New British Library And Bps Andrew Field Development Construction Essay

New British Library And Bps Andrew Field Development Construction Essay The construction industry is one of the best industry in the world for delivering excellence in result. In United Kingdom we have a fantastic heritage of excellence in construction going back to Victorian times with the remarkable achievements of great engineers. But there has long been a recognition that there is considerable scope for improvement in the way construction projects are delivered. Back in the 1980s clients complained about performance of the industry, the industry complained about clients and a strong belief that we the public were not getting value for money! The industry was characterised by poorly performing projects, dissatisfied clients, poor quality end product, adversarial relationships between buyers and suppliers, low profit margins and a claims culture, lack of investment in people and a poor health and safety record. Public sector project in particular were inevitably delivered late, costing far in excess of what was originally estimated, and often did not meet peoples expectations in terms of performance, aesthetics or lifecycle. To drive culture change we must move beyond construction to a broader vision of the built environment , leveraging performance in other parts of the economy to deliver better quality of life in housing, transport, health, educationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..etc. Recognising that the relatively small up front construction cost has a big impact on overall business costs and ultimate value to the user. the social and environmental outcomes. Focus on the environment we must be a sustainability leader and adopt carbon efficiency. A green recovery from the current recession is required. Such that young people who want a better world can fulfil their aims by joining the industry to deliver a low carbon economy Find a cohesive voice for the industry. Institutions must collaborate to represent the industry to government and other stakeholders. Focus on how we can help reduce government costs Adopt new business models find ways to incentives long term value creation Develop new leaders who can communicate their vision and drive culture change Integrate education and training to promote a wider understanding of the built environment. Procure for value rather than lowest price procurement process needs to be more professionally managed Suppliers take the lead in demonstrating how they can create additional value New British Library Aim of British Library The aim of British Library is to serve scholarship, research and enterprise. Their purpose to promote the advancement in knowledge through the communication of information and ideas. In order to achieve this they identify and respond to users needs for a national library services; build, catalogue and conserve the collection; provide entry to the worlds knowledge base; provide leadership and initiate co-operative programmes for the national and international research library community; and exploit their collections in enterprising ways to raise support for their activities. Source: The British Library Corporate Plan 1995 Development of British Library The concept of British Library was established in 1982, the construction of first phase was started at St Pancras. At the early stage their was no budget for complete project and the cost approved phase by phase. This was not an efficient practice for management. In 1988 Minister was agreed for  £300 millions as a cash target for phase 1A and also  £150 millions for completion phase. In 1991, the former Committee of public Accounts were critical of the serious lapses in the management control and accountability of the project and elected the management arrangements to be monitored closely. The government accepted the main findings of committee and confirmed that the expected completion of new building will held on 1996 with in the cash limit of  £450 millions but in November minister increased cash limit to  £496 millions. It was expected that the whole building should be completed in 1996 but the completion and handover dates of phase 1A changed three times since July 1991, in 1993 phase 1A was planned for operational in the middle of the year but the phase was completed in November 1995 but no part of the building is now expected to open until October 1997.the completion target date of phase 1A was slipped because of identify and resolve technical problems with the book shelving, in order to find out how to deal with cabling damages during installation, how to deal with short comings in the fire protection systems, and to implement remedial works. BPs North Sea Andrew Field Development Proposed Idea Development In 1974 Andrew was discovered in 1974 in 230 km NE of Aberdeen in 115 m water depth, a relatively small complex reservoir, with estimated 112million barrels of oil and 3.8 billion cu m of gas. It was proposed for development a number of times between 1981 and 1988 but always commercially unattractive. By 1991 collaborative team work had solved the gas management plan incorporating gas export and re-injection into the reservoir. BP themselves were not sure of the steps needed to reach their goal and had to hold fast to their vision. They wanted the facilities contractors on board at the pre-sanction stage for them to establish an early sense of ownership and to work on reducing the unacceptably high cost estimate of  £450m. BP moved away from a traditional tendering process and developed a set of 10 new criteria the Minimum Conditions of Satisfaction (MCOS) against which they would judge prospective candidates. The tender document at only 50 pages was the slimmest ever produced for a major new Offshore development. Brown Root recognised that BP was serious and came up with its own response to BPs Minimum Conditions Of Satisfaction that would change behaviour and reduce cost foremost of these was an end to man to man marking on the project limiting the client team to 20 and truly integrating them was part of the delivery of the project. Contractors were cautious especially with the MCOS requiring that the development cost be limited to  £270m. Temporary grillage steelwork to support the structure during fabrication and load out was reduced from 1100T to 300T saving  £260k. An example of further cooperation between design and fabrication was that the design team produced drawings for fabrication. Usually 300 primary drawings would be produced. Instead only 30 were needed with all fabrication drawings directly produced from the CAD model saving 12000 man-hours. At sanction the estimated man hours for jacket fabrication were 580,000 which was reduced to 500,000 by reduction in work scope. However, by smarter working motivated by the cooperative atmosphere and culture of the Alliance, Andrews Jacket was built for less than 440,000 man hours. Sanction estimates, based on other typical projects, was 78 man hours/tonne The final outcome for Andrew was 66 man hours/tonne. As different contractors would be working under different payment methods reimbursed costs with fixed overhead and profit and fixed lump sum prices there was concern that although joint commitment was required under the risk and reward gain share system, one party might not have influence over another in achieving the target cost. Target cost finalised in Nov 93 at  £373m which included  £39m contingency approx 20% reduction in price had been achieved. And first oil 3 months early, by Sep 96 Way the Both Projects Delivered In the contrast of both the projects like ;New British Library and BPs North Sea Andrew Field Development s project both started almost on same time and having same magnitude of cost. In the case of British Library, time and cost of project both over runs. the performance and specification of complex systems need to be settle down early during design, the library believed that they were justified in revisiting basic features of the design when construction was well advanced. In their project they did not arranged quality people like architects and other professionals because they provide the financial incentive to complete projects on time and with in budget. there was unclear definition of responsibilities for inspections between Laing, the design team, and the clerks of works. Their had been insufficient planning, resulting in sufficient time being allowed for inspections. Guidance on handover procedures had been confused, their were poor identification and recording of items to be rectified or still outstanding. As a result, there had been uncertainty over the amount of work still to be done before an area could be handed over also uncertainty over what bookshelving contractors were contracted to provide: records of technical discussions and agreement were not readily accessible. As far as BPs North Sea Andrew Field Development s project was concern a totally integrated team approach was done with a gain share mechanism to share risk and reward. The idea of behavioural change as an essential ingredient for success had taken hold following feedback from another BP project which suggested that the much discussed benefits of alliancing could bear fruit if managed correctly. They defined their roles, strategies and principles. They concentrated on their performance and specification during the project. They delivered their project on time because they monitored the technical issues, accidental issues and weather issues that is why the project finish on time and with in the targeted cost as well Recommendations Bibliography Refrences Constructing the Team (The Latham Report) (July 1994) Rethinking Construction (The Egan Report) (Dec 1998) NAO Report HC362: Progress in Completing the New British Library (15 May 1996) Lecture notes for EPM 934 Lecture 5 (available on City Space)

Great Improvements Could Come From Mandatory Service

Mandatory military service for all 18-year-old citizens would improve patriotism and discipline within the United States. Furthermore, by mandating military service the country could virtually assure that it would no longer have issues of insufficient troops for conflicts around the world. A mandatory term of military service would also help create a sense of national identity that the United States is lacking. Mandatory military service would also probably contribute to the health of the nation. Finally, mandatory military service would delay the entry of young adults into college, perhaps reducing the number of people who begin college and immediately drop out because they are unclear about their career options. Since the end of the Vietnam conflict, the United States has had mandatory selective service registration for men, but has never instituted registration for women. One of the keys to effectively implementing this program is to make certain that it is applied equally to both sexes. Strangely, this might do more to establish equal rights than the Equal Rights Amendment or pro-women’s movement ever did. Many men seem to resent the idea that women want equal rights in the workplace, but are unwilling to demand equal responsibility for the nation’s safety.   Many men and women feel that if people are going to claim equality than they should face equal lifestyles, so the most important factor of mandatory military service would be that it be for all citizens. Another way to avoid conflict over the mandatory military service idea would be for the service to be mandatory for all citizens. There could not be National Guard exemptions or exemptions for education or any other reason. If any hint of favoritism marred the program, it would lose much of its effectiveness. Obviously, not all people would be fit for combat duty, but everyone would have to be assigned duties according to their abilities. Less physically able soldiers might be assigned to kitchen duty or translating or stateside duties, but everyone should have to serve. Perhaps, given the sheer numbers of recruits that would suddenly be available, people assigned to combat regions could be given shorter terms of service than those who for health reasons or skill reasons could not serve in a combat zone. Finally, once the particulars of the program were ironed out, mandatory military service for every 18-year-old would improve patriotism and discipline within the United States. Currently, many 18-year-olds do not have the discipline necessary to survive a semester of college without parental supervision. Many take for granted the freedoms that have been fought for and won by veterans of previous wars. By making military service mandatory, citizens would be forced to learn to appreciate the way those freedoms came to be. Generally, people appreciate something more if they have to fight to get it. And, the discipline taught in boot camp would help get many people passed the pseudo-weakness currently inherent in American society.   Because of the fear of injury, zero tolerance policies and even anti-bullying propaganda across the country, many American citizens do not have any clue how to be competitive or disciplined. In short, they have allowed to become soft. Putting them all through boot camp would make them stronger individuals and better citizens. One of the drawbacks of the all volunteer military has been the lack of recruits. Several times during the Iraq War the Pentagon has extended the tours of duty of certain soldiers because there were not sufficient replacements available to send in to take their place. With a steady stream of 18-year-olds forced to enter the military, the military could allow all soldiers to serve shorter tours in combat zones and allow the professional military to do their jobs without worrying about the number of soldiers that they have to do the job. In addition, more people might discover that they like military service as a career option. It would allow high school graduates to put aside money for college with a good-paying job, or begin training for a better career. In some ways, the military could replace vocational schools and persons seeking a career in fields traditionally learned in vocational colleges could get on the job training, saving the country on student loans and creating a new, highly trained workforce. One of the most recent factors facing the United States has been the lack of a national identity. Persons from New York often have little in common with people from southern California and there is little shared national identity.   The problem with being a melting pot is that each individual has a person heritage that is not necessarily the same as their neighbor’s. Mandatory military service might help to alleviate this problem without destroying cultural diversity. People would still have their own state or cultural identity, but an entire generation of American citizens would share the experience of military service. Strangers would at least have their military service in common, creating a bond between all citizens of the country. In addition, mandatory military service would probably improve the overall health of the nation.   Instead of a generally obese nation, the youth of the country would at least be required to get in shape long enough to pass basic training. And, if military service was mandatory and there were no exceptions, one of the drawbacks of not passing basic training the first time around could be an extension of their service. For example, if a young smoker could not give up the addiction long enough to pass the running and stamina requirements of basic training, instead of being sent home as a â€Å"wash out†, he would receive remedial training which did not count towards his service commitment. In fact, the service commitment would not begin until basic training was completed, so a person could spend years getting into shape if necessary, but would know that the cost was the delay in getting on with their lives. Finally, mandatory military service would delay the college entrance age, perhaps leading to students who are more prepared for the college experience before investing the time and money in their education. Generally, it is accepted that non-traditional students are more committed to getting their education than the average 18-year-old. If students were forced to have even a two-year mandatory military service, they would be forced to become adults before going to college. As it is, many students entering college are not ready to be on their own. A transition period between living under their parents’ roof and sudden and complete freedom might help students be more prepared for the responsibility of college. In addition, many 18-year-olds entering college for the first time have absolutely no clue what they wasn’t to do with their lives. Many flounder in their first attempt at college and because they are so unprepared for the new lifestyle. Mandatory military service might help people to reach the proper maturity level before going on to college to know what they want to do with their lives. It is likely also to help deal with some of the issues facing college campuses across the country, including alcohol use. By requiring mandatory military service, the overall median age of college students would increase and students might be less attracted to the thrill of underage drinking. It seems unlikely that mandatory military service would be adopted in the United States.   Politicians would not have the gumption to make the changes necessary to the military to make the program work, nor would they be willing to risk political suicide by considering such a thing. Opponents of the draft, including conscientious objectors who fled to other countries when the country last had mandatory military service would not be willing to force people into service. Historians would argue that the country was won by volunteer fighters and that conscription was one of the things Revolutionary War veterans were fighting against. Pacifists would argue that military service somehow contrary to the beliefs of some citizens and the politically correct crowd would try to argue that not everyone should have to serve. Mandatory military service would create the final equality that American citizens have been clamoring for and would improve the health of the nation. Boot camp would help fight the nation’s obesity problems and equal opportunity service would help fight the economic disparity growing in the United States.   The unifying factors of common service would help establish a national identity and increase the patriotism of the average American. Spoiled brat teenagers would learn to appreciate the things that they have been allowed to take for granted and college campuses would become more civil, adult places where students could study and learn instead of simply enjoying drunken parties. Colleges would be filled with students who were ready and eager to learn and military vocational training could lead to an overall improvement in the job skills of the nation. However, the plan generally goes against every belief in freedom the country was founded on and will never happen.

Behavioral Science Theory Essay

Theory X In this theory, management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can. Because of this, workers need to be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls developed. According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without an enticing incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can. The Theory X manager tends to believe that everything must end in blaming someone. Furthermore, Theory X supervisors cannot trust any employee, and they reveal this to their support staff via their communications constantly. Theory X managers naturally adopt a more authoritarian style based on the threat of punishment. One major flaw of this management style is it is much more likely to cause Diseconomies of Scale in large businesses. Â  Theory Y In this theory, management assumes employees may be ambitious, self-motivated, and anxious to accept greater responsibility, and exercise self-control, self-direction, autonomy, and empowerment. It is believed that employees enjoy their mental and physical work duties. It is also believed that if given the chance employees have the desire to be creative and forward thinking in the workplace. There is a chance for greater productivity by giving employees the freedom to perform at the best of their abilities without being bogged down by rules. A Theory Y manager believes that, given the right conditions, most people will want to do well at work and that there is a pool of unused creativity in the workforce. Application of theory X and Y in the US Navy Almost every organization, adopts either theory X or Y in managing their employees or workforce. The application of any one of these theories depends on the culture of the organization, the attitude of managers towards their employees and vise-versa and the personalities of both employers and employees. The US Navy is not an exception to these management practices and applications. When the Navy recruits individuals, they usually apply Theory X. At this stage, they adopt a more authoritarian style based on the threat of punishment. The supervisors’ believe that the recruits are inherently lazy and will train if they can. They should be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls should be put in place in their training camps. At this stage, it is believed that the recruits will try to avoid responsibility whenever they can. The supervisors cannot trust the recruits and they reveal this to them through their communication constantly. Theory X continues to be applied in the Navy even after the recruits have passed and have been incorporated in the navy. They continue receiving orders from their commanders and supervisors. Theory Y is applied in the US navy once an individual climbs the ladder and becomes the commander or supervisor. At this stage, it is assumed that the commanders/supervisors are ambitious, self-motivated, and anxious to accept greater responsibility, exercise self-control, self-direction, and autonomy and are empowered. At this stage, the supervisors enjoy their mental and physical work duties. They have the desire to be creative and move forward. Given the right conditions, they will always want to do well at work and use their creativity in bettering the Navy operations. Even though these approaches are, what are commonly used, the US Navy should try to apply theory Z. This theory is good, since it welcomes a more human and more effective way of managing people. It offers a long term, often lifetime employment, with a high value placed on mutual loyalty. Promotion in this case is relatively slow and specialized career paths for individuals and the development of specific skills is encouraged. This approach emphasizes decision by consensus and insists on individual responsibility. It is also preferred since it places attention to the welfare of subordinates as well as encourage informal relationships among individuals. How do your two scores relate to your experience at work? In theory x is visible in most organizations. We find employees not ready to work unsupervised thus need for supervisors to monitor their activities. Managers on the other hand do not trust their employees and they usually carry out check up on them. In theory y we find employees when left alone to work they are likely to be more productive. What motivates individuals to put forth effort on the job? Motivation is reasons for engaging in a particular behavior, especially human behavior. These reasons may include basic needs such as food or a desired object, hobbies, goal, state of being, or ideal. The motivation for a behavior may also be attributed to less-apparent reasons such as altruism or morality. What motivates people include things like money, praise, rewards, and opportunities to make decisions and be creative. Content theories include: How are people motivated on the job? People can be motivated by; positive reinforcement or high expectations, effective discipline and punishment, treating people fairly, satisfying employees needs, setting work related goals, restructuring jobs, base rewards on job performance. Â   REFERENCES Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: Psychology – The Search for Understanding by Janet A. Simons, Donald B. Irwin, and Beverly A. Drinnien.West Publishing Company, New York, 1987. http://www.accel-team.com/motivation/ Colman, Andrew M. Behavioral Science. Oxford University Press, 2001. Foulks Lynch. ACCA Paper 1.3 Managing People. Ashford Press Ltd, 2005. Â  

Video Games More Beneficial Than We Thought Essay

In today’s world one thing you don’t hear everyday is learning is fun. For some it can be, but many children aren’t that excited to learn. What if there was a way to make learning fun for kids? Well there is, its called gamification. Gamifiction is the process of using game thinking and game mechanics to engage audiences according to Gabe Zichermann an educational gaming expert. Though its been said that video games cause laziness and violence in kids, we now know that video games can be a significant learning tool in early child development. Research has shown that video games help children with multitasking skills and can also increase fluid intelligence, which is the intelligence we use to solve problems (Zichermann). Video games may be†¦show more content†¦In the video How Games Make Kids Smarter Gabe Zichermann classifies today’s youth as Generation G. He said that for Generation G, video games are their primary form of entertainment. Video g ames also promote multitasking skills because the games are so detailed and complex. Zichermann uses WOW as an example, which stands for World Of Warcraft and that game requires the gamer to text chat, operate their character while managing short and long term objectives. Children playing video games are acquiring multitasking skills as well as problem solving skills. He then discusses that human intelligence is increasing over time, which is called the Flynn Effect. Over the years we are becoming more and more intelligent, which could explain why kids are so good at video games (Zichermann). In the article â€Å"Digital Game-Based Learning: It’s Not Just The Digital Natives Who Are Getting Restless† by Richard Van Eck he states â€Å"Games are effective not because of what they are, but because of what they embody and what learners are doing as they play a game†(4). 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