Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (Maven)

Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) The red planet Mars has long been a cultural and scientific fascination. People have pondered for decades over the biological potential of the planet and its past. Geological features on Mars resembling dry riverbeds, and the discovery of minerals that form in the presence of water, suggest that Mars once had a thicker atmosphere and was warm enough to allow liquid water to flow on the surface.But phenomenally, the Mars that is seen today is radically different — barren, lifeless, and dry. Why? In hopes of uncovering the answers to these mysteries, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch its newest mission to Mars, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN). Set to launch in November 18, 2013, MAVEN has been given the task of exploring the Martian upper atmosphere, the planet’s ionosphere and its interactions with the sun and solar wind. NASA) It will be the first mission devoted to this understanding. According to NASA, MAVEN data will be used to determine how the loss of volatile compounds (such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and water) from Mars’s atmosphere to space has influenced the evolution of the planet’s atmosphere and climate. Clearly, the mission is expected to provide insights into liquid water and habitability on the red planet. The means by which the data harvested by MAVEN will achieve its primary scientific objectives have been determined.Scientists plan to infer how the Martian atmosphere changed over the course of time by measuring the current rate of escape to space of atmospheric gases and understanding the ways by which they do. (Wikipedia) To extract information on Mars, the four hundred eighty-five million dollar MAVEN space probe has been equipped with the latest scientific instruments, processed into three different instrumental suite packages. (NASA Science) One of which includes the Particles and Field Package.This specific package will be largely responsible for measuring solar wind, ionospheric electrons and magnetic fields, and magnetosheath ion density and velocity. Another package included is the Remote Sensing Package, which contains an ultraviolet spectrometer that will be used to measure the global characteristics of Mars’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere. The final package, the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer Package, will have the work of assigning measurements to the composition and isotopes of neutral gases and ions found in the planet’s atmosphere.With these instruments, MAVEN will gather substantial atmospheric information from its orbit 3,870 miles above the planet's surface. (Wikipedia) Currently, scientists believe that Mars may have lost most of its atmosphere due to a process known as â€Å"sputtering,† by which high-energy photons from the sun transform molecules into ions that are eventually carried out of the atmosphere and away fr om the planet by the magnetic fields generated by solar winds. NASA) The objective of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) is expected to provide evidence for the mentioned theory. While that may only be an expectation, one thing is for sure, in discovering the answers to the mysteries of Mars, we as humans will too certainly extend our senses as a whole in our quest to understand the secrets of our origins, and the destiny that lies ahead.

Insecure Attachment

Unfortunately, as many as 30% of children develop insecure attachment relationships with their parents. Toby and Hugo are two of them, they are both 18 months old and they were classified as the insecurely attached babies. Attachment theory research tells us that infants will likely experience one of three types of insecure attachment if they do not get responsive, nurturing, consistent care in the early weeks and months of their lives. The first type of insecure attachment is called Resistant/Ambivalent Attachment. The characteristic of this attachment is that babies will show exaggerated expressions of attachment needs.They are reluctant to explore new environment and preoccupied with getting the attention of their parents. When parents depart, babies become extremely distressed. When the parents return, they have difficulty settling down and do not respond well to their parent's soothing. This occurs when parents are inconsistent – sometimes answering infant’s needs quickly and responsively, and sometimes just ignore them or respond them slowly. This may also occur if parents respond only to the physical needs, i. e. feeding, changing, etc. , but ignore the infant's need for human interaction and connection.The second type of insecure attachment is called Avoidant Attachment. The characteristic of this attachment is that babies seem not to care whether their parent is present or absent. When their parent is present, babies will explore their environment without interest in their parent's whereabouts. Also, when their parent departs, they are minimally distressed. At reunion, they do not move toward their parents or show their pleasure to see the parents again. In fact, they often ignore or avoid their parents. This occurs when parents are unresponsive to baby’s needs – both physical and emotional.This is called neglect, and happens often in families where there is alcoholism and/or drug addiction, or in families who do not underst and what their babies need. The third type of insecure attachment is called Disorganized/Disoriented Attachment. The characteristic of this attachment is that they are lack of organized pattern to their behaviors, when they stressed, in the presence of their parents, these babies appear disorganized or disoriented, displaying unusual behaviors such as trance-like freezing, or strange postures. These behaviors are as evidence of fear or confusion with respect to their parents.This occurs when there is domestic violence in the family, or abuse of the babies. It is also involving reorganization of the family such as family moves or the birth of another baby may also temporarily disorganize their attachment patterns. Nowadays most of parents in Hong Kong, they are working parents (both father and mother) and they are working outside of the home and their working hours is quite long. So they can only spend a little time with their babies and they usually rely on their relative and domest ic helper to take care of their baby.The followings are some thoughts to help parents to build a secure attachment with their babies:- 1. Babies are quite smart and sensitive in their very early stage, therefore parents keep expressing and sharing their pleasure when every moment they are together with their baby will help the baby to internalize a sense of security and a feeling of being loved and appreciated. This is very important for those working parents as they can only spend limited time daily to their baby, so every moment with their baby is treasure and they shouldn’t waste it and should be happy with them.2. Secure attachment research tells that a secure attachment is built upon sensitive and responsive caregiving, therefore parents are able to observe and pay attention to their baby’s subtle cues (a smile or a voice) for attention, exploration and comfort can help their baby to feel being respected and understood. Being responsive to baby’s needs actu ally promotes a greater sense of self-confidence, self-reliance, and independence as baby grows into childhood. 3. Create a consistent routines during daily care will help baby to feel secure, as baby can predict what will be happen.For example: baby will be taking bath after finished their dinner everyday. Since they can predict that when they will go to take shower, therefore they will not be scared to this once they get used to this routine. Also for working parents, if they can keep the consistent time for leaving home for work and come back home for dinner everyday. It may also help to ease their baby’s separation anxiety. 4. Provide baby a freedom to explore new environment will help them to develop a sense of competence and efficacy.While allow freedom to them, parents still need to stay close with their baby and offer encouragement and reassurance when needed. Since baby may not have confidence when they are just starting to explore new things and they will need to ch eck with you for reassurance, security and encouragement. Therefore parents give baby encouragement and support will help to develop the secure attachment to them. 5. For those working parents, their relatives and/or domestic helper will usually become the prime caregiver to take care of their baby. Parents may worry that this may impact their relationship with their baby.Therefore developing a positive, collaborative relationship with their baby’s caregiver is necessary, parent may also need to let their baby’s caregiver to know that the concept of secure attachment and baby’s social emotional development that they apply to their baby, and ask them to follow it. This will ensure that their baby will receive a consistent care and there is a continual communication around your baby’s changing needs. It will also help your baby feel supported by a loving, caring community of adults Lastly, I believe that if parents are happy, baby will be happy too.If paren ts have a bad emotion, it will only affect their baby’s emotional development badly. Therefore, beside to provide a good care for the baby, it is also important for parents to find time to rest and relax for a brief moment, so that they can recharge their body both physically and mentally, and maintain a good mood to ensure that they are able to take care of baby properly. Feeling secure doesn’t come from doing everything right; it comes from knowing that when you experience difficult feelings or challenges, you have the self-confidence and the support you need to forge ahead.Insecure Attachment Unfortunately, as many as 30% of children develop insecure attachment relationships with their parents. Toby and Hugo are two of them, they are both 18 months old and they were classified as the insecurely attached babies. Attachment theory research tells us that infants will likely experience one of three types of insecure attachment if they do not get responsive, nurturing, c onsistent care in the early weeks and months of their lives. The first type of insecure attachment is called Resistant/Ambivalent attachment.The characteristic of this attachment is that babies will show exaggerated expressions of attachment needs. They are reluctant to explore new environment and preoccupied with getting the attention of their parents. When parents depart, babies become extremely distressed. When the parents return, they have difficulty settling down and do not respond well to their parent's soothing. This occurs when parents are inconsistent – sometimes answering infants' needs quickly and responsively, and sometimes just ignore them or respond them slowly.This may also occur if parents respond only to the physical needs, i. e. feeding, changing, etc, but ignore the infant's need for human interaction and connection. Parents with the above behavior, their babies learn that the world and their ability to have an impact on it is basically inconsistent  œ sometimes things happen, sometimes they don't – sometimes all their needs are met, and sometimes only some of them are. Infants learn that others are not dependable or consistent. They often also do not learn or understand emotions – their own or others.The second type of insecure attachment is called Avoidant Attachment. The characteristic of this attachment is that babies seem not to care whether their parent is present or absent. When their parent is present, babies will explore their environment without interest in their parent's whereabouts. Also, when their parent departs, they are minimally distressed. At reunion, they do not move toward their parents or show their pleasure to see their parents again. In fact, they often ignore or avoid their parents. This occurs when parents are unresponsive to babies needs – both physical and emotional.This is called neglect, and happens often in families where there is alcoholism and/or drug addiction, or in families who do not understand what their babies need. This happened in eastern European countries with babies in orphanages. These infants were kept contained in their cribs for the majority of each day, being taken out only to be fed or changed, and even those tasks were performed with little or no engagement with the infant. In this environment, babies learn that they have no ability to impact their world, or to engage others.The world is indeed a cold and scary place in which no one really cares. In worst case scenarios these infants may become developmentally delayed, passive, may develop full-blown reactive attachment disorder. Human beings can actually die from lack of human contact, characterized by the worst-case scenario of avoidant insecure attachment. Avoidant attachment has been associated with a pattern of care in which the caregiver does not provide adequate comfort when the infant is emotionally upset, ill, or hurt.The third type of insecure attachment is called Disorganized /disoriented attachment. This group of babies does not fit into the previous two categories. The characteristic of this attachment is that they are lack of organized pattern to their behaviors, when they stressed, in the presence of their parents, these babies appear disorganized or disoriented, displaying unusual behaviors such as trance-like freezing, or strange postures. These behaviors are as evidence of fear or confusion with respect to their parents.This occurs when there is domestic violence in the family, or abuse of the babies. It is also involving reorganization of the family such as family moves or the birth of another baby may also temporarily disorganize their attachment patterns. The human brain is hard-wired to seek comfort from primary caregivers when hurt or afraid, and another part of the brain is hardwired to run or fight (fight-flight) when danger is perceived. For infants with a caregiver who hurts them, or who creates chaos in their environment, a dual response is set up in the infants' brain.This response looks like ‘I am hurt – I need comfort from you – you are the one who hurts me so I can't go to you'. The infant has no way to make sense of this. This type of attachment is called disorganized, and is often characterized by a disassociative response, wherein infants have NO response, and in fact, are emotionally absent. Nowadays most of parents in Hong Kong, they are working parents (both father and mother) and both parents are working outside of the home and their working hours is quite long.So they can only spend a little time with their babies and they usually rely on their relative and domestic helper to take care of their baby. Therefore, the role of caregiver is being changed. The followings are some thoughts to help parents to build a secure attachment with their babies:- 6. Babies are quite smart and sensitive in their very early stage, therefore parents keep expressing and sharing their pleasure when every moment they are together with their baby will help the baby to internalize a sense of security and a feeling of being loved and appreciated.This is very important for those working parents as they can only spend limited time daily to their baby, so every moment with their baby is treasure and don’t waste it and be happy with them. 7. Secure attachment research tells that a secure attachment is built upon sensitive and responsive caregiving, therefore parents are able to observe and pay attention to their baby’s subtle cues (a smile or a voice) for attention, exploration and comfort can help their baby to feel being respected and understood. Being responsive to baby’s needs actually promotesa greater sense of self-confidence, self-reliance, and independence as baby grows into childhood. 8. Create a consistent routines during daily care will help baby to feel secure, as baby can predict what will be happen. For example: baby will be taking bath after finished thei r dinner everyday. Since baby get used to this routines and they can predict that they will go to take shower, therefore they will not be scared that. Also for working parents, if they can keep the consistence time for leaving home for work and come back home for dinner.It may also help to ease some of their separation anxiety. 9. Provide baby a freedom to explore new environment will help them to develop a sense of competence and efficacy. While allow freedom to them, parents still need to stay close with them and offer encouragement and reassurance when needed. Since baby may not have confidence when they are just starting to explore new things and they will need check with you for reassurance, security and encouragement. Therefore parents give baby encouragement and support will help to develop the secure attachment to them. 10.Choose a childcare provider who values relationships. This should be someone who understands the importance of your baby’s social and emotional dev elopment. The reality for many families is that either one or both parents are working outside of the home. In these situations, parents often need to place their baby in the care of a relative or childcare provider. Parents may worry that this may impact their relationship with their baby. Find a childcare provider who works to promote secure attachments with the children in her care and supports your infant’s social and emotional development.This can provide valuable support to you and your family when you return to work. If you already have a provider, you may want to talk with him or her about how infant attachment and social-emotional development is supported within the childcare program. In addition, developing a positive, collaborative relationship with your baby’s childcare provider will ensure that there is continual communication around your baby’s changing needs. It will also help your baby feel supported by a loving, caring community of adults. 11. I believe that if parents are happy, baby will be happy too.If parents have a bad emotion, it will only affect their baby’s emotion badly. Therefore, beside to provide a good care for the baby, it is also important for parents to find time to rest and relax for a brief moment, so that they can recharge their body and maintain a good mood to ensure that they are able to take care of baby properly. Feeling secure doesn’t come from doing everything right; it comes from knowing that when you experience difficult feelings or challenges, you have the self-confidence and the support you need to forge ahead.Disorganized/disoriented attachment There is a group of infants (15-20%) who do not fit into Ainsworth’s original three-category scheme. Mary Main, another influential attachment researcher, added a fourth category to include these infants. Whereas infants in the 3 primary attachment groups have organized strategies for dealing with arousal, infants with disorganized attachment relationships either lack an organized pattern to their behavior or have strategies that repeatedly break down.When stressed, in the presence of their caregiver, these infants appear disorganized or disoriented, displaying unusual behaviors such as approaching the caregiver with their head averted, trance-like freezing, or strange postures. These behaviors have been interpreted as evidence of fear or confusion with respect to the caregiver. Disorganized attachment is considered an extreme form of insecure attachment. Many infants who fall into the disorganized category have experienced some form of maltreatment or have a caregiver who has been traumatized by severe loss or abuse.Other stressful situations involving reorganization of the family such as family moves or the birth of another child may also temporarily disorganize attachment patterns in an infant-caregiver relationship. Whether infants have secure attachment or one of the types of insecure attachment, is pivot al to their growth and functioning in the world. It impacts whether they can form meaningful, connected relationships with other people, and affects how they see the world and their place in it, as they grow.Unfortunately, as many as 30% of children develop insecure attachment relationships with their parents. Insecure attachment may take the form of avoidant, distant behavior or anxious clinging behavior. When children have insecure attachments with their parents, any number of negative consequences can follow, such as depression, anxiety, a lowered ability to cope with stress, and poor relationships with others. A disruption in the development of secure attachment could occur due to parental illness, parental unavailability because of other life commitments, or the serious illness of the child.Children who move from foster home to foster home or spend the early years of their lives in orphanages can experience long-term attachment difficulties. In addition, children sometimes have inborn temperaments or disabilities that can impede the attachment process. Finally, children who are abused or neglected or otherwise traumatized will often show signs of impaired attachment. Avoidant attachment O these infants are reluctant to explore their environment and preoccupied with getting the attention of their caregiver.When a caregiver departs, infants with resistant attachment become extremely distressed. When the caregiver returns, they both seek and resist contact. When they do seek contact they have difficulty settling down and do not respond well to their caregiver's attempts at soothing. Resistant attachment has been associated with a pattern of care in which the caregiver inconsistently responds to his or her infant's signals of distress. Disorganized/disoriented attachment There is a group of infants (15-20%) who do not fit into Ainsworth's original three-category scheme.Mary Main, another influential attachment researcher, added a fourth category to include th ese infants. Whereas infants in the 3 primary attachment groups have organized strategies for dealing with arousal, infants with disorganized attachment relationships either lack an organized pattern to their behavior or have strategies that repeatedly break down. When stressed, in the presence of their caregiver, these infants appear disorganized or disoriented, displaying unusual behaviors such as approaching the caregiver with their head averted, trance-like freezing, or strange postures.These behaviors have been interpreted as evidence of fear or confusion with respect to the caregiver. Disorganized attachment is considered an extreme form of insecure attachment. Many infants who fall into the disorganized category have experienced some form of maltreatment or have a caregiver who has been traumatized by severe loss or abuse. Other stressful situations involving reorganization of the family such as family moves or the birth of another child may also temporarily disorganize attac hment patterns in an infant-caregiver relationship.The meaning of attachment behaviors An infant's attachment pattern is strategically determined and based on his or her understanding of the caregiver's reliability as a source of comfort and security. From the earliest stages of development an infant is learning about the caregiver's reliability as a secure base. Caregivers of infant's with secureattachment are consistently sensitive, receptive and accepting of their infant's signals of distress. Thus, infants in secure attachment relationships learn that they can be confident in their protection.Their behavior in the Strange Situation reflects this confidence as they freely explore their environment, openly express their needs and accept comfort from their caregivers. Infants with insecure attachment in contrast are not confident about the caregiver as a secure base. This insecurity dramatically impacts an infant's behavior and quality of emotional expression. Consider the apparent independence and precociousness of an infant in an avoidant attachment relationship.Such an infant seems not to care whether a caregiver is present or absent and is likely to snub the caregiver upon reunion. But in fact for every infant personal security is instinctively of critical importance. Infants with avoidant attachment patterns have repeatedly felt rejected by primary caregivers during times of illness, injury or distress. As a result these infants learn that they cannot count on the caregiver to meet their attachment needs. To avoid further rejection, the infant in an avoidant attachment relationship limits his or her emotional expressions.Seen in this context, the apparent indifference of the infant's involved in an avoidant attachment relationship begins to make sense as an effective strategy for maintaining contact with a caregiver who is unable to provide comfort but does provide other kinds of care and protection. Caregivers of infants with resistant attachment have r esponded inconsistently to their infant's attachment needs. The best strategy for infants of inconsistent parents is to devote a lot of energy to soliciting help.This explains these infant's prolonged and exaggerated expressions of their needs and preoccupation with attracting their caregiver's attention during the Strange Situation paradigm. The organized strategies of infant's with avoidant and resistant attachment illustrate the infant's adaptive response to perceived threats to security. When confidence in protection wavers, behavior and emotional expression change in an attempt to secure contact with caregivers. The unusual behavior of the infant with disorganized attachment is more difficult to understand even when considered from the infant's perspective.Many infant's with disorganized attachment patterns have been subjected to highly stressful, chaotic, and frightening environments. As an example, disorganized attachment sometimes occurs following extreme loss or trauma on t he part of a caregiver. Researchers speculate that caregivers who are unable to recover from tragic losses, for example the death of their own parent, or abuse by a parent, subtly communicate a sense of anxiety, fearfulness, and/or hostility toward their infant. This situation is highly disorganizing to the infant because the person who is supposed to be a source of comfort is also a source of threat or fear.Faced with this impossible situation, the infant's attempts at an organized strategy breaks down. In general, an infant's sense of security can be thought of as being on a continuum. With a strong sense of security, an infant feels free to explore and venture out into the world. If confidence in protection falters, the infant's world begins to contract as the freedom to explore is overshadowed by a sense of doubt and apprehension. An infant's basic pattern of attachment develops during the first year of life.Although thought to be relatively resistant to change, changes in life circumstances can alter attachment patterns as infants develop and mature. In Part III of our series, we will look at attachment throughout the life span. Attachment in older children, teens, and adults will be discussed along with the implications of attachment patterns for emotional and social development. Benoit D. Attachment and parent-infant relationships†¦ a review of attachment theory and research. Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies Journal. 2000;44(1):13-23. Goldberg S. Attachment and Development.Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press; 2000. Goldberg S, Muir R, Kerr J, eds. Attachment Theory. Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press; 1995. Karen R. Becoming Attached. New York: Warner Books; 1994. The Infant Mental Health Promotion Project and the Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children. A Simple Gift: Comforting Your Baby. Toronto: The Hospital for Sick Children; 1998. Used by permission. You and your baby have within you the building blocks for develo ping a healthy, secure attachment. That doesn't mean you will know how do to everything instinctively.That's especially true if you had some challenges in your early attachment relationships. That can â€Å"color† how you interact with your own baby. Here are some tips to help you build a secure attachment with your baby: Enjoy and take pleasure in your relationship with your baby. All babies are born with the capacity and desire to experience joy with their caregivers. So expressing and sharing in the delight of the relationship you share with your infant helps your baby to internalize a sense of security and a feeling of being loved and appreciated.Follow your baby's lead. A secure attachment is built upon sensitive and responsive caregiving. Observe and pay attention to your baby's subtle cues for attention, exploration, and comfort. This helps your baby to feel understood and valued. Provide consistency and predictability in your care routines. Routines will help your bab y to feel secure. Predictable support and nurturance helps your baby internalize a feeling of being cared for. This allows a secure attachment to develop. Don't worry about â€Å"spoiling† your baby.There is no such thing as spoiling an infant, despite what you may hear from well-meaning friends and relatives! Being responsive to your baby's needs actually promotes a greater sense of self-confidence, self-reliance, and independence as your baby grows into childhood. Use nonverbal communication to bond with your baby. Babies are not able to understand or use verbal communication. Nonverbal communication can help you to feel connected to your baby and strengthen your attachment relationship. Make eye contact, touch, smile, and move rhythmically such as by rocking orswaying. These are all effective ways of conveying love, warmth, and acceptance to your baby. Your baby may not comprehend your words right away. But he does recognize and respond to your tone of voice, even when you are not talking to him. If you are stressed, angry, or frustrated, your baby will often respond by becoming distressed. Talking in a gentle, soothing voice, even if the words are not yet understood, can help your baby to feel reassured, loved, and secure. Provide a holding environment for your baby. For your baby, touch is as important as sleep or food.Holding your baby provides a sense of warmth, love, and reassurance. Holding your baby when she's distressed helps her to organize her feelings and to feel calm and safe. Even if your baby continues to fuss, remember that your calm, gentle, physical presence conveys a sense of connection and safety. Take care of yourself. To provide optimal care for your children, you must also attend to your own needs. Are you nurturing and respecting yourself? Although incredibly rewarding, parenting can also be exhausting and demanding.Finding time to sleep, eat, and even relax for a brief moment is extremely important. Use the support around you – your friends, family, community – so that you may find ways to replenish yourself. By taking care of your own needs, you are helping to ensure that you are able to take care of your baby's needs. Choose a childcare provider who values relationships. This should be someone who understands the importance of your baby's social and emotional development. The reality for many families is that either one or both parents are working outside of the home.In these situations, parents often need to place their baby in the care of a relative or childcare provider. Parents may worry that this may impact their relationship with their baby. Find a childcare provider who works to promote secure attachments with the children in her care and supports your infant's social and emotional development. This can provide valuable support to you and your family when you return to work. If you already have a provider, you may want to talk with him or her about how infant attachment and social- emotional developmentis supported within the childcare program. In addition, developing a positive, collaborative relationship with your baby's childcare provider will ensure that there is continual communication around your baby's changing needs. It will also help your baby feel supported by a loving, caring community of adults. Provide your toddler with freedom and space to safely explore new environments. Do this while staying close and offering reassurance when needed. Your young toddler will benefit from your support when he is able and ready to explore his world.Remember that during this time, your toddler will need to â€Å"check in† often with you for reassurance, security, and encouragement. The secure attachment that was developed during infancy will provide your toddler with a sense of competence and efficacy and an assurance that his caregivers will give him love and support when this is needed. Remember that you do not need to be a perfect parent. Many days, pare nting may seem like a series of blunders, mistakes, and missteps. The good news is that you don't need to strive for perfection in parenting.And although it may not always seem this way, your mistakes can be seen as â€Å"gifts. † They enable you to learn about yourself and your children. Mistakes help your children to learn that we all stumble, get back up, and keep trying. Feeling secure doesn't come from doing everything right; it comes from knowing that when you experience difficult feelings or challenges, you have the self-confidence and the support you need to forge ahead. Links & Resources  » References: Bowlby, John (1956) â€Å"The growth of independence in the young child.†Royal Society of Health Journal, 76, 587-591. Bowlby, John (1988) A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development. London: Routledge. Lieberman, Alicia (1993) The Emotional Life of the Toddler. New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc. Unfortunately, as many as 30% of childr en develop insecure attachment relationships with their parents. Toby and Hugo are two of them, they are both 18months old and they were classified as the insecurely attached babies. Children with insecure attachment may take the form of avoidant, distant behavior or anxious clinging behavior.When children have insecure attachments with their parents, any number of negative consequences can follow, such as depression, anxiety, a lowered ability to cope with stress, and poor relationships with others. A disruption in the development of secure attachment could occur due to parental illness, parental unavailability because of other life commitments, or the serious illness of the child. Children who move from foster home to foster home or spend the early years of their lives in orphanages can experience long-term attachment difficulties.In addition, children sometimes have inborn temperaments or disabilities that can impede the attachment process. Finally, children who are abused or neg lected or otherwise traumatized will often show signs of impaired attachment. The first type of insecure attachment is called Avoidant attachment About 20-25% of infants demonstrate avoidant attachment patterns with their caregiver. Children in avoidant attachment relationships seem not to care whether a caregiver is present or absent.In the presence of the caregiver, avoidant children will explore their environment without interest in the caregiver's whereabouts. Upon departure infantsw with avoidant attachment are minimally distressed. At reunion, they do not move toward the caregiver or try to initiate contact. In fact, they often ignore or avoid the caregiver. Despite this apparent lack of concern, infants with avoidant attachment patterns show as much, if not more, physiological arousal than other infants, suggesting that they have learned to contain their distress.Avoidant attachment has been associated with a pattern of care in which the caregiver does not provide adequate co mfort when the infant is emotionally upset, ill, or hurt. The second type of insecure attachment is called Resistant/ambivalent attachment About 10-15% of infants demonstrate resistant attachment patterns with their caregiver. Resistant attachment relationships are characterized by exaggerated expressions of attachment needs. In the presence of their caregiver these infants are reluctant to explore their environment and preoccupied with getting the attention of their caregiver.When a caregiver departs, infants with resistant attachment become extremely distressed. When the caregiver returns, they both seek and resist contact. When they do seek contact they have difficulty settling down and do not respond well to their caregiver's attempts at soothing. Resistant attachment has been associated with a pattern of care in which the caregiver inconsistently responds to his or her infant's signals of distress. Nowadays most of parents in Hong Kong, they are working parents (both father and mother) and their working hours is quite long.So they are usually rely on their relative and domestic helper to take care of their baby. Therefore, the role of caregiver is being changed. The followings are some thoughts to help parents to build a secure attachment with their babies:- Babies are quite smart and sensitive in their very early stage, therefore parents keep expressing and sharing in the delight of the relationship that they share with their infant helps their baby to internalize a sense of security and a feeling of being loved and appreciatedSecure attachment research tells that a secure attachment is built upon sensitive and responsive caregiving, therefore parents observe and pay attention to their baby's subtle cues (a smile or a voice) for attention, exploration and comfort can help their baby to feel being respected and understood. Being responsive to baby's needs actually promotes a greater sense of self-confidence, self-reliance, and independence as baby grows i nto childhood. Create a consistent routines during daily care will help baby to feel secure, as baby can predictable what will be happen.For example: baby will be taking bath after finished their dinner everyday. Since baby get used to this routines and they can predict that they will go to take shower, therefore they will not be scared that. Use nonverbal communication to bond with your baby. Babies are not able to understand or use verbal communication. Nonverbal communication can help you to feel connected to your baby and strengthen your attachment relationship. Make eye contact, touch, smile, and move rhythmically such as by rocking or swaying.These are all effective ways of conveying love, warmth, and acceptance to your baby. Your baby may not comprehend your words right away. But he does recognize and respond to your tone of voice, even when you are not talking to him. If you are stressed, angry, or frustrated, your baby will often respond by becoming distressed. Talking in a gentle, soothing voice, even if the words are not yet understood, can help your baby to feel reassured, loved, and secure. Take care of yourself. To provide optimal care for your children, you must also attend to your own needs.Are you nurturing and respecting yourself? Although incredibly rewarding, parenting can also be exhausting and demanding. Finding time to sleep, eat, and even relax for a brief moment is extremely important. Use the support around you – your friends, family, community – so that you may find ways to replenish yourself. By taking care of your own needs, you are helping to ensure that you are able to take care of your baby's needs. Choose a childcare provider who values relationships. This should be someone who understands the importance of your baby's social and emotional development.The reality for many families is that either one or both parents are working outside of the home. In these situations, parents often need to place their baby in the care of a relative or childcare provider. Parents may worry that this may impact their relationship with their baby. Find a childcare provider who works to promote secure attachments with the children in her care and supports your infant's social and emotional development. This can provide valuable support to you and your family when you return to work.If you already have a provider, you may want to talk with him or her about how infant attachment and social-emotional development is supported within the childcare program. In addition, developing a positive, collaborative relationship with your baby's childcare provider will ensure that there is continual communication around your baby's changing needs. It will also help your baby feel supported by a loving, caring community of adults. Provide baby a freedom to explore new environment will help them to develop a sense of competence and efficacy.While doing this but parents still need to stay close with them and offer encouragement an d reassurance when needed. Since baby may not have confidence when they are just starting to explore new things, and they will need check with you for reassurance, security and encouragement. Therefore parents give baby love and support will help to develop the secure attachment. Feeling secure doesn't come from doing everything right; it comes from knowing that when you experience difficult feelings or challenges, you have the self-confidence and the support you need to forge ahead.While only the most poorly nurtured infants actually may develop attachment disorder (those who have lived in extremely neglectful environments), many others may still have attachment issues. Looking at baby, touching, singing, talking about what we are doing, etc is very important for infants' emotional development. Without this, babies do not ‘feel felt', an expression coined by Dan Siegel in his book ‘Parenting From the Inside Out'. It can become very difficult for these babies to develop the qualities of compassion and empathy.

After you my dear Alphonse by Shirley Jackson

After you my dear Alphonse by Shirley Jackson Essay In this short story Shirley Jackson portrays how harmful Racism can be, even though theres no violence or murder involved. But it also shows how a white boy and a black boy can have a relationship to each other with no prejudices; they consider each other equal persons. The game the boys are playing where they are saying after you my dear Alphonse to each other, is one of the ways Jackson tells us that they are equal. Mrs Wilson on the other hand, does not consider Boyd as an equal person to herself and her son. Mrs Wilson is trying to hide her Prejudices by being polite and generous to Boyd. She cant stop asking questions to (About) Boyds background and his family. She assumes that Boyds family are poor in spite of the fact that she doesnt have any acquaintance (knowledge)of Boyds background and his familys social status. Even when her own son Johnny tells her that Boyds father is the foreman of the factory; she ignores it and continues her questioning of Boyd. She stigmatizes Boyds family as poor because they are black; witch (which) was normal at this time. And she thinks she is right about her vision on Boyd, because a lot of black people were poor in the 40s where (when) the story takes place. When the boys are served stewed tomatoes, Johnny replies to his mother that Boyd does not eat tomatoes, But Mrs Wilson replies back with extreme condescension Boyd will eat anything to point out that Boyds family is poor. She thinks that Boyd is grateful for anything he can get to eat, but when B oyd doesnt want to eat the tomatoes, Mrs Wilson realises that Boyds family might be just as successful as her own family is. Her last try to prof that she is better than Boyd and his family. She offers Boyd second-hand clothing to (for) his family. Boyd explains politely to her that they have plenty of clothes themselves and that his family can buy him anything he needs. Mrs Wilson lifted the plate of gingerbread off the table as Boyd was about to take another piece she gets angry over the fact Boyd is not grateful for the clothes she is offering him. She is thinking that she is doing something good. But she suddenly realises that she cant help Boyd, and then she want (wants) nothing to do with him, and she is not as polite and generous as before Boyd told her about his background. Johnny doesnt share his mothers views. He is completely unbiased. He acts naturally about Boyds presence, like he would probably do to his other friends; he has no prejudices about black people. Johnny is a good example of childrens innocence. He doesnt understand his mothers comments and the racism that is hidden behind them. He is wondering about his mothers strange statements. But he cant connect it to Boyd being black. It is a perfect example of how children have no prejudices. The title of the text is used to support this. Its a symbol of Boyd and Johnnys great friendship. It shows us how unaffected the boys are by Mrs Wilsons racist behaviour. The phrase After you my dear Alphonse is normally used in a situation where two people are so polite to each other that they cant agree who shall do it. It originally comes from a french (French) comic strip where Alphonse and Gaston cant (cant) agree who should go trough a door first, so they are stuck in the moment. The boys say the phrase when they enter the home, but they repeat it when they are leaving the house again. This tells us that the boys are not affected by Mrs Wilsons Biased opinions. The short story is written in 1949. I think Jacksons message with writing this story is to show that America does not live up to some of the fundamental principles that build the nation. READ: Blood brothers wasn't it EssayStatements like all men are considered equal and every man has the right to pursue Happiness is questioned by Jackson in this Short story. Mrs Wilson represents the average American citizen at this time despite the Declaration of Independence. Mrs Wilson attitude to Boyd also shows that it was very unlikely for a black family to be wealthy at this time. Mrs Wilsons prejudices towards black people are the main theme of this short story. Mrs Wilson will not believe that Boyds family Is wealthy, because she stigmatizes Black people as poor people.

A Sorrowful Woman Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Sorrowful Woman - Assignment Example la story with a predictable plot and happy ending, Godwin deals with a much more sophisticated plot that involves mysterious turns of events and unpredictable responses by characters. Kai, the male protagonist of Zee’s story exhibits all the stereotypes of a masculine, insistent lover who invades the personal space of Faye in order to assert his ‘ownership’ of her. Faye is thinking of sacrificing their love because she cannot conceive a child. After a lot of melodrama, she manages to tell this to Kay, and Kay assures her that he will marry her not because she is â€Å"some kind of baby factory†. In his words, â€Å"I love you, not your procreating ability. So we have a problem. Well, we’ll learn to deal with it† (35). The story had already reached its predictable height of clichà © earlier when he proclaimed, â€Å"No other woman can give me what you can—yourself, your love, your warmth, your sense of humor. All the facets of your personality that make up the final you [†¦]. That’s what love is all about’† (34). On the other hand, the reason for sorrow of the nameless woman in Godwin’s story is not clearly stated. Readers will be tempted to read their versions of story, as its events progress and lead to a totally unpredictable and tragic end. When the woman starts to exhibit signs of a nervous breakdown, the husband tries his best to adjust with the new situation. He even sacrifices a lot of his time and energy to cook, clean and look after their son all by his own, while being a dutiful husband who looks after his wife’s health needs as well. However, there is no reference in the story where he tries to convince her of his love for her, other than through his actions. The woman is in fact convinced that he cares for her, but she cannot help but being a distant, indifferent wife and mother. It upsets her when her son shows the smallest sign of violence or carelessness towards her. She fires the girl who was hired to look after him, because she

Management Metrics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Metrics - Essay Example Some management systems can also be in place to offer effective and secure network, which is the backbone to any organization (Carter, Ulrich & Goldsmith, 2005). Effective achievement of organizational goals and strategies needs proper network management systems. In a bid to understand efficient and effectiveness in the network management systems, some factors are in consideration in the name of metrics. Metrics directly affects the bottom line of organizational management. There is no single metric which can be solely applicable in assessing the effectiveness of the management group hence the combination of several metrics is applicable. These metrics can undergo common review to gauge the overall effectiveness in the process of organizational goals achievement. Some common metrics in the line of organizational goals tracking includes complexity metrics for operational tasks, business impacts tracking metrics, and scale metrics (Nof, 1994). Network models are prone to change because of implementation of various applications and network technologies. The main network goal is to reap maximum efficiency. In order to achieve the required effectiveness, various metrics must be in place. The metrics in application also undergo timely review for the overall network efficiency (Hayden, 2010). Network assessment and the immediate impact in the running of the organization towards goal achievement is an important factor worth considering. Network availability, reliability and other impacts on organizational services and revenues depend on management metrics for direct tracking. Responsiveness in the process of network utilization also functions as an important metrics in gauging network performance in a given organization. In overall perspective, network management metrics can be easily broken down into three main sections, which comprises of cost, classic and

Community survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Community survey - Essay Example Central lssue of the Community Diagnosis The community suffers from a high incidence of drug and alcohol abuse, especially among the teenagers and young adults. This was made clear from the available statistics and data in the public domain. This is partially due to the increased drug related crimes, and partially due to the lack of awareness and education among the ethnic minority community. While exact and specific data are not available for Berwyn Heights, a 1999 National Household survey had reported that 5.2 percent of the population of Maryland has abused drugs in the past month. Among those who reported drug abuse, majority comprised of the ages between 18 and 25 (Drug Alcohol Rehab, 2007). Majority of them had used marijuana followed by cocaine. Another survey, The Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), also found that the State had a higher number of alcohol abuse. This was calculated on the basis of admission to the government treatment centers which increased to 59,091 in 1995 from a lesser number of admissions (56,885) in 1994. Some studies have pointed out that drug abuse is down among Berwyn Heights. Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) which is located in Baltimore conducted a study that found that there was an overall decrease in emergency admissions from 15863 in 1994 to 14171 in 1991 for Maryland, and much of the decline was attributed to decline in Berwyn Heights. Also, an Adolescent Survey in Maryland highlighted the fact that 6 to 8 graders drug abuse declined by 51% but, it was on the rise for teens. 63% of the Teenage students reported abusing drugs and 44.1 % reported abusing alcohol in the recent past (Drug Alcohol Rehab, 2007). While the above statistics are mostly State Level, a close observation of Berwyn Heights highlighted that incidence of drug and alcohol abuse was high among the African American young males. It was also found that the local government has initiated many crime control programs like Operation Convoy, Jetway and Pipeline that increased checks and controls on the movement of vehicles on land and water. There are however, very few community level non-governmental or governmental support groups that can provide awareness, education and preventive advice to the local community. Literature review A national household survey conducted using 4023 adolescents in the ages between 12 and 17 found that a leading cause of substance abuse was childhood physical and sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder. This research also established that African American ethnic minority youth for at a higher risk of substance abuse than Whites and other ethnic minority groups (Kilpatrick et al, 2000). In a follow up study in 2003, the researchers Kilpatrick et al again found that the risk factors for ethnic youth were higher. Another national scale research found that there is a lack of availability of mental health care and alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment facilities for African Americans (Wells, 2001) . Another research that was based on a collection of historical data on a large number of people belonging to African American community, it was found that this community was more likely to indulge in substance and drug abuse as a result of what the authors called Historical Trauma (Heart, 2003). This trauma is the result of generations of suffering ethnic

Memorandum Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Memorandum - Term Paper Example However, due to previous conflicts with her husband, based on domestic abuse, she had to face infliction by Cranston who was her neighbor in Youngsville, wherein Cranston was reported to have an illegitimate claim on the property. As a consequence, the continuous disruptive behavior of Cranston had severely impacted the psychological condition of Walsh causing her emotional distress. In relation to the provisions included under the Public Law, it can be stated that Walsh has a claim against Cranston due to his behavior of intentional infliction, which led her to suffer severe emotional depression. In this case, the continuous emotional distress intentionally caused by Cranston can also be treated as an offense, affecting psychological well-being of Walsh. BRIEF ANSWER TO THE CONCLUSION In relation to the case scenario, the conduct of intentional infliction by Cranston applying various means can be recognized to be guided by the purpose of forcing Walsh to leave the Youngsville commun ity and the property. The case records also reveal that the intentional behavior of Cranston was influenced due to the previous records of Walsh concerning the conflicts with her husband. ... The continuous intentional pressure imposed on Walsh by Cranston, to leave the residing place finally made Walsh to face severe psychological depression. Moreover, using PYR's "official" eviction notices can also be considered as the violation of public law by Cranston, which in turn also calls for an investigation to the justness of his claims as per the relevant statutes of property law. Further investigations of the justness of corporate claims brought by Cranston using the official eviction letter from PYR, it can be justified whether the claimant can force any individual to leave any residing place. In this context, Cranston should procure adequate evidence regarding the illegal residing process of Walsh in that particular community. Additionally, Cranston must need to bear adequate formalities, if he desires to prosecute any legal case against Walsh. In this regard, Walsh can also raise major legal actions against Cranston due to his continuous conduct of intentional infliction practices in order to force her to leave Youngsville. Subsequently, she can adopt adequate legal measures on the grounds of intentional infliction conducted by Cranston, causing her psychological depression and nervous wreck. STATEMENT OF FACTS With regard to the background of the case, the major purpose of Cranston was to form Youngsville community, primarily with retired persons. In order to accomplish the goal of establishing Youngsville community for the retired persons, Cranston has been identified to send â€Å"eviction notice† to the families having minor children, who were residing within the particular community. However, it has been

Leadership Development at Goldman Sachs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Leadership Development at Goldman Sachs - Essay Example This scenario demands a learning organisation; in this case, a learning organisation is that which has the capacity and expertise to facilitate learning and transfer learning in continuous processes. This means that it is expected that organisations have sufficient expertise to facilitate learning for employees. The solution of the challenge war for talent is to create leadership development programme at Goldman Sachs, an investment bank at the United States. A leadership development program should cover all perspectives of the organisation, enabling it to effectively achieve its set goals. This is an analysis presents a case study of â€Å"Leadership Development at Goldman Sachs.† Among many other companies in the 1990s, Goldman Sachs was in the fire line fighting the war for talent – both to retain and attract its talent. With its initial step in managing talent, Goldman Sachs created several new managing director posts, dispersal by geography and function. The United States boasts of very many investment banks that have been very successful since the time they were developed, one of these banks is Goldman Sachs. This is an American multinational investment bank, offering various kinds of financial investment in the United States and some other countries that it has set base. Between 1980 and 2000 the investment bank went through major changes that were mainly due to many factors like growth of the IPO markets, merges, growth and expansion of their businesses as well as the globalisation element. In the 1990s, several fundamental issues were raised in the investment bank, which were crucial for its growth and development First, Globalisation increased the competition of talent, thus retention was one of the main issues for Goldman Sachs. It is important to realise that the only way to retain talent in any business is by managing it effectively. As many companies started expanding, there was a high rate of labour mobility, something that

Community Health Needs and Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Community Health Needs and Services - Essay Example Many health practitioners hold the assumption that health is a universal value where one single framework can uniformly apply to all populations. Most of these approaches have failed to apply and take root in the American Indian community due to the failure on the part of the healthcare providers to articulate their unique culture. Many American Indians hold dearly to it as they continue to pass it down from one generation to another. The American Indians, therefore, looks towards their culture when looking for beliefs, values, and perspectives on illness and subsequent measures of managing it (Garcia). The government has over the years subjected the indigenous people to very many inhuman acts that have rendered them homeless and without land. Their culture is the only item that they still have that truly belongs to them. The American Indian culture holds extended relationships in high regard where they tackle many problems whether spiritual, mental and physical in a communal manner. Their notions differ considerably with the one-on-one consultations with the contemporary medical practitioners. They also hold their traditional healing methods in high regard, and it is always the first resort before even contemplating going to a conventional hospital. The shamans are all-knowing, and they know one’s problem before they even say it and they also have a cure for everything. The Indians expect the same from a hospital where the doctor is supposed to cure them without asking them to undertake other procedure such as lifestyle change.

Collection Scandal - Strategy Memo Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Collection Scandal - Strategy Memo - Coursework Example uck & Company to make repayments each month worth $28 for TV, an auto battery, and other merchandise bought using a Sears, Roebuck & Company card before his bankruptcy (ORourke, 2013). On the investigation, it emerged that Sears, Roebuck & Company did not comply with the requirement of filling a reaffirmation in court for the payment. In this regard, legal policy and requirements were ignored. Judge Kenner ordered for further and in mid-March revealed that 2,800 legal violations on reaffirmations had been committed in MA alone. The unlawful business led to the collection of $160 million (ORourke, 2013). The memo aims at stating the critical stakeholders and the concerns that emerge from the case. The meaning of the critical concerns and why the understanding and action being taken matter are the other areas that will be dealt with in the memo. The specific recommendations and the best way to communicate with the different stakeholders affected by the concerns raised in the case are the final areas that the memo will address. The concerns include understanding the legal requirement, determining how the scandal happened, developing mechanisms for evaluating credit provision and approval, retraining of staff tasked with collecting credit and accepting wrongdoing and take full responsibility. The critical concerns mean that the company has a lot of problems with some of its major stakeholders starting with the government, customers, shareholders, and the general public. The critical concerns matter because depending on the outcome and measures undertaken by the company, a lot of revenue, customers, money, and sales will be lost. The concerns matter also because the reputation of the CEO, management of the company, employees, and board of management is on the line. There are a number of ways that Sears, Roebuck & Company can take in solving the scandal that affected the company in the case. Recommendations include: Engaging with law enforcement agencies through

John Sutter and the Western United States Essay Example for Free

John Sutter and the Western United States Essay During the mid-1800s, people were eager to explore most of the United States in search for a better place to live in. Those who came from Europe settled in most parts of the Eastern United States. But there are those who ventured further, going deeper into the West. One of them is John Sutter, born in Germany and of Swiss descent. He became a captain of the Swiss Army, and was driven away from his family because of debts, going to the United States to look for a greener pasture. According to Albert Hurtado in his book, John Sutter: a Life on the North American Frontier, John Sutter deserves to have a title of an entrepreneur. All his achievements were the product of his hard work and entrepreneurship (Hurtado). He roamed the United States by using these characteristics to earn enough money to fund his ventures. The Eastern part of the United States at that time were already populated, where trade and commerce is flourishing all over the place. He joined a trading venture to New Mexico, where he was successful enough, returning with wine, several mules and money. When he celebrated the Independence Day of 1839 in Monterey California, he met Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado. This meeting paved the way for a settlement grant of more than 48,000 acres of land for Sutter, the start of the monumental â€Å"New Helvetia Settlement† which pioneered American life in the Western United States. One of the few requirements for John Sutter to be awarded the land grant was to become a citizen of Mexico. This would give him thousands of acres of land where he can establish a pioneering settlement. In less than a year after becoming a Mexican citizen, he was awarded the vast lands in the central valley of California. In order to properly run this vast acreage of agricultural lands, he employed various Native Americans, as well as welcomed immigrants from different places. John Sutter’s Fort became a famous stop-over for those wishing to venture into new lands. With this account from Albert Hurtado’s book, we can see that the Western part of the United States at John Sutter’s time promises new beginnings to those who wish for a different life. The East was somehow been congested with various people migrating from other nearby countries. Because of this, some wanted, and even dared to explore other parts of the â€Å"foreign land† they have settled in. But not all parts of the west are conducive for living. In the account of John Bidwell, he describes most of the west especially California as â€Å"the country was brown and parched; throughout the State wheat, beans, everything had failed†¦cattle were almost starving for grass, and the people, except perhaps a few of the best families, were without bread, and were eating chiefly meat, and that often of a very poor quality† (Bidwell). This means that the west may promise a good life, but there are also risks in living there. It is still an uncharted territory for the migrants, and that they were all going to start from scratch. They have no clear idea on how to handle things at first, especially because they did not originate in the area. However, it is also filled with resources just waiting to be exploited. According to Bidwell, the place also has some good points, â€Å"there were no other settlements in the valley; it was, apparently, still just as new as when Columbus discovered America, and roaming over it were countless thousands of wild horses, of elk, and of antelope† (Bidwell). The Western part of the United States was truly a place of uncertainty, wherein you’ll have to risk everything if you choose to settle in the area. John Sutter was able to survive and was successful in establishing a settlement in the area. In a sense, we could say that Sutter was successful in taming the Wild West. Sutter’s Fort housed a number of people ranging from natives to settlers, even those who were lost in their way, and these people contributed well enough in cultivating the vast lands of the settlement. In a few years time, John Sutter became a major supplier of horses, cattle, and wheat (Doti). The Western United States became a melting pot of different cultures. These cultures blended well with each other despite of their differences. This is essential for the success of the settlement, where everyone has to do their part in order for their efforts to flourish. John Sutter bridged the gap between the settlers, the natives and even the bordering Mexicans. Sutter’s works not only gave rise to a new settlement, but also to a new world found in the West. This is a very important contribution in the history of the nation, as it expanded the country’s influence across the borders. The culture in the Eastern United States at that time was generally influenced by the countries which they came from. Most these are European countries that are why they have developed mixtures of various European cultures. On the other hand, the Western United States is not only a mixture of European cultures, but also accompanied by various customs of the Native Americans and the bordering Mexican culture. This diversity has proven great importance in the formation of the Western United States, because western settlements were the products of various cultures cooperating with each other in so that they would achieve peace and order in their respective communities. Works Cited: Bidwell, John. Life in California before the Gold Discovery. 1890. The Century Magazine. November 19 2007. http://www. sfmuseum. org/hist2/bidwell1. html. Doti, Lynne Pierson. John Sutter: A Life on the North American Frontier Book Reviews. 2006. Chapman University. November 19 2007. http://eh. net/bookreviews/library/1116. Hurtado, Albert L. John Sutter: A Life on the North American Frontier. 1st edition ed: University of Oklahoma Press, 2006.

Open Fields Doctrine Essay Example for Free

Open Fields Doctrine Essay One of the exceptions to the search and seizure law which enables police officers to conduct warrantless search and seizure proceedings, especially in criminal cases, is the Open Fields Doctrine. Under this doctrine, the owner of any object found out of doors where it could be plainly seen by anybody who is standing on his or her foot, from inside any motor vehicle, or from a low-flying aircraft, could not seek the privacy protection under the Fourth Amendment. In other words, even if a residential unit is protected by a fence, the ground inside the fence is still considered an â€Å"open field† if there are cracks in the fence through which anybody can easily peep and see objects located inside the fence. The same is true when the fence is low enough for people to see clearly inside the fenced-in ground without the need to stand on their toes or on top of any object in order to have a clear line of sight. Considered open fields are streets, sidewalks, any bodies of water, outdoor fields, or even the curtilage of a fenced-in residential building as long as said curtilage could be observed by people outside the fence. This doctrine was established by the United States Supreme Court in Hester v. United States where it ruled that the â€Å"Fourth Amendment did not protect ‘open fields’ and that, therefore, police searches in such areas as pastures, wooded areas, open water, and vacant lots† are legal even without search warrants (Cornell University Law School). A curtilage refers to any area near a residential unit which was enclosed by the owner for the purpose of shielding from public view any or all family activities considered intimate or private. A curtilage, therefore, is also considered a person’s home as far as the Fourth Amendment protection from unwarranted and unreasonable search and seizure proceedings is concerned. In United States v. Dunn, 480 U. S. 294 (1987), the Court ruled that before determining whether an area is actually a curtilage, four factors should be considered: its proximity to the house; if the house is enclosed by a fence, whether, said area was included in the fenced-in area; whether the area is actually used for intimate family activities; and whether the owner of the house exerted enough efforts to shield the activities being conducted in the area from public view. References Cornell University Law School. FOURTH AMENDMENT SEARCH AND SEIZURE. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from http://www. law. cornell. edu/anncon/html/amdt4frag3_user. html USLegal Definitions. Curtilage Law Legal Definition. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from http://definitions. uslegal. com/c/curtilage/

Time and Cost Performance in Construction

Time and Cost Performance in Construction One of the most essential problems confronting the water and sanitation sector in the northern region of Ghana is performance of cost and time. In most cases time overruns occur in the donor-funded projects and in the extreme cases cost overruns. Time and cost overruns occur in almost all related water and sanitation construction projects in the northern region of Ghana. It is therefore essential to define the actual performance difficulties in order to make light of and avoid the delays and increasing cost in any donor-funded water and sanitation project. In the ESAs funded water and sanitation projects, the aim of project control is to ensure the projects finish on time, within budget and achieving other project objectives. It is a complex task undertaken by project managers in practice, which involves constantly measuring progress; evaluating plans; and taking corrective actions when required (Kerzner, 2003). During the last few decades, numerous project control methods, such as G antt Bar Chart, Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and Critical Path Method (CPM), have been developed (Nicholas, 2001) (Lester, 2000). A variety of software packages have become available to support the application of these project control methods, for example Microsoft Project, Asta Power Project, Primavera, etc. Despite the wide use of these methods and software packages in practice, many of these donor-funded projects in the north still suffer time and cost overruns. This chapter reviews literature concerning the major issues of and cost and time performance in order to recognize the related information regarding those issues. Definition of Time and Cost Performance Time Performance Time performance is defined as meeting the duration baseline in the initial planning process of the project. Time overruns occurs when there is an extension of time beyond planned completion dates traceable to the major stakeholders (Kaming et al., 1997). Delays are incidents that impact a projects progress and postpone project activities; delay causing incidents may include unavailability of resources, communication problems, slowness in decision making, design delays, etc. In general, project delays occur as a result of project activities that have both external and internal cause and effect relationship (Vidalis and Najafi, 2002). (Choudhury and Phatak, 2004) and (Chan-Albert, 2001) defined the time overruns as the differentiation between the actual completion time and the estimated completion time. Project delays are those that cause the project completion date to be delayed (Al-Gahtani and Mohan, 2007). Cost Performance Cost performance is defined as the zero difference between the budgeted/original cost estimate of the project and in some cases spending below the estimated cost of the project. Cost variance occurs when there is an excess of actual cost over budget or below budget. Cost variance in construction projects often result in an overrun which is also occasionally called cost escalation, cost increase, or budget overrun. (Zhu and Lin, 2004). Cost overrun is defined as the change in contract amount divided by the original contract award amount .This calculation can be converted to a percentage for ease of comparison (Jackson, 1999). (Choudhury and Phatak, 2004), defined the cost overruns as the differentiation amid the original cost estimate of project and actual cost on completion of works of a commercial sector construction project. Cost is among the major consideration throughout the project management life cycle and can be regarded as one of the most important parameters of a project and the driving force of project success (Azhar et al., 2008, p. 7). (Gido and Clement, 2003), mentioned that cost performance is an effective technique in project management effort expended and it is widely accepted in the literature and industry. Earned Value Analysis (EVA) is used to evaluate cost performance of different types of projects. Cost control, cost estimating, and cost budgeting are three cost related processes that interact among each other and with other scopes of construction projects. Time variance for water and sanitation projects Time variance (Tv) is the time between the scheduled contract time and the completion time in undertaking the projects. Bromilows Time-Cost Model Bromilow was the first to develop an empirical model for the prediction of construction time using the project cost. The model known as Bromilows time-cost (BTC) model, developed and published in Australia in 1969, was developed for giving a fast and construction schedule estimate using project cost. The model provides a forecast of construction schedule using the estimated final cost of the project. Bromilows model disclosed that the construction duration was highly correlated with the project cost (Bromilow, 1969). The model was developed by the use of a linear regression model. (Hoffman et al, 2007), confirmed that, Bromilow was triumphant in providing a point estimate as well as upper and lower quartile limits of construction duration using past project data. (Ameyaw et al, 2012). The correlation was re-tested by (Bromilow, 1988) collaborated with the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) in two transcribe contract time performance studies, in 1976 and 1988. (Bromilow, 1988), investigated 408 projects built between 1970 and 1976 and establish that despite indication of superior disparity between the time performance of projects of comparable value, the correlation between construction duration and project cost revealed in the 1960s is pertinent. Even though project time is influenced by many other factors including cost, some success has been chalked in an attempt to model project time. The model as first developed by (Bromilow, 1969) is expressed as T = KCB. T represents project duration, C actual cost of the project including fluctuations and variations, K is a constant showing the level of time performance for a unit of C, and B is a constant describing how the time performance was affected by project size as measured by the cost. (Long et al, 2 009), argued that the application of Bromilows time-cost model in estimating and benchmarking the project duration has been vigorous while some studies have suggested that the application of this model is unsuitable. More importantly, (Mensah, 2010), adopted the Bromilows time cost model to estimate project duration on donor funded feeder roads in Ghana and found it applicable. Auxiliary analysis showed the original Bromilow time-cost model is not the best fit regression form, and alternative models were proposed. All the researchers identified cost was a poor forecaster of time performance, and further proposed an alternative model to that proposed by Bromilow (1969). (Kaka and Price, 1991), used the time-cost model for both civil and building projects and indicated that the original model, as introduced by (Bromilow, 1969), remained unchanged but the coefficient of the equation changed with the project type. (Al-Momani, 2000), stated that the owner satisfaction for performance can be defined as the gap between what the owner expects and the level of performance they believe is being delivered by the contractors. (Lehtonen, 2001), stated that performance measurement is a basis for progressive improvement and monitoring of company productivity. (Chan and Kumaraswamy, 2002) remarked that project performance measurement include time, budget, safety, quality and overall client satisfaction. (Thomas et al., 2002), defined performance measurement as monitoring and controlling of projects according to regular basis. (Kuprenas, 2003), stated that project performance measurement means an improvement of cost, schedule, and quality for design and construction stages. (Long et al, 2004), stated that a project performance measurement is related to many indicators such as time, budget, quality, specifications and stakeholders satisfaction. (Navon, 2005), defined performance measurement as a comparison between the desired and the actual performances. Problem of Performance in Construction Industry The failure of any construction project is mainly related to the problems and failure in performance. Moreover, there are many reasons and factors which attribute to such problem. (Ogunlana et al., 1996), stated that the construction industry performance problems in developing economies can be classified in three layers: inadequacies in industry infrastructure (resources supply), clients and consultants caused problems and contractor incompetence/inadequacies. (Okuwoga, 1998), identified that the performance problem is related to poor budgetary and time control. (Long et al, 2004), remarked that performance problems arise in large construction projects due to many reasons such as: incompetent designers/contractors, poor estimation and change management, social and technological issues, site related issues and improper techniques and tools. (Navon, 2005), stated that the main performance problem can be divided into two groups: (a) unrealistic target setting (i.e., planning) or (b) cau ses originating from the actual construction (in many cases the causes for deviation originate from both sources). (Samson and Lema, 2002), found that the traditional performance measurement systems have problems because of large and complex amount of information with absence of approaches to assist decision maker understand, organize and use such information to manage organizational performance. (Navon, 2005), remarked that traditional project performance control is usually generic (e.g., cost control techniques). It relies on manual data collection, which means that it is done at low frequency (normally once a month) and quite some time after the controlled event occurred (i.e., not in real-time). Moreover, manual data collection normally gives low quality data. (Ling et al., 2007), remarked that architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) firms may encounter challenges managing construction projects performance in China because of unfamiliarity with this new operating environment. (Kim et al., 2008), stated that international construction projects performance is affected by more complex and dynamic factors than domestic projects; frequently being exposed to serious external uncertainties such as political, economical, social, and cultural risks, as well as internal risks from within the project. Project Management and Performance There is a strong relation between project management and project performance. Management in construction industry is considered as one of the most important factors affecting performance of works. (Brown and Adams, 2000) studied a new approach to the measurement of the effect of Building Project Management (BPM) on time, cost and quality outputs using 15 `cases derived from UK data. The evaluation undertaken demonstrates that BPM as it is presently implemented in the UK fails to perform as expected in relation to the three predominant performance evaluation criteria; time, cost and quality. (Lehtonen, 2001), obtained a model for performance measurement which assist both firms top management and operational managers for continuous feedback on operational activities. (Thomas et al., 2002), stated that documenting and archiving performance data could be useful for future reference, such as for settling disputes on claims, and in maintenance and repair works. (Kuprenas, 2003), remarked that quantification of the impacts of the project management processes are identified through three steps of analysis: comparison of summary statistics of design performance, proof of statistical significance of any differences and calculation of a least squares regression line of a plot of design performance measurement versus amount/application of project management as a means to quantify management influence to design phase cost performance. (Cheung et al., 2004), studied the project performance related to project managers and remarked that development of a Web-based construction Project Performance Monitoring System (PPMS) can assist project managers in exercising construction project performance indicators and can help senior project management practitioners, etc., in monitoring and assessing project performance. (Pheng and Chaun, 2006), stated that while project management is only one of the many criteria upon which project performance is contingent, it is also arguably the most significant as people formulating the processes and systems who deliver the projects. (Ugwu and Haupt, 2007), stated that an adequate understanding and knowledge of performance are desirable for archiving managerial goals such as improvement of institutional transformations, and efficient decision making in design, specification and construction, at various project-level interfaces, using appropriate decision-support tools. (Ling et al., 2007) , investigated Project Management (PM) practices adopted by Singaporean construction firms and dogged the level of performance of their projects in China; they identified PM practices that led to better performance; and recommended key PM practices that could be adopted by overseas construction firms in China to improve project performance. Water and Sanitation Projects and Performance Success of projects depends mainly on success of performance. Many previous researches had studied performance of construction projects. (Dissanayaka and Kumaraswamy, 1999), remarked that one of the principal reasons for the construction industrys poor performance has been attributed to the inappropriateness of the chosen procurement system. (Reichelt and Lyneis, 1999), remarked three important structures underlying the dynamic of a project performance which are: the work accomplishment structure, feedback effects on productivity and work quality and effects from upstream phases to downstream phases. (Thomas et al., 2002), identified the main performance criteria of construction projects as financial stability, progress of work, standard of quality, health and safety, resources, relationship with clients, relationship with consultants, management capabilities, claim and contractual disputes, relationship with subcontractors, reputation and amount of subcontracting. (Chan and Kumarasw amy, 2002), stated that construction time is increasingly important because it often serves as a crucial benchmarking for assessing the performance of a project and the efficiency of the project organization. (Cheung et al., 2004), identified project performance categories such as people, cost, time, quality, safety and health, environment, client satisfaction, and communication. It was obtained by (Navon, 2005), that a control system is an important element to identify factors affecting construction project effort. For each of the project goals, one or more Project Performance Indicators (PPI) is needed. (Pheng and Chaun, 2006), obtained that human factors played an important role in determining the performance of a project. (Ugwu and Haupt, 2007) remarked that both early contractor involvement (ECI) and early supplier involvement (ESI) would minimize constructability-related performance problems including costs associated with delays, claims, wastages and rework, etc. (Ling et al., 2007), obtained that the most important of practices relating to scope management are controlling the quality of the contract document, excellence of reaction to perceived variations and extent of changes to the contract. It was recommended for foreign firms to adopt some of the project management practices highlighted to help them to achieve better project performance in China. Information Technology and Water and Sanitation Projects Performance Information technology technique is very important in the entire world. Information technology (IT) opens new visions in the businesses and industries performance of the world. The construction industry is considered as one of the industries using IT technique such as software management systems, database and communications. For many years, many processes, functions, operations were done difficulty because of absence of IT field. In addition, most of the work was done manually which lead to more cost, time and poor performance. Furthermore, IT usage in the construction industry leads to many changes, innovations and developing in many aspects which lead finally to good and strong performance. There are many benefits and relations of using IT in the construction projects such as: greater use of IT correlates with better project performance, owners and contractors realize meaningful benefits, IT affects schedule compression beneficially, and overall project cost savings which lead to a success performance of project (Schwegler et al., 2001). (Nitithamyong et al., 2004), remarked that information Technology (IT) is now routinely used in the construction industry as a tool to reduce some of the problems generated by fragmentation. The use of IT improves coordination and collaboration between firms participating in a construction project, leading to better communication practices and so good performance. Its benefits include an increase in the quality of documents and the speed of the work, better financial control and communications, and simpler and faster access to common data as well as a decrease in documentation errors. (Thomas et al., 2002), proposed contractor Performance Appraisal and Reporting (PAR) system for reviewing contractor performance at an organizational level. Advancements in World Wide Web techniques provide enhanced capacities to collect compile and disseminate performance-related information to various construction stakeholders in a timely and cost-effective manner. (Becerik, 2004), stated that the rapid advances of web-based project management and collaboration technology offer new opportunities to improve existing construction project performance. (Cheung et al., 2004) obtained framework software to measure project performance based on project performance measurement system (PPMS). The system contains four stages which are data entry, database, reporting and action. This system has eight categories to measure performance which are people, cost, time, quality, safety and health, environment, client satisfaction, and communication. (Goh, 2005), remarked that information technology m anagement leads to performance improvement in the construction industries. For instance, in Singapore 2003, general administration, design, project management and site management were enhanced by using of IT. In addition, there were more advantages as quick working, good quality of work and fast access of information. Factors Affecting Performance of Managers (Ogunlana et al., 1996), recommended the need for focused effort by economy managers and construction industry associations to provide the infrastructure needed for efficient project management and performance. (Dissanayaka and Kumaraswamy, 1999), stated that the knowledge that would influence potential performance enables project managers to pay special attention to control performance more effectively. (Chan and Kumaraswamy, 2002), remarked that effective communication and fast information transfer between managers and participants help to accelerate the building construction process and performance. (Kuprenas, 2003), studied the impact of the use of a project management based organizational structure, project manager training, frequency of design meetings, and frequency of design reports on design phase cost performance. The process of a design team meeting frequency and the process of written reporting of design phase progress were found to be statistically significant in reducin g design phase costs. (Navon, 2005), stated that data are collected and used for construction managers as a basis to evaluate the Project Performance Indicators (PPI) actual value to compare it with the planned value and forecast its future value based on past performance. (Pheng and Chaun, 2006), identified the importance of the working environment variables for the performance of a project manager in the private and public sectors according to three main groups which are job condition, project characteristic and organizational related categories. The result revealed that working hours, physical condition of project site, complexity of project, material and supplies, project size, duration of project and time availability were viewed differently in terms of importance by the contractors and consultants groups. Team relationship was ranked as the most important variable affecting the performance of a project manager. It is obtained that project managers experiences do not have much effect on how they perc eive their working environment. Time Impact Analysis Time is an essential part of every plan organisations develop for performing contract work. There is a relationship between the schedule, the scope of work, and the project conditions. According to (Anabari, 2003), Time Impact Analysis is typically associated with the modeling of the effects of a single delay. It requires a CPM schedule that is able to show the pure CPM calculation differences between a schedule that does not include a delay and one that does include an activity modeling a delay. The difference for project completion between the non-impacted schedule and that of the schedule with the impact is considered to be the impact of the delay for time duration considerations. Project Cost Time Relationship Total project costs include both direct costs and indirect costs of performing the activities of the project. Direct costs for the project include the costs of doing work related to some specific activities of the project. Indirect costs, on the other hand, are the necessary costs of doing work which cannot be related to a particular activity, and in some cases cannot be related to a specific project (Davison, 2003),. If each activity was scheduled for the duration that resulted in the minimum direct cost in this way, the time to complete the entire project might be too long and substantial penalties associated with the late project completion might be incurred (Dlakwa and Culpin, 1990). Thus, planners perform what is called time-cost trade-off analysis to shorten the project duration. This can be done by selecting some activities on the critical path to shorten their duration. As the direct cost for the project equals the sum of the direct costs of its activities, then the project direct cost will increase by decreasing its duration. On the other hand, the indirect cost will decrease by decreasing the project duration, as the indirect cost are almost a linear function with the project duration (Al-Khalil and AL-Ghafly, 1999). Factors Affecting Cost and Time Performance (Chan and Kumaraswamy, 2002), remarked that studies in various countries appear to have contributed significantly to the body of knowledge relating to time performance in construction projects over the past three decades, while (Iyer and Jha, 2005), remarked that project performance in term of cost is studied since 1960s. These studies range from theoretical work based on experience of researcher on one end to structured research work on the other end. Moreover, (Pheng and Chaun, 2006), stated that there have been many past studies on project performance according to cost and time factors. (Chan and Kumaraswamy, 1996) stated that a number of unexpected problems and changes from original design arise during the construction phase, leading to problems in cost and time performance. It is found that poor site management, unforeseen ground conditions and low speed of decision making involving all project teams are the three most significant factors causing delays and problems of time performance in local building works. (Okuwoga, 1998), stated that cost and time performance has been identified as general problems in the construction industry worldwide. (Dissanayaka and Kumaraswamy, 1999), remarked that project complexity, client type, experience of team and communication are highly correlated with the time performance; whilst project complexity, client characteristics and contractor characteristics are highly correlated with the cost performance. (Reichelt and Lyneis, 1999), obtained that project schedule and budget performance are controlled by the dynamic feedback process . Those processes include the rework cycle, feedback loops creating changes in productivity and quality, and effects between work phases. (Chan-Albert, 2001), identified that the best predictor of average construction time performance of public sector projects in Malaysia is T = 269 C 0.32. This relationship can serve as a convenient tool for both project managers and clients to predict the average time required for delivery of a construction project. (Kuprenas, 2003), stated that process of a design team meeting frequency and the process of written reporting of design phase progress were found to be statistically significant in reducing design phase costs. Otherwise, the use of project manager training and a project management based organizational structure were found to be processes that do not create a statistically significant in reducing design phase costs. (Iyer and Jha, 2005), remarked that the factors affecting cost performance are: the competence of project managers; support of top management; coordinating and leadership skills of project managers; monitoring and feedback by the participants; decision making; coordination among project participants; owners competence; social condition, economical condition and climatic condition. Coordination among the various participants of the project was as the most considerable of all the factors having utmost influence on cost performance of projects. (Love et al., 2005), studied project time-cost performance relationships by using project scope factors for 161 construction projects that were completed in various Australian States. It was noticed that gross floor area and the number of floors in a building are key determinants of time performance in projects. Besides, the findings indicate that cost is a pitiable forecaster of time performance. (Chan and Kumaraswamy, 2002), proposed specific technological and managerial strategies to increase speed of construction and so to upgrade the construction time performance. It is remarked that effective communication, fast information transfer between project participants, the better selection and training of managers, and detailed construction programs with advanced available software can help to accelerate the performance. (Jouini et al., 2004): stated that managing speed in engineering, procurement and construction projects is a key factor in the competition between innovative firms. It is found that customers can consider time as a resource and, in that case, they will encourage the contractor to improve the time performance. Identifying factors that influence cost performance Previous research has attempted to establish reasons for the difference between the tender sum and the final account. This segment identifies the factors that influence cost performance. Four factors were identified from the obtainable research findings, (Morris, 1990), (Kaming et al., 1997) and (Chimwaso, 2001). These are; design changes, inadequate planning, irregular weather conditions; and fluctuations in the cost of building materials. To expand the research it was decided to synchronize the above list of factors with other factors gleaned from the final account reports. These were compared with the factors from the existing research findings, and a final list of 18 factors was prepared. These were then separated into two groups of seven significant factors and nine other factors, which are usually ignored, but perceived to be of equal significance (Chimwaso, 2001). Measurement of Project Performance (Karim and Marosszeky, 1999), stated that performance measurement systems have been one of the primary tools used by the manufacturing sector for business process re-engineering in order to monitor the outcomes and effectiveness of implementation. (Brown and Adams, 2000), obtained an evaluation framework to measure the efficiency of building project management (BPM) by using conventional economic analysis tools such as time, cost and quality. (Lehtonen, 2001), stated that performance measurement systems are imminent in the construction firms. (Samson and Lema, 2002), stated that effective and efficient management of contractors organizational performance requires commitment to effective performance measurement in order to evaluate, control, and improve performance today and in the future. (Tangen, 2004), obtained that performance measurement is a complex issue that normally incorporates at least three different disciplines: economics, management and accounting. Measurement of performance has garnered significant interest recently among both academics and practitioners. (Tangen, 2004), remarked the choice of a suitable measurement technique depends on a number of factors, including the purpose of the measurement; the level of detail required; the time available for the measurement; the existence of available predetermined data; and the cost of measurement. (Navon, 2005), defined performance measurement as a comparison between the desired and the actual performances. For example, when a deviation is detected, the construction management analyzes the reasons for it. The reasons for deviation can be schematically divided into two groups: (a) unrealistic target setting (i.e., planning) or (b) causes originating from the actual construction (in many cases the causes for deviation originate from both sources). (Navon, 2005), stated that performance measurement is needed not only to control current projects but also to update the historic database. Such updates enable better planning of future projects in terms of costs, schedules, labor allocation, etc. (Pheng and Chaun, 2006), stated that the measurement of project performance can no longer be restricted to the traditional criteria, which consist of time, cost and quality. There are other measurement criteria such as project management and products. (Cheung et al., 2004), stated that New South Wales Public Works Department in Australia launched a Project Performance Evaluation (PPE) framework, which covers an extensive array of performance parameters. PPE parameters are communication, time, cost, quality, safety, claims and issues resolution, environment, contract relations. PPEs purpose is to broaden project performance procedures to envelop soft parameters also, such as communication and resolution of dispute. In the UK, a performance measurement tool for project referred to as the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) was developed by the KPI working group under the UK Construction Industry Best Practice Programme to include time, cost, quality, client satisfaction, change orders, business performance, health and safety. The implementation steps of KPIs are as follows: Decide what to measure, Collect data and calculate the KPIs. That notwithstanding, both the PPE and KPIs are valuable tools for measuring performance of a project over a period of time. Anyway, it is obtained from previous study that both methods PPE and KPIs can be used for measuring of performance as the indicators are similar in two methods. In this study KPIs method will be used to measure performance. (Iyer and Jha, 2005), stated that measuring the performance of any construction project is a very complex process because modern construction projects are generally multidisciplinary in nature and they involve participation of designers, contractors, subcontractors, specialists, construction managers, and consultants. With the increasing size of the project, number of participants in the project also increases. The objectives or goals of all participants need not be same even in a given project. Hence to measure performance of a project witho