client M/s. SBEinnovations Ltd for the construction of the Mixed-Use Recreation and Commercial Centre Project. Value Management and Value Engineering is a technique on any projects that can be delivered in the most economical way. Normally, Value Management processes are carried out before Value Engineering Study to determine how it can add value to the Client business by a delivery of a project which is carried out during the initial Client brief of a project. It is an integral part of any projects. Whereas Value Engineering is a technical study on a selected design for its technical viability and cost studies which is carried out during detailed design stage. United Project Management (UPM) believes that VM and VE have the greatest influence and impact at the strategy and design stage respectively. It requires reliable and appropriate cost data, design information, ideas, past experience and uses brain-storming workshops by our team of experts under the direction of the Project Manager. Value Management is a continuous process from inception to completion. The purpose of conducting the Value Management workshop is to set up an effective partnership agreement which should seek to achieve the scope and benefits of the project with respect of time, cost and quality. The benefits of Value Management contribute towards this project especially since the project is still in its early stages. Some of the concepts through which SBEinnovations Ltd can obtain value for money (VFM) are mentioned below; 1. Reduced Learning Curve 2. Improved communications and decision procedures 3. Improved quality and programming This report also includes a recommendation on Value Engineering Study conducted before the completed design stage and construction activities. Issues targeted during VE study include: 1. Design Optimization 2. Selection of Procurement Route 3. Cost, Quality and Time 4. Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) Study 5. Stakeholders Coordination 1. Introduction This report explains how Value Management and Value Engineering studies can contribute value to the Client before commencement of a project. The report summarises the key principles of Value Management and Value Engineering in the context of construction project of mixed-use recreation and commercial centre for SBEInnovations Ltd. This report is prepared for SBEinnovations Ltd on their request for proposals for a strategic level Value Management and Value Engineering studies. The aim of Value Management Study is to assess the project requirement in terms of functionally and efficiency of achieving the requirements. Prime consideration needs to be given to the importance of Time, Cost, Quality, Safety and Client's satisfaction. The specific issues to be evaluated at the VM Study are divided into two categories. 1. Strategic Issues (which will be considered in Value Management) 2. Tactical Issues (which will be considered in Value Engineering) 3.1 Strategic Issues 1. The following are considered as project strategic issues: 1. Project Drivers 2. Project Type 3. Size and Location 4. Procurement 5. Initial Cost Estimate 6. Esteem 7. Politics 8. Organisational Management 9. Change Management 3.2 Tactical Issues The following are considered as project strategic issues: 1. Design 2. Structure of the Project Organisation 3. Detail of accessibility and planning procedure 4. Time and Quality: 5. Outline Specification 6. Coordination 2. Value Management Study This is the first process where carefully selected team members from various parties get together to discuss various aims, objectives, constraints and risk associated with the Project in order to formulate Client objective of the need of such project. Value management usually incorporates a series of workshops, interviews and reviews involving diversified teams members through whom the project requirements are evaluated against the means and methods of achieving them. VM process will be dependent on the procurement route selected for the project. VM and VE Studies are very important for successful delivery of any project. Failure to carry out these studies will cause problems at subsequent design and construction stages causing cost overruns, project delays, claims etc. Value Management can help to avoid or minimize these problems. At the outset of a project, Value Management provides an exceptionally powerful way of exploring the client’s needs in-depth by addressing inconsistencies and expressing these in a language that all parties, whether technically informed or new to the construction industry, can understand. The Value Management process works top-down, starting with needs and strategic goals and focusing on root causes, not symptoms. An early consensus is developed between the key stakeholders about the need for the project or service, the scope, deliverables, key functions and risks, in the context of the wider business objectives. Opportunities for innovation are explored and the most cost effective means of implementation developed, consistent with desired time and quality requirements. VM considers the whole project rather than components and the process are underpinned by consensus. A typical Value Management Study has the following characteristics: 1. A systematic, staged approach 2. Clear definition of objectives and scope at the outset – focus on the customer requirements 3. Consideration of the organizational environment – internal and external influences 4. Multi-disciplinary team effort – positive human dynamics 5. Function Analysis System Technique 6. A workshop format with a structured job plan that separates creativity from evaluation and development. 7. Effective use of methods and tools – independent facilitation 2.1 Early Application of Value Management and its benefits The design is still at the very early stage. The Client has not yet committed with any design teams for project design. The client aims to innovate with creativity and to enhance the health, wellbeing and quality of life of its citizens. It is very important to get a feedback of its citizens of the Client intentions for such a project, because the clients’ and the citizens’ aim and objectives are totally different and conflicting ones. Therefore it is recommended that Value Management study at such early stage is carried out involving the all parties who have interest on the projects so that later in the projects the problems and risk will be minimized to a greater extent. As such the following benefits can be expected by applying Value Management to this specific project. 1. It defines what both the client and the citizens of the local area mean by value, and provide the basis for making decisions, throughout the project, on the basis of value. It provides a means for optimising the balance between private developer and public sector local authority having different aims and objectives out of the project. 1. It provides the basis for clear briefs that reflect the client’s priorities and expectations, expressed in a language that all can understand. This improves communication between both stakeholders so that each of them can understand and respect other’s constraints and requirements. 1. It ensures that the project is the most cost-effective way of delivering the business benefits and provides a basis for refining the business case. It addresses both the monetary and the non-monetary benefits. 1. It supports good design through improved communications, mutual learning and enhanced team-working, leading to better technical solutions with enhanced performance and quality, where it matters. 1. It provides a way of measuring value, taking into account nonmonetary benefits and demonstrating that value for money has been achieved. Project Objectives: In a construction project objectives shall be clearly defined. In clearly defining the project objectives value management plays a vital role and it is the starting point of value management in a project. Client Function, Activities and Stakeholders: Value management plays crucial role in ascertaining the client functions, requirements, stakeholder needs, briefing, gathering information pertaining to the project. Project Size and Location: In deciding the project size and location both value management and value engineering will be applied as value management will focus on the location, political situation, environment and others will focus, whereas value engineering will focus on the type of foundation to be used is suitable for the soil conditions, floor area index on the area and other design issues. Budget: It is a crucial in a construction project and the main purpose of the value management is to gain the maximum value for the money and for that budget is important and also careful budgeting is crucial for the success of the project, here value management will be applied. Procurement Option: In deciding the contract for the project the best procurement option is to be chosen, it depends on the scope of the project, requirements, budget and other external factors. To choose the best procurement option value management and value engineering both plays a vita role. Design and built option value management plays a vital role, value engineer plays a vital role in other types of procurement options as designs are being verified in this option. Design Change and Variation: happens during the course of the project, value engineering plays a lead role. In the design changes and variations as the changes will have an impact on the original design to be checked? The proposed changes can be accommodated or not also to be checked, also the cost impact, constructability and other design related parameters to be verified. Organization Structure: Many discrepancies arise due to unorganized organization structure, due to that construction and project gets delayed. Value management is employed, during the initial stages itself giving the requirements for organization and key personnel and appropriate accounting provision will be given in the costing. All the above will be applied in value management. Quality Control, Health, Safety and Environmental Issues: are crucial in project success, here both value management and engineering will be applied as quality cannot be compromised and design team will clearly indicate the minimum quality requirements and also HSE issues cannot be compromised it is a combination of both the above. The following graph illustrates the potential cost savings possible against time when VM is applied in a project. It is clear the when VM is applied at the early stage of a project, the saving will be far less to adopt the changes proposed by the Value Management since the design is yet not commenced and hence it is easy to incorporate any kind of design change proposal due to VM process. Fig 1: Cost Impact of Making Changes Over Time 2.2 Development of Value Management within project scenario: UPM suggests the budget should be equally divided among the different elements of the project. Some suggestions provided by UPM are: 1. Sports Centre Proper design management should be applied for the construction of Seating/Scoring or/and Spectator Seating arrangements. 2. Culture recreational centre Public community should be comfortable with different recreational centres. Their satisfaction is the primary goal to be achieved. 3. Hotels Lighting is a large cost item. The impact it has on energy and guest experience influence to a great extent the operation and spacing cost. 4. Shopping malls Primary objective here is to obtain maximum customer satisfaction keeping returns in mind. Quality should be maintained throughout the lifecycle of the project. 5. Parking space The financial cost for parking space depends on three factors: Total number of parking space required, ‘opportunity cost’ of parking land and cost per parking land available. Careful planning and brainstorming helps to obtain maximum value for land. 6. Food court Proper economical and environmental friendly techniques could be arranged for waste disposal. 7. Cinema Multiplex Natural Ventilation could be installed thereby reducing the cost and power consumption. Value Management Team Selection and Value Management Workshop VM is undertaken as a series stakeholder workshops held at key stages during the development of the project. Value Management Team forms an important aspect in decision making process. It is a flexible, team-based activity, planned and directed by an independent VM facilitator and driven by consensus. Team selection for the Value Management workshop is very critical to success to ensure that the full range of influences are properly addressed by people with the right balance of knowledge, skills, experience and judgment. Where particular stakeholders are not able to take part, or it is not politic to involve them, specific team members should be tasked as champions of those stakeholder interests. As such, the team should include the following participants: 1. Project Sponsor The Project Sponsor is responsible for endorsement of the study objectives. They are responsible for monitoring outcomes, action plans, client’s vision, timeframe, values and constraints. 2. Value Management Coordinator Usually, a client representative may designate this post. Before the workshop is developed, a number of activities need to be decided upon: 1. Developing brief for Facilitator 2. Identifying the Scope of Work 3. Engaging the Facilitator 4. Organizing the schedule for the workshop 5. Date and Venue confirmation 6. Arrangement of objectives of study 7. Selection and invitation of participants 8. Preparation of agenda These roles and the corresponding tasks may vary depending on nature of Value Management topic, the organizations involved and the scale to which Value Management activities undertaken by the parties. 3. Value Management Facilitator He initiates their evaluation at the beginning of the pre-workshop process, helping the client towards clearly defining the aim, assumptions and viewpoints of each stakeholder. The facilitator should specialise in assisting the process by providing support and advice to the sponsor. During Pre-workshop stage, the facilitator focus should be more towards process than content. The facilitator manages time, determines appropriate progress, manages the group, promotes collaboration within the group, and seeks agreement or a method of understanding between teammates at key stages. However, the facilitator should maintain client confidentiality and ensure every member contributes equally to the achievement of value. 4. Project Manager The Project Manager should be included within the workshop because he/she acts as a reference and as a team catalyst for continued action. 5. Stakeholders They should be included in the team as they give a clear cut idea about the objectives, needs and constraints. 6. Technical Experts SBEinnovations Ltd. members who have specialist skills in a particular area are to attend the workshop. Their responsibilities include providing advice and suggestions in the specialist area for which they are invited. 7. Relevant compliance agency Value Management briefing papers should be forwarded to relevant compliance agencies so that they can be affirmed that the steps followed are as per ‘Practice Guidance’. Though, it is not compulsory that their presence should be essential at the workshop. Value Management Workshop and Agenda Following are the three components of a VM Workshop: 1. Job Plan 2. Functions and Functionality 3. Multi-Disciplinary Team The VM Job plan of the workshop will have the following 5 phases 1. Information Phase 2. Creativity Phase 3. Evaluation Phase 4. Development Phase 5. Presentation and Reporting Phase All of the above phases will be covered in 3 weeks workshop as described below. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES USED IN VM STUDY There are number of tools and techniques which can be used in VM study. However, the following are recommended by UPM. 1. Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) Diagram: It is a graphical representation of logical relationship of functions that need to be performed and how they are linked together into HOW-WHY logical connections to deliver the project. HOW and WHY questions are asked to develop the logic of a function. While defining any function, we ask HOW that particular function can contribute towards developing a more standardized and specific approach. This method of questioning and thinking is referred and summarized from left to right. To solve the problem to a higher level, we ask WHY that particular function is performed. This process of logic is read from right to left. 1. Risk Analysis Risk analysis is a financial tool used to identify risks that can potentially affect the project. The analysis looks at the costs involved, time constraints and other variables that may negatively affect the outcome. As a tool, risk analysis helps managers make decisions and find alternatives. 1. SWOT Analysis SWOT is an acronym that stands for â€Å"strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats,† which is precisely what the SWOT analysis aims to identify. The SWOT helps management see the company's strengths and weaknesses on paper as well as the potential opportunities and threats looming in the industry. Management can then find ways to maximize the company's strengths in order to capitalize on opportunities while minimizing potential threats and weaknesses. 6. VALUE ENGINEERING STUDY Value Engineering is a subset of Value Management. Once the Client is decided on the project, then before the detailed design will commence, the Value Engineering study will be carried out. 6.1 Recommended timing for VALUE ENGINEERING study: In order to expect the greatest return from this project, SBEinnovations Ltd. is suggested to include value engineering exercise during the early design stage and before 60% of the design commitment is reached. Value Engineering workshop should be carried out during the schematic design stage and the detailed design stage. If the Value Engineering occurs later it probably will be seen as a cost cutting exercise but it will be undertaken under a hostile climate that will prevent SBEinnovations from achieving the desired requirements and objectives of  £9M. 6.2 Recommended VE Team The number of participants should be a minimum of five and a maximum of ten. Although more members could participate, we recommend that a larger group may cause difficulties in one-to-one communication. Participants should involve: 1. Project Managers from SBEinnovations Ltd.: These Project Managers help to define the procurement routes and contract administration in the most effective way by putting to use their skills earned by experience. 2. Architects, Quantity Surveyors and Structural Engineers: While conducting brainstorm sections, Comments and views from Engineers, Architects and Quantity Surveyors are valid for active participation. 3. Value Engineering Facilitator: The facilitator should be someone apart from the project manager, the chief design engineer, or the client. The VE facilitator will guide the discussion to confirm and approve, but not to criticize the project approaches and details. 6.3 Value Engineering Workshops VE workshops are concerned with the detailed technical appraisal of alternative solutions proposed by the project team to meet the client’s requirements. Duration for VE workshop will be normally longer than that of VM Workshop. One of the following approaches could be used by SBEinnovations Ltd towards achieving a successful Workshop session: 1. Mini Workshops: A value engineer should join the design team at the briefing stage and be promoted as the facilitator throughout the project. Two mini-workshops should be organized following the job plan format and then reviewed at about 20% and 40% design completion. 2. The two-day workshop: All members of the team focus on issues in an intense and focused way. 6.4 Elements of the Scheme for VE study: Design Optimization As long as the bid documents and the process to detail design are open enough to allow for adjustment of the design, then a buildable design will rise. Design ideas for mixed use commercial and recreational centre should be developed during Value Engineering workshops keeping in mind the constructability and purpose for which it serves. This should include health, safety and security of the local community. Procurement Route The suitable Procurement route should be studied identified and applied by SBEinnovations Ltd. taking into consideration the pros and cons of that particular procurement route and its benefits to the client and the employer. Quality, Time and Cost Maximum return can only be achieved through proper quality, time and cost management. Value Engineering study team should be keen to attain maximum Value for Money (VFM) by proper planning and scheduling of works to ensure cost lies within  £ 9M within the stipulated time frame. Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) Study OBS review would be done during the VE workshop which helps to identify roles and responsibilities. Stakeholders Coordination Coordination should be justified during VE studies so as to dissolve any interference between Stakeholders. Part 2 – Risk Management Essay Risk Management in Infrastructure Projects Introduction All large projects face risks. Project risk is an activity, event or action which tends to cause a negative impact on the planned goals of project scope, quality, performance, execution time or cost. Inevitably, risks and uncertainties are substantially inherent in infrastructure projects. Problematically, many infrastructure projects could not have achieved project goals satisfactorily. Therefore, it is very important for the identification and treatment of these project risks. Project risks always contribute to the poor performance leading to cost and time over run. Their major reason is the occurrence of external and internal project risks and uncertainties throughout project stages from planning, bidding, contracting to construction. This essay intends to provide a useful insight into the inherent risk into infrastructure projects, and will discuss about the management of these risks. The essay will also enable the reader to understand and application of the key concepts and techniques used in management of risk in infrastructure projects. For the purpose of this essay, Railway Projects in the MENA region is considered. History has shown that railways have always been central to any country’s growth ambitions. Thus it comes as no surprise that the GCC countries have embraced railway networks as their best hope for expanding and consolidating future economic growth. By providing a low cost alternative to shipping and air, the GCC member states allow for increased trade and thus further economic prosperity. As a result of this increased focus, it’s no surprise to find that railway networks account for nine of the ten biggest infrastructure projects in the Middle East. With ambitious plans to produce a GCC wide network within the next decade, the countries are working to develop their own interior networks in preparation. The following Table shows a list of top 10 infrastructure projects (ongoing and planned) in the MENA area.

About Specific Moments

Eng 119 10/16/12 My life tragedy I remember that cold November like it was yesterday. It was so cold that I felt the breeze going through my skin. I remember waking up to my mom and sisters crying. I can tell that my father was trying his hardest not to cry. I’ve always felt safe at home, it’s a place to feel peace and joy with family but this was different. I just wanted everything to be like the normal days where my mom fusses at me for not waking up earlier for school or forgetting to do the laundry. Everybody was so sad but trying there hardest to be strong in front of me.Everybody surrounded me as I was getting ready, it seemed like they were following my every move. I tried my hardest not to cry or just fall apart because I know that it would only make things worse and break everyone into pieces. I had to remain strong and remember that I’ve been through this before and that God is always by my side. Sitting on the dining table was pointless; the food was j ust there for show. Nobody seemed to have an appetite. It seemed as if they were the one going through this tragedy but I can’t blame them. If anything happened to them, I would feel the same way.I had left my house a billion times before but that morning was by far one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. I kissed my sisters goodbye and told them to be strong for me and regardless of what happens, that they’ll always be in my heart. I have 3 sisters and not seeing there beautiful faces again would destroy me. Getting into the car was like moving to a new house. It was so quiet driving to the hospital with my parents. It was the longest drive of my life although I didn’t want the drive to end. I had to be strong though and remember that I am no longer 4 years old anymore.I was only 17 and I already been through this life trial before. Everything seemed to be playing in slow motion. I started to remember every childhood memory I had. I remember ed the first time I went to the zoo with my family and I fell and scraped hurt my knee and had to get stiches. I was terrified and so scared about getting stiches but nothing can possibly be worse than this life trial. I remembered the first day my baby sister was born. I remembered the going on a trip to Niagara Falls and how much fun I had with my family and friends. A million memories and thoughts were running through my mind.My mother sighed once we arrived to the hospital, but this wasn’t a sigh of relief, this was more like pure sadness. Before walking into the hospital, I took one last glance at the world outside. Walking into the Oakwood hospital, I was able to recall every memory I had within every step I took. I was asked to sit down for 5 minutes till they call me up. My mom was telling me a story about my grandma and how she also had an open heart surgery. She told me that she had an open heart surgery 7 times in her life and survived all 7 but she was a very heav y smoker and that’s how she passed away.She had recently passed away from cancer. She said I reminded her of my grandma because she was a very strong woman. The nurse called my name and told me that the doctor was ready for me. I was getting closer and closer to the operating room. At the same time, I was so focused on everything. I could stare at the plant that I was walking by for hours and hours. The more closer I got to the operating room, the more scared and freaked out I was getting. my lips were so dry because the hospital told me I wasn’t supposed to eat anything. I felt choked up. I could hear a baby crying after the mother giving birth.That made me smile. To think God takes life but brings another life to the world. That’s just the way life is. I got to the operating room and changed into the hospital gown. I always hated the hospital gowns. There were closed from the front but open from the back. It just didn’t make sense to me. Sitting on the hospital bed, I was so nervous. The nurse even noticed and gave me some medication to calm down my nerves. I always wanted to be a nurse when I grow up. I started to think if I can ever actually fulfill that dream, but I had faith in God and knew he wouldn’t let me down.The nurse told me she can see me as being a nurse because I love to help people. The medication didn’t seem to work so well especially when you’re almost going to have an open heart surgery. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening to me again. It felt like a dream, I dream that I wanted to just wake up from so badly. I started to imagine myself sitting home watching TV like a normal teenage girl with nothing to worry about but homework and drama. I knew I had no way out of this though. It’s now or never, I thought to myself. My father held my hand and said, â€Å"come on sweetie, you can do this†.I kissed my parents goodbye and couldn’t help but cry. I started t o think to myself that this may be the last time that I’ll ever see there beautiful faces. I trusted my surgeon with my life because this isn’t the first time he has done this to me before. He told me that he always loved seeing my face vbecause I was all smiles but this was such a fake smile I had on. My anesthesiologist gave me some medicine and told me to count to ten. â€Å"One, two, three, four, five, then I was gone. The next thing you know I was waking up to my families faces.My mom was sitting by me holding my hand. I thought I was dreaming. Everything was so blurry but I can still see a little. I had survived. I survived an open heart surgery for the second time. After that moment, I knew that I was going to appreciate every minute of my life. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t remind myself of the strength I have within me. My seven inch scar reminds me that I am alive and strong. I feel like I'm capable of giving a lot to the world. I appreciate my family and friends even more because I don’t know where I would be without them.