Quantity Surveying development and significance of the quantity Essay

Quantity Surveying development and significance of the quantity surveyor's professional role in relation to changes in construction procurement practice and reg - Essay Example Quantity Surveyors are employed predominantly on major building and construction projects as consultants to the owner, in both the public and private sectors. They may also work as academics in the building and construction disciplines and in financial institutions, with developers and as project managers (Willis and Ashworth 46). Quantity Surveyors work closely with architects, financiers, engineers, contractors, suppliers, project owners, accountants, insurance underwriters, solicitors and Courts and with all levels of government authorities. At feasibility stage quantity surveyors use their knowledge of construction methods and costs to advise the owner on the most economical way of achieving his requirements. Quantity surveyors may use techniques such as Cost Planning, Estimating, Cost Analysis, Cost-in-use Studies and Value Management to establish a project budget (Boyd and Kerr 34). During design, the quantity surveyor ensures that the design remains on budget through Cost Management. Essential additions are offset by other identified savings. On completion of design and drawings, the quantity surveyor may prepare a Bill of Quantities, which is issued with the specification, for use by contractors in submitting tenders. The contractor’s quantity surveyors generally prepare tenders, and may price alternatives for consideration. The quantity surveyor is usually involved in assessing tenders and may also be asked to advise on the type of contract or special clauses in it. During construction the quantity surveyors are called on to fairly value progress payments at regular intervals. They will also value changes to design or quantities which may arise by reference to appropriate Bill of Quantities rates. The contractor’s quantity surveyor/contract administrator will prepare claims for progress payments and additional work. When construction is complete the quantity surveyor can produce depreciation schedules of the various

Innovation and creativity evaluation of Apple Corporation Essay Example for Free

Innovation and creativity evaluation of Apple Corporation Essay Economic growth and development of any country depends upon a well-knit financial system. Financial system comprises, a set of sub-systems of financial institutions financial markets, financial instruments and services which help in the formation of capital. Thus a financial system provides a mechanism by which savings are transformed into investments and it can be said that financial system play an significant role in economic growth of the country by mobilizing surplus funds and utilizing them effectively for productive purpose. The financial system is characterized by the presence of integrated, organized and regulated financial markets, and institutions that meet the short term and long term financial needs of both the household and corporate sector. Both financial markets and financial institutions play an important role in the financial system by rendering various financial services to the community. They operate in close combination with each other. Financial System The word system, in the term financial system, implies a set of complex and closely connected or interlined institutions, agents, practices, markets, transactions, claims, and liabilities in the economy. The financial system is concerned about money, credit and finance-the three terms are intimately related yet are somewhat different from each other. Indian financial system consists of financial market, financial instruments and financial intermediation Role/ Functions of Financial System: A financial system performs the following functions: * It serves as a link between savers and investors. It helps in utilizing the mobilized savings of scattered savers in more efficient and effective manner. It channelises flow of saving into productive investment. * It assists in the selection of the projects to be financed and also reviews the performance of such projects periodically. * It provides payment mechanism for exchange of goods and services. * It provides a mechanism for the transfer of resources across geographic boundaries. It provides a   mechanism for managing and controlling the risk involved in mobilizing savings and allocating credit. * It promotes the process of capital formation by bringing together the supply of saving and the demand for investible funds. * It helps in lowering the cost of transaction and increase returns. Reduce cost motives people to save more. * It provides you detailed information to the operators/ players in the market such as individuals, business houses, Governments etc. Components/ Constituents of Indian Financial system: The following are the four main components of Indian Financial system 1. Financial institutions 2. Financial Markets 3. Financial Instruments/Assets/Securities 4. Financial Services. Financial institutions: Financial institutions are the intermediaries who facilitates smooth functioning of the financial system by making investors and borrowers meet. They mobilize savings of the surplus units and allocate them in productive activities promising a better rate of return. Financial institutions also provide services to entities seeking advises on various issues ranging from restructuring to diversification plans. They provide whole range of services to the entities who want to raise funds from the markets elsewhere. Financial institutions act as financial intermediaries because they act as middlemen between savers and borrowers. Were these financial institutions may be of Banking or Non-Banking institutions. Financial Markets: Finance is a prerequisite for modern business and financial institutions play a vital role in economic system. Its through financial markets the financial system of an economy works. The main functions of financial markets are. To facilitate creation and allocation of credit and liquidity; 2. to serve as intermediaries for mobilization of savings; 3. to assist process of balanced economic growth; 4. to provide financial convenience Financial Instruments Another important constituent of financial system is financial instruments. They represent a claim against the future income and wealth of others. It will be a claim against a person or an institutions, for the payment of the some of the money at a specified future date. Financial Services: Efficiency of emerging financial system largely depends upon the quality and variety of financial services provided by financial intermediaries. The term financial services can be defined as activites, benefits and satisfaction connected with sale of money, that offers to users and customers, financial related value. Pre-reforms Phase Until the early 1990s, the role of the financial system in India was primarily restricted to the function of channeling resources from the surplus to deficit sectors. Whereas the financial system performed this role reasonably well, its operations came to be marked by some serious deficiencies over the years. The banking sector suffered from lack of competition, low capital base, low Productivity and high intermediation cost. After the nationalization of large banks in 1969 and 1980, the Government-owned banks dominated the banking sector. The role of technology was minimal and the quality of service was not given adequate importance. Banks also did not follow proper risk management systems and the prudential standards were weak. All these resulted in poor asset quality and low profitability. Among non-banking financial intermediaries, development finance institutions (DFIs) operated in an over-protected environment with most of the funding coming from assured sources at concessional terms. In the insurance sector, there was little competition. The mutual fund industry also suffered from lack of competition and was dominated for long by one institution, viz. , the Unit Trust of India. Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) grew rapidly, but there was no regulation of their asset side. Financial markets were characterized by control over pricing of financial assets, barriers to entry, high transaction costs and restrictions on movement of funds/participants between the market segments. This apart from inhibiting the development of the markets also affected their efficiency. Financial Sector Reforms in India It was in this backdrop that wide-ranging financial sector reforms in India were introduced as an integral part of the economic reforms initiated in the early 1990s with a view to improving the macroeconomic performance of the economy. The reforms in the financial sector focused on creating efficient and stable financial institutions and markets. The approach to financial sector reforms in India was one of gradual and non-disruptive progress through a consultative process. The Reserve Bank has been consistently working towards setting an enabling regulatory framework with prompt and effective supervision, development of technological and institutional infrastructure, as well as changing the interface with the market participants through a consultative process. Persistent efforts have been made towards adoption of international benchmarks as appropriate to Indian conditions. While certain changes in the legal infrastructure are yet to be effected, the developments so far have brought the Indian financial system closer to global standards. The reform of the interest regime constitutes an integral part of the financial sector reform. With the onset of financial sector reforms, the interest rate regime has been largely deregulated with a view towards better price discovery and efficient resource allocation. Initially, steps were taken to develop the domestic money market and freeing of the money market rates. The interest rates offered on Government securities were progressively raised so that the Government borrowing could be carried out at market-related rates. In respect of banks, a major effort was undertaken to simplify the administered structure of interest rates. Banks now have sufficient flexibility to decide their deposit and lending rate structures and manage their assets and liabilities accordingly. At present, apart from savings account and NRE deposit on the deposit side and export credit and small loans on the lending side, all other interest rates are deregulated. Indian banking system operated for a long time with high reserve requirements both in the form of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR). This was a consequence of the high fiscal deficit and a high degree of monetisation of fiscal deficit. The efforts in the recent period have been to lower both the CRR and SLR. The statutory minimum of 25 per cent for SLR has already been reached, and while the Reserve Bank continues to pursue its medium-term objective of reducing the CRR to the statutory minimum level of 3. 0 per cent, the CRR of SCBs is currently placed at 5. 0 per cent of NDTL. As part of the reforms programme, due attention has been given to diversification of ownership leading to greater market accountability and improved efficiency. Initially, there was infusion of capital by the Government in public sector banks, which was followed by expanding the capital base with equity participation by the private investors. This was followed by a reduction in the Government shareholding in public sector banks to 51 per cent. Consequently, the share of the public sector banks in the aggregate assets of the banking sector has come down from 90 per cent in 1991 to around 75 per cent in2004. With a view to enhancing efficiency and productivity through competition, guidelines were laid down for establishment of new banks in the private sector and the foreign banks have been allowed more liberal entry. Since 1993, twelve new private sector banks have been set up. As a major step towards enhancing competition in the banking sector, foreign direct investment in the private sector banks is now allowed up to 74 per cent, subject to conformity with the guidelines issued from time to time. Conclusion: The Indian financial system has undergone structural transformation over the past decade. The financial sector has acquired strength, efficiency and stability by the combined effect of competition, regulatory measures, and policy environment. While competition, consolidation and convergence have been recognized as the key drivers of the banking sector in the coming years

pitch perception :: essays research papers

page References Baharloo, S., Johnston, P. A., Service, S. K., Gitshcier, J., Freimer, N. B. (1998). Absolute pitch: An approach for identification of genetic and nongenetic components. American Journal of Human Genetics, 62, 224-231. Retrieved 11/16/2004. Deutsch, D. (1985). Dichotic listening to melodic patterns and its relationship to hemispheric specialization of function. Music Perception, 3, (2), 127-154. Gregersen, P.K. (1998). Instant recognition: The gentics of pitch perception. American Journal of Human Genetics, 62, 221-223. Retrieved 11/16/2004. Heaton, P., Hermelin, B., Pring, L. (1998). Autism and pitch processing: a precursor for savant musical ability? Music Perception, 15, (3), 291-305. Lenhoff, H., M., Perales, O., Hickok, G. (2001). Absolute pitch in Williams syndrome. Music perception, 18, (4), 491-503. Levitin, D., J., Bellugi, U. (1998). Musical abilities in individuals with Williams Syndrome, Music Perception, 15, (4), 357-389. Pechstedt, P., H., Kershner, J., Kinsbourne, M. (1989). Musical Training improves processing of tonality in the left hemisphere. Music Perception, 6, (3), 275-298. Simpson, J., Huron, D. (1994). Absolute pitch as a learned phenomenon: Evidence consistent with the Hick-Hyman law. Music Perception, 12, (2), 267-270. Sloboda, J. A. (1985). An exceptional music memory. Music Perception, 3, (2), 155- 170. Nature or Nurture: The origins of pitch Perception For most of us, quick and accurate perception of the visual world is essential for getting around in life; we take for granted our instant recognition of color, shape, distance, and the physical relationships between objects. Many aspects of the auditory world are also apprehended in an effortless manner: a nighttime whistle is easily identified as a distant train, without any deliberation. However, identifying the pitch of an isolated whistle is beyond the abilities of most people. This is also the case for most musicians, despite the fact that they spend every day working in the context of a standardized system of pitch relationships. Those rare individuals who can instantly recognize the pitch of a random piano tone or passing car horn, without the use of a reference pitch, possess a cognitive ability that is termed "absolute pitch." The range of useful musical pitches is 20-5,000 Hz, which is, roughly the range of a piano keyboard Pitch is a one-dimensional attribute defined by the number of vibrations, per second, emanating from a sound source, such as a plucked string The peripheral auditory organs are designed specifically for frequency analysis. The cochlear basilar membrane vibrates, at each point along its length, with an optimal resonant frequency. The fact that all humans are quick to appreciate the differences in timbre between instruments illustrates the extreme sensitivity of this organ to complex frequency spectra.

Abraham Lincoln †Symbol of the unlimited possibilities Essay

There are few men whose characters are so extraordinary that they can be credited with saving a nation. The 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was one such man. More than one hundred years after his assassination, ‘Honest Abe’ as he has become known, shows no signs of losing his touch. He sits enshrined in his own monument with his famous words etched in stone around him. He commands respect, honour and the everlasting thanks of the American people. More than a thousand books have been published on his life and deeds. This is the man who not only freed the slaves but who held the nation together through the terror of the Civil War. His bloody assassination has become the nightmare scenario of legend. The myths that make up the story of Abraham Lincoln have been re-told many times. At their root is the story about the boy born into the Kentucky wilderness, who had less than a year in total of formal schooling. That same boy went on to become America’s most famous President. Lincoln’s rise from a poor pioneer family who taught himself to become a lawyer is the story of the American dream. From state legislator to his nomination as Presidential candidate that dream is the stuff of legends. He has become a symbol of the unlimited possibilities of American life. To appreciate the bravery and the courage that Lincoln undoubtedly showed, it is not enough to say that he saved the Union. Neither is it enough to say that he braved his critics to bring in emancipation and to end the appalling slave trade. To fully understand Lincoln’s achievements, is to try and gain an insight into American society of that time. The republic was only a matter of a few decades old. In this melting pot of nationhood and states, political feelings ran high. Lincoln, above all, saw himself and his countrymen as inheritors of a sacred trust. He believed that democracy was entrusted into his hands an d those of his countrymen. He was prepared to stand up and fight for those beliefs. The fact is as laudable as these sentiments were, there could not possibly have been a more difficult time to try and put them into practice. The issue of slavery above all others dominated the day. It would split both politics and the country as a whole. Abraham Lincoln was not in two minds about slavery. He found it abhorrent. The fact is that many states, primarily in the North, stood against slavery. Many in the South did not. They were afraid that a Republican President effectively from the North would try and abolish slavery throughout the nation. Lincoln was elected President for his first term in 1860 at the point when a huge part of the Union, threatened to break away over the issue of slavery. The situation was for Lincoln neither a reason for secession nor Civil War. In his inaugural address he spoke about the need to find a peaceful way forwards. In spite of Lincoln’s plea, the Confederacy broke away and on March 4 1861 and the country erupted into the Civil War he had feared above all else. That scenario was a nightmare of complications and strategies that had to be won inside a cauldron of dissent. There was no road map. There were no precedents for dealing with states that had succeeded. Lincoln was at heart and by trade, a lawyer. He was not a soldier. However he did not flinch from his duty, or from the task in front of him. Where lesser men might have lost heart, Lincoln began the long struggle towards unity and reunification. When he judged that the time was right, he announced the abolition of the slave trade, issuing the emancipation proclamation on January 1st 1863. The war took a heavy toll. Lincoln mourned the tragedy of lives lost on the battlefield. His speech after the battle of Gettysburg on November 19th 1863 is one of the most moving and famous of all elegies for fallen soldiers. In spite of high casualties and falling morale, when Atlanta finally fell to the Union, Lincoln was re-elected for a second term. Lincoln’s second inaugural address is according to some, one of the greatest of all his speeches. In it, he looks forwards not only to the coming end of the war but also towards the future. His plea should never be forgotten, ‘Malice towards none: Charity towards all’. Part of Abraham Lincoln’s legacy is the fact that he was very much a human figure. We know many details of his life including that of his courtship and quiet marriage to Mary Todd. Theirs was tender and loving relationship scarred by loss and tragedy. Of the four sons born to them, only one grew into adulthood. The quiet and loving home life the president enjoyed was in stark contrast to the violence and hatred that was tearing the nation apart. After the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomatox on April 9 1865, a weary nation waited to see what Lincoln’s res ponse would be. An expectant crowd gathered outside the White House. Lincoln addressed them for the last time. In his speech he tackled the thorny issues of reuniting a country split by war. In that same speech he talked about the rights of freed slaves. He now talked openly about black suffrage. Listening in that crowd was one John Wilkes Booth, a racist and a Confederate who vowed that this would be Lincoln’s last speech. Indeed it was. Booth assassinated the President on April 14th 1865. Mary his wife was sitting beside her husband as they watched a play. She was holding his hand as he was shot. She never recovered fully from his death. It was a death that Lincoln himself had reportedly foreseen in a dream some three days earlier. The assassination of Lincoln stunned the nation. His body was mourned for three weeks at it was toured through the cities of the North. Public grief was immense for perhaps the most extraordinary figure in political history. Today the image of the gaunt tall and severe man is as familiar to us as our own father’s. Indeed to many, Abraham is the Father figure of America. We can only hope, like so many before us that we too can live up to the vision and the dreams that he left for us. Behind his statue lie the famous words of the Gettysburg address, in which the president extolled, That this nation, under God shall have a new birth of freedom – and that the government of the people, by the people, for the people shall never perish from the earth.’ They are words that are as relevant to us today as the day on which they were first spoken. How ironic then that in the same speech the President said that the words spoken there would not long be remembered. Fortunately, for every US citizen, he was wrong! His words, his deeds and his hopes, like those of any father, are his legacy to all his children. Sources used in this speech and related information Abraham Lincoln Birthplace http://lincoln.hodgenville.net/lincoln/ Abraham Lincoln On-line http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/last.htm CV for Abraham Lincoln http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~sldavis/firstsite/index.htm

Social Change During 1820-1860

Amr Sadek November 4, 2012 U. S. History In what ways did developments in transportation bring about economic and social change in the United States in the period 1820-1860? Development in transportation helped each area of the United States. Those areas were the South, North and the new west. Transportation helped each area develop economically and socially. Transportation helped by making the South making money by sending cotton to the north so they can manufacture clothes. This helped the south a lot, because they refused to manufacture and industrialize like the north.The only disadvantage about the south making more money by sending cotton to the north and west was that they became more reliant on their slaves. The development of business in the south grew and demands started increasing, so slaves had to work faster and harder. Slave owners created stricter slave policies and this is one of the ways that transportation socially harmed the south. From the 3 areas the north had th e most success because they manufactured goods that was sent to the west and south. The north consisted of cities and factories, which made it the economic power of the United States.Transportation helped the west by helping people move it a safer and more suitable way. If railroads weren’t created during that time then the west wouldn’t have been what it is today. The roads helped people move into the west, which meant that people had to stop during their journeys. This went on to create hotels for the people who were moving west. The major cause of people moving to the west was because there was gold in California and people were looking for wealth and a better life. The gold rush was the major factor of people moving to the western part of the United States.Overall, the economy of the U. S. improved economically because of the railroads and canals allowed people to trade and communicate faster. The north played the role of manufacturing goods for the south and west. The west was supplying most of the United States with food and it was most of that area consisted of farmers and foreigners. The south was the one who gave the North the cotton in order for them to create their manufactured goods. So the economy had a cycle that depended on all 3 areas to cooperate. Socially, the U. S. ad a dramatic change because all 3 areas changed and this was a time before the Civil war. The south had become more dependent on slaves and the North was employing more people in their factories. Tenstions began to grow between the North and South as people staretd moving around a lot. Northern people would explore the South and started knowing how the South treated their slaves and major conflicts started happening between the two. The west was becoming more diverse and was starting to help the U. S. expand and help split the population evenly.

The Art and Life of Van Gogh essays

The Art and Life of Van Gogh essays The Art and Life of Vincent van Gogh Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most distinguished modern artists. His early work depicts humble subjects, peasants mostly, with a gentle hand. Many of his other paintings are mostly room settings, and still lifes of flowers with such intensity that it would seem as if he had captured a piece of the sun and used it in his painting. It is truly ironic that during his lifetime, he received no recognition whatsoever, and only sold one painting. Van Gogh faltered repeatedly in every career he attempted to pursue and felt extremely unloved by others. He did not have any friends. Van Gogh turned to art to express his strong religious feelings and his deep need for love and respect. During the latter years life, he completed over 800 oil paintings. Vincent van Gogh was born on 1853 in Groot-Zundert, which is located in the Netherlands. At the tender age of 16, van Gogh was sent to The Hague to work for an uncle who was an art merchant. During the time he worked for his uncle, van Gogh realized that a business career did not suit him. In 1878, van Gogh applied for admission into a theological school, but was sternly rejected. Van Gogh then decided to become a preacher. He acquired his training from a missionary society in Brussels, Belgium. Late in 1878, van Gogh represented the society as a minister to the extremely poor coal miners in the Borinage, a poor district in Belgium. "He sympathized with their dreadful working conditions and did his best, as their spiritual leader, to ease the burden of their lives." (vangoghgallery.com/misc/bio.htm) Van Gogh was so obsessed with his work that he went without food and other necessities so he could give to the less fortunate. (World Book, p229) The missionary society disapproved van Gogh's actions and chose to relieve him of his duties in the summer of 1879. Van Gogh began to draw while he as in Borinage, and he decided to...

or females in families Essay Example

Investigate the distribution of malesacute; and/ or females in families Essay Example Investigate the distribution of malesacute; and/ or females in families Essay Investigate the distribution of malesacute; and/ or females in families Essay It states: Investigate the distribution of malesà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ and/ or females in families. You may choose, for example, to collect data on the distribution of girls in families of three children and to estimate the probability of a female birth. To be able to collect the necessary data for the investigation, I will have to look at families with 3 children. The datum will be collected from pupils in the school I go to. I will collect the data by sending questionnaires to every pupil in the school from year seven (aged 11-12) to year thirteen (aged 17-18) asking them how many children are in there families and how many are male/female. From here the data will be sorted through and only the relevant questionnaires (the ones with three children in their families) will be taken out. A sample size of thirty is thought to be sufficient in this data collection so to collect this number every successful questionnaire was given a number (136 in total). 136 was placed into a graphic calculator which then randomly gave out 30 numbers. It should be noted that the larger the sample size the more reliable the results are likely to be. Hypothesis: The probability of having a boy in a three-child family is above 75 %. The probability of giving birth to a boy is the same as a girl, this can be proved by using genetic code which is below. x y Boy xy x xx xy When these two are mixed there are 4 out comes: Girl xx x xy xx As the probability of a boy and girl has been proved equal a suitable probability model can be chosen. The most suitable model is the binomial probability model. It is also suitable because the probability of giving birth is independent; this means one event is not dependent on the other. In the instance of giving birth it means that if a mother has already had a boy the chances of having another one are exactly the same as if she had given birth to none. The Binomial Model The binomial model must be set so that the probability of having a boy is 0.5 and the probability of having a girl is set at 0.5. The number of times that the event must happen is 3. The binomial model below is an example of how the final model will look it is possible from this to see how the mathematics are carried and set out. N how many times the event happens R Outcomes from the events P The probability of the outcome Using the results that will be obtained from the binomial model it will be possible to calculate the amount of families out of the 30 collected that should have 3 boys, 3 girls, 1 boy 2 girls or 2 boys 3 girls. The 4 binomial models are below: 1 (no boys) 2 (one boy) 3 (two boys) 4 (three boys) Results to Questionnaires Number selected Amount of children in family Amount of boys Amount of girls 1 3 2 1 2 3 2 1 3 3 1 2 4 3 1 2 5 3 1 2 6 3 2 1 7 3 1 2 8 3 2 1 9 3 2 1 10 3 2 1 11 3 1 2 12 3 1 2 13 3 2 1 14 3 2 1 15 3 3 0 16 3 1 2 17 3 0 3 18 3 2 1 19 3 1 2 20 3 3 0 21 3 3 0 22 3 1 2 23 3 2 1 24 3 2 1 25 3 1 2 26 3 0 3 27 3 1 2 28 3 3 0 29 3 2 1 30 3 0 3 Total families questioned Amount of children in family Total male(Possible 90) Total female(Possible 90) 30 30 47 43 What the results show From the data collected it is possible to see that out of the 30 families questioned, four families had three boys, and three families had three girls, 12 families had two boys and one girl and eleven families had two girls and one boy Below is a probability table showing how the children in the families were distributed Number of boys 0 1 2 3 Probability p(X) 0.1 0.366 0.4 0.133 When this is compared to the binomial probability table the results are very similar. Binomial probability table Number of boys 0 1 2 3 Probability p(X) 0.125 0.375 0.375 0.125 Comparing the real lie results to the binomials model shows a very strong correlation. This seems to prove that the odds of giving birth to a boy is the same as a girl, the results also prove that giving to a boy is independent of any births the mother may have had before. Looking at both sets of results it is possible to calculate the probability of having one or more boys in a family of three children. To work out the probability of having on or more boys in a family the probabilities of having one, two or three boys in a family must be added together. Below is the working for the real life and binomial probabilities. Real world 0.366 + 0.4 + 0.133 = 0.899 Binomial 0.375 + 0.375 + 0.125 = 0.875 Therefore it is possible to conclude that the real world model and the binomial show a strong correlation and therefore proving the original hypothesis. They prove that there is not only a higher than 75% chance of having a boy in three but that there is actually a chance of almost 90%