Rhetorical Analysis on Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers, he defines an outlier as someone who does something out of the ordinary or differently. The author is very credible and has a few awards for writing, â€Å"Outliers.† We should listen to Gladwell because some of his information is knowledgeable and can help with everyday life. His purpose is to teach us about the many rules that are being described in the book. The main intended audience would have to be the world and how he displays his values to millions of people. Malcolm Gladwell discusses how someone’s IQ that is in the upper one hundreds is the same as someone’s IQ in the lower one hundreds. Malcolm Gladwell has a lot of credibility and is a reliable source for information. He went to school for a†¦show more content†¦Right away the readers get interested in learning what the then thousand hour rule is about. Gladwell reviews the lives of extremely successful people and how they have had success. There are many ways in which logos are used in Outliers. Gladwell viewed children in Berlin playing the violin and saw that kids having ten thousand hours of practice, were proven to be better at playing the violin, than kids with less than ten thousand hours of practice. He also took a look at Bill gates, which dropped out of college and started a very successful company, called Microsoft. Bill Gates had thousands of hours of practice in programming and other abilities learned through his short years at college. There are no shortcuts at becoming great; everything can only be achieved with lots of practice and hard work. The tone that Gladwell uses in Outliers is long sentences to get his points across to the readers. He uses key points. There were some metaphors used in the book when he talks about the tallest oak trees in the forest and they helped describe the situation and what was being talked about. Many people are cognitive of outliers once they have read the book thoroughly. Some imagery was also showed when Gladwell talked about the winning team and how all of the players and reporters crammed into the locker room. Some people fancy the way that outliers think, act, and how they are successful. TheseShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis : The 10, 000 Hour Rule By Malcolm Gladwell921 Words   |  4 Pages Rhetorical Analysis Essay: â€Å"The 10,000-Hour Rule† How many hours of someone’s life are necessary to perfect a skill? 300? 5000? Perhaps try 10,000 hours. In this chapter from Outliers, â€Å"The 10,000-Hour Rule†, Malcolm Gladwell argues that talent isn’t innate, but takes 10,000 hours to perfect a skill based on opportunity, talent, and practice. Throughout the chapter â€Å"The 10,000-Hour Rule†, Malcolm Gladwell effectively relies on logos--evidence from well-known figures and charts that show age similarities--toRead MoreThe Outliers By Malcolm Gladwell2400 Words   |  10 Pagesideas are serious, entertaining or illogical. In The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, the author uses the book to portray a message about the characteristics needed to become a successful outlier. Are outliers just people who do not fit into mainstream society because they are above average? How does one become an outlier? The author not only answers lingering questions that the readers have about the title, but he also shows a way to become an outlier through various circumstances and situations. In fact

The Effects of a Lack of Sleep Essay - 1334 Words

Effects of a lack of sleep, known as insomnia, is the most common classification of sleep disorders. It was estimated that thirty to forty million Americans have difficulty staying asleep, falling asleep or waking earlier than they would like to, and cannot get back to sleep. Most people settle that this is just a part of life, and the poor quality of sleep proceeds to eat away at the quality of life that could be attained. This seems to be a silent menace that people do not seem to take seriously and could be handled through learning how to deal with stress, taking melatonin, exercise regularly, medicines, or even surgery. Research in youth and adult has found that insomnia can affect a persons behavior; such as violent to lethargic†¦show more content†¦If sleep is interrupted then an imbalance of hormones can take place. As an example; a deficiency of sleep is the beginning to an increase in the production of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. This hormone affects the he art and too much of it causes hypertension or it can destroy a person’s energy, which can bring them into a depressive state. The effect of poor sleep can increase the emission of insulin after meals and these secretions can rise above the normal levels. Insulin is a hormone that controls glucose processing and encourages fat storage. This increases insulin levels which are linked with weight gain, which then can become a risk factor for type-II diabetes. (Harvard Medical School) Which we should also take into consideration that insufficient sleep has been connected with poor levels of leptin, yet another hormone. This hormone tells the brain it has had enough to eat and higher levels of ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, which causes food cravings after we have eaten enough to which we meet our calorie intake. A person of this condition is more likely to eat fast foods and foods that are full of sugar to satisfy the food cravings and get a quick energy boost. This may leav e the person feeling tired and burnt out and not having the energy to burn off the extra calories. (University of Chicago) Sleep deprivation studies in adolescent health, as well as adult health are linked to a large range of negativeShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of a Lack of Sleep734 Words   |  3 PagesInsomnia; is also known as a deficiency of sleep or sleep deprivation. People with this condition are apt to suffer from inadequate sleep and more likely to battle depression, have poor concentration, and be involved in an auto accident; from a lack of focus. These issues followed by prolonged periods of time; can cause a person some sort of health issues, whether mental or physical.(Harvard Medical School) Sleep deprivation alters the production and action of some hormones, dampening the secretionRead MoreThe Effects Of Lack Of Sleep Deprivation On Children1315 Words   |  6 Pagesmorning. Do teens know how many problems can come with the lack of sleep? with sleep deprivation comes many long term effects on people s mental and physical health.lacking sleep is a cause of depression, obesity ,and makes it hard to function in school. School shouldn’t start as early as it does.because, it s unhealthy and lowers academic scores. Lack of sleep puts teens at risk for mental and physical issues.Less amounts of sleep put teens at a higher risk for depression,obesity,and motor-Read MoreThe Effects Of Lack Of Sleep On Physical Health1361 Words   |  6 Pages The Effects of Lack of Sleep on Physical Health People think that when they have to finish something they can just stay up late to complete it and lose precious sleep time. In reality, that should not be the case. Millions of people around the world suffer from sleep deprivation. (â€Å"Why Sleep†). Many people look at sleep as a luxury. Some people think that they can skip sleep and depend on coffee. The truth is the human body needs sleep. â€Å"Sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing†Read MoreThe Effects Of Lack Of Sleep On Adolescents And Children2290 Words   |  10 Pages Due to reports of the consequences of lack of sleep in adolescents and children (i.e. Alfano et al., 2007; Gregory et al., 2005; Link Ancoli-Israel, 1995; Meijer et al., 2000; Wolfson Carskadon, 1998), the current study aimed to establish whether variations in sleep significantly affected the well-being and academic attainment of university students. It was hypothesised that those students with insufficient sleep would experience negative effects to their well-being and achieve poorer gradesRead MoreEffects of Lack of Sleep to Students of Philippine State College5455 Words   |  22 Pagesâ€Å"Effects of Lack Sleep to the Students of Philippine State College of Aeronautics† Name (Optional):_____________________ Age: __________ Gender: __M __F Civil Status: ____________ Check for the desired answer. | Yes | No | 1. Do you usually sleep late? | | | 2. Do you find it hard to sleep early? | | | 3. Do you feel lazy if you experience lack of sleep? | | | 4. Do you feel short tempered when you experience lack of sleep? | | | 5. 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The effects of not getting more than seven or more hours of sleep can also impact a person s memory, sex life, looks, health, and even weight. Staying up all night may seem like a good idea, however, a person might want to realize the true consequences of staying up late and reconsider depriving themselves of their sleep. Accidents are a huge effect of lackRead MoreInformative Speech On Sleep1328 Words   |  6 PagesTitle of Speech: The Importance of Sleep and the Effects It Can Have on Our Bodies Specific Purpose: My audience will understand the importance of sleep, the effects a lack of sleep can have on a person’s body, and ways to improve the quality of sleep. Thesis: Sleep plays an essential part in a person’s health and well-being; the way we feel while awake is dependent upon what happens to your body while asleep. Attention Getter: Are you in debt? I know what probably came to your mind: loans, creditRead MoreEssay On Sleep Deprivation801 Words   |  4 PagesAround the world sleep deprivation could be detrimental to people lives and health. Without sleep Im a angry person I get real snappy and grumpy. I would like to know more about the effects of the lack of sleep that effects people’s lives. I know that without sleep you can’t function properly. Why do people choose to push themselves to the limit when they are tired? Who do sleep issues mainly effect? These are some of the questions that I have pertaining to sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation isRead MoreThe Theory of the Function of Sleep Essay1147 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theory of the Function of Sleep One theory of sleep is the Restoration theory proposed by Oswald et al in 1966, which suggests that the function of sleep, especially REM sleep is to restore the energy levels and to repair the brain and body. Restoration can be physical and psychological. Physical restoration indicates that sleep is necessary to restore biological processes in the body through REM sleep and Stage 4/NREM sleep. NREM sleep is when the bodys processes

Nigerian Construction Industry And Its Performance - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 21 Words: 6417 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Chapter Two of this research comprises a comprehensive review of literature relating to the Nigerian construction industry and its performance, Value Management and its application in the construction industry. It is noted that much of the literature relating to Nigeria is dated, however this can only add to the value and relevance of primary data collected in this research and it provides a background and historic basis from which progress in the industry may be measured. 2.1 THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Nigerian Construction Industry And Its Performance" essay for you Create order The construction industry the world over is often perceived to be the life wire of its respective economy as it cuts across all aspects of human activities (Ayangade, 2009) and the Nigerian construction industry is not an exception to this. Its contribution ranges from enabling the procurement of goods and services to the provision of buildings and other infrastructure, thereby providing employment opportunities to its labour force while contributing immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to Ayangade (2009), the contribution of the Nigerian construction industry is yet to measure up to those of the western world like the UK and Australia due to its developing nature among other reasons discussed below. As noted by the same researcher (Ayangade, 2009), whereas the construction industries of other developed countries are responsible for about 22% of their respective GDPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, the Nigerian case is different as it contributes slightly below 16% to its econ omy. However, this could be said to be complemented by the relatively higher employment (20%) it provides for its whooping 140 million citizens compared to the 12% as in the case of developed countries. Mbamali (2004) attributed this to relatively lower use of mechanization within construction in Nigeria and the high dependency of the Nigerian economy on the oil sector. Obiegbu (2005) noted that the construction industry, unlike other sectors, is a complex one and requires articulate professionals who are ready to live up to its clients expectations. Clients in the construction industry may either be private individuals including corporate bodies or public organisations which include the government. In Nigeria the federal government is often seen to be involved in the most complex projects with about 38.4% of the market (Ayangade, 2005). This is followed by the state government which is responsible for about 19.2% of the projects in the industry, though there is still some form of p artnering between different classes of clients. The players in the industry are a disparate group of individuals often assembled into temporary teams and may comprise of quantity surveyors, architects, Engineers, Estate surveyors Valuers, project managers, contractors and sub-contractors, suppliers, labourers and artisans. Activities in the construction industry are carried out on a project basis and could be within an organisation or part of a programme (..reference). The Project Management Institute (PMI) (2004) defined a project as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or resultà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The product, in the context of the construction industry, may be a building, services installation or other infrastructural project. Hence the relevant mix of professionals is often assembled together with the aim of achieving this goal. This group of professionals is expected to possess the relevant skills, knowledge, tools and techniques to achieve the project goals. The application of these variables, skills, knowledge, tools and techniques, with the aim achieving the required objective is referred to as project management (PMI, 2004). According to Obiegbu (2005), the contractual procurement strategy, which he defined as a basis for clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s acti on in defining the procedure to be followed from the inception of the project to handover, plays an important role in the performance of the industry. Some of the contractual arrangements which are often referred to as procurement routes may include, but are not limited to, the following: Traditional procurement route Design and build Management contracts 2.1.1 Nature and Performance of the Nigerian Construction Industry the economic resources often wasted in cost and time overruns, substandard work and shoddy workmanship, client-contractor-practitionerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s acrimonious relationships and non-performance of projects as envisaged by clients and end usersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? Olatunje (2009) The above quote highlights the perception of the Nigerian construction industry presented by Olatunje (2009) highlights issues researched by other authors such as cost and time overruns (Aniekwu and Okpala, 1998, Oyedele Tham, 2007, Dlakwa Culpin, 1990), project abandonment (Sonuga et al, 2002, Adams, 1997) and both client and contractor dissatisfaction (Olatunje, 2009). The quote also echoes findings from Egans (1998) research into the UK construction industry. The Egan report has been formative in the UK construction industry but also for the Nigerian industry, which is fashioned after the UKs (Mbamali, et al., 2005, Oyedele Tham, 2007). The Nigerian construction industry has similar contractual arrangements as the industry in Britain which has been found to be more unsuitable for developing industries like Nigeria than it is for its own industry (Edmonds Miles, 1983, Sonuga et al, 2002). The most common procurement route used in the Nigerian construction industry is the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“traditional routeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Ayangade, 2009). This implies that much risk is placed on the Architect to deliver the project as he is left to advise, organise and lead other project consultants to conceive and develop the project design. This procurement route has faced a lot of criticism including the separation of the design stage from actual construction. Wells (1986) found that the divorce of design from construction and the use of competitive tendering, which is based on lowest cost, are noted constraints that affect the performance of the Nigerian construction industry. Aniekwu and Okpala (1988) referred to these as systemic i ssues in the industry which result from the application of contractual arrangements unsuited to the Nigerian industry. Some of these issues may be accommodated by appropriate conditions of contract but these factors are considered to be withholding the development of the industry. Aniekwu and Okpala (1988) also identified some of the structural issues affecting the industry to include access to finance and lack of proper communication among consultants, contractors and the client at the early stages the project and during construction. Oyodele and Tham (2005) noted that lack of proper communication in the industry, boosted by its high level of fragmentation, has left it awash it with delay, cost and time overruns in addition to the disturbing rate of fluctuation in the prices of materials offered by the economy. The findings of the Building Research Establishment associated more than 50% of the construction defects with mistakes in project drawings and documentation due to inadequat e interaction among the project professionals. This is in line with the recommendation of the National Economic Development Office (1987) on the need for more accurate designs in the industry as this is responsible for nearly two-thirds of poor quality work in the industry. 2.1.2 Project Management in the Nigerian Construction Industry Odusemi et al, (2003) found that Project Management is still in its early stages of development in the Nigerian construction industry. The service is offered but only alongside other consultancy services. This is not assisted by the fact that PM is learned experientially and is not represented by established professional bodies, although many consultants are members of the Association of Project Management (APM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). This has left the industry struggling with the challenges of satisfying the needs of its clients and the public as a whole. As noted by Oyodale and Tham (2005), the complexities presented by the industry can only be tackled by its professionals. Aibinu and Jagboro (2002) concluded that, considering the contribution of the construction industry to its nationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s economy, improved services in the form of greater efficiency and timeliness would certainly yield a positive impact. The research called on the need for innova tive research that will improve management skills and ability, buildability, design quality, integration and communication and client focus so as to deliver value for money. 2.2 VALUE MANAGEMENT 2.2.1 Value Concept Historically, value is viewed from an economic perspective, hence its expression as a ratio of costs to benefits (Kelly et al, 2004). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The concept of value is based on the relationship between satisfying needs and the expectations and the resources required to achieve themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (British Standard, 2000). The above statement implies that for value to be correctly defined there ought to be some needs that are desired to be satisfied; which are then weighed against the required and available resources to achieve them. This however does not equate reduced cost to enhanced value. For instance, as illustrated in figure 2.1 below, a project manager may decide to commit more resources in the short run (which would obviously increase cost) with an intention of increasing his revenue (improved value) in the long run. Value can thus be increased when the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s satisfaction increases and the cost in terms of resources either diminishes, or increases to a lesser extent (Tassinari (1985, p37). Figure 2.1 showing the relationship between resources and customer satisfaction. (Adapted from British Standard, 2000) A need is that which is desired or necessary to perform a particular function and will differ depending on the nature of the client or the perspective from which it is defined (British Standard, 2000). This explains why value is often seen to be a subjective term (Thiry, 1997). According to Kelly et al (2004) producers and dealers may both view value as the price of a physical object while the consumers or users would see value from its performance perspective which changes with time. McGeorge and Palmer (2002) illustrate this using a modern home which has a little battery operated radio in addition to internet, phone, and television. Of course, the small radio would be perceived to have little or no value until a snow storm cuts the house off from the electric power supply which will render the radio as the only source of communication. The above example by McGeorge and Palmer (2002) shows the effect time and innovation can have on a clientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ interpretation of value and how it can change given a particular situation. The small battery operated radio was initially of very high value when it was the only available option but diminished with the invention and/or acquisition of internet, phone and television by the household. However its appreciation changed when the situation change. According to Zimmerman and Hart (1982) as cited in Thiry (1997), à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“if a design has not changed in 18 years, the product is either excellent or management has failed to improve ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. However one knows that neither of these two conditions mentioned in the above statement is obtainable in the present construction industry due to its highly competitive nature. Most times clientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ interpretation of value is when it meets or exceeds their expectations. Kelly and Male (2007) described this using the Kanoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s model as shown in figure 2.3 below. Figure 2.2 Kanos Model, reproduced from Kelly and Male, 2007 As shown on Kanoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s model above, there are three levels of satisfaction factors; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“basicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“performanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“delighterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, each having some effects on the quality characteristics including customers satisfaction. According to Kelly and Male (2007), Kanoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s model (figure 2.2) does not only portray the importance of achieving a clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s immediate expectations from a project but also the need to go the extra mile to improve it beyond the clients expectations as this gives them a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"delighterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ satisfaction. The possible benefit from this is that projects would not become obsolete within a short period of its completion as its performance would still exceed the customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ demand, thereby assuring the client of continued good value for his money. Kanoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s model also creates room for improved projects throug h innovative services and products as what was once a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"delighterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ over time goes down to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"basicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and forms a baseline below which the client becomes dissatisfied. According to Harty (2009) one of the driving forces behind the value management concept is that it encourages innovation through research which is in line with the recommendations of Egan (1998) to improve the performance of the construction industry. 2.2.2 Defining the Client Value System Clients in the construction industry have been described as a heterogeneous group made up of private or public organisations operating in different environments with diverse reasons for their existence (Kelly et al 2007). Some of these are multinational organisations competing at the global level who already have reputations to protect while some are small upcoming organisations who are still very much profit driven. Viewed from another perspective, some of these clients are more experienced than others irrespective of their sizes or the sector in which they operate. It then follows that clients are unique in their own ways and have individual, respective requirements which determine their needs and hence what is of value to them. This is referred to as the client value system. Harmonizing and prioritizing these diverse views of stakeholders in a particular project at the project briefing stage sets the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system and ensures that value for money (VfM) is achieved, (OGC, 2007). The client value system is thus seen as a basis for making decisions as to the allocation and use of resources available for a project, thereby addressing the usual mismatch between the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s actual intent and his capability (Thiry, 1996). According to Kelly et al (2004, p157) one of the most important considerations of value management is the recognition of the uniqueness of each clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system. This creates demand for the construction industry as it is focused on the customers by making explicit what value means to the each individual client. Sequel to this, Kelly et al (2004) identified some measurable criteria which form a typical construction client value system to include time, capital costs, operating cost, environment, exchange, flexibility, esteem, comfort and politics. 2.2.2.1 Time Refers to the period from when the project was conceptualized to the period when it is completed and absorbed into the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s organisation. Often time is assessed on a continuum from when it is of essence to the point where it could be compromised (Kelly et al, 2004). For instance a project to build a sports bar for the 2010 world cup delivered just a day past the commencement of the tournament, may drastically affect its value. Hence it is necessary to determine what time means to the client. 2.2.2.2 Capital expenditure (CAPEX) Are those costs associated with the capital cost of a project, measured on a continuum between the budget being considered tight and not able to be exceeded to there being flexibility in budgeting (Kelly et al 2004). Simply put, CAPEX is what it cost to put a project on ground, from inception to handover. However, Elinwa and Joshua (2001) stated that it is sometimes difficult to separate the capital costs of some projects from its operating costs due the platform on which it was procured. For example a primary health centre to be procured through PFI, it may not be so easy to pin point the capital costs as it forms part of the total lease package. 2.2.2.3 Operating expenditure (OPEX) Spending on construction projects is not one off expenditure as the building requires to be operated, maintained and repaired throughout the life span of the building. According to Kelly et al (2004), OPEX can be defined as those costs associated with operation and maintenance of a completed project as it becomes a part of the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s organization; measured by the extent to which it is minimized to its point of being flexible. This depends on the use to which a building is being put to. For instance where the building is for residential purpose, the operating costs may include utilities, cleaning, repairs, maintenance, caretaker and security. This may be expanded to include photocopying and internet facilities and other office services for a commercial development. 2.2.2.4 Environment This defines how important achieving an environmentally friendly project is to the client. Kelly et al (2004) defined environment as the extent to which the project results in a sympathetic approach to its immediate and extended physical environments in terms of energy consumed in putting it up and in operating it. The yardstick here is the level to which the project complies with the Kyoto Agreement and Agenda 21 issues including other environmental regulations. This explains a clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s interest in having a sustainable development which is resources conscious. 2.2.2.5 Exchange or resale This refers to the monetary value of the project were it to be sold, rented or valued as part of an organisations assets. Where the project cannot be traded on the open market value or there is no intention to resell ab initio, this will be indicated in the organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system (Kelly et al, 2004). The continuum here is between the returns from the project being of importance to the returns being of not of much or no importance to the client. 2.2.2.6 Flexibility As recommended by Egan (1998), there is a need for construction projects to be at a par with improvements in technology and changes in market demand. Hence flexibility as a value criterion is the extent to which a project parameter has to reflect this ever changing environment at its design stage (Kelly et al 2004). For instance, the nature of the healthcare industry involves constant improvements in technology and hence healthcare facilities must be compatible with the incorporation of these changes. However, flexibility depends on the nature of the project and is measured between being very easy to change its function to being impossible. 2.2.2.7 Esteem This refers to the amount of immediate resources that a client wants to forgo for attributes like prestige, aesthetic and appearance rather than performance (Thiry, 1996). Some projects may not be viable based on other value criteria but of high value to the client on esteem grounds. For instance, some projects undertaken by some countries could be just aimed at creating awareness and putting the countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s name on the mapà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? as in the case of the worlds tallest building in Dubai. 2.2.2.8 Comfort In the context of a building this refers to the physical and psychological comfort of the building as a place for working and living with its influence on human performance (Kelly et al 2004). Simply put, it refers to the ease with which the project supports the business carried out in it or other uses to which it is being put. 2.2.2.9 Politics This is external to projects and refers to the level of resources that the client wants to commit to the community, popularity and good neighbour issues which often determines how important they are to him (Kelly and Male, 2007). This is measured by the motive to be popular with the local community or not having any concern with them at all. In a study conducted to determine clientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ assessment of architectsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ performance in Nigeria in terms of delivering value for money, Lukmon et al (2007), identified a set of 28 similar but correlated criteria which they grouped under quality of project, buildability, client focus and management skills. 2.2.3 Historical Background of Value Management A project is defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“an undertaking aimed at achieving a specific objective usually measured in terms of performance, budget and schedule,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Morris and Hough 1987). Hence project is an investment undertaken to add value to the core business of a client (Kelly et al, 2004). Value Management, as a management technique, offers the most logical approach to delivering VfM to clients (Shen and Liu 2003); Kelly and Male, 2007). Its strength may be attributed to its approach of identifying and/or verifying a clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system among the relevant stakeholders at an early stage of the project, so that these may be reflected in the project design. According to Thiry (1996) the origins of VM can be traced back to the 1940s in what he described as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“more for lessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? in the USA manufacturing industry. During World War II Lawrence Miles, an Engineer with General Electric, was faced with some strategic problems in producing some components which were easily produced in the past. As a way around this Miles, who before then has been dissatisfied with the cost of production in the industry, came to realise that most times circumstantial innovations result in better performance and reduced cost. This prompted Miles to ask à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“what function does this component performà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“how else can we perform that functionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Dallas, 2006). Miles questions gave rise to the concept of function analysis which was aimed at identifying and analysing the intended functions to determine if the materials for the proposed solution can be substituted with less expensive ones. Not long af ter, people started to adopt the technique of focusing on the intended function not the process which soon developed into what is today referred to as Value Analysis (VA). In many cases people perceived the technique as a cost reduction technique at the expense of improved functionality which is a total misconception of the technique (Kelly and Male, 1993). However, the technique was so successful that in less than 10 years it was adopted in the US Department of Defence to deliver VfM and from then on other industries in the USA have adapted it for application at different phases of their projects. Value Management (VM) as it came to be called, refers to a structured management of the total value equation throughout all stages of the project (Kelly et al; 2004). Figure 2.3 shows different stages and segments of the development of value management. Figure 2.3 The metamorphosis of Value Management, adapted from Dallas (2006) As illustrated in figure 2.3, Miles action in the 1940s was focused on getting alternative materials or components to perform the required function which was the beginning of value management. This was later perceived as a cost cutting technique before the adoption of a holistic structured approach to improving value (Kelly and Male, 1993). Following the development and positive impacts of value management in the US manufacturing sector, the technique was adopted into the US construction industry as a means of delivering VfM to its clientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ in the 1960s. Fong and Shen (2000) noted that VM was first introduced in the US construction industry in 1968 and its application in the Chinese construction industry is recorded to occur 10 years later (Shen and Liu, 2004). According to Kelly et al (2004), the value management technique was first used in the UK 30 years after it was introduced in the US manufacturing industry at the Xerox headquarters, an American company. From then on VM has grown to become widely accepted in different parts of the world as a logical means to achieve value for money (Fong, 2004; Kelly et al, 2004; Ellis et al, 2004) including in Africa (Bowen et al, 2008). 2.2.4 Benefits of Value management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Value management is a proactive, problem solving service, which maximizes the functional value of a project through a structured team which makes explicit the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system and weights further decisions against the value systemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?.(Kelly et al, 1998). VM aims to justify the place of a project in a clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s organisation at an early stage and develops a strategic plan against which it is built on to deliver value for money. VM is often misconstrued to being a cost reduction exercise, hence seen to be synonymous with value engineering. According to Dallas (2006) cost reduction, which is an obvious output of a value management exercise, cannot after all be seen as its main motive. As illustrated in figure 2.4 below, VM incorporates value engineering and value analysis in its value definition exercise and so could be perceived to be a universal set for the three concepts. Figure 2.4 shows the relationship between Value Management, Value Engineering and Value Analysis, adapted from Connaughton and Green (1996) VM looks at a project from a holistic point of view (time, whole life cost and performance) in the context of its usage which properly fits in the definition of value for money (). Connaughton and Green (1996) identified the following benefits which a properly executed Value Management exercise can yield: The need for the project is made explicit and verified by available data. The project objectives are identified and discussed openly to reach a consensus. Rational, explicit and measurable decisions are guaranteed after alternatives have been considered. Project designs are developed from the agreed framework, which are evaluated on the basis of the agreed performance criteria. There is greater participation from stakeholders which guarantees their buy in. There is improved communication and teamwork spirit throughout the project. Improved innovation with better quality definition in the project. Unnecessary cost is eliminated which may lead to a reduction in cost. Properly executed, value management when employed at the early stages of a project can help eliminate unnecessary cost to the tune of 10% to 25% savings on the proposed capital cost of project (Ellis et al, 2004). This is considered to be reasonable compared to the actual cost of the VM exercise, which is estimated at about 0.5% to 1% of the projectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s cost (REF). 2.3 APPLICATION OF VALUE MANAGEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Any construction project should be only commissioned following a careful analysis of needs since failure to think through project requirements will almost certainly cause problems for subsequent design and construction stages. For that reason, the Construction Industry Board recommends that value management be incorporated as an integral part of the construction processà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Baldwin 1998). The value management approach may differ between countries depending on the nature of their construction industry or the chosen procurement route in a particular project. However, this does not dispute the fact that the VM technique can be gainfully applied at any stage of a construction project, as clients/contractors are often faced with the challenge of finding an optimum balance between cost, time, quality and performance criteria (Fong 2004). In the UK, the USA, Australia and other countries where the value management technique is well established, VM is applied through a process referred to as the value management study (British Standard, 2000) or value management process (Kelly et al; 1998) via a workshop approach facilitated by value manager or experienced team facilitator. A value management study, as defined in BS12947, involves the application of value management to a particular business case identified within a VM programme. Baldwin (1998, as cited in Kelly et al, 1998) noted that VM is not a question of brainstorming and problem solving, rather it requires a structured methodology in order to have the required outcome. Figure 2.5 overleaf depicts a simple VM study plan developed for the European Value Management standard (British Standard, 2000). Figure 2.5 shows a simple VM study plan, adapted from the British Standard (2000) The VM study plan represents a systematic approach to ensuring that appropriate techniques and skills are utilized in the value study. According to the British Standard (2000), as shown in the VM study plan above, a VM study should aim to achieve the following objectives; Identify the objectives and targets the intended study is set to achieve; as this may differ from the project objectives. Formulate the relevant approach needed to achieve the objectives, including team selection and training (where necessary). Identify the relevant functions which will lead to the achievement of the objectives. Identify some basis for measuring changes in performance and use of resources. Set targets for performance and use of resources for the above identified functions in a way peculiar to the organisations. Identify innovative ways of arriving at the targets through the application of the above methods. Evaluate the proposal for improvement. Implement the proposal which have been chosen by the decision makers Monitor and measure the outcomes in relation to the target. Feedback results for continuous improvement of VM programme. There are different approaches to value management studies in different countries with regards to team compositions and workshop procedure. For instance in the American construction industry, VM studies are typically carried out by an independent workshop team who will have to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“sellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? their ideas to the project team later on. This is different from the UK practice where the existing project team is fully involved in the study. In a benchmarking exercise carried by Kelly et al (1998), the use of an existing project team in conducting value management studies appeared to be the preferred approach due to the following advantages accruable to the project; Cost of the study is relatively minimized Time spent project briefing the study participants is reduced Waste of resources on previously considered but failed ideas are eliminated Offers better opportunity for developing project teams during the workshop More opportunity to explore all available options Implementation is more guaranteed as team members have already accepted ideas which they generated as a team, thereby reducing the development period. However, generic VM workshop strives to add value to a project by considering the project on its whole life basis. Kelly et al (1998) who were in support of this view identified the five key value opportunities at which VM technique can be employed to include pre-brief workshop, proper workshop, sketch design workshop, final working design and implementation workshop. 2.3.1 Pre-brief workshop The Value Manager or Facilitator meets with the project sponsor/client to clarify the place of the project in his organisation or programme. This will give the two parties a better understanding of the functional expectations of the project so as to help form a basis for the project briefing workshop and the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system. This may yield solution/s to the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s problem, for example, whether a new building is needed or renovation of existing one will achieve the same objectives. 2.3.2 Proper workshop Proceeds from the identified solution in the pre-brief phase and aims to identify the clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system. This workshop offers an opportunity to facilitate the project team, understand their dynamics and guide them to achieve the desired goal. Though it is expected that the workshop has an agenda, this should not be too detailed, thereby making the timings tight, as this may divert the focus from achieving the objectives of the workshop to exhausting the items on the agenda. The tactical skills of the Facilitator are very much needed at this stage of the workshop if its participants are to be productive and should be as brief and focused as possible. 2.3.3 Sketch design workshop Sets a base for the detailed drawings and represents the design teamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s perception of the preceding project brief. This is often in the form sketches and notes to support the drawings where necessary. These are presented to the relevant stakeholders in the form of outline proposals and scheme designs. 2.3.4 Final working design (FWD) workshop Follows the outline proposals and scheme designs are presented, just before the actual design of the project starts. The activities considered in the workshop may include some elements and components issues for detailed drawings, production information, bill of quantities and tender actions. 2.3.5 Implementation workshop This workshop addresses the buildability of the emerged project design and how materials will be procured. This is to be done following the appointment of the contractor and sub-contractors. A number of authors (Dallas 2006; Ellis et al, 2005; Thiry 2001) including Kelly et al (1998) agreed that in addition to the above workshop approach that the use of the charette workshop is fast gaining grounds among professionals. This approach is described as the combination of the first three workshops discussed above. However, Ellis et al (2005) concluded that the stages of the workshop is not of much importance provided the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“job plan sequenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? is either followed or adapted to highlight the value opportunities which he referred to as decision points. SAVE International defines the job plan as an organized approach to the conduct of a value study (Thiry, 1996, p14). Figure 2.6 represents a value management job plan. Figure 2.6 a VM study job plan, Shen Liu (2004) As mentioned earlier, there is no conclusive format for the job plan as it may differ in approach but will basically have the same aim which is to identify and guide the relevant professionals and stakeholders to achieve the project goal. Research carried out by Kelly and Hunter (2007) on the duration of VM workshops among practitioners showed some disparities not necessarily among countries but among professionals even within the same countries. For instance, though the general job plan in the UK and the US is to have VM studies workshop last for 1 day and 3-5 days respectively, some practitioners in the US prefer shorter VM workshops as they and participants could have other engagements or may get bored of the process. On the other hand, some professionals in the UK were of the view that more time spent on VM workshops means a more in-depth study. However, Thiry (2001) noted the debate on VMà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s workshop duration is controversial as the complexities presented by the nature of some projects would rather make it difficult to succumb to some clients demand for shorter VM workshops. Kelly and Hunter (2007) concluded that the overall duration of workshops cannot be pegged either in UK or US practice, rathe r the nature of the project and client in question would be the determining factors. 2.4 VALUE MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION As a management technique, VM concentrates on identifying and verifying a clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value system within their organisation or programme by providing the right mix of multi-disciplinary team and stakeholders together at the right time (Male et al, 2007). As noted earlier, most practitioners misconstrue VM to be a cost cutting exercise and hence apply VM at a later stage of the project after the design has been developed. This however cannot be said to go against the principles of VM as its technique can rightly be applied at any stage of the project. In a debate on the place of the quantity surveying profession in the practice of value management, Green and Liu (2007) attributes this to a bid for the cost consultants to win the market through minimizing cost. Kelly et al (2004) use a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“lever of qualityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? to illustrate some different points at which value management can intervene in the project lifecycle and the comparative amount of pressure tha t will be required to improve value, figure 2.7. Figure 2.7 Winston Davies Lever of Quality, adapted from Kelly et al (2004) Figure 2.7 illustrates the impact of value management technique applied at the different stages of a project. Figure 2.8 shows the level of application of VM and the different intervention points (Male et al, 1998) Obviously, projects bring about change(s) to organisations and at its strategic stage the emphasis is to find the motive and expectations of the project and so, not much resources (if any) need to be invested. This implies that VM, if applied at this early stage as shown in figure 2.7, could be more economical in terms cost, time and performance. As noted by Kelly et al (2004 pp98) opportunity to improve project value is greater at the beginning of the project and will require relatively more force (resources) as it goes down the lever. This is because when applied at the early stage of the project, the required functions are identified by the project team and stakeholders thereby ensuring their buy-in. This implies that the only expected change will be that caused by the introduction of change to the project as opposed to changing an already developed design. Male et al (2007) added that reactive application of the VM technique will involve a re-arrangement of a distorted value syst em and bearing in mind that extra cost is incurred in re-tracing steps, achievement of value for money (VfM) could be relatively more difficult. Project completion and performance could also be threatened as altering the sequence of tasks may cause the project team to become dysfunctional. 2.5 CONSTRAINTS OF VALUE MANAGEMENT à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Value management methods have developed and are widely used since its first introduction into the USA construction industryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, (Fong and Shen 2000). Numerous researchers including Kelly et al, (2004) pg 48; Ellis et al, (2005) have at one point or another made similar assertions in their individual works. Whereas this could be true in countries like the UK, Australia and the USA, the result of the research by Bowen et al, (2009) in which he verified the validity of these assertions shows that VM techniques, due to some factors, is yet to be fully embraced in some countries. Part of the reason being that prior to the evolution of VM, professionals in the construction industry have used other management techniques (value planning, value engineering, value analysis, total quality management, for example) through which they deliver value for money to clients and so may still continue to use these. According Green and Connaughton (1996) and Bowen et al (2009) som e professionals claim that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"value management is what we do anywayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Where this may be true, as they do deliver value for money to client sometimes, Green and Connaughton (1996) pointed out that the motive of value management is to guarantee VfM in all projects and not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"sometimesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. A similar study carried out by Fong (2004) revealed that one of the problems affecting the development of VM is its perceived attempt to integrate into other concepts likes partnering, benchmarking and re-engineering as a value enhancing exercise. Harty (2009) noted that this would probably result in professionals or clients perceiving VM as part of a process to improve efficiency rather than an established technique on its own. Naderpajouh and Afshar (2007) noted that some professionals are risk averters and so are reluctant to be innovative which makes them avoid the technique. Hence there is need for an established professional and academic image that will promote and foster understanding among corporate organisations, government agencies and the public. On their part, Fong and Shen (2000), in addition to a lack of knowledge and understanding among clients and practitioners, noted that lack of time and reluctance in adopting the VM technique could be a possible hindrance to its gr owth. This reluctant approach is displayed by the adoption of a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“tick-the-boxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? approach in public sector projects or other organisations where the policy makes it mandatory to apply VM. According to Shen and Liu (2004), the absence of an established methodology for applying VM could also be a hindering factor to its application. Following VMà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s migration from the manufacturing industry and its adaptation into the construction industries of different countries at different times with varied objectives, some countries still lack a harmonised guideline for its application. Bowen et al (2009) noted that even when this is done, they rarely make efforts to benchmark it with other international practices. For instance, some practitioners may find the use of qualified facilitators in a workshop situation as adding extra cost to projects as well as time consuming. This may result in either clients resorting to an informal approach without an experien ced facilitator to provide a structured approach to identifying clientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ value system. The result of this may not be so different from what is obtained through other management techniques thereby questioning the uniqueness of value management. Furthermore, Green and Connaughton (1996) stated that well conducted VM studies achieve about 10% to 25% savings on the project and prevents the possible time that could be wasted as a result of frequent alterations due to lack of proper understanding of requirements. This is obviously good compensation for a cost of about 0.5% to 1% incurred as a result of value management studies (REF).

Hysteria, Evil and Hope Depicted in The Crucible Essay

In â€Å"The Crucible†, there are words that have different meanings based on their context such as hysteria, evil and hope, which applies to the content of the play. Hysteria destroys the people of Salem, evil is within the Devil, and hope is when the characters confess. â€Å"The Crucible† displays hysteria in many ways throughout the play, but the main act of hysteria was that it wrecked the people of Salem. Hysteria is an exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion, which is mainly demonstrated by divisions of society. Hysteria takes a main part of the play because it caused the people of Salem to do such unreasonable acts. One hysterical act in â€Å"The Crucible† was during the Salem Witch Trials, one hundred fifth people were accused for practicing†¦show more content†¦Evil is a profoundly immoral and malevolent. Evil is shown all through the play, firstly through the Devil and then through the characters. The Devil is evil because it caused many crimes such as the multiple deaths of babies and so on. Marry Warren and others have been trying to catch the Devil and to stop all this absurd villainy, â€Å"The Devil is loose in Sale, Mr. Proctor, we must discover where he’s hiding.† Although he may seem that all thi s evil is coming from the Devil, yet it is also coming from Abigail Williams. â€Å" You drank a charm to John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor†, this shows that Abigail has the desire to have John Proctor and she is willing to act evil, like the Devil. This clearly shows that this selfish act of Abigail’s was her own act of evil, rather than the Devil’s. In the end, evil is not only the Devil to blame for all the wrongdoings in the play, but other characters also have the qualities of the Devil. The Crucible†, the play indicates that there is hope for the people who have done such disasters.Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Though the play has many harmful dramatic actions going on, towards the end there are still people who still have hope by confessing their sinful sins. John Proctor attempts to break the witch trial system by confessing his sins. His first confession is when he admits that he has been cheating onShow MoreRelatedCorrupt Government Lies In 1984 And The Crucible1496 Words   |  6 PagesAll governments lie. It is the duty of the individual to uncover the truth. George Orwell and Arthur Miller warn the readers of the dangers when a corrupt government lies to their citizens to preserve their power in their texts, 1984 and The Crucible. Through their characters, the authors portray the conflict between the State’s propensity to lie and the individual’s desire for truth. 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Fracking A Source Of Obtaining Oil And Gas - 2132 Words

Hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) is a highly controversial process in which gas and oil are extracted from rock formations thousands of feet underground. While there are definite benefits of using fracking, there are also environmental issues that we need to be aware of. There are green alternatives to hydraulic fracturing, and further research needs to be done to identify the possible long term environmental and health concerns that are associated with fracking before our government continues to use it as a source of obtaining oil and gas. In 1949 Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company obtained a patent for hydraulic fracturing, the first one issued in the United States. The method gained popularity and was soon used all over the world (Hydraulic Fracturing of Oil Gas Wells Drilled in Shale, n.d.). 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A Song Analysis by Walt Whitman free essay sample

The poem, A Song, by Walt Whitman appears in Leaves of Grass. This edition collection of poems appeared in 1867. It is the workshop for the other versions that followed. â€Å"A Song† is not as well-known as some of Whitman’s other songs. This one like many of his poems celebrates comradeship and nature. It appears in the Calamus section of the 1867 book. It does not appear in later additions. The poem praises the soldiers who fought for America’s freedom. The emphasis on comradeship grows throughout the four stanzas. It starts with life-long love grows to manly love and ends with high-towering love. He uses lots of images from nature as well including â€Å"trees along the rivers,† â€Å"along the shores,† â€Å"all over the prairies. † This emphasis of the water is no coincidence as ships and those that worked on them fascinated Whitman. He loved ride the ferries and spend time along the East River in New York state. We will write a custom essay sample on A Song Analysis by Walt Whitman or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His patriotic side shines through this poem too with phrases like â€Å"the continent indissoluble,† â€Å"divine magnetic lands,† â€Å"O Democracy. † His ideals of a united nation present in the poem, contrast with the country as it really was, with racial problems and disputes between the North and South. This ideal grew out of his visits with wartime veterans after seeing the harm that segregation did to the country. At very young age, this ideal emerged through his friendship with Tom Paine, who wrote Common Sense. Whitman wrote this poem shortly after the Emancipation Proclamation produced the freedom that many questioned could ever occur. Keats, Bryant, and Emerson inspired much of his poetry and followed their examples especially in his newer editions of Leaves of Grass. In â€Å"A Song,† music tries to ring through the words. Whitman was a master at matching images with musical sounds. The reader can almost hear the river through the trees or the song of the prairies. In the poem, his love for music reaches out to people. Music is universal and brings people of all races together. Whitman seems to say that through song all nations can achieve these things. By replacing the â€Å"I† in this poem with songs or song, the reader sees how important song and music became to Whitman. Whitman was largely self-taught learning his trade as a teenager. He worked in a print shop. He learned much about journalism and grew to love writing in all its forms. Among other things, he was a schoolteacher, a journalist, an editor. He also wrote fiction and essays.

Management and Leadership Skills Development

Question: Discuss about theManagement and Leadership Skills Development. Answer: Introduction Management positions are critical for organisations and therefore they need a high level of experience and knowledge in order to achieve the organisations objectives. Managers must also possess leadership skills that can enable them to manage the organisation better. This is because there are various resources that need to be allocated to maximize efficiency. Besides, the human resource also requires that managers have people management and leadership skills for them to perform effectively. Analysis of the impact of organisational objectives, values and culture on the leadership and management role These factors influence how management of an organisation should be done. This is because they are the factors that give the organisation direction on how different functions can be carried out and how employees should behave in order to achieve the organisational goals. Objectives The organization of which objectives will be discussed is Hilti UAE. The organisations objectives include: To maintain profitability-this means that the organisations revenues should be more than the costs they incur. Profitability is one of the main objectives of business organisations and it influences the management and leadership styles applied in the organisation. To maintain productivity-employees are provided with all the required resources that will enable them to improve on their productivity for the business to continue. To provide exemplary customer service-this is a customer-based objective. It is also an important objective since without the customers, there can be no business. Customers are part of the organisation and they must be considered and be given the services they need in order to have repeat business with the organisation. To support the society-the society has an important role in business and the organisation should be geared towards improving the society. This is through having various corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in the society. These objectives are important in determining how the organisation is supposed to be led. Since the objectives require resources, it is important for the manager to have analytical skills in order to ascertain what resources are required by the organisation in order to achieve the objectives. For instance, maintaining profitability requires that a balance between revenues and costs is achieved. This means that the manager has to have cost management skills and sales and marketing skills in order to allocate resources economically and maximize revenues through sales and marketing strategies (West, et al., 2016). Core Values Core values are important in an organisation because they provide a guideline on how the organisation members are supposed to behave in order to maintain the organisations reputation. Some of the core values include: accountability, balance, integrity, diversity, empowerment, commitment, innovation and safety. The core values are also important in determining what the organisation stands for. For an organisation to achieve its goals and objectives effectively, they need to have core values. The managers have to understand what the values mean and how to attain their requirements (Wahab, et al., 2014). Integrity is one of the values that a manager should have and embrace. A manager should avoid subjectivity at all costs because subjective thinking and reasoning may compromise integrity. Accountability is the other value that a manager should uphold. A manager should be ready to account for all the resources that he is entrusted with in the organisation. When a manager is accountable, he/she can be trusted with the organisations resources since they believe that objectives will be met because of the accountability levels of the manager. When managers are accountable, the employees also tend to be accountable because they understand that the manager is the one who is responsible for all the resources that they utilize in their business (Bickmore Dowell, 2015). Innovativeness is also an important value since it is meant to improve the organisational performance by increasing efficiency. Also innovativeness encourages change whereby the organisationis ready to embrace changes that improve the work environment. This can be combined with commitment, diversity and empowerment. All these requires a manager who can handle challenges that this values may pose to them and other employees (Dameron, 2016). Organisation Culture The organisation has a strong culture and that is what keeps the employees united. Culture plays an important role in an organisation. This is an important factor that has to be considered by a manager in order to effectively manage an organisation. Employees can easily reject a manager who does not embrace the organisational culture and therefore it may be difficult to run an organisation (Magada Govender, 2016). Organisational culture entails shared beliefs, values and perceptions. These values have an impact on how an organisation operates. Communication is essential and there should be effective communication channels in an organisation for it to work effectively. Culture is socially developed and transmitted by members within the organisation (Calvin, 2015).The culture provides rules for behavior within the organisation. Core values are the ones that develop the organisational culture. These core values begin with the organisations leadership. When a strong unified behavior has developed in an organisation, a strong organisational culture emerges (Valentine, 2011). Leaders have to embrace their role in maintain the organisation culture and in turn ensure a consistent culture which reduces conflicts, and create a healthy working environment for the employees. Management and Leadership Skills Required To Support the Achievement of the Objectives In order to achieve the organisational objectives, a manager should have a balance of managerial and leadership skills. This is because there are many factors that are involved in the process of meeting the needs of the customers since they are the ones who the business is concerned about. The resources include people who put together other resources in order to come up with the end products (Wolf, 2006). Management Skills The following are the most vital management skills for the organisation Planning skills-These skills are important in the organisation because through planning strategies can be developed to deliver in an economical and efficient manner. The organisations manager should possess high planning skills because they are essential in making sure that resources are allocated effectively for effectiveness (Ohiri, 2012). Planning is also important in team building. This is because the organisational staff requirements are easily identified in a plan. Finally, planning helps in developing a competitive advantage because of the detailed analysis of the situation and the environment in which the organisation operates (Wolfe, Chanin, 1993). Organizing and coordinating skills-a manager should have the ability to allocate resources efficiently. Also, these resources have to be linked to the people in the organisation in order to be productive. Therefore as a manager, organizing and coordination should be considered as important factors that the organisation needs and such skills should be developed for the better of the people and the organisation itself (Vollmer Pastor, 2016). Commanding-this is a necessary skill for a manager since employees need a manager who can command them in order to feel the authority. There are different ways in which commanding can be done without making the employees feel inferior or threatened. These skills are important and commanding can be done through having a chain of command integrated in the system. In doing so, employees will easily understand how different activities are conducted in the organisation through the chain of command (Murphy, 1996). Controlling-this is the ability to review business models and offer solutions to challenges that the organisation may be facing. Controlling skills are necessary in meeting the organisations objectives because they give the manager an opportunity to explore all the requirements of the organisation in order to achieve the objectives and maintain the organisational culture (Vollmer Pastor, 2016). Leadership Skills Charisma-this is the natural brightness of a leader that enables him or her to get followers. In the organisation, the managers have to be charismatic since they need to be followed and trusted by the employees for better management (Peters, 2005). Assertiveness-this helps a leader to make his points clear in the organisation without any aggression. This also is an important leadership skill because the decisions that are made by the leader should be firm (Axalta, 2003). Communication skills-these are important in building relationships both in the organisation and outside. The organisation needs to create networks which are necessary in improving business. Negotiation skills, effective speaking, active listening, and building rapport are some of the communication skills that a leader needs to develop in order to execute his or her organisational leadership role effectively (Reap Houston Univ., 2008). Analytical skills-a leader should be able to analyse a situation in order to develop strategies and solutions for different problems that the organisation may be facing. This is important even in the analysis of the market in order to determine ways in which profits can be maximized through the development of various products that suit the market needs (Reap Houston Univ., 2008). Evaluation of Personal Management and Leadership Skills Strengths Personally, I have gained a vast experience in the field and now I understand myself better because I have gained a lot of knowledge about how to run an organisation. Besides, I have academic qualifications that indicate the theoretical understanding of what management entails. Having engaged myself in many projects, I have developed planning skills that can be used in the improvement of the organisation. Planning requires a lot of research in order to develop an effective plan that can enable the organisation to increase productivity. Also, I have organizing and coordinating skills which are necessary in making sure that resources are allocated efficiently. In addition, I am assertive and I have high decision making abilities. This is because I possess analytical skills which are necessary in decision making. Finally, I have the communication skills necessary for communicating within and outside the organisation. Communication is one of the skills that is needed in the development of relationships. Networks are important in meeting the organisations objectives since it is through networks that a market is created and expert knowledge can be received through linking with other people who have knowledge in the field that can be used to improve the organisati ons products and services. Personal Weaknesses I need to develop sales and marketing skills-these are the skills that are needed in making sales and popularizing the organisation. Through different training sessions, the skills can be developed and they will help me as the manager in analysing the different achievements that the organisation has and needs to have in the market. The marketing skills are inscribed in the communication skills but the communication skills that needs to be developed involve the public relations part of the organisation. This means that I need to know how to evaluate channels through which public relations communication needs to be done. Also, I need to develop controlling skills. This is because resources and people need to be controlled effectively in the organisation in order for them to be fully productive. This is an important skill because it is essential in the reduction of costs that the organisation incurs in production. When efficient controlling skills are attained, it becomes easy for the organisation to manage the resources that are put into the process in order to achieve production economically (Reiley, et al., 2011). These are the two main skills that I believe I need to develop through training and networking in order to be perfect in executing the different functions of the organisation and increase efficiency and productivity. Opportunities for Development of Leadership and Management Skills Having a skill gap in management and leadership, there are many opportunities that can be utilised to develop these skills and be a better manager in executing the managerial functions better in the organisation. Foremost, coaching is one of the opportunities that is available for a leader to improve his/her skills. In leadership coaching, a relationship is created between a leader and a coach. Leadership coaching is a partnership in which both partners work towards achieving a common goal. The main aim of coaching is to change the entire behaviour and transform the leaders working and personal life. Leadership coaching is neither technical support nor career guidance. It is the process of imparting better leadership skills in a leader to enhance effectiveness. Secondly, there are professional bodies that offer training on how various organisations should be led and managed. These bodies are vital in enhancing leadership skills because they are necessary in managing such organisations. These bodies have different experts who have a wide knowledge through education and experience. Their expertise is necessary in helping leaders develop the skills that they do not have or the skills that they need to enhance for them to manage organisations better and more efficiently. Thirdly, double loop learning is another opportunity that a leader can use in developing skills that are necessary in running an organisation. This is a learning process that utilises past experiences in developing strategies to counter problems that an organisation has. This method is more dynamic because it opens up the leader to different ways in which they can solve problems in an organisation. It focuses on the historical events of the organisation and how they were handled. This makes it easy for the leader to develop strategies that can be used in problem solving in the organisation. Finally, the use of feedback is important in developing leadership skills. This is achieved through reviews that the leader receives through those he or she leads. Feedbacks help a leader to know which areas need improvement or need a change of tactic. Therefore, they can be used by the leader in developing a plan on how the lacking skills can be developed to improve their performance in the organisation. Personal Leadership and Management Skills Development Plan For effective leadership and management skills development planning, there needs to be an analysis of the kind of skills needed in the organisation. This is because there are financial resources that are involved in the development of these skills. Therefore, there is a need to analyse what the organisation needs are in order to develop an effective skills development plan (Reiley, et al., 2011). Analysis of the Required Skills The organisation needs a leader who has networking skills that will enable them to connect to people and other organisations that will generate business and offer expert services to the organisation. Resource management skills also need to be developed in the organisation because different resources are used in the development of different products which makes the organisation at risk of incurring excessive costs if the resources are not utilized efficiently. Skills Development Plan Objective Skill Skill level Opportunity to improve To improve the sales through marketing strategies Sales and marketing Bachelors degree older in business management Leadership coaching programs Double loop learning Professional bodies Utilizing Feedbacks To improve the control of resources Controlling skills Bachelors degree older in business management Leadership coaching programs Double loop learning Professional bodies Formal education (Masters degree program) Leadership coaching programs should commence in the first year. A suitable leadership coach will be approached in order to assist me develop the skills that I am lacking in order to improve my performance and the organisational performance. This process will be beneficial because it will also help me in developing skills that I can transfer to others so that they can also develop leadership skills in their levels of management. Within the same year, I will be attending leadership seminars that are conducted by professional bodies in order to acquire the skills that these bodies offer to leaders. These skills will help in understanding the requirements of different organisations for their success. Lastly I will resume formal education in management and gain insights about management and leadership in organisations through theoretical frameworks and research. This will be important in increasing my knowledge in management of organisations and leading teams towards a common objective. Personal development will be assessed through review that will be conducted by my superiors in the organisation to ascertain whether the skills development plan is effective or not. Key performance indicators will be developed and they will be used to evaluate my performance. This will be important because the skills are supposed to reflect on the organisations objectives. For instance, the sales and marketing techniques are important in increasing the organisations revenue through increased sales. This will indicate that the communication skills relating to public relations, networking and sales have been improved. In the evaluation of the process of learning, feedbacks will be important in making sure that I understand what the organisation needs and I will device mechanisms of developing the skills that will satisfy such organisational needs. Feedbacks can be done through appraisals which can be conducted by the top managers in the organisation.This is also important in gauging how much I have learned through the process and the level of skills that I will have attained. This is not because my leadership skills are low but it is because there is a need to improve and develop skills that are unique in meeting the organisations objectives. That is why appraisals are important forms of feedback since they give a detailed analysis of an individuals performance with regards to the attainment of the organisational objectives and goals. After learning the skills fully, I will have to share the experience with other employees. This is because the skills need to be synchronized with the organisational culture in order to be effective. There are some changes that can come up as a result of such skills and other team members need to be aware and an effective strategy applied in making them comfortable to take up the change that might come with the increased leadership and management skills.Therefore sharing such information is vital in making other employees understand a course that the organisation may be taking (Reiley, et al., 2011). Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Personal Development Plan Objective Skill Skill level Opportunity to improve Challenges Key indicators of effectiveness To improve the sales through marketing strategies Sales and marketing Bachelors degree older in business management Leadership coaching programs Double loop learning Professional bodies Utilizing Feedbacks Leadership coaching will require the engagement of an expert which will be a cost to the company Some of the feedback received may be biased and therefore cannot be utilized Increased sales Increased PR activities Development of a strong Marketing team To improve the control of resources Controlling skills Bachelors degree older in business management Leadership coaching programs Double loop learning Professional bodies Formal education (Masters degree program) Leadership coachingand the masters degree program will require the engagement of an expert which will be a cost to the company More effective resource allocation Reduced operational costs Evaluation of the effectiveness of the development plan is important because the plan may concentrate on factors that are not important to fulfilling the organisational objectives. Also, the plan may focus on the skills that are already developed and ignore the important skills that were being sought in the first place (Spehar, 2007). Review of Development Plan Against Original Objectives The original objectives of the development plan were to develop sales and marketing skills which are to enable the organisation to make more sales and increase their revenue. The personal development plan included the communication skills that need to be developed. In marketing, communication skills are essential. These skills are important in public relations and since they were included in the plan, the plan will be effective in achieving the objective effectively. This review is important in figuring out whether the skills were necessary (Charoensap-Kelly, et al., 2016). An increase in sales and revenues is a key indicator of effectiveness of the skill. The second personal development objective was to develop the controlling skills in management. Thisskills are vital in the allocation of resources in an organisation to optimize output (Kumpikait, et al., 2016).The leadership trainings and education programs were effective in developing the controlling skills. In evaluating the effectiveness, the cost of production and employee output can be reviewed. The cost of production have reduced significantly while employee output has increased in the organisation. This shows that the plan worked out effectively in developing the controlling skills since these are the organisational resources that are used in the production of the products that are needed by the market. Evaluation of the Development Plan The development plan has to be evaluated to determine its effectiveness in increasing a managers efficiency. There are different variables that can be used in the evaluation process and they can show whether the plan worked for or against the organisational skills requirements (Hara, et al., 2010). The leadership coaching program was effective because it helped in the development of the team leadership skills that were vital in improving employee performance in the organisation. Besides, the professional bodies also gave vital experiences and skills that have been applied to improve the organisations general performance.In addition, the formal education program increased the knowledge that is required for better execution of leadership and managerial functions. This shows that the plan was effective in improving the organisation through improving the management and leadership skills. Further Development Skill Level of development Need for improvement Marketing skills The Masters degree is ongoing and in the first year of completion Six months remaining to complete Controlling skills Leadership coaching has already been completed No need for improvement Relationship skills Has not yet been done To be done within the next year Despite having improved the leadership skills, there are other areas that need further development in order to increase organisational efficiency. There is a need to develop relationship skills because they are important in communication. Relationships form part of the communication skills and it is important to know how to relate to different people in order to improve communication for better performance of the organisation. Therefore, additional programs need to be developed in order to perfect this skill. 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