The 3 Factors of Reciprocal Determinism

The 3 Factors of Reciprocal Determinism Theories Social Psychology Print What Is Reciprocal Determinism? This theory explores the role our behavior plays in our environment By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on December 21, 2018 Rubberball/Nicole Hill / Getty Images More in Theories Social Psychology Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology According to psychologist Albert Bandura, reciprocal determinism is a model composed of three factors that influence behavior: the environment, the individual, and the behavior itself. According to this theory, an individuals behavior influences and is influenced by both the social world and personal characteristics. This model suggests that these three components are continually interacting with one another. Just as the environment exerts an influence on individual behavior, a persons actions also play a part in influencing the environment. Earlier thought often portrayed children as simply passive recipients of environmental influences, which suggested that they could simply be shaped and molded in whatever way that parents, educators, and other caregivers chose. Reciprocal determinism instead suggested that children play a much more active and interactive role. They do not simply react as a result of learned associations or reinforcements - their own personal characteristics, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors impact how they interact with the world. Behavior Component Reciprocal determinism is the idea that behavior is controlled or determined by the individual, through cognitive processes, and by the environment, through external social stimulus events. So in the case of our troubled student, his dislike of school is being reinforced (and perhaps magnified) by the actions of his teachers and classmates, which hes perpetuating by continuing to act out. For Example: A child who doesnt like school may act out in class, resulting in negative attention from classmates and teachers. The teachers are forced to alter the school environment for this child (and theoretically others like him). Environmental Component The environmental component is made up of the physical surroundings around the individual that contain potentially reinforcing stimuli, including people who are present (or absent). The environment influences the intensity and frequency of the behavior, just as the behavior itself can have an impact on the environment. For Example: So if our student gets yelled at by a teacher for talking in class, it not only has an effect on him but on the classroom environment for the rest of the students, not to mention the teacher. Individual Component The individual component includes all the characteristics that have been rewarded in the past. Personality and cognitive factors play an important part in how a person behaves, including all of the individuals expectations, beliefs, and unique personality characteristics. If our student knows that the teacher is more likely to give him something he wants if he waits until close to the end of the school day to act out, obviously hell tailor his behavior. For Example: So all the factors in our troubled student example affect each other: the child doesnt like school, he acts out, his teachers and classmates react to his behavior, reinforcing his dislike of school and creating a hostile environment. The behavior itself is something that may or may not be reinforced at any given time or situation. Another Example Of course, the situation doesnt have to be a negative one. If our student is a shy girl who usually keeps to herself (the individual/cognitive component), and enters a room on the first day of class to find that all of the other students are already present (the environment), she might try to slip into the back of the class to avoid becoming the center of attention (the behavioral component). But if another student at the front of the room boisterously greets our shy girl and invites her to sit down in an adjacent seat, the environment has introduced a new reinforcing stimulus (the friendly student) that could lead to a change in our shy girls normal routine and a change in her behavior. A Word From Verywell Banduras theory represented an important shift from the behavioral perspective to a more social-cognitive approach to understanding behavior. While the behaviorists suggested that it was the environment that almost entirely shaped individual behavior, Bandura recognized the importance of the bidirectional relationship between individuals, their behaviors, and the environment. This suggests that while people are certainly affected by the things they experience in their environment, they also have the power to exert a change on their situation and circumstances through their own choices and behaviors.

Essay on History and Philosophy of Science - 1695 Words

History and Philosophy of Science The world of science, as we know it today, is a difficult subject to grasp. So many new ideas are present and these new ideas are not interchangeable. Some parts do work together although as a whole they don’t fully coincide with each other. The three basic ideas that science is now based upon come from Newton, Einstein, and Hawking. I call these ideas/theories â€Å"new† based on what I classify the state of the scientific community of today. After looking at what is going on in science, it is clear to me that the scientific world is in a crisis state. According to Kuhn, a crisis state is when science is in the middle of choosing a particular paradigm to work under. For scientists, there is a general theme†¦show more content†¦Newton had given the world what we now know as physics. For the past three hundred years Newtonian Mechanics have been taught to every student aspiring to elevate their minds. Newtonian Mechanics were the end all to the questions that ha d plagued thinkers since the beginning of time. The key difference is that Newton was never exposed to the world of science that technology had made prevalent to the likes of an Einstein or Hawking, or even my colleague studying neuro surgery at John’s Hopkins University. When Newton was sitting under his apple tree conjuring up ideas for how and why he did not fly off into space or why the harder you hit something the farther it goes, technology was moving along at the rate of most people’s grandmothers in their walkers. The scientists that had surrounded Newton knew only of what they could see. Their were no people looking to the far ends of the galaxies and their were no people looking in to the unseen cells that make up everything that we can see. Basically, Newton did not have a reason to explain what he was not aware of. He did have quite good reason, however, to explain why he got a bump on his head from that ripe apple that no longer needed the shelter of the t ree. According to Shlain, Newton set the world he knew to mechanics and set the parameters for the new and final, well what was thought to be the final paradigm of the world. Then in 1905,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Philosophy vs. Science1181 Words   |  5 Pageswe know today as science and philosophy. Many intellectuals answer the siren call of one or the other, and with reason, as these different patrons of truth vary from and bear semblance to each other in manifold ways that may appeal to certain people. Of these ways, philosophy and science differ in their history, intrinsic nature, and method. To begin with, the history of philosophy and science are their most similar aspects, both having emerged in the same manner. Philosophy is traceable mostlyRead MoreThe Impact Of Science And Philosophy Of Science Essay1336 Words   |  6 Pages Alan Francis Chalmers is an associate professor who works extensive in the history and philosophy of science (physical). Alan Chalmers has taught at the University of Sydney since 1971, first in the School of Philosophy, and from 1987 at the Unit for the History and Philosophy of Science. He attained a B.Sc. in physics at the University of Bristol, and his M.Sc. in physics from the University of Manchester. His Ph.D. on the electromagnetic theory of J.CRead MoreEvaluating Kuhn ´s Theory of Scientific Development Essay1545 Words   |  7 Pagesexperimental procedures. The understanding or the attempt to understand the human’s perspective of the world through scientific theories is the birth to the philosophy of science (Okasha, 2002). Several perspectives of scientific theories have been postulated by many on the history and philosophy of science. One of such is the Kuhn theory of science development postulated by Thomas Kuhn. His t heory brought about a new perspective where scientific theories are placed in an umbrella of a grand theory calledRead MoreHistory of Modern Psychology836 Words   |  4 PagesA History of Modern Psychology Franklyn Rivas UOPX History and Systems in Psychology 310 Lillian Fillpot May 03, 2011 A History of Modern Psychology Before psychology officially became a science, many great intellectuals of previous centuries had contributed to the philosophy behind psychology. This philosophy can be trace back to the times of the Greeks, middle ages, and the renaissance period. However, the link between philosophy and modern psychology became possible in the late 18thRead MoreWhy Does Philosophy Exist?895 Words   |  4 PagesWhy does philosophy exist and why does it confuse everyone? Who is Socrates and Plato and why are they such a significant figure in today’s history? These are the questions that we ask as someone who is studying philosophy. What we may not know is that in present society, the â€Å"who, what, where, when, why, how† questions are the thoughts that Socrates was thinking back in ancient history. He wanted to know why apples fell from trees, how fast an arrow was traveling that was hit and struck into himRead MoreThe Point Bellah Is Trying To Get Across Is That â€Å"We Must829 Words   |  4 Pagesmust try to restore the idea of social science as public philosophy.† (Page 298) He wants to remake the big picture or as he says it, larger view. He doesn t think that it needs to be remade, instead, society in the new world needs a new approach. It has worked so well in the past that there is no reason to need a new one, all it needs is to be encouraged and strengthened (298). The old idea has made it through lots of years of narrow professional social science. Basically it’s good it just needs toRead MoreAncient Greece And Modern Medieval Europe1686 Words   |  7 PagesMany historians and scientists regard Europe as completely devoid of interest in the history of science. Contemptuously, medieval Europe is most often referred to as the â€Å"Dark Ages,† the epithet clearly illustrating the struggles of the time period and disdain for this part of history. The modern perception of medieval society is overwhelmingly dominated by a skewed interpretation of a barbaric, war-torn civilization barely surviving through suffrage of plague and poverty that stifled nearly everyRead MoreFrancis Bacon s Philosophy On Science863 Words   |  4 Pagesshall be on the major philosophies, Francis Bacon developed upon exposure and interests in the various field. He was a philosopher whose origin was from England and throughout his life he sought to find answers to various issues relative to his character of being a man of high ambitions like attaining high political positions just like his father (Hammer, 74). His passion for philosophy has over the decades and centuries found its ways to the hearts and blossoms of philosophy scholars and publicationsRead MorePolitics And Progress : The Emergence Of American Political Science1013 Words   |  5 PagesPolitics and Progress: The Emergence of American Political Science by Dennis Mahoney is an account of the origins of contemporary political science in the Progressive Movement. In th e book, Mahoney, attempts to show how American political science came to be due to the influence of three different factors. The first factor is German Historicism and its allgemeine Staatslehre, or general State theory. The second factor is philosophical pragmatism and the final factor is political Progressivism. MahoneyRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Philosophy And Philosophy998 Words   |  4 PagesPhilosophy is the attempt at answering or understanding the questions that the being who is philosophizing yearns to know or wishes to understand. The importance of what the philosopher wishes to know or understand is not a determinate factor in what it means to do philosophy. The act of doing philosophy is not defined by the subject of examination but by the driving passion of knowing and understanding. This means that an individual that wishes to know why a laptop is a laptop or why is it that

Puritan Discipline - 810 Words

Puritan Discipline The Puritans, arguably the most well-known group of early English colonists settled in the Massachusetts Bay colony in the 1600’s, and are considered catalysts to modern American culture. The Puritans are famous for their theological insights, advances in the sciences, and for the establishment of the first public schools in America. The Puritans however are infamous for their potentially brutal punishment, and harsh discipline. To the devout Puritan punishment was love, this was evident in the ways they raised children, punished criminals, and how they lived. These policies played a major role in shaping American society for many years and in part made America what it is today. Childhood in Puritan society was†¦show more content†¦However the Puritans are known to have severely punished people for specific crimes, †William Carlisle was convicted of passing counterfeit dollars and sentenced to stand one hour on the Pillory†¦ to have both ears cropped, and to be branded on both cheeks with†¦R†¦(Rouge† The Essex Gazette, Newport April 23, 1771. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† an adulteress was doomed to wear an ‘A’ for Adulterer, and made routine visits to the pillory to be pelted with leftovers and insults by the local population. Sadly seventeen or more people found themselves on death row, convicted of witchcraft in the early Massachusetts society in the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Consequently the Puritans are now known for their severity and less of their admirable attempt to have a pure society. Order, this was one of the most valued aspects of Puritan society, after all the word Puritan can be defined as ‘one who is pure’. â€Å"Puritans needed to live a closely examined life.† Peace of the Elect, Illinois College. All actions and words were known to someone, being in such small communities the words of others were the way to the pillory or to the church, this is why Puritans are renowned for being a solemn people of littleShow MoreRelatedPuritans and the Scarlet Letter739 Words   |  3 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne was not a Puritan, but he had deep bonds back to this religion, and had ancestors that were in charge of the Salem Witch Trials, a fact that Hawthorne always felt remorse for. In choosing this time period as the setting for The Scarlet Letter, a classic story of love, betrayal and religion, he showcased both the weakness and strengths of this time period and religion. Like the Pilgrims, the Puritans were from England, and were dissatisfied with the church reform of England. SoRead MoreColonial America: Founding the Dream Essay example1742 Words   |  7 Pagescultures. Like the Pilgrims, the Puritans fled Europe for religious freedom in the New world, but their dream was. The Puritans were considered non-separatists; they did not wish to leave the Church of England but rather reform and reshape its borders and beliefs. Arriving in Massachusetts Bay in 1630 with six hundred followers and John Winthrop as their leader the Puritans desired to create a new society similar to the Dream that the Pilgrims had. The Puritans journey represents an Exodus fromRead MoreThe Truth Behind Puritanism : Puritanism1975 Words   |  8 Pagesprobably think of purity and cleanliness. However, the Puritan’s have a very interesting way of achieving purity. The Puritans believe that God has predestined the salvation of certain souls and one can do nothing to change this. They also believe there is zero credit for good works and that people by nature are wholly sinful and can only achieve goodness by severe discipline, but living a godly life is the result of being chosen as one of God’s â€Å"elect.† The â€Å"elect† are said to be saved from hellRead MorePuritanism And Its Impact On Society1508 Words   |  7 Pagesthe American society in a way everyone can see it nowadays takes roots in the times of British colonization. Puritans Migration The teaching of Puritanism arose in the British Isles around 1560, â€Å"when dissident members of the Church of England, still the mother church of the Anglican Communion today, attempted to â€Å"purify† it by removing all trace of its Roman Catholic past.†1 The Puritans were sure that the Church of England did not work enough on its reforms according to the fact that a lot ofRead MoreRoles Of The Puritan Society1137 Words   |  5 PagesRoles of the Puritan Society Puritans were English Protestants who were committed to â€Å"purifying† the Church of England. After being religiously persecuted in England, the Puritans fled to North America to start their new beginning. The Puritans maintained their Protestant beliefs with a patriarchal family. Their family roles differed from other colonists that settled in America. In my paper, I will describe the different roles that were established in the Puritan society. The Puritans society wasRead MoreThe Religious Convictions Of The Puritans1170 Words   |  5 PagesThe Puritans were a group of people from England who settled the New World (1) called America after the year of 1630. They went to America to be free to practice their religion without being persecuted because their beliefs were opposing the catholic’ one. The difference was that the Puritans tried harder to enforce the Ten Commandments but Americans were influenced by the moral, ethical, and religious convictions of the Puritans. The Puritans’ life was very hard in England so that they focused theRead MorePuritans Influence On Today s Society1599 Words   |  7 PagesToday, people describe the Puritans with their biased point of view. It is not unfathomable why people do not like the Puritans. The Puritans’ society and today’s society are very different. Puritan society was very restrained; people could only believe in God and the Bible was the law. Unlike Puritan society, today’s society does not restrain religion. Even though Puritans had bad influences on today’s society, Puritans played a pivotal role in constructing the USA. If you look around more carefullyRead MoreWorlds Colliding : Hypocrisy, Rules And Punishments1446 Words   |  6 PagesTwo Worlds Colliding: Hypocrisy, Rules and Punishments In two not so different societies, the Puritan people and the people of The Church of Fire and Brimstone learn to live a life under the fear of God. Both societies share the similarity of living a life of holiness on land so that they may be taken into the Kingdom of God. In order to do so, these people put themselves through strict rules and harsh punishment that are near inhumane. Each of these people live out their lives in fear of being leftRead MoreTheme Of Patriarchy In The Crucible1601 Words   |  7 Pagesso often throughout this play seem to be connected to the downfall of this small Puritanical town. Today I will bring to light the biased views and sexual repression that led this small town to its untimely demise. This paper will delve into the puritans daily way of life and beliefs and expose that sexual repression and patriarchy were the real killers in this play based on real events. To achieve this goal I have organized this paper into 3 main sections, which will each explain the sexual biasRead MoreComparing The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone and The Crucible by Arthur Miller1021 Words   |  5 Pages The Puritans had a heavily important part in the formation of early America, as well as a religion that influenced our early American society. This society has been the target which many authors have picked to set their novels in. The topic of Puritan life contains a broad list of aspects that can be easily compared to one another in several different books. Two selections that go into detail about some of the different aspects of the Puritan people are The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, and The Scarlet

Systems Analysis and Design Free Essays

ACME Financial is a fast growing company that owes part of its growth to several recent acquisitions. ACME Financial now wants to consolidate the companies’ information technology resources to eliminate redundancy and share information among the new companies. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) has oversight responsibility for the project and has hired Client/Servers R Us to develop the architecture for the new corporate information system. We will write a custom essay sample on Systems Analysis and Design or any similar topic only for you Order Now Joe Consultant of C/S R Us presented 3 client/server designs to the CIO and is requesting the CIO to select one. The CIO is not sure which middleware design is best for the company’s goals. The CIO has asked Chris Consultant to present the advantages and disadvantages for each of the alternatives. Background ACME Financial Incorporated (AF Inc. ) is an investment banking company that provides an on-line service that allows their clients to access account and market information. ACME Financial Inc. recently acquired several small and medium sized companies throughout the country, each with their own financial and accounting systems. Almost all of the companies have developed their own application software for their analysts’ use in their daily jobs, but only a few provided on-line account service. The analytical tools rely on near-real time market data and historical market data. The CIO wants to consolidate the financial and accounting information into a corporate information system that can support decision support applications for corporate management. Naturally, since the computer hardware is different for different companies, the CIO expects to upgrade the hardware to accommodate the new Information Technology (IT) system. The CIO will select the best analytical software as the standard software used by all company analysts. Each local site will be expected to provide an on-line service for their customers. Customers will be given the necessary application software to access their account information. Finally, ACME Financial has developed special data mining software that gives them a competitive advantage. AF Inc. offers their customers investment advice based on the information derived by the data mining software. Each account manager receives the information and then provides tailored recommendations  to each customer based on their portfolio. System Requirements The following list of system requirements reflects the system’s priorities (listed roughly in order of priority): 1. Availability: The CIO’s number one priority is high availability. AF Inc. markets their reliability and feels that most clients choose them for their dependability. The CIO wants to maximize the system’s availability. To achieve high availability, if a regional office cannot provide support then a customer must always have access to the on-line service through a different office. 2. Data Integrity: The requirement for data integrity varies within the system. The most important data are customer’s transactions. It is essential that a customer’s transaction is never lost and the system must guarantee that each transaction is completed. In contrast, data lost from the high data rate inputs, such as Reuter’s and the NYSE, are easily recovered during the each broadcast so it is not critical if some data are lost during a broadcast. 3. Performance: Financial markets are highly volatile; time sensitivity of data is measured in minutes. Millions can be lost if information is delayed getting to the analysts. The system must be able to support information broadcast throughout the network. 4. Security: The CIO is concerned about the security of the data mining software and the information produced by the data mining software. The Chief Executive Officer thinks the data mining information software provides a competitive advantage for the company. If an unauthorized user had access to the information they could steal the data mining applications or steal the information produced by the data mining software. In either case, the perpetrator could make the same investment recommendations as AF Inc. account managers. Therefore, if competitors had access to the information the results could be financially devastating to the company. The CIO is concerned that a competitor could pose as a customer and hack into the highly sensitive information through his on-line service account. 5. Growth: The CIO envisions an incremental migration process to install the new system due to the magnitude of the change. Also, he expects that AF Inc. will continue to grow and acquire more companies. The CIO wants to be able to develop more application software as new customer services are added. The CIO also wants to add more near-real time information sources to  the system. 6. Backup and Recovery: The CIO understands that the system will encounter problems from time to time. A key factor in determining the system’s success is how quickly the system can recover from a failure. Backup and recovery must be smooth and non-disruptive. One way to ensure that the system can easily recover from a system crash is to make sure the data is duplicated elsewhere on the system. The corporate database is the primary back up for each of the regional offices. Configuration Each local office (Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest) has accesses a regional information hub. Local offices use client software to access the local application server. These application servers access the local databases for almost all of the information needed on a daily basis. For access to information needed less frequently the application software should access the central database at corporate headquarters. Each regional database has only the subset of information that is relevant for its area, whereas the corporate headquarters maintains all of the information from each region as well as data that is unique to corporate applications, such as additional accounting and company financial information. The corporate office is also responsible for the data mining software and information. Each of the regional databases is connected with high capacity links to the corporate database. Finally, the corporate office receives information from Reuter’s, NYSE, NASDAQ, and other financial markets. The information flow fluctuates daily from 30 – 40 KBps to 4 – 5 MBps. Twenty-five percent of the information is immediately broadcast to the regional offices to support the on-line account service. All the information is filtered and stored in the database. Architectural Alternatives Alternative I: The Database Management System This alternative takes advantage of the extended functionality provided by the popular relational database management companies, such as Oracle and Sybase. All information is delivered into the system where it is immediately stored into one of the databases. The relational database management software is responsible for the distribution of information throughout the system. Clients communicate with the databases through Standard Query Language (SQL). Corporate and regional databases are kept synchronized using features supplied by the RDBMS software. Transactions are guaranteed by using special Transaction Processing Software. The vendor-supplied RDBMS software is responsible for back-up and recovery of all the databases. Data security is handled at the row level within each database. This means that clients can only receive records for which their user has permission. Existing application software may have to be modified to use SQL. Alternative II: Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) This solution depends on CORBA to tie together the clients and databases. CORBA is responsible for distributing data across the system. The RDBMS software is still responsible for the back-up and recovery, but the databases are kept synchronized using CORBA as the primary transport mechanism for the data. Clients, application servers, and databases communicate to each other through CORBA’s transport mechanism. Existing application software would be wrapped in IDL to communicate with other applications. Special near-real time handling application software would send the information to each of the regional offices where it would be directed to clients that subscribe to the information. Alternative III: Message and Queuing (MQ) The message and queuing design uses commercial M Q software combined with a transaction processing product to ensure customer’s transactions are completed. Dec Message Queue and MQ Series are some of the leading products for messaging and queuing software. Clients communicate to other entities using messages. Messages are deposited in queues and the message and queuing middleware is responsible for message distribution to the appropriate clients. The software applications will be modified to send and receive messages from queues. Questions to Answer (Total 100 points) The case study must be discussed covering the designs and these questions with your teammates, but your final write-up should be your collaborative work. Doing research on specific products for the assignment should certainly be a team activity. The total length of the write-up should probably not exceed 5 pages. 1. Describe in more detail the architecture of each architectural alternative. To do this you will need to flesh out the specifics of the various parts. This will require some research on the  products indicated (or other comparable products that you locate). Note that some services are automatically provided when a particular product is purchased, while others must be developed to satisfy the system requirements. You should describe what services are automatically provided by the products, which services would need to be developed, and how services should be distributed across the network. (40 points) 2. Evaluate each of the alternatives against the system requirements, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. (You may assume that the hardware will support all solutions.) In your analysis you might consider issues such as which alternative gives the system developers the most flexibility, which alternative provides easiest maintenance, and which alternative requires the least modification to the current system. Other hints for system comparison are listed below. (40 points) 3. Prioritize each alternative or suggest a different solution if you think it superior to the presented alternatives. (20 points) Suggestions on how to proceed 1. There is not enough information to make an informed decision about each of the alternatives. As a team, allot a percentage of your time to discover which products offer what type of services. You do not have enough time to do a complete market survey so be selective. 2. If you depend only on marketing information you may find that the alternatives are equivalent. So you might want to go beyond the market literature in doing your research for this assignment. 3. As you do your analysis, pay particular attention to some of the following kinds of issues: a. How well does the architecture support the basic system functionality requirements? b. How much run time performance overhead does the architecture impose? c. How well will specific products handle the high volume of data? d. How will each architecture handle occasional peak loads? e. How easy is it to customize the system to new requirements? 4. In your analysis, when you are considering costs, you do not need to consider the actual product cost. (It may be impossible to get actual product costs anyway. ) Instead, evaluate cost with respect to the amount of customized software that will be necessary to implement each alternative, and how this might affect long-term maintenance costs, time to implement, flexibility, etc. How to cite Systems Analysis and Design, Papers

Project for the Design and Construction of a Bridge across the Murray River

Introduction Project Aim The aim of this project is to provide an alternate route from South Wales to Victoria for pedestrians, motor vehicle users, and cyclists through the Murray River.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Project for the Design and Construction of a Bridge across the Murray River specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Project Objective The principle objective of this project is to enhance travel to and from South Wales across the Murray River using the easiest and cheapest option. Project Background and Rationale XYZ Infrastructure Engineering Group Inc. has been awarded with a Design and Construct Contract from Federal Government of Australia to construct a multi-purpose bridge across the Murray River from and to South Wales. The bridge is to be named the â€Å"The Murray River Bypass†. The proposed new only multipurpose bridge across the Murray River will greatly reduce traffic from the exi sting Victoria Bridge. The bridge will greatly enhance efficiency of delivery of goods and services between the two cities. This proposed bridge will provide safe crossing for local commuters, encourage walking and cycling as an alternative option of transport. The project has been commissioned following extreme pressure from local residents, businesspeople, and politicians regarding too much time taken to make trade across the two towns. The distance between the two towns using the Victoria Bridge is twice as much as the â€Å"The Murray River Bypass† which will cut through the river almost at the mid level. Pundits reckon that business between the two towns will increase two folds and there is likely to be increased tourism. The latter is because of the scenic nature the new way will create interest from commuters. Hence, landowners along the new route will most likely come up with ways to shore up tourism attracting residents of the two towns. Bridge Specification and Desi gn Bridge Dimensions Central Span: 100 metresAdvertising Looking for assessment on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Deck Spans: 50 metres Deck Widths: 8 metres Entrance/ Abutment Lengths: 15 metres either side Construction Materials/ Specification Component Description Drilled Bored Piers – 5 off 50 MPA cast in situ concrete, steel reinforcement Piers above 8 off 50 MPA cast in situ concrete, steel reinforcement Masts/ Towers 10 off 50 MPA pre-cast concrete towers, steel reinforcement Headstock 10 off 50 MPA cast in situ concrete, steel reinforcement Cables 200 mm Steel Conduits with internal steel cables, which comprise of steel rods/ wires within. Concrete panels/ decking 8 off pre-cast concrete panels 25 metres in length 300 mm thick with 60 MPA concrete, with steel reinforcement The bridge must have permanent metal decking with interlocking joints. Line-marking Yellow painted mark ing on concrete to distinguish between oncoming and outgoing motorists. The bridge must have white markings on either to mark bridge edges. Bridge Design How cable stayed bridges work A cable-stayed bridge consists of one or more pre-cast towers. The outgoing cables support the deck of the bridge. Just above the deck are inclined cables that provide intermediate support for the bridge. The cables are anchored into these pre-cast concrete towers located above the piers. All of the weight of the bridge goes to the top of the towers through the cables, which kills off tension. The weight is then transferred and supported by the ground through a combination of forces. Other bridge specifications deal with type of materials used in construction. The bridge functionality section defines the usage of certain materials that are part of the main elements selected and their purpose in the general design.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Project for the Design and Construction of a Bridge across the Murray River specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More SWOT Analysis Project Strengths The extensive experience of XYZ Infrastructure Engineering Group Inc in construction XYZ excellent relationship with potential partners in materials and expertise XYZ Previous engagements with the Australian Government (commissioner of the project) The project is independent and virgin in nature, hence no disruptions to anyone No interference with waterways Potential tourist attractions Project Weaknesses Possibility of negative environmental impact since some trees may be uprooted Noise, vibration and dust during construction Complaints from animal conservationists that will claim that the road in wild animals habitat Project Opportunities Boost economy through increased business operations and tourism attractions XYZ can improve on its already good reputation with Australian Government hence possibility for further business Provide alternative routes for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists across Murray River Increase in value to the area due to increased amenities and appreciation because of accessibility Likely Improvement of the landscape of Murray River Project Threats Continued opposition from conservationists High inflation may increase cost of materials, labour, etc over the period of the project Economic Analysis Outline of costs/Budget The following are the main cost/budget areas and their respective amounts in Australian Dollars. The total cost of the project will be Australian Dollars $6,600,000 (Ahrens Chapman, 2007). The project that will take approximately 1.5 years will cost the following in specific areas: Preliminaries Site Sheds (Office, Lunch Room, Amenities and Storage) 500000 Site Manager/ Foreman 100000 Laborers 900000 Design Architectural, Structural, Civil and Services Engineers Fees 1000000 Construction Foundations 1500000 Substructure 600000 superstructure 1000000 Earthworks 1000000 Total $6,600,000.00 Economic Analysis Since the nature of this project does not make it possible to undertake an NPV analysis, the following parameters best capture the economic performance of the project (Manfredonia, Majewski Perryman, 2010). Aesthetic appeal/tourist attraction The new bridge will open up tourist attraction areas in the areas it will pass. Tourists will generate revenue for the locals as well as the government. Although conservationists rue the animals and environmental impact such as trees, the environmental impact assessment carried out by a task force selected by the government arrived at more positive results than negative results. Reduced costs for motorists/efficiency Motorists cost of fuelling and mileage will drastically reduce as the distance from South Wales and Victoria reduce significantly. This will have a positive impact on the economy, as these people’s disposable incomes will increase. Dispo sable incomes are a source of great purchasing power. Expensive materials The materials used for the construction of this bridge are unfortunately expensive. In this aspect, the bridge cost increases significantly. Concrete is way expensive than other materials such as steel metal which may be used to construct footbridges. Project Initiation, tender preparation, tender analysis and subcontractors Project Initiation The Australian government issued a contract to XYZ Infrastructure Engineering Group Inc after an intensive tendering process. The process involved background checks capability analyses and submission of estimates of various variables for the project. These include costs, schedule, and possible sub contractor partnerships (AGCA 2003). Tender Preparation The tender was prepared in accordance with Australia’s tendering rules. All conditions such open tendering process were met. Through competitive bids, the government engaged all the representatives of the companies and finally settled on XYZ Infrastructure Engineering Group Inc.Advertising Looking for assessment on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Tender Analysis/ Evaluation and Subcontractor Selection Process For a tender to be valid, careful selection of subcontractors is vital. Through this process, all possible partnerships are duly indentified and vetted to ascertain their capability to enable the main contractor to complete the project on time. Additionally, peripherals terms such as possibility for extensions, budget increments, among others are discussed and agreed. Project Schedule and General Resource Requirements for Main Elements Project Schedule Project scheduling, estimating and cost controls are the main factors of a project management system. For companies engaged in future construction, the right forecast of the future project cost is very significant (AGCA 2003). The Murray River Project Plan, mentioned above, is the basis of the project scheduling and cost control. Once the prospective subcontractors have been informed of the deadline for completion of their subcontracts, they submit their bids. Those, whic h fit within the WIL project plan parameters of time cost and quality, are selected and given permission to proceed. This is carried out at the specification phase. However, this is an ongoing process, as a subcontractor may go over budget. This is the responsibility of the particular subcontractor involved, who will cover all extra costs. Scheduling often begins in a tentative manner, with more detailed schedules being developed as the process proceeds. This requires consistent communication between the project manager and project stakeholders, as they will need to be informed of scheduling changes or delays in implementation. It is due to the tentative nature of scheduling that cost control is also a dynamic process. The initial schedule and cost estimates need to be revised in the light of new information acquired during the project lifespan. This means that scheduling and cost control will fluctuate during the project, as the project manager adjusts to changing circumstances (Ha ezendonck, 2007). General Resource Requirements Excavator/ Pile Rigs 2 Excavators/ Piling Rig 8 off Operators 20 off labourers for preparation works Bore Piers with concrete Boom Pump 12 off Concreters for cage reinforcement and pouring Form, Reo and Pour column piers and headstock 12 off Carpenters for forming of column piers and headstock 12 off Concreters to install pier reinforcement Crane Headstock and Decking into place Mobile crane Operator + Dogman 10 off Labourers for preparation works Import fill material, and compact in 200 mm layers 2 Bobcats Compactors Operators for above 20 off Labourers for spreading and preparation works Form, Reo and Pour Entrance Path to Bridge Boom Pump 15 off carpenters/ concreters for forming Edge board and spreading and finishing concrete (Haezendonck, 2007). Risk Management Technical Risk Technical risks may be occasioned by: Errors occasioned by design and construction Poor planning is the main reson for the occurrence of previou s technical risk Quality assurance checklists are an important to curb technical risks (CEDD 2009) Control point Identification charts are also crucial tools. A project specific Control point Identification chart is outlined below. Project Implementation Control The project manager at Murray River project controls and coordinates the project through the managerial actions of planning, organizing, and leading, among others. Project managers’ actions are constantly aimed at change, while other managers’ jobs involve maintaining a stable working environment (UWSA 2005). Thus, the Murray River project manager has to be a team manager, by interacting with project members, from the General Manager, Construction Managers and Engineers to the builders, drillers and technicians at the site. As the Murray River project involves international expertise, the project manager has to build team ethos in a multicultural and multilingual group of project staff. Earning the respect of the team is crucial for the project manager; therefore, he/she must be a person of utmost honesty, integrity and vision (Gray Larson, 2008). The project manager shall control the project constraints to ensure that everything goes as planned. These constraints include time, quality, cost, and scope. The manager will do this by checking project specifications, schedule, and the budget allocations. The project manager will use the tools outlined previously for that purpose (Chase Aquilano, 2006). Some of them are discussed below (Control Point Identification Chart and Milestone Chart). Control Point Identification Chart The chart below will be useful for tracking areas that may go wrong and anticipating ways in which the project manager will solve the problems to avoid nasty surprises. Table 1 Control Point Identification Chart Control Parameter What is likely to go wrong? How and when to indentify The solution Quality There may be less qualified employees Personal inspection of every stage Substandard work to be redone Cost/Budget Cost of any sub-unit may exceed budget When sale deals are sealed Seek alternative partners, consider alternative materials’ input Time/Schedule Time to complete any sub unit may exceed schedule Monitoring progress along critical path of network diagram Improve efficiency, recoup time from other areas, consider overtime if within budget Milestone Charts This powerful implementation tool clearly summarizes the status of a project by highlighting key events. Milestone charts state what events in the project’s life have been completed. In addition, the chart states the duration it took to complete the events, and, whether this is the duration, the project manager had scheduled for the event (Chase Aquilano, 2006). Hence, the manager continually records the variance between the actual and scheduled times. In addition, it outlines the remaining events and the project manager’s anticipated completion time (CEDD 2009). Financial Risk The following cases may lead to financial risk: Understating the budget Multiple technical errors that make work to be repeated Underestimating the schedules, which leads to possibility for overheads To rectify and indemnify these financial risks on time the following technique may be used. Project and Budget Control Charts Project and budget control charts records cost, schedule performances to ascertain actual and planned performances of the project. Normally these are based on the nature of the work breakdown structure (Chase Aquilano, 2006). It makes use of the work packages. In this project, this may not be as applicable, but may be useful. The project manager will obtain cumulative amounts for the actual and scheduled performances and draw bar graphs for comparison. The above analysis may act as an early indicator as to whether the project manager will meet the parameters of the project (Reiss, 2007). Hence, it may be used as an effective tool to source for additional time or resources from management. If it is a strict-schedule project, this parameter may offer a way for the manager to organize for overtime and to crash the network diagram for a scheduled finish (Chase Aquilano, 2006). Environmental Risk and Controls The following may constitute the Environmental Risk and Controls: Noise – Plant and Equipment will be selected based on noise levels it emits, where possible. Ecology – Restrict clearing of trees as much as possible or re-use if possible. Ecology – Sediment controls to be fully installed at abutments to avoid soil contamination in waterways. Occupational Health and Safety While undertaking the project work some, risks associated with the site may occur (CEDD 2009). The following communication and a site management plan are the best techniques to cure this. Communications Matrix In order to keep the work going on smoothly, it is very crucial to maintain an organized workforce. The projec t manager is an expert in leadership qualities. He knows how to handle such a huge workforce. He addresses them sympathetically and asks for any problems that they might have. This behaviour of the project manager garners honour and respect for him. The workers come forward and express their problems and in turn, the project manager tries his level best to find solutions (Johnson, Whittington Scholes, 2011). Information Provider Recipient(s) Frequency Medium Location Status Report PM Project Directors Every 1.5 Months Presentation Government headquarters Report Engineer Project Manager 4 weeks Email Share point Budget Performance Accountant Project Manager 4 weeks Email Share Point Reference List AGCA 2003, Guidelines for a successful construction project, The Associated General Contractors of America/American Subcontractors Association, Inc. /Associated Specialty Contractors. Ahrens, T Chapman, C 2007, Management Accounting as Practice, Accounting, Organizations and S ociety, vol. 32 no. 1, pp 1-27. CEDD (Civil Engineering and Development Department) 2009, Enhanced use of Underground Space in Hong Kong, Feasibility Study (Executive Summary), Geotechnical Engineering Office, Civil Engineering and Development Department. Chase, B.R. Aquilano, N.J. 2006, Operations Management for Competitive Advantage, McGraw Irwin, New York. Gray, CF. Larson, EW 2008, Project management: The managerial process, McGraw–Hill Education, Singapore. Haezendonck, E 2007, Transport project evaluation, Edward Elgar Publishing, Northampton, USA. Johnson G, Whittington C Scholes, K 2011, Exploring Strategy Text Cases, FT Prentice Hall, New York. Manfredonia, B, Majewski, JP, Perryman, JJ 2010, Cost estimating, Reiss, G. 2007, Project Management Demystified, Routledge, New York, NY. UWSA 2005, Project Implementation Process Tools, This assessment on Project for the Design and Construction of a Bridge across the Murray River was written and submitted by user Rylee Sears to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on The Rise Of The Third Reich

The â€Å"happy time†, many Germans called it. With Adolf Hitler they were partners in one of histories greatest success stories. From humiliating defeat in World War 1 they had risen to become masters of Europe. They considered themselves to be the super race. Later many would say that the people were tricked or compelled by terror; others would insist that Hitler answered the deepest German desires. How did it happen that an ancient and cultured people, steeped in Christianity, cultivating the arts and sciences, and preeminent in modern technology collapsed into savage barbarism in the mid twentieth century? To seek the answers we must look back to the turbulent years between 1920 and 1934. At the end of WWI the Allies proposed the treaty of Versailles to Germany. The treaty was the complex product of such Allied considerations as human and material losses; mutual war debts; minority and nationalist lobbying; and public opinion in Allied countries, and legitimate national security concerns of the â€Å"once bitten, twice shy† variety. Skillfully the German generals forced the leaders of Germanys new Weimar republic to carry the brunt of defeat. Helpless symbols of national dishonor it is they who will be accused of betraying Germany to her enemies. For one man, 29, unknown and without prospects defeat would bring opportunity. This man was Adolf Hitler. The myth of German betrayal would be a major weapon in the struggle for power that he would call Mein Kampf. Already impoverished by war, Germany would then pay the cost of losing it. Her army reduced to a token force, Germany became a nation of scavengers while former enemies stripped her of territory, merchant fleet, raw materials and food. The infant republic was at the mercy of other enemies. Germany became an armed camp swept by clashing extremists, by conspiracy and political murder. In Bavaria, Berlin, and the Ruhr rightists and leftist attempted to seize control by revolt... Free Essays on The Rise Of The Third Reich Free Essays on The Rise Of The Third Reich The â€Å"happy time†, many Germans called it. With Adolf Hitler they were partners in one of histories greatest success stories. From humiliating defeat in World War 1 they had risen to become masters of Europe. They considered themselves to be the super race. Later many would say that the people were tricked or compelled by terror; others would insist that Hitler answered the deepest German desires. How did it happen that an ancient and cultured people, steeped in Christianity, cultivating the arts and sciences, and preeminent in modern technology collapsed into savage barbarism in the mid twentieth century? To seek the answers we must look back to the turbulent years between 1920 and 1934. At the end of WWI the Allies proposed the treaty of Versailles to Germany. The treaty was the complex product of such Allied considerations as human and material losses; mutual war debts; minority and nationalist lobbying; and public opinion in Allied countries, and legitimate national security concerns of the â€Å"once bitten, twice shy† variety. Skillfully the German generals forced the leaders of Germanys new Weimar republic to carry the brunt of defeat. Helpless symbols of national dishonor it is they who will be accused of betraying Germany to her enemies. For one man, 29, unknown and without prospects defeat would bring opportunity. This man was Adolf Hitler. The myth of German betrayal would be a major weapon in the struggle for power that he would call Mein Kampf. Already impoverished by war, Germany would then pay the cost of losing it. Her army reduced to a token force, Germany became a nation of scavengers while former enemies stripped her of territory, merchant fleet, raw materials and food. The infant republic was at the mercy of other enemies. Germany became an armed camp swept by clashing extremists, by conspiracy and political murder. In Bavaria, Berlin, and the Ruhr rightists and leftist attempted to seize control by revolt...

The Kingdom of Mali and the Splendor of Medieval Africa

The Kingdom of Mali and the Splendor of Medieval Africa Because the world has another faceOpen your eyesAngelique Kidjo1 As an amateur medievalist, I have become keenly aware of how the history of Europe in the middle ages is often misunderstood or dismissed by otherwise intelligent, educated individuals. The medieval era of those nations outside of Europe is doubly ignored, first for its disreputable time frame (the dark ages), and then for its apparent lack of direct impact on modern western society. Africa in the Middle Ages Such is the case with Africa in the middle ages, a fascinating field of study that suffers from the further insult of racism. With the unavoidable exception of Egypt, the history of Africa before the incursion of Europeans has in the past been dismissed, erroneously and at times deliberately, as inconsequential to the development of modern society. Fortunately, some scholars are working to correct this grave error. The study of medieval African societies has value, not only because we can learn from all civilizations in all time frames, but because these societies reflected and influenced a myriad of cultures that, due to the Diaspora that began in the 16th century, have spread throughout the modern world. The Kingdom of Mali One of these fascinating and near-forgotten societies is the medieval Kingdom of Mali, which thrived as a dominant power in west Africa from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. Founded by the Mande-speaking Mandinka2 people, early Mali  was governed by a council of caste-leaders who chose a ​mansa to rule. In time, the position of mansa evolved into a more powerful role similar to a king or emperor. According to tradition, Mali was suffering from a fearful drought when a visitor told the king, Mansa Barmandana, that the drought would break if he converted to Islam. This he did, and as predicted the drought did end. Other Mandinkans followed the kings lead and converted as well, but the mansa did not force a conversion, and many retained their Mandinkan beliefs. This religious freedom would remain throughout the centuries to come as Mali emerged as a powerful state. The man primarily responsible for Malis rise to prominence is Sundiata Keita. Although his life and deeds have taken on legendary proportions, Sundiata was no myth but a talented military leader. He led a successful rebellion against the oppressive rule of Sumanguru, the Susu leader who had taken control of the Ghanaian  Empire. After the Susu downfall, Sundiata laid claim to the lucrative gold and salt trade that had been so significant to Ghanaian prosperity. As Mansa, he established a cultural exchange system whereby the sons and daughters of prominent leaders would spend time in foreign courts, thus promoting understanding and a better chance of peace among nations. Upon Sundiatas death in 1255 his son, Wali, not only continued his work but made great strides in agricultural development. Under Mansa Walis rule, competition was encouraged among trading centers such as Timbuktu and Jenne, strengthening their economic positions and allowing them to develop into important centers of culture. Mansa Musa Next to Sundiata, the most well-known and possibly the greatest ruler of Mali was Mansa Musa. During his 25-year reign, Musa doubled the territory of the Malian Empire and tripled its trade. Because he was a devout Muslim, Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, astonishing the peoples he visited with his wealth and generosity. So much gold did Musa introduce into circulation in the middle east that it took about a dozen years for the economy to recover. Gold was not the only form of Malian riches. Early Mandinka society venerated creative arts, and this did not change as Islamic influences helped to shape Mali. Education was also highly valued; Timbuktu was a significant center of learning with several prestigious schools. This intriguing blend of economic wealth, cultural diversity, artistic endeavors and higher learning resulted in a splendid society to rival any contemporary European nation. Malian society had its drawbacks, yet it is important to view these aspects in their historical setting. Slavery  was an integral part of the economy at a time when the institution had declined (yet still existed) in Europe; but the European serf was rarely better off than a slave, bound by law to the land. By todays standards, justice could be harsh in Africa, but no harsher than European medieval punishments. Women had very few rights, but such was certainly true in Europe as well, and Malian women, just like European women, were at times able to participate in business (a fact that disturbed and surprised Muslim chroniclers). War was not unknown on either continent just as today. After the death of Mansa Musa, the Kingdom of Mali went into a slow decline. For another century its civilization held sway in West Africa until Songhay established itself as a dominant force in the 1400s. Traces of medieval Malis greatness still remain, but those traces are fast disappearing as the unscrupulous plunder the archaeological remains of the regions wealth. Mali is just one of many African societies whose past deserves a closer look. We hope to see more scholars explore this long-ignored field of study, and more of us open our eyes to the splendor of Medieval Africa. Notes 1 Angelique Kidjo is a singer and songwriter from Bà ©nin who mixes African rhythms with western sounds. Her song Open Your Eyes can be heard on the 1998 release, Oremi. 2 A variety of spellings exist for many African names. The Mandinka are also known as the Mandingo; Timbuktu is also spelled Tombouctou; Songhay may appear as Songhai. In each case I have chosen one spelling and stuck with it. Guides Note: This feature was originally posted in February of 1999, and was updated in January of 2007. The links below will take you to a site where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the books page at one of the online merchants. by Patricia and Fredrick McKissackA good introduction for younger readers that offers enough detail to interest older students. Edited by Said Hamdun and Noel Quinton KingWritings by Ibn Battuta that detail his journeys south of the Sahara have been selected by the editors and presented in this volume, which provides a fascinating firsthand look at Medieval Africa. by Basil DavidsonExcellent general introduction to African history that breaks free of the Eurocentric viewpoint. by Joseph E. HarrisConcise, detailed, and reliable overview of the complex history of Africa from prehistoric times to the present.