The success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. The WritePass Journal

The success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. The success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTIONDissertation conceptProject ManagementProject PlanningActivities or groups of activates that contribute to risks of delaysContingency planning: Strategies that could bring the projects on timeThe three key learning pointsThe critical pathGantt charts  Project Scope ManagementProject failure  Why things go wrongCHAPTER 2 – DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF RISK MANAGEMENT CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORSProject Risk ManagementProject environment and risk  Ã‚  INTERNAL  Environment  EXTERNAL  EnvironmentRisk ManagementIdentifying RisksManaging RisksCritical Success FactorsSuccess criteriaSuccess factorsCHAPTER 3 – LITERATURE REVIEWa.  Success of projects implemented in AfricaProjects in African countries:China’s investments in Africab.  Leadership Success  c. International projects and cultureCHAPTER 4 LIMITATIONSMethodologyResearchFurther researchCHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONCHAPTER 6 BIBLIOGRAPHYRelated CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Dissertation concept The fundamental question considered in this dissertation is, in the past, the success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. Although this has lead to the success of many projects, there is an increasingly popular viewpoint that this focus is too limited.   Analyse the importance of the other emerging success factors of projects such as customer focus and a move away from the traditional project end point towards aspects that act through the lifetime of the product or service created. Project Management Projects are temporary organisations with a clearly defined beginning and end with unique defined objectives and resources. Project Management is a method for bringing change in a company (no-repetitive activity) e.g. banking systems; moving from paper based to computer based. It’s a socio-technical system (involvement of humans and technical tools). PM is not only for building a new system but also modifying an already existing system. A project can be defined as an activity with a specific goal occupying a specific period of time. . (Ray Wild 1995 pg 353) Project is a limited activity, not only in time, but also in the use of resources. Project management, therefore is concerned with the pursuit of a specific goal, using given resources over a defined period of time. This will often require the planning and establishment of an operating system, acquisition of resources; the scheduling of activities and evaluation/review of completed activities. Project Management is all about managing these resources in order that the project is delivered To specification On time, and Within budget Project Planning Good project management starts with good planning the objectives of a project should be clear and would conform to the SMART model: Specific Measurable Agreed Realistic, and Time-based Activities or groups of activates that contribute to risks of delays Projects do not always go according to plan and it is generally the case that when this happens, work takes more, rather than less time, than expected. Good project management recognises the internal and external factors that might throw a project off schedule. Monitoring progress carefully will help identify the likely impact of any delays so that action can be taken to get the project back on track. This is explained further in chapter 2 under project environment and risk. Contingency planning: Strategies that could bring the projects on time The three key learning points 1. Identifying risks of the project: Once the risks are identified, it is easy to manage risks properly rather than trying to put out fires during the project. 2. Indentify the critical path using network diagrams 3. Gantt charts The critical path The critical path is the path through the network with the greatest total duration. (Andrew Greasley pg 375 2006) the critical path method was developed by Dupont during 1950s to manage plant construction. The PERT approach was developed by the US Navy during the development of the Polaris Submarine launched ballistic Missile System during the same decade.(Sapolsky,1972, Andrew Greasley pg 375 2006) A project can have more than one critical path, if several paths tie for the greatest duration. Activates on the path must be started and completed on time; otherwise the total project will not be completed on time. Gantt charts Gantt charts are line diagrams, with lines representing both time and activates. They can be used to estimate the amount of resources required for a project. Where activates are continuous ‘chain’ with one activity able to follow immediately after the other, these can be drawn as a continuous line on the chart.   Project Scope Management Project Scope Management includes the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully (PMI 2004). In Project scope management the primary concern is to define and control the scope of work that should or should not be included within the constraints of Cost, Time and Quality. This phase can be break down into 5 basic steps: Scope Planning Scope Definition, Create Work Breakdown (WBS), Scope Verification and Scope Control. Project failure Projects fail when they do not meet the following criteria for success: It is delivered on time. It is on or under budget. The system works as required. Only a few projects achieve all three. Many more are delivered which fail on one or more of these criteria, and a substantial number are cancelled having failed badly.   Why things go wrong Marsh (2000) proposed an analytical framework to categorize project failures. Quality Problems The wrong problem is addressed – A primary cause of failure is that some projects are started with no clear idea of what exactly are the goals and strategy of the client organization. Analysis is carried out incorrectly – Team is poorly skilled, or inappropriately resourced. Majority of projects fail as a result of poorly skilled and unqualified staff, resulting in poor project management. Project undertaken for wrong reasons – Technology pull or political push. This was evident during the DOT.COM crash during the year 2000. Many companies were simply following a trend set by either their competitors or by internal personnel. Productivity Problems Users change their mind – Many projects have failed over the years as a result of change of requirements by users of the project. This has resulted in increasing costs and time constraints that many projects cannot handle. External events change the environment – New legislation or political intervention can result in failure of projects. Natural environment hazards put projects at risk. Implementation is not feasible – Many projects are over-ambitious and result in project failure. Poor project control – Inexperienced project manager, he/she is ultimately responsible for the completion of the project and therefore it can be argued that any project failure is also the failure of the project management. Quality and productivity play an important part in the success of a project. Quality in terms of the purpose and measurement of what the project is intended for. Productivity relates to the potential rate of progress a project could have. This is in terms of both financial and time invested in a project and its potential return. CHAPTER 2 – DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF RISK MANAGEMENT CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS Project Risk Management What is Risk? â€Å"A risk is any uncertain event that, if occurs, could prevent the project realizing the expectations of the stakeholders as stated in the agreed business case, project brief or agreed definition. A risk that becomes a reality is treated as an issue.† (Young, 2007: 107) Project environment and risk Kathleen Schwalbe (2003): p6 suggests: The project management environment directly affects a project The environment affects HOW a project should be managed Projects are influenced by stakeholders and issues The Project environment has two main sections known as the Internal and External Business/Project environment.   Ã‚  INTERNAL  Environment There are a number of issues in the internal business environment that need to be considered when assessing the risks to the project. The three main stakeholders of a project include the owner, the technical staff and the end-user. Their involvement will ultimately determine the success of the project. In terms of end-users their participation will include the outputs of the system both directly and indirectly. Project managers’ view is that they are the ones that will produce and oversee the projects, finally those of whom will finance and commission the project (owners). Within this group it only requires one stakeholder to conflict with another for the project to fail. All stakeholders will determine whether the project succeeds. End-users may not have enough input into the system and thus resulting in a poorly produced project. Developers/project members may feel that budget and time constraints may overshadow the completion of the project, while the owners may feel that the project has exceeded its budget or may be delivered too late leaving it irrelevant. Factors such as technological advances and changes in the business environment all affect the success of a project.   EXTERNAL  Environment When assessing the risks to the project there are a number of issues in respect of the business environment external to the organisation that need to be considered. Is there likely to be any major governmental or political change , that may occur during the development of the project, which may affect the stability of the market place, the reason for the project and the scope or content of the project. Is there likely to be any major change in the economic environment that might occur during the development of the project that may affect the financial aspects, the market place the project provides products or services for now. The project environment is very important in regards to a project. By understanding factors both internally and externally, only then can a project manager plan a project effectively that will not affect the completion and performance of the project system. Risk Management All projects bring with them an element of  Risk. In the best-planned projects there are uncertainties and unexpected events can always occur for example project staff might leave unexpectedly, the budget might suddenly be cut or a fire or theft might affect the project progress. The majority of risks are however related to the fact that a project manager’s plan is based on estimates and they are therefore manageable. Risk management is a mechanism that allows project managers to predict and deal with events that might prevent project outcomes being delivered on time. Identifying Risks When identifying a new project a Risk Assessment will have to be conducted in order to manage a project without the possible effects of disruption. In order for this to happen the following questions have to be asked: What could possibly go wrong? What is the likelihood of this happening? How will it affect the project? and What can we do about it? The sort of areas that risks are associated with includes: The  activities  along the timeline and any threats to completion and to timescales. The project  components: stuff, equipment other resources. Dealings with  contractors  and  suppliers. Other projects  that might have an impact. Organisational  changes that might occur during the project. Outside influences  that might affect the project such as changes in financial support or government policy The assessment of likelihood of the risk occurring and potential impact if it does occur will come from the experience and knowledge of project stakeholders and others consulted during the risk analysis process. You can think of risks in terms of a matrix (see figure 1) jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/project-management/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/risk-matrix-picFIGURE 1 Your greatest effort will be focused on addressing the risks that are most likely to occur and those that will have the biggest impact if they do occur. Managing Risks In order to effectively manage risk it is important that each risk is allocated to an identified owner. This should be someone within the project team whose responsibility it is to keep an eye on the situation and ensure that the necessary mitigating actions are actually carried out. Responses to the initial risk assessment may include: Risk Transfer  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ move the risk to someone more able to deal with it e.g. contract out the supply and support of the hardware infrastructure Risk Deferral   alter the plan to move some activities to a later date when the risk might be lessened. Risk Reduction  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Either reduce the probability of the risk occurring or lessen the impact e.g. increase staffing resource on the project. Risk Acceptance  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Sometimes there’s not a lot you can do other than accept the risk and ensure that contingency plans are in place. Risk Avoidance  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Eliminate the possibility of the risk occurring e.g. use alternative resources or technologies Managing risk is an ongoing process. The nature of the risks that are faced will alter as the project progresses e.g. staff recruitment may be a big issue at the start of a project whereas staff retention is the issue as the project draws near to an end. At the very minimum project managers should review the risk assessment and management plan at each phase boundary before moving into a new phase of the project. This would allow the project to be managed effectively throughout the system development life cycle. Critical Success Factors Critical Success Factors are measures used to verify if a project is successful or not. Traditionally the success factors have been those used by the Iron triangle(Time, Cost, Quality) to determine if the project has been a success I terms of; the project is completed on Time, on budget and as required/specified(good quality and performance). However, other factors have arisen for example; clients, stakeholders, contractors, etc. These are some of the CSF that is used to determine the success of a project. â€Å"Research on project success further shows that it is impossible to generate a universal checklist of project success criteria suitable for all projects. Success criteria will differ from project to project depending on a number of issues, for example, size, uniqueness and complexity†,J. Wateridge, IJPM 16 (1998) Success criteria Success criteria are those benchmarks against which the success of the project will be measured. Success factors Success factors are those factors that assist in the achieving of criteria. CHAPTER 3 – LITERATURE REVIEW a.  Success of projects implemented in Africa â€Å"The term ‘African countries’, refers to all those countries on the African continent including the Islands of Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles. African countries are by no means homogeneous. They have different religion, social and economic conditions. Modern African states were constituted with no reference to ancient kingdoms, so that each new state includes rival ‘nations’ with nothing other than colonial institutions holding them together. Despite these differences, African countries are characterised by some or all of the following conditions† Ndiritu Muriithi, IJPM, Vol21, Issue5 African countries have different religions and economic conditions. There are some conditions that characterise African countries. It is important for organisations to go through these conditions and conclude if it’s a risk or gain for a project. These include:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Political conditions: The political situation in countries e.g. Uganda and US is different. The political stability is very important for a company implementing a project because changes in political environment such as war or other factors may affect the overall strategy of the company. The government taxes and policies on a company can affect the project strategy for the company as certain new policies could affect the movement of capital and resources across countries.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Social conditions: The social and cultural influences on the business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. The company must consider the effect of working culture on the business. The cultural differences can lead to lack of communication and co-ordination, especially in a highly creative and rapidly changing industry such as china.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economic conditions: The effect globalisation encouraged many companies to outsource many of their projects to developing countries. This helped many companies to achieve a strategic advantage in terms of cost saving. For example, salaries of Ugandan workers are much less than for those in USA.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology conditions: The technology is rapidly changing, this is led to increased competition and developing countries which have the low cost skilled labour could soon be a direct competition to developed countries. The companies must manage their resources efficiently in order to gain the first movers advantage and gain market leadership. However some African countries face power shortages which can have a great impact on a project. A company must be prepared for this by investing in Captive Power Plants (CPP) which is generator driven.    Some of the major problems African countries face that could affect the outcome of a project includes:  ·   Corruption: Corruption is like a disease that has spread all over Africa. If projects are not properly supervised or monitored, money can be diverted into other areas; be it personal gain or into other operations.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inflation: Inflation causes many distortions in the economy. When prices rise consumers cannot buy as much as they could previously.   This discourages savings due to the fact that the money is worth more presently than in the future.   This expectation reduces economic growth because the economy needs a certain level of savings to finance investments which boosts economic growth.   Also, inflation makes it harder for projects to be planned for the future.   It is very difficult to decide how much to produce, because businesses cannot predict the demand for their product/project at the higher prices they will have to charge in order to cover their costs. Disease:   The most common diseases in Africa are transmitted by insects, contaminated food and water. Foreign employees need to be provided with information such as; protecting   themselves from insect bites by wearing proper clothing, using mosquito nets, applying an insect repellent to exposed skin and clothing, and if possible, avoiding high risk situations. As well as getting vaccinations for diseases such as yellow fever. If employees are well informed and trained, they can be prepared and this will not affect their performance hence reducing on risk of project failure. Civil war:   Take the case of Libya where citizens are rioting in order to change the president however, the president of Libya; Muammar Gaddafi does not want to step down. This brings along a number of issues such as; business closing, foreigners leaving the country because of the risk of safety. The country is unstable and any operations or projects that have been implemented may have to be put on hold or shut down. â€Å"Saif al-Islam Gaddafi also hit out at those behind the violence. He said protests against his fathers rule, which have been concentrated in the east of the country, threatened to sink Libya into civil war and split the country up into several small states† Aljazeera Projects in African countries: China’s investments in Africa In recent years, Chinas rapid economic development, enhanced national strength, and the gradual opening to the outside world have attracted the attention of the world. African countries can learn from Chinas successful experience from economic and trade exchanges with China, particularly in infrastructure facilities constructions and choosing an economic development model suitable for their domestic situations. For example, in Zambia, government learnt from China to establish export processing free trade zone, took a series of measure of facilitate investment and trade and exempted enterprises from import duties and value-added tax. To sum up, a long history of friendly political relationship and continuous support of each other paved the way for the economic and trade boom between China and African countries in the recent years. The advantages in resources, capital, products and technology are highly complementary that makes the cooperation possible. China’s preferential policy towards the investment in Africa further encourages Chinese enterprises to enter into the African market.  African countries also devoted themselves to  reduce the deficit, control inflation, reform state-owned companies,  adopt policies to attract foreign investment and actively improve the investment environment.  It is estimated that the following 5 to 8 years will be the â€Å"Golden age† for the Sino-African relationship. Chinese corporations will continue to increase investment in Africa and the mutual trade and economic cooperation will have an optimistic prospect. b.  Leadership Success Leadership has been exercised since the very start of civilization. The Chinese philosopher Lao Tze was writing about leadership 2,500 years ago and his work is still referred to (Crainer, 1996). Quality of leadership is central to the survival and success of project groups and organizations. As  The Art of War, the oldest known military text puts it as, the leader of armies is the arbiter of the peoples fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril (Sun, Undated). The way a project is managed can either lead to its success or failure. Different Project Managers use different leadership styles. The types of Leadership styles are listed below: Autocratic: autocratic leaders are authoritarian; they keep most of the authority to themselves; they do not delegate much or share information with employees. Democratic:   democratic leaders by comparison, like to involve their workers in decisions; they also take the views of their subordinates into account when making decision. Laissez-Faire:   laissez-Faire leaders encourage freedom of group or individual decisions with little leader participation. A leader would supply information about tasks but would take no further part in the discussion process. Finally no attempt to praise or criticise others would take no place apart from the occasional comment or remark. Paternalistic: paternalistic leaders believe he or she knows what is best for the employees Which style of leadership is most effective depends on the kind of situation the leader is dealing with. Assume that a consultant company with clear and structured tasks. Each consultant knows his own job. Under this circumstance, we can predict that the company will work more efficiently if the leader is relation-related than task-related. On the other hand, the assembly line, the leader comes under pressure of an urgent demand. Although the workers know exactly how to do their jobs, can you predict whether it will be fulfilled before lead time led by a task-related leader or a relationship-related leader. But in very favourable situations, task-related leaders can focus on cultivating good interpersonal relations because they know the job will get done. Therefore, the most effective leadership style depends on; the organizations, the skills of their managers, the characteristics of employees, the nature of their tasks and their structures. No one style of leadership appears universally better, although a good deal research indicates that a considerate, participative or democratic style of leadership is generally (not always) more effective. Furthermore, as there more and more  MNCs, managers should be sure to consider national culture as an important variable in choosing a leadership style. Factors which affects leadership style Risk when a decision has to be made urgently and involves a high degree of risk e.g. selling a football player. The leader is likely to be quite  autocratic. Time constraint if there is plenty of time to discuss matters and only a low chance of it going wrong (low risk) the style may well be more democratic. Skills of manager and workforce The leaders are expected to be backed up by a well-trained support staff of experts in a range  of relevant fields. However workforce has to be well skilled and trained in the following: Responsible Teamwork Communication Friendship Self-respect Recognition Relationship Abilities Teams depend on the culture of the company in which the team exists.  Ã‚  When I say culture, I mean watch how people act and interact.  Do people do things for one another?  Ã‚  If a project team is supportive and trusting then likewise there is a good chance that teams will be successful.  Ã‚  Also, it is important that members of teams have realistic expectations.  Ã‚  The unrealistic expectation that is usually assumed by leaders is that team members are expected to put aside their own personal goals and work strictly for the team.  Ã‚  The best teams have leaders who do not make these unrealistic expectations. A team can also become stronger through bonds that are created over time.  Ã‚  When there are certain situations that the team has encountered before, then how much easier is it to go into that situation again and perform better. ANALYSIS Leadership style will depend on factors such as the task, the people involved and the amount of risk. Effective management training could be a useful way to persuade leaders to be flexible. The best style of management at any moment will depend on an enormous range of factors such as personalities and abilities of the manager and the worker and the nature of the task. The way in which a leader deals with his or her colleagues can have a real impact on their motivation and how effectively they work. Leader who always involves discussion with his or her workers will gain better ideas and a more highly motivated workforce. Leadership is a process through which a person tries to get organizational members to do something the person desires. The leader’s influence extends beyond supervisory responsibility and formal authority. Leadership is very important. The reason is because they provide vision and direction and are therefore a key element of business success. As a result, any successful project shows that it has strong leadership. When autocratic leadership is used at the beginning of a leadership it helps to show how people will think that you are serious when leading them. But I prefer when democratic leadership is being used because it helps the employees to feel responsible of what they do; they get a chance to make opinions and decisions.   c. International projects and culture Organisational climate and project success can be linked to international projects. More and more projects are being done abroad. The culture of an international organisation can affect the performance of a foreign employee. â€Å"Few managers would dispute that the climate or atmosphere of an organisation  - loosely, what it feels like to work there  - is likely to have some impact on its performance. There is less   agreement about what is an ideal climate for optimum performance, and the influence managers can have in creating and maintaining it† Organisational climate and project success, Roderic J. Gray To ensure implementation of successful international project, emphasis on planning and management tools should be placed for Project Managers to use to ensure control of time, cost, resources and quality of performance. However, risk or most problems arise because of the environment itself and not from the control of the project manager. In this case the environment refers to the culture of a new country and the difficulties employees face in adjusting or working in these new business environments and how this can an affect on a project’s success or failure. A method that can be used to decide whether a country is risky or not to implement a project is the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Framework. Hofstede is a Dutch researcher most famous for his theory of cultural dimensions framework. Hofstede’s (1980) dimensions of culture have become the most widely used model for explaining various effects across cultures (Yoo and Donthu, 1998).   Stedham and Yamamura (2004) describe culture as stable and enduring but also somewhat changeable due to external forces. Hofstede’s five dimensions include the following. a) Power Distance.   The power distance dimension has to do with inequality in a society.   In a high power distance environment there would be greater tolerance for, and expectation of, inequality in prestige, wealth and power. b)   Uncertainty Avoidance.   Hofstede focuses on uncertainty at the organizational level looking at the use of rules and strategies to reduce exposure to an unsure future. c)   Individualism and Collectivism.   This dimension has to do with the relationship the individual has with the group and more generally with society.   Hofstede points out that the nature of this relationship determines not only how people think about themselves and their immediate group but the â€Å"structure and functioning of many institutions aside from the family† (p210) d)   Masculinity and Femininity.   There seem to be two elements to this dimension.   One deals with the values held and the other with role expectations.   Hofstede (1980) notes that in a work setting, males value â€Å"advancement, earnings, training, up-to-dateness† while females value â€Å"friendly atmosphere, position security, physical conditions and manager cooperation† (p281).   The second aspect of this dimension has to do with what people in a culture expect of sex roles.   In a very masculine culture, sex roles would be differentiated while in a feminine culture sex roles would be more similar. e) Long Term Orientation (LTO).   This is a recent addition to the Hofstede model, added as a new dimension to the model in the second edition (2001).   It is based on the philosophy of Confucius and has to do with â€Å"persistence, thrift, personal stability and respect for tradition† (p351).   It describes a longer term, higher level view of life. Just as there are differences seen in the dimensions between countries, it could be expected that there would be differences expected between groups of individuals within countries.   Differences between attitudes and behaviours of males and females are extensively studied and well documented in Western culture.   Similarly, individuals have been observed to change in their attitudes and behaviour as they age.   Variations in Hofstede’s cultural dimensions across age and gender have been studied by some researchers.   Stedham and Yamamura (2004), for example, examined the cultural differences between Americans and Japanese with a focus on sex and age differences.   They found no differences due to age and differences between males and females on the power distance dimension in  Japan  (mf), individualism (mf) in both countries. Effects of globalization:   Hofstede notes changes in measured levels of his dimension between 1968 and 1972.   It seems very likely that changes between 1972 and now would be much more profound with globalization of business and telecommunication and the shift of  China  to more free-market economy.   While there has been some debate on whether there is convergence of world culture, Inglehart and Baker (2000) concludes that while cultural differences will persist there is a trend to more common cultural values as countries industrialize.   Perhaps  China’s values are beginning to change and that change is seen especially in its cohort of young people. Hofstede regarded both national and organisational culture as phenomena at different levels. However he felt that they were both linked. â€Å"Organisational cultures are supported by employees’ societal values, while national cultural differences reside in practices at organisational level† (Huczynski Buchanan, 2001). Hofstede argued that peoples` behaviour in the work place is largely influenced by societal cultural values as careers are a trade off between risk, security, success and family life. â€Å"One could expect that societal power distance norms between countries would impact differently† (Huczynski Buchanan, 2001). However for the success of an Organisation it is important to keep in mind the national culture and adhere to it. Let’s take the example of the HSBC bank whose catchphrase all over the world is â€Å"your local bank†.  Ã‚  As the worlds local bank, their employees need to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Their commitment to diversity starts at the top. Their Board is one of the most ethnically diverse among leading international companies, so is their employee base: half are women, three in 10 are Asian, one in seven is Latin American; Caucasians are a minority. As a result they are able to easily adapt to the national culture in which they are based. Their organisational goal consists of adapting to the national cultures in which the bank is based, among other missions. They employ local employees to help in building the bank with the norms and beliefs in keeping with the society and its culture (www.hsbc.com). As a whole they are extremely success, accepted and recognised Organisation worldwide. How to measure success [[International Journal of Project Management, A new framework for determining critical success/failure factors in projects, Volume 14, Issue 3, June 1996, Pages 141-151] CHAPTER 4 LIMITATIONS Methodology When looking at the options available for conducting research I looked at the three aims that need to be met when collecting information.   The research must be reliable and valid, the validity gives a true picture of what’s being measured and the results are reliable if another person can conduct the same method and achieve the same results. Research Further research CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION Projects exist in every sphere of business, markets, segment, and industry. Projects would come in a myriad types, sizes, and complexity- from small initiatives, medium-size initiatives to mega-projects. Nowadays, project management is no longer special-need management. It is rapidly becoming a standard way of doing business. Project managers need to communicate with everyone in the company who’s responsible for implementing and reviewing projects. To work effectively, it must enable communicating about a project’s progress, goals, costs, and availability of personnel. In addition, the effective project manager should have skills and a good working knowledge of project management process, and pay attention on risk management plan, which will enhance a project success and a long-term benefit to a corporation. It is important to adapt the organisational/project culture and get the correct mix between the organisational culture and the national culture in order to come up with the sufficient mix for the smooth running of the project, especially in regard to its employees. Therefore it is important to keep up to organisational cultural values but it is essential to adapt these organisational cultures in order to keep in line with the national culture. By this the organisation will be accepted by the population in that country without them feeling that it was changing their lifestyles in some way. Therefore with increasing Globalisation, Organisational culture should be taken into account but should not be considered be more important than National cultures. In this way, projects can run smoothly. CHAPTER 6 BIBLIOGRAPHY Adel Al Khattab, John Anchor and Eleanor Davies (2007)International Journal of Project Management: Managerial perceptions of political risk in international projects. Volume 25, Issue 7, Pages 734-743. Andrew G, 2006, Operations Management: John Wiley Sons, Ltd Cacioppe, R (1997) ‘Leadership moment by moment!’  Leadership Organization Development Journal.  Volume 18 Issue 7 pp335–345 Crainer, S. (1996) Leaders on Leadership, Northants: Institute of Management Foundation Hofstede, Geert H. (1980),  Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values,  Beverly Hills: Sage Publication. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D.(2001)  Organizational Behaviour: An Introductory Text, ch.19, Prentice Hall:  London Inglehart, Ronald and Wayne E. Baker (2000), â€Å"Modernization, Cultural Change and the Persistence of Traditional Values†,  American Sociological Review, 65, Feb, 19 – 51. Marsh, D, 2000,  The project programme support office handbook,  Volume one,  Great Britain: Project Manager Today. McKenna, E (1998) Business Psychology Organisational Behaviour, Sussex: Psychology Press Ltd Mullins, L.J. (2006)  Management and Organisational Behaviour, Essex: Prentice Hall. Edition 7 M.S. Nawaz and J. Hood (2005), Managing international business risk – political, cultural and ethical dimensions: a case study approach, J Insurance Res Practice 20 (1), pp. 16–24. Ndiritu Muriithiand Lynn Crawford (2003) International Journal of Project Management: Approaches to project management in Africa: implications for international development projects. Volume 21, Issue 5, Pages 309-319. Ray W, 1995, Production and operation Management,  London: Cassell educational ltd Roderic J. Gray (2001) International Journal of Project Management: Organisational climate and project success Volume 19, Issue 2,Pages 103-109 . Schwalbe, K., 2003,  Information technology project management,  London: Course  technology. Stedham, Yvonne E. And Jeanne H. Yamamura (2004), â€Å"Measuring National Culture: Does Gender Matter?†,  Women in Management Review, 19, 5, 233 – 243. Stogdill, R.M. (1974) Handbook of leadership: A survey of the literature, New York: Free Press Sun, T. (undated) The Art of War hackcraft.net/SunTzu/wagingWar/20/ J. Wateridge, How can IS/IT projects be measured for success. International Journal of Project Management 16 1 (1998), pp. 59–63. Yoo, Boonghee and Naveen Donthu, (1998), â€Å"Validating Hofstede’s Five-Dimensional Measure of Culture at the Individual Level†,  American Marketing Association, Conference Proceedings, 83. Yoo, Boongee, Naveen Donthu and Tomasz Lenartowicz (2004) Working Paper. Young, T. L. (2007) The Handbook of Project Management: A practical guide to effective policies, techniques and processes. 2nd Edition, London: Kogan Page. Fig 1. â€Å"Risk Matrix† (online) jiscinfonet.ac.uk [located] jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/project-management/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/risk-matrix-pic â€Å"Gaddafis son in civil war warning† english.aljezeera.net [online]  Ã‚   Available from: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/2011220232725966251.html ‘The case of HSBC’ [located] www.hsbc.com

How To Make A Telemarketing Complaint

How To Make A Telemarketing Complaint    The Federal Communication Commission has released specific steps consumers should take if they have put their phone numbers on the National Do-Not-Call Registry and are called by telemarketers on or after October 1, 2003. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) share responsibility for enforcing the National Do-Not-Call list.   If You are Called by Telemarketers, You Can Do the Following If you have registered your telephone number on the National Do-Not-Call list, tell the telemarketer that you are on the list. Make a note of the time and date of the call, and the identity of the telemarketer for your records. You will need this information if you elect to file a complaint; OR If you are not registered on the National Do-Not-Call list, you can still instruct the telemarketer to place you on its company-specific do-not-call list if you do not want to receive further calls from that company. For your own reference, make a note of the date and time you asked to be put on the company-specific list. Having this information may be helpful if you get called again by the same company and wish to file a complaint with the FCC; OR Explore whether your state has its own do-not-call list. Contact your State Attorney General or State office that administers the list for more information. Filing a Complaint The FCC and the FTC will both accept complaints and share information, so consumers may file complaints with either agency. In addition to complaints alleging violations of the do-not-call list, you may also file a complaint against a telemarketer who is calling for a commercial purpose (e.g., not charitable organizations). The telemarketer calls before 8 AM or after 9 PM; OR The telemarketer leaves a message, but fails to leave a phone number that you can call to sign up for their company specific do-not-call list; OR You receive a telemarketing call from an organization whom you have previously requested not call you; OR The telemarketing firm fails to identify itself; OR You receive a pre-recorded commercial message or robocall from someone with whom you do not have an established business relationship and to whom you havent given permission to call you. (Most pre-recorded commercial messages are unlawful, even if no do-not-call request has been made). How to File a Complaint For consumers who registered their numbers before September 1, 2003, those registrations have taken effect, and consumers may file a complaint at any time if they receive telemarketing calls. For those consumers who registered their telephone numbers after August 31, 2003, the registration takes 90 days to become effective, so those consumers can complain about calls that they receive three months or more after their registration. Complaints should be filed online on the FCCs Telemarketing Complaints web page. Your Complaint Should Include name, address, and telephone number where you can be reached during the business day; the telephone number involved with the complaint; and as much specific information as possible, including the identity of the telemarketer or company contacting you, the date on which you put your number on the national Do-Not-Call registry or made a company-specific do-not-call request, and the date(s) of any subsequent telemarketing call(s) from that telemarketer or company. If mailing a complaint, send it to: Federal Communications Commission Consumer Governmental Affairs Bureau Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Consumer Private Right of Action In addition to filing a complaint with the FCC or FTC, consumers may explore the possibility of filing an action in a state court. Preventing Unwanted Calls In the First Place Filing a complaint after the fact can help, there are steps consumers can take to at least reduce the number of unwanted telemarketing phone calls they receive. According to the FTC, adding a phone number to the more than 217 million numbers already on the Do Not Call Registry should stop â€Å"most† unwanted sales calls. The Telemarketing Sales Law allows political calls, calls from charitable organizations, informational calls, calls about debts owed, and phone surveys or polls, as well as calls from companies consumer  has done business with in the past or given permission to call them. What about â€Å"robocalls† - automated recorded messages pitching a product or service? The  FTC warns that most of them are scams. Consumers who get robocalls should never press phone buttons to â€Å"request to speak to someone or be taken off the call list.† Not only will they not get to speak to someone, they will just end up getting more unwanted calls. Instead, consumers should simply hang up and report details of the call to the Federal Trade Commission online or call the  FTC at 1-888-382-1222.

University of Washington Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

University of Washington - Personal Statement Example I did enjoy UCLA at first, but after a while I realized that I was not progressing as I had hoped for. The architectural program at UCLA is limited somewhat due to the fact that the university focuses on other areas of study. In order to grow and expand, I need to study at an institution where the focus will be on improving the knowledge of the students and equipping them with the tools required to succeed. 2. The University of Washington will assist me by providing me with a strong foundation from which to expand my knowledge in the area of architecture. I have always been an artistic person, and I have held a love of architecture from since I was very young. The University of Washington will provide me with a learning environment that is conducive to my well-being and academic pursuits. Creativity is an important part of architecture, and I feel that this institution will not stifle my ambition and instead assist me to achieve all of my professional goals that I have set out for myself. Additionally, I hope that the University of Washington will help me to develop on a personal level as well. Most education institutions are focused on the academic abilities of students, but the reality is that the personal well-being of students should be just as important. This is the reason why I am looking for something a little bit more than just a solid education. It is my hope that the Universi ty of Washington will be a place where I can flourish and fulfill the potential that I have had in the field of architecture since I was a young child. 3. As I have mentioned previously, my first experience of architecture was in Indonesia when I was younger. Although I had an intense passion for architecture, I could not progress within this field while still at an Indonesian school. I was still very young when my parents made the bold move to send me to an international school. The benefits to this

Marketing Communications - marketing strategies of C&C's Bulmers & Essay

Marketing Communications - marketing strategies of C&C's Bulmers & Magners Brand Cider - Essay Example Figure 1 below illustrates the Blumer/Magner market in relation to the larger business domain of beverages. Having identified the operating space for the product, some companies choose to target and serve a single segment out of the market by practicing niche marketing strategies while others choose several segments out of the market and offer differentiated offers. Some companies on the other hand do not segment the market but target the whole market with a single offering. Figure 2 below illustrates the different targeting strategies available for a company. Segmentation, which is the first step of targeting, divides the market in to distinct groups of buyers with different needs, characteristics or behavior. Next step of targeting involves evaluation of each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more of the market segments to enter (Wisner 1996). In the case of Magners & Bulmers a niche marketing strategy is being adopted. Although segmenting can be based on factors such as demographics or geographic segregation or on economic classifications, the more sophisticated segmenting tools combine above factors with â€Å"Key Benefits Sought† (KBS) Analysis. These KBS are dependent on the alcohol content, taste and texture of the cider as well as the image factors. Table 1 below provides the segmentation of the cider market, which can be targeted by Magners/Blumer, based on â€Å"Key Benefits Sought† and further qualified by demographic, and Psychographics factors. From the above three target markets, the Magner is focusing on the Social Drink segment. In this category the product can effectively compete with mild and mid strength beers as well as wines provided the product image is developed to high standards. The Magner image has to change further to appeal to the sophisticated UK premium drinker category. The packaging still falls behind

Gender Equality Essay Example for Free

Gender Equality Essay Irrespective of the country and the cultures people live in, it is next to impossible to keep the question of gender equality hidden in the modern society. When the word gender equality was voiced in the 19th century what was been sought was political rights. Not only then but also today inequality between men and women has been evident in our society. Discrimination against women is an act that has had a lot of negative impact in our society and to the women themselves. This has been demonstrated through gender violence, economic discrimination, reproductive health inequalities and harmful traditional practices. It is a concern to the whole world to a point of making the affirmative action to fix this problem. Gender equality first and foremost is a human right; women are entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from fear and want (Tomasevski, 1993). Should men and women be equal in the modern society? Men and women are equal; only that women are victims of pervert social progress. Gender discrimination between men and women leads to unequal access to the resources and benefits of development. see more:gender discrimination short essay Gender inequality affects all people; sustainable gains in development and poverty reduction are only possible when men and women are full and equal participants in society. Men and women are different but they are equal in that whatever men can do their women counter parts can do it well. Men and women are equal what brings the discrimination is the socialization that men and women get. The notion that women are weak has denied many women with the ability to exploit the abilities they have (Tierney, 2007). Men and women are equal in so many aspects and should be equal. Politically, financially and academically no much difference that can be noted, it is insignificant. In the political realms there are women who are doing extemporal well. Taking the example of the just concluded US election Hillary Clinton had good support and motions that would be bought by the rest of the candidates. In the world of business we have Oprah Winfrey; an indicator of what women can do. She is competing among the men in that field and still her success is a threat to many. In the modern society women have been known to take responsibilities of raising the families. Women have come up so well in that their dependency level is going down even though they are discriminated in salaries. This is a proof enough that if women are given equal opportunity with men they can do much well. In the employment sector women are taking those opportunities which were thought to be for men (Kramarae Spender, 2000). Women are managers of big companies and also owners just as men. They are also well represented in the government sectors and in the government. They have become career makers. Men have the initiative of sharing the household responsibilities. It is a common occurrence that couples can choose whether it is the woman or the man who will get a leave to take care of their new borne baby. Men and women are equal in the eyes of the law; they are subjected under the same law. Women are equal to men in all aspects hence in the modern society they should get the right to basic needs, education, job training and employment as men do. Empowering women is a great tool for reducing poverty and advancing development. Empowered women contribute to productivity and health in the families and communities and hence improved prospects for the next generation (Cross, 2001). The idea that men are stronger physically is just a preference of a few. If women are given similar opportunities as men they can perform equally well. Denial of opportunity has contributed to decreased performance of women in various areas. On the other hand both women and men should not forget their roles though sharing of responsibilities is taking root in the modern society. References: Cross, P. L. (2001): Womens Rights are Human Rights; Human Rights are Womens Rights. Retrieved on 29th Dec, 2008 from: http://www. pinn. net/~sunshine/essays/w_rights. html Kramarae, C. , Spender D, (2000): Routledge International Encyclopaedia of Women: Global Womens Issues and Knowledge. ISBN 0415920906, 9780415920902, Routledge Tierney, J. (2007): Men and Women, Different but Equal: What’s the Problem? Retrieved on 29th Dec, 2008 from: http://tierneylab. blogs. nytimes. com/2007/09/09/men-and-women-different-but-equal-whats-the-problem/ Tomasevski, K. , (1993). Women and Human Rights. ISBN 185649120X, 9781856491204, Zed Books

What Love Is Not :: essays research papers fc

When I was Thirteen, I couldn’t wait until I was sixteen so that I could drive. Once I was sixteen I couldn’t wait until I was eighteen. I wanted to be considered an adult. When I reached the age of eighteen, I couldn’t wait to turn twenty-one. I wanted to be able to drink and gamble, legally. I am now twenty-two years old, and I wish that I could be a child again. I look back and feel that I grew up too quickly. I think the reason that I grew up so quickly, was due to the fact that I was friends with people who were older than myself. And just like the young boy in the short story â€Å"Araby† by James Joyce, I wanted to be accepted by someone older than myself. The young boy from â€Å"Araby†, wanted to be accepted by an older girl who he thought he loved. Although (in reality) the young boy does not truly love this girl; he becomes deeply obsessed with her. Which would have cost him his childhood; if it weren’t for his realization. Some people live their whole lives and never discover what love really is. And the young boy from â€Å"Araby† hasn’t either. Communication is a vital part of loving someone, and this is something that the young boy cannot do. The young boy demonstrates this when he encounters the older girl who is his so-called love. â€Å"At last she spoke to me. When she addressed the first words to me I was so confused that I did not know what to answer† (Joyce 28). This shows the boys inability to communicate with the girl. He cannot even hold a simple conversation with the girl. When you love someone you have to be able to tell someone how you feel, or at least be Williams 2 able to communicate how you feel through body language. Like flirting. If you do not, or cannot, let that person know how you feel, it is not called love. It is called an obsession. Most people obsess over things that they cannot have. One thing that the young boy cannot have is the older girl. All he can do is obsess over her. He obsesses over to the point that he is almost stalking her. The boy illustrates this to us every morning: Every morning I lay on the floor in the front parlour watching her door.

Energy and Water Saving Ideas for Schools

Water-Saving Ideas for Schools Free ? Repair leaky faucets and toilets throughout the school building. ? Encourage maintenance staff to avoid using hoses or pressure washers to clean sidewalks and other paved areas. ? Never allow water to run unnecessarily, and avoid using the toilet as a trash can. ? Avoid overuse of the air conditioning – the harder it works, the more water (and energy! ) is used to cool the building. ? Encourage your school’s cafeteria staff to avoid using trays when possible. Fewer items to wash means less water is used to wash them! ?Research the water needs of the plants currently found on the school grounds. Determine how often they require water, and request that maintenance staff only water the plants and grounds as required by the plants. ? Make sure sprinkler systems are watering plants and not spraying water onto sidewalks or other paved areas. ? Develop a poster campaign to help educate the school community on water-conserving behaviors suc h as repairing leaks, turning off the water while washing hands, avoiding overuse of air conditioning, landscaping with native plants, etc.Low-cost ? Install faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads and other water-saving devices throughout the school. ? Construct a rain garden or native plants garden on the school grounds. ? Install rain barrels on school grounds. ? Place mulch around plants to reduce evaporation. ? Install timers and moisture sensors on irrigation equipment used on school grounds. ? Research the WaterSense program and encourage the school administration to purchase WaterSense products when equipment needs replacing.National Environmental Education Week is April 11-17, 2010 Be Water and Energy Wise! www. eeweek. org Energy-Saving Ideas for Schools Free ? Set the classroom (or school-wide) thermostat so it is slightly warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter. ? Start a carpooling program at your school and encourage students to ride the school bus or carpool rathe r than having their individual parents drive them to school. ? If your classroom has windows and gets plenty of natural light, open the blinds and turn off the lights when not required. Check for and repair leaks around windows and doors where air conditioning and heat can escape. ? Plug all computers, televisions, printers, copiers, and other equipment into power strips, and turn off the strips when the devices are not in use. Even when turned off, many electronics use energy even when they're in standby mode. ? Pack lunches (in reusable containers! ) that don’t require heating. ? Ensure that heating and cooling vents are clear of obstruction. ?Create a schedule and put students in charge of turning off energy-consuming devices in the classroom (printers, computers, lights, etc. ). ? Increase the amount of insulation on water heaters and hot water pipes. ? Develop a poster campaign to help educate the school community on energy-conserving behaviors such as turning off lights , computers, and other equipment when not in use, keeping doors and windows closed to reduce heating and cooling system waste, washing clothes and dishes in full loads using cold water, etc.Low-cost ? Replace classroom light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. ? Research the Energy Star program and encourage the school administration to purchase Energy Star products when equipment needs replacing. ? Plant deciduous trees around the school building. Trees help reduce heating and cooling costs by shading the building during warm months and by providing a wind break during the winter. National Environmental Education Week is April 11-17, 2010 Be Water and Energy Wise! www. eeweek. org

Syncretism

Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. In the case of Haitian Vodou, Vodou blends two or more religious beliefs into one system, therefore it can be characterized has syncretism. Vodou is a syncretic system derived from deeply rooted African beliefs and colonial French Catholicism. As a reaction to being torn violently from their roots, the slaves tried to resume their cultural and religious traditions.Ancestral spirits were invoked and celebrated in secret, far from the master's eyes. The worship of saints and the Catholic sacraments served as a screen and a support for African beliefs. The creation of a coherent belief system was extremely important in the development of a feeling of unity among the slaves which would provide them with a sense of self and community. The process of syncretization among the African religions helps to explain why Vodou found it relatively easy to accept and integrate parts of Christian religious belief and practice into the local religious activity.Resistance to conversion was met with terrible violence, so Africans already saddled with the horror of being a slave would also suffer extra depreciations because they wished to celebrate their native religion. A solution fell into place though, and this solution was nearly identical all across the Americas. The Africans would pretend to convert to Catholicism, and secretly continue their religious traditions under the guise of Christian worship. Catholic symbols, like the Eucharist and the Saints, came to have double meanings.Initially this integration was purely functional, providing a cover of legitimacy for religions that were severely proscribed. Naturally, most Africans did not want to leave behind their old traditions. But after a few generations a real syncretism became part of the duality of beliefs of the slaves themselves, who soo n found it possible to accommodate both religious systems. One way in which one can see clearly an example of syncretism is that Vodou recognizes a supreme deity and so does Catholicism.However, this god does not interact directly with humanity. Humans must rely on lesser celestial beings known as laws; and in Roman Catholicism humans must rely on lesser celestial beings known as angels and saints. These creatures might appear as gods, though they are more like helpers and messengers for the supreme creator. It was a simple matter of marrying the imagery of lwas with saints and angels. Then it was simple to go to Church and pray to St. Patrick to invoke Damballah, or pray to St. Anthony to invoke Legba.There was also no need to change the structure of the supreme deity. Vodou does not reject the idea that the Christian god is any different than their supreme deity. How did Haitian Vodou come to this point? Vodou’s evolution is marked by four major developments. The first one is the integration of African beliefs and practices around the dominant Fon religion. The second was the classification of gods and emergence of new ones. The third one was the synthesis of Catholic elements; and finally the fourth one was appropriating Amerindian religious symbols.The reason that the Fon beliefs became the dominant ones was for the simple fact that the Dahomean culture was the most populous. Vodou gained the majority of its deities from the Fon received from other African religions are the terms for gods (laws), mambos, the Congo word for priestess, and special deities lie Ogun, which absorbs the place of Gu in Dahomey. The classification for gods/laws changed over the time of Vodou’s development. At first it was classified according to African ethnic origins: Rada, Kongo, Nago, and Ibo.Later, with the emergence of new deities in Haiti two major categories of deities emerged: Rada and Petwo deities. The Rada deities originate from Africa while the Petwo deit ies originated in Haiti, but are still believed to visit from Africa (nan ginen). Synthesis of the Catholic faith with Vodou began with the Code Noir in 1685. This code outlawed all religions except for Catholicism. According to the Code Noir, slaves must be baptized. It stated that each slave’s acceptance into the church must be preceded by a period of religious instruction in the Catholic faith.This led to restrictions for the slaves. Some of these restrictions included slaves not being able to leave the plantation, prohibit slaves from night gathering, rituals, dances, etc. , and the sale of goats were prohibited. Three theories could explain what happened. The first one simply states that both fused together to make one. The second theory, symbiosis, explains that African elements and Catholic elements existed side by side as part of a mosaic, not having true fusion.The third theory, merely draped over the African dissimulation, states that Catholic elements of ritual wer e merely draped over the African ones in efforts to conceal traditional religious practices in an environment that was hostile to their survival. The last theory is what I think explains this scenario the best. Vodou is more closely related to African traditions than the Catholic faith; Vodou just used the Catholic faith as a disguise.I believe if the Catholic faith was not there, it Vodou could have still emerged under Islam or Judaism, but it would have been much harder since the two latter religions are not as universal as Catholicism. The final step in the development of Vodou is the synthesis of Amerindian religions. Symbols for Vodou originated here and not in Africa. Things like the asson, the sacred rattle of the priests, and the objects used in rituals. One can conclude that Vodou started as a religion from mainly three other religions, but now Vodou has evolved into a new and unique religion.

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson essays

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson essays With the assassination of Lincoln, the presidency fell upon an old-fashioned southerner named Andrew Johnson. Although an honest and honorable man, Andrew Johnson was one of the most unfortunate Presidents. Over time there has been a controversial debate as to whether Johnson deserved to be impeached, or if it was an unconstitutional attempt by Congress to infringe upon the presidents authority. The impeachment of Andrew Johnson was politically motivated. The spirit of the Jacksonian democracy inspired Andrew Johnson. From this influence he helped found the Democratic Party in his region and became elected to the town council in 1829. After serving in his town council for two years he was elected mayor in 1831. Johnson was a strict constructionist and an advocate of states' rights who distrusted the power of government at all levels. Following his term as Mayor Johnson won elections to the Tennessee State legislature in 1835, 1839, and 1841. After serving these terms he was elected to Congress in 1843. As a member of the US House, Johnson opposed government involvement in the nations economy through tariffs and internal improvements. "In 1852 Johnson lost his seat in the US House because of gerrymandering by the Whig- dominated state legislature." (Jackson) Following his loss he came back in 1853 to win a narrow victory for governor and served two terms. In 1857, Johnson was then elected to represent Tennessee in the US Senate. "While serving in the Senate Johnson became an advocate of the Homestead Bill, which was opposed by most Southern Democrats and their slave owning, plantation constituents." (Kennedy) This issue strained the already tense relations between Johnson and the wealthy planters in western Tennessee. Eventually the party split into regional factions. Johnson made the decision to back the Southern Democratic nominee, John Breckinridge. By this time the rupture between Johnson and most ...

A History of The Rolling Stones

A History of The Rolling Stones The longest-performing rock band of all time, the Rolling Stones have greatly influenced rock and roll throughout the decades. Beginning as part of the British Rock Invasion of the 1960s, the Rolling Stones quickly became the â€Å"bad-boy† band with an image of sex, drugs, and wild behavior. After five decades together, the Rolling Stones have amassed eight #1 singles and ten consecutive gold albums. Dates: 1962-Present Also Known As: The Stones Original Members: Mick Jagger - lead vocals, harmonicaKeith Richards - guitar, backing vocalsCharlie Watts - drumsBrian Jones - guitar, harmonica, sitar, backing vocalsIan Stewart - pianoBill Wyman - bass guitar, backing vocals Current Members: Mick Jagger - lead vocals, harmonicaKeith Richards – guitarCharlie Watts – drumsRon Wood - bass guitar Overview   The Rolling Stones were a British band, begun in the early 1960s, influenced by American rhythm and blues artists such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Fats Domino, as well as jazz musician Miles Davis. However, the Rolling Stones eventually created their own sound by experimenting with instruments and writing rhythm and blues mixed with rock and roll. When the Beatles hit international stardom in 1963, the Rolling Stones were right on their heels. While the Beatles became known as the good-boy band (influencing pop rock), the Rolling Stones became known as the bad-boy band (influencing blues-rock, hard rock, and grunge bands). Important Friendships In the early 1950s, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger were elementary-school classmates in Kent, England, until Jagger went to a different school. Nearly a decade later, their friendship was rekindled after a chance encounter at a train station in 1960. While Jagger was on his way to the London School of Economics where he was studying accounting, Richards was commuting to Sidcup Art College where he was studying graphic art. Since Jagger had a couple of Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records under his arm when they met, talk quickly turned to music. They discovered that Jagger had been singing adolescent â€Å"love frustration† songs in underground clubs in London while Richards had been playing the guitar since the age of 14. The two young men once again became friends, creating a partnership that has kept the Rolling Stones together for decades. Looking for an outlet to try out their musical talent, Jagger and Richards, plus another young musician named Brian Jones, began to occasionally play in a band named Blues Incorporated (the first electric RB band in Britain). The band embraced aspiring young musicians with an interest in this type of music, allowing them to perform in cameo appearances. This is where Jagger and Richards met Charlie Watts, who was the drummer for Blues Incorporated. Forming the Band Soon, Brian Jones decided to start his own band. To get started, Jones placed an advertisement in Jazz News on May 2, 1962, inviting musicians to audition for a new RB group. Pianist Ian â€Å"Stu† Stewart was the first to respond. Then Jagger, Richards, Dick Taylor (bass guitar), and Tony Chapman (drums) joined as well. According to Richards, Jones named the band while on the phone trying to book a gig. When asked for a band name, Jones glanced down at a Muddy Waters LP, saw one of the tracks named â€Å"Rollin’ Stone Blues† and said, â€Å"Rollin’ Stones.† The new band, named Rollin’ Stones and led by Jones, played their first performance at the Marquee Club in London on July 12, 1962. The Rollin’ Stones soon secured a residency at the Crawdaddy Club, bringing in younger audiences who were looking for something new and exciting. This new sound, a renaissance of blues performed by young British musicians, had kids standing on the tables, rocking, dancing, and shouting to the sound of electric guitars with a provocative singer. Bill Wyman (bass guitar, backing vocals) joined in December 1962, replacing Dick Taylor who went back to college. Wyman wasn’t their first choice, but he had an amplifier the band desired. Charlie Watts (drums) joined the following January, replacing Tony Chapman who left for another band. The Rolling Stones Cut a Record Deal In 1963, the Rollin’ Stones signed with a manager named Andrew Oldham, who had been helping to promote the Beatles. Oldham saw the Rollin’ Stones as the â€Å"anti-Beatles† and decided to promote their bad-boy image to the press. Oldham also changed the spelling of the band’s name by adding a â€Å"g,† making it â€Å"Rolling Stones† and changed Richards’ last name to Richard (which Richard later changed back to Richards). Also in 1963, the Rolling Stones cut their first single, Chuck Berry’s â€Å"Come On.† The song hit #21 on the UK singles chart. The Stones appeared on the TV show, Thank Your Lucky Stars, to perform the song while wearing matching houndstooth jackets to appease television producers. Their second hit single, â€Å"I Wanna Be Your Man,† written by the Lennon-McCartney songwriting duo of the Beatles, reached #12 on the UK chart. Their third single, Buddy Holly’s â€Å"Not Fade Away,† hit #3 on the same chart. This was their first American hit that went to #48 on the American chart. Parents Hate the Stones The press turned an eye toward the Rolling Stones, a group of brash punks upsetting the status quo by playing black music to young white audiences. A March 1964 article in the British weekly Melody Maker titled, â€Å"Would You Let Your Sister Go With a Stone,† created such a stir that 8,000 kids showed up at the Rolling Stones’ next gig. The band decided the press was good for their popularity and thus purposely started shenanigans such as growing their hair and wearing casual, mod-style (modified) suits to receive more media attention. The Rolling Stones Roll into America Becoming too big to perform in clubs by early 1964, the Rolling Stones went on a British tour. In June 1964, the band rolled into America to perform concerts and to record at Chess Studios in Chicago as well as the Hollywood RCA Studios, where they captured the vibrant, earthy sound they desired due to better acoustics. Their American concert in San Bernardino, California, was well received by excited schoolboys and screaming schoolgirls, even without a major hit record in the States. But the Midwest concerts proved spotty because no one had heard of them. Crowds picked up again at the New York concert. Once back in Europe, the Rolling Stones released their fourth single, Bobby Womack’s â€Å"It’s All Over Now,† which they had recorded in America at Chess Studios. A fanatical Stones cult began to form after the song hit #1 on the UK charts. It was their very first #1 hit. Jagger and Richards Start Writing Songs Oldham urged Jagger and Richards to start writing their own songs, but the duo found that writing blues was harder than they expected. Instead, they ended up writing a type of morphed blues-rock, a hybrid of blues with a heavier melody than improvisation. On their second trip to America in October 1964, the Rolling Stones performed on the Ed Sullivan TV show, changing the words to â€Å"Let’s Spend the Night Together† (written by Richards and Jagger) to â€Å"Let’s Spend Some Time Together† due to censorship. That same month they appeared in the concert film the T.A.M.I. Show in Santa Monica, California, with James Brown, the Supremes, Chuck Berry, and the Beach Boys. Both venues greatly improved their American exposure and Jagger began to mimic the moves of James Brown. Their Mega Hit The Rolling Stones’ 1965 mega-hit, â€Å"(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,† with Richards’ fuzz-guitar riff designed to imitate the sound of a horn section, hit #1 worldwide. Their musical attitude, a mixture of rebellion and irreverence using urgent guitars, tribal drums, forceful harmonicas, and sexually tensed vocals, seduced the young and alarmed the old. When the Rolling Stones had another #1 hit, â€Å"Paint It Black,† the following year, they had begun to secure their rock-star status. Although Brian Jones had started the band, the leadership of the Rolling Stones shifted to Jagger and Richards once they had proved themselves to be a strong songwriting team. Drugs, Death, and Citations By 1967, the members of the Rolling Stones were living like rock-stars, which meant they were abusing a lot of drugs. It was in that year that Richards, Jagger, and Jones were all charged with possession of drugs (and given suspended sentences). Unfortunately, Jones was not only addicted to drugs; his mental health spiraled out of control. By 1969, the rest of the band members could no longer tolerate Jones, so he left the band on June 8. Just a few weeks later, Jones drowned in his swimming pool on July 2, 1969. By the late 1960s, the Rolling Stones had become the bad boys they had once promoted themselves to be. Their concerts from this period, filled with teenagers from the growing counterculture movement (young people experimenting with communal living, music, and drugs), were raucous enough to lead to a number of citations against the Rolling Stones for causing concert violence. Jagger’s Nazi goose-stepping onstage didn’t help. Rolling Stones Gather No Moss in the 70s, 80s, and 90s By the early 1970s, the Rolling Stones were a controversial group, banned from many countries and exiled from Britain in 1971 for not paying their taxes. The Stones fired their manager Allen Klein (who had taken over from Oldham in 1966) and started their own record label, Rolling Stones Records. The Rolling Stones continued to write and record music, mixing in punk and disco genres inspired by new band member Ron Woods. Richards was arrested in Toronto for heroin trafficking, resulting in legal limbo for 18 months; he was subsequently sentenced to perform a benefit concert for the blind. Richards then quit heroin. During the early 1980s, the band experimented with the new-wave genre, but members began to pursue solo careers due to creative differences. Jagger wanted to continue experimenting with contemporary sounds, and Richards wanted to stay rooted in blues. Ian Stewart suffered a fatal heart attack in 1985. In the late 80s, The Rolling Stones realized they were stronger together. They chose to reunite and announced a new album. By the end of the decade, the Rolling Stones were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1993, Bill Wyman announced his retirement. The Stones’ Voodoo Lounge album won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 1995 and prompted a world tour. Jagger and Richards agreed that their drifting in the 80s attributed to their success in the 90s. They believe that had they stayed together, they would have broken up. The Stones Keep On Rollin into the New Millennium The Rolling Stones have endured waxing and waning popularity over the decades. While band members are now in their sixties and seventies in the new millennium, they still perform, tour, and record. In 2003, Jagger was knighted to Sir Michael Jagger, causing another riff between himself and Richards, especially, according to Richards, because the band’s message had always been anti-establishment. There was also a public outcry that questioned the appropriateness of knighting a former British tax exile. Documentaries regarding the band’s exceptionally long and controversial career capture the counterculture movement, perfecting the technology of recording records, and flamboyantly performing to live audiences. The band’s lips and tongue logo, designed by John Pasche in the 70s (a symbol of their anti-establishment message), is one of the most identifiable band icons in the world.

DB Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DB Assignment - Essay Example The medical staff must be vigilant in providing both medical and nursing services being careful not compromising the patients dignity through deliberately ignoring the patients information and by extension causing harm to the patient Medical malpractice entails failure to provide care as stipulated by the codes of professional ethics in both nursing and medicine. For example, Rob Burton who was a basketball coach developed severe abdominal pain after his training session. He sought medical care at Norton Brownsboro Hospital; a nurse who did not carefully to obtain relevant subjective information regarding his pain attended to him. She did not get detailed information on the nature of illness leading to a misdiagnosis. Evoking a complete patient history through questioning and active listening in most cases saves time alongside offering critical clues to the diagnosis. Rob was given some oral antibiotics as treatment to his pain that proved ineffective; he was later admitted in the same hospital with acute diverticulitis that was approaching its fatal stage. He underwent an emergency surgery to prevent further complications of the condition. He was found with a perforated bowel and it was compulsory that a colost omy bag was to be fixed to aid egestion. Rob took this act of misdiagnosis as a form of negligence and sued the hospital for not according him the required care. It was considered a case of medical malpractice since the nurse did not take his case seriously and she did communicate as a team. Burton believes had his complain of abdominal pain been treated with seriousness he would not have undergone the surgery that left him uncomfortable with the colostomy bag. The fault lies with the nurse not communicating the patients complain as well as not considering patients complain as crucial in providing care. In treating dizzy patients, 90% of the cases are treated