Factors influencing participation in sport Essay

Some people have very different views on training and the factors that affect them to participate in sport. They have very different attitudes to training. I’m doing climate affecting participation. Some people may want to go out in the rain and train as they may find this enjoyable, but a lot of other people may dislike the cold and wet weather and stay indoors to participate in sport or just sit about. Also the majority of people would rather be outside, but in the warmth, with the sun shining. The country’s climate is a big factor that affects the participation and type of sport that they do, this also affects their attitudes towards training, for example, people in Australia will play more outdoor sports such as windsurfing and skateboarding as their climate is ideal for this type of exercise. Kenya has produced a lot of world class athletes, this is due to their climate, hot and dry all year. This encourages people to train a lot more and also outdoors. Kenya are world class at long distance running as are morocco, this is mostly due to when they train, and what type of weather they train in. If the weather is hot all the time, athletes will train on a regular basis, but if the weather is cold and wet, the athletes will not be motivated enough to go out and train, they will either train indoors or simply just sit around and watch tv or play boardgames. This is the scene in Northern Ireland, and Sweden etc as these countries have unpredictable weather and climates so no one knows what type of day it is going to be. When the weather changes this can change most athletes’ attitude to training. The heat outside motivates athletes to train outdoors. Fumes from traffic and factories, over a long period of time will start to affect the community in which people live in, this will, in actual fact, bring you bad health. The fumes will bring harm to your lungs and make breathing difficult. This means your fitness level will suffer. The environment also affects your performance in a sport event; for example, on a hot day you can overheat which makes you weak and dizzy. And think what a windy day can do to a tennis match, all these factors affect the performance and attitudes towards the training and participation in sport. At high altitudes air is thinner than at sea level, so you must breath harder in order to get the right amount of oxygen to your lungs. To perform well in a sport at high altitude you must first need time to adapt to the climate and the type of environment you are playing the sport in. All types of weather affect the way in which we think about sport. Hot, cold, dry, wet.

Current Issues in Corrections Essay

The article I found is most related to Chapter 4, â€Å"Diversion and Probation†, because it looks at how probation is a great way to help juvenile offenders get back on their feet. The article is about the positive changes that juvenile offenders in California have made due to an increase in probationary programs. The probation departments in California have changed the way they operate and by doing this have accomplished something extraordinary. Originally, probation for juvenile offenders included, â€Å"focus on suppression, enforcement, and monitoring of youthful offenders† (63), but since 1995 all that has changed. A new program called the Comprehensive Youth Services Act / Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (CYSA/TANF) was created that changed the way in which probation works. Now there is a, â€Å"focus on families and on rehabilitative and therapeutic approaches† (63), to help juvenile offenders rather than punish them. The new programs aim to help the entire family because most juvenile delinquency starts from the home. Such programs include, â€Å"case management services, gang intervention programs, and parenting skills training† (64). These new initiatives have led to a dramatic decline in juvenile crime. Arrest rates have gone down, the incarceration rate has diminished, and the amount of juvenile offenders in ranches and camps has also dropped. Not only that, but the amount of teen pregnancies have decreased, and the amount of children living in poverty has improved. These are all a result of changes made within the corrections system. I think it is essential that other states learn from what the probation departments in California have done. They are proving that their new proactive approach is making differences both within the system, and within the community. If these teens can be reached before it’s too late they have a great chance at living a life free from the confinement of prison walls.

My Memoirs Essay

I am Jack Merridrew, when I was younger I went to a cathedral school where I was head boy and chapter chorister. My choir and I were being evacuated from England because of the cold war. None of us knew where we were going, but wherever it was it would be safe. I thought it would be a great adventure but I was certainly proved wrong. This is how my adventure began. We were on the aeroplane, which was taking us to our new destination, when the lights began to flicker and the windows began to shake. The next thing I knew we had crashed. I woke up the next morning to find myself lying on a patch of grass with some of the choir boys. I was not injured but just a bit shocked at what had happened. I didn’t have a clue where we were but I knew I would survive somehow. The weather was excruciatingly hot and the air was very moist. I led my choir into the forest where we found lots of fruit. I used not to eat much fruit but I was so hungry I ate as much of it as my stomach would take. There was a stream where we were able to drink from, the water tasted so fresh, the freshest I’ve ever tasted. I heard a loud noise, I didn’t know exactly what it was but it sounded like a horn. My choir and I followed the noise, until we came to a platform, where there were lots of other boys. One of the boys was blowing a conch. I can remember ordering the choir to stand in line so that we looked presentable and authoritative. The boy with the conch introduced himself as Ralph and there was a fat boy with him, wearing rounded spectacles. Simon from my choir fainted like he usually did, because he was an epileptic. The other boys and I had discussed our situation and had established that there were no adults on the island, so I suggested that I should be chief because I was head boy. Ralph decided to have a vote on who should be leader. It should have been me, but they chose Ralph because of that ridiculous conch thing that he had. I was extremely furious and disappointed; Ralph said that my choir could be hunters and obviously I was leader of the hunters. Ralph suggested that we should explore where we were to make sure we were on an island. He told me the fat boy’s real name was Piggy. Piggy wanted to come with us. I laughed and told him to go back to the others. If Piggy had come with us he would have slowed us down. As we were exploring we heard a squealing noise. We ran to see what it was. A pig was tangled in some creepers. I pulled out my knife, ready to cut its throat. Something in me stopped me from killing the pig, maybe it was the thought of the knife going through the flesh or maybe it was because I was too innocent. I didn’t care what the reason was at the time. Ralph and Simon were looking at me I felt ashamed and angry, I vowed to myself that I would kill it next time. When we were certain that we were on an island, we agreed to build a signal fire on the top of the mountain so we could be rescued. When we were still down on the platform a littulin said that there was some kind of â€Å"beastie† on the island. I knew that he was just afraid because he was away from home. I wanted everyone to know that I was strong so I promised to kill the beast if I saw it. We managed to get loads of leaves and bits of wood for a fire; but we had no matches to light a fire. I snatched Piggy’s glasses and managed to shine the light through them causing a bit of smoke. I blew it a bit and it lit the leaves and sticks. In minutes the fire got out of control and it swept down the side of the mountain. After the fire some of the littulins had noticed the boy with the birth mark on his face was missing. We came to the conclusion that he was killed during the fire. I didn’t particularly care. It wasn’t at all my fault. The littulin should have been more careful. Hunting was becoming really tedious, as there was nothing to kill. I desperately needed meat; I was prepared to kill, to prove to the rest of the boys that I should be chief not Ralph. All Ralph cared about was making huts, sticking to the rules and getting rescued. I knew that we wouldn’t get rescued straight away; I just wanted to have fun and make the most of our time on the island without any adults. As time passed on the island my clothes got worn and ripped but I didn’t care. I was able to make paints for my face out of berries and mud; I spread it all over my face as camouflage to help me in the forest. It was my new identity. When we went hunting we found a pig, we chased it and killed it with our spears. I felt victorious and triumphant. The flesh and blood did not concern me at all; I just wanted the meat. We marched proudly back to the beach. Ralph didn’t even care that I had got some meat; he just cared about a ship that had gone past, and hadn’t seen us. It wasn’t my fault the signal fire had gone out, we had to go and hunt. The ship probably wouldn’t have seen the fire anyway. I don’t know why but I took my anger out on Piggy and his glasses got broken. As usual Ralph stuck up for Piggy like he always did. When we were roasting the pig I knew that Ralph was jealous that he hadn’t been part of the hunt, which is why he should have let me become chief because I was more fun then he. One day while I was on the beach a something fell from the air. We all thought it was a beast; I was even fooled at first. When Ralph, some other bigguns and I went to look for the beast, I didn’t really know what creature I was looking for. I went up to the top of the mountain alone. There was a huge bulge next to a boulder; I couldn’t make out what kind of creature it was. It was extremely dark; I went back up there with Roger and Ralph. It moved. For the first time I was actually scared. But I soon forgot about it because I wasn’t really bothered. After I got off the island I never found out what it was because when the investigation team went up to the mountain there was nothing there. While we were having a meeting on the platform, I wanted another vote for a new chief. I was surprised and ashamed when they still voted for Ralph. They should have chosen me. I went off on my own to think; I wasn’t surprised though when my hunters came to look for me. My hunters would rather be in a tribe with me than Ralph. I decided I would make a tribe of my own. Everybody knew I was the strongest on the island; I would be able to provide food. If I kept everyone scared they would join my tribe. I invited Ralph to a big feast that I was having, while two of my hunters went to steal fire from them. He did not realise my plan. It was to keep my friends close but my enemies closer. All the boys came to my feast because I could provide them with food. I asked people to join my tribe, nearly everyone joined, apart from Piggy and Ralph. When Simon crawled out of the forest and into our circle I did think for a second that it was a beast. But everyone including myself got carried away beating him as if he was the beast; I just couldn’t stop hitting him with my spear. It was like my body had been taken over by evil. I didn’t mean to kill him. The next day I decided to move my tribe to Castle Rock because it was more enclosed and Ralph wouldn’t be able to invade my location. We had no way of getting fire so we plotted together to go and steal Piggy’s glasses. When I got back from hunting the next day, I found Ralph at Castle Rock, we began to argue then started to fight. My tribe took Sam and Eric hostage so that Piggy and Ralph were now on their own. Ralph was still sticking up for Piggy. He told me to give back Piggy’s glasses but there was no way that I was going to give Piggy his glasses they were now mine. Whilst Piggy was standing in the entrance protesting about his glasses, Roger released a huge boulder. It came hurtling down the cliff and smashed Piggy’s skull in two. It didn’t bother me, I was so glad he was out of the way. Now I just needed to get rid of Ralph. I threw my spear down at him but missed. He got away and ran into the forest. I wanted Ralph dead. My tribe and I went into the forest to hunt him down. We burnt out his hiding place to smoke him out. Ralph ran through the forest and across the platform, he fell to the ground. This was my chance to kill him, to show him I could do what I wanted because I was strong and powerful. But as we looked up a naval officer looked down at us and said, â€Å"Have you been having a war or something?† That is when I knew my adventure was over. I was totally astonished. All the hatred in me went away. Suddenly I didn’t feel so powerful and strong, I felt small and weak like a littulin. When the officer asked who was boss Ralph said, â€Å"I am.† I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. Maybe it was because I was scared or maybe it was because I was never a real chief. We were put onto a ship, which took us back to England. The naval officers were surprised that three people had been killed. They were asking so many questions. I kept quiet; I didn’t want the officers to know I was one of the boys that caused most of the trouble on the island. After we were rescued, the war was over for a month. I was sent back home with the rest of the boys. I found it incredibly hard trying to settle back into a civilised society. I had been back at home for only a week when there was a letter in the post informing me of an inquest into Piggy and Simon’s deaths. I found it difficult to recollect what had happened. But when I thought about it more and more I remembered everything in fine detail. I kept thinking what if they find me guilty for Simon’s death? Would they send me to prison? Throughout the space of two weeks I was taken in and out of the police station to write many statements on the killings, which took place on the island. I did not see any of the boys again until we were up in court, I was found partly guilty for Simon’s death, and I was found guilty of conspiring to kill Piggy and also I was found guilty of attempting to kill Piggy. Most of the boys blamed me for the killings but Roger was also found guilty of killing Piggy. I do not know what happened to the rest of the boys, but I do know that Ralph was let off with just community service. I am writing my memoirs from Celeron detention centre, while serving two life sentences. If I ever get out of here I will visit Ralph and show him the sufferings of solitary confinement. He was also to blame for Simon’s death, why should he be let off? I now realise that when I was on the island, camouflaging my face with paint had hidden my true identity, which led me to do many things I wouldn’t usually have done. The society we had been in on the island was very different, we were all out of control and there was no one there to stop us. I now realise that killing isn’t a game; I saw it as a game because it mitigated the brutality of what I was really doing. The only problem is, I realised it too late. I lost control of my actions and now I have to pay for them. However, I do not regret conspiring to kill Ralph because he is someone I truly hate and I always will. I should have been chief!

You are required to complete the following two exercises in the Essay

You are required to complete the following two exercises in the seminar class through reflection upon the learning developed from todays seminar activities & class discussions - Essay Example In sports, leadership is fuelled by motivation to be the best, make peers proud, and have the gratification to be the best. Leaderships is undeniably stemmed from an inner motivation to excel and lead a group of individuals to a collaborative success. This is such a crucial aspect because some crave leadership because it puts them in power. However, the author is quick to point out that good leaders will always A leader is a person who guides a group of individual towards a certain goal. Leading by example as the author states is a must for any leader. Successful leaders love being leaders, not for the sake of power but for the meaningful and purposeful impact they can create. This in fact is the manifestation of being a good leader. The author argues that leadership has some traits as critical towards any leaders. One of the key aspects I learned from this article was the fact that leaders do not always necessarily know everything, but they know how to deploy talent. As an individua l who seeks to be a leader, this is much valuable advice because most leaders feel that they should know everything. From an individual’s perspective, it is crucial to understand that leaders have a holistic view of their goals rather than knowing every micro-detail, which can harmful. That is not to say that leaders must be not knowledgeable in their respective areas, but to understand that what talent lies within the group. This has been becoming more evident in the corporate world where CEOs understand the whole picture rather than focusing in minor details. Without a doubt, this sheds a lot of light in successful traits of leaderships and has really allowed me to gain powerful insights on the attributes of being a leader. In the end, it is evident that these attributes allow leaders to fulfill their success and enhance the value of their organization’s brand. Managing people in the 21st organization

Benefits and Challenges Associated with Visuals Available Today Research Paper

Benefits and Challenges Associated with Visuals Available Today - Research Paper Example Therefore, people should strictly acknowledge the need to respect and abide by the code of ethics. In respect of the copyright laws, the general public should keep in mind to ask permission from the owner of the photos before using these online available photos or taking photos of another person (Lynch, 2008, p. 155). Doing so will protect journalists from preventable court cases. On the other hand, part of the duty and responsibility of the visual journalists is to document what is going on around our surroundings. Through the use of photos, visual journalists are able to express what they mean in their writings. As part of the National Press Photographers Association (2012) Code of Ethics, visual journalists are required to present to the public an accurate and non-bias information with regards to the subject matter they are discussing. It means that it is unethical on the part of the visual journalists to practice racism or talking negatively on something or about a person especially when there is no valid and concrete evidence to back up their statements. To avoid being charged of libel cases (Cates, 2004, p. 130), visual journalists should make it a habit to avoid making false claims that can harm a society or another person. There are many ways that will prevent visual journalists from legal accusations. In line with this, visual journalists should make it a standard operating procedure to treat a society, a community, or a person with respect and dignity (NPPA, 2012).  

Personal Development Plan Portfolio Report Essay

Personal Development Plan Portfolio Report - Essay Example The assessment includes reading, writing, and oral communication, alongside with team work, problem solving, personal effectiveness, numeracy, and information technology. The section in which I scored the lowest marks was oral communication. The section in which I scored the highest was personal effectiveness. The second diagnostic which is used was ‘Rough & Ready Reckoner’. This diagnostic was particularly interesting as it measured preference for one’s learning style. The diagnostic concluded that I am an activist who wants public appreciation and who is always looking for new and fresh experiences. This particular diagnostic also revealed a number of shortcomings of my personality which were scarily accurate. It showed that I am a risk taker however, these risks are often unwarranted. Other weaknesses like impulsiveness and lack of concentration were revealed from the diagnostic. The third diagnostic that helped me understand my learning needs was VAK self asse ssment. The diagnostic concluded that I prefer an auditory learning style. According to the diagnostic, I am more inclined to learn from listening to other people and using my auditory senses. I prefer learning from concentrating on what is being said rather than other learning through physical experience and visual learning. In accordance with the diagnostic, the first goal I have set for myself is to improve my oral communication skills. I have always encountered problems in expressing my point of view, and therefore the first goal I have set is to work on my verbal communication skills. This goal is also in line with the information I received from diagnostic test. Effective communication will help increase my chances of getting desirable employment opportunities in future because it is the most basic skill all employers are looking for in prospective employees (Bridgstock, 2009). This is why setting the goal of improving oral communication is justified. The second development go al that I have set is to negotiate and persuade other group members in the team. The diagnostics told me that I am an activist that is looking for appreciation. This sometimes leads me to give in to the opinions of other people even when I do not wholly agree with them. This is something which, I believe, is hindering development and, therefore, I have decided to set this development goal to improve my team working and group working skills. The third development goat that I have set is to improve my research skills while completing my academic assignments and reports. This goal will help me improve my academic performance to a great degree, and is expected to lead me to long term academic success (Kramer, 2002). The diagnostic informed me that I have difficulty in concentrating on one thing. This is why I have set this particular academic development goal. Progress Review The use of the three diagnostic methods mentioned above helped me a lot in understanding my strengths and weakne ss both at personal and academic level. These diagnostic tests revealed important information for me that helped me develop my development goals. The tests revealed that I lack good oral communication skills, which is why I am not able to express myself. The reality was bitter however, it helped me identify areas of improvement. With regards to team working skills, I thought I always had an edge because I really like working in teams. Diagnostic methods helped me understand that I like appreciation of people and this was the reason why I was a

Electronic medical record implementation in correctional facilities Assignment

Electronic medical record implementation in correctional facilities - Assignment Example A carefully designed and well managed continuous monitoring program may effectively transform an otherwise static electronic medical records technology. Monitoring also helps in determining emerging risks and barriers during the implementation process. This offers fundamental information to the relevant change managers and the corrective facility officials to identify risks, take mitigations actions, and make credible decisions with regard to the operation of the electronic medical records. While implementing electronic health records in correctional facilities, two main methods will be employed to monitor the change process. These are the issue log monitoring and surveys. Issue log monitoring One approach to monitor the implementation of electronic health record is to employ the issue log or to make an extra log for concerns. Concerns in the case of electronic health records refer to the matters that are not directly actionable or solvable. Taking that the staff and the implementing teal are meticulous in reporting record keeping and information technology related matters, the frequency and severity of issues may signal an emerging problems. This is especially so when sudden increases in a certain concern are observed in a single area. If the management or the change facilitator compares the issues arising or issues log with the risk register that identifies risks associated with electronic records change, certain aspects in the issues log will stand out and may be construed as increasing risks potential. This calls for a contingency plan to be instituted to deal with the problem that may arise (Schwalbe, 2006). Surveys Surveys in form of questions to monitor fundamental elements of electronic health records offer a structured manner to monitoring organizational change risks. In this manner; the change implementation team makes a assessment premeditated to draw out feedback from the organization and the staff on their perception of the project. Survey also hel ps to identify the organizational change factors that may contribute to the success or failure of the implementation effort. By carrying out surveys and assessment at various intervals and comparing results from assessment to assessment, the implementing team can swiftly establish areas that necessitate more consideration and intercession. While making and conducting an assessment, it is essential to represent extra time and cost to the electronic records technology, various benefits needs to be considered. One benefit is that gathering time and cost information forces regular and system review of the project as it is perceived by the impacted employees and patients. As the analysis is employed from time to time, it can be enhanced and reused (Schwalbe, 2006). Additionally, the analysis can speedily gather feedback from a large part of the organization, enhancing the visibility of the electronic records implementation project and minimizing unexpected or unwarranted reactions. The r elationship between the organization’s related processes, systems, and personal or professional roles and their affect on EHR The provision of electronic health records in correctional facilities is an increasingly involving exercise. Complexities arise due to the complexities of correctional facility services and systems, as well as the various processes and relationships. Electronic health r

Journal Entry #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal Entry #2 - Essay Example First is the issue of hazing. While hazing has been outlawed as illegal, Greek Letter fraternities or sororities still run the danger of resuscitating the practice to the detriment of unsuspecting neophytes. Second is the issue of rite of passage where every neophyte has to go through to become a full member and finally is the issue of beer binges and excessive partying associated with Greek Letter fraternities. Thus, to answer if Greek Life is for me, my reply would be that I am not just into beer binges and excessive partying that runs up to the wee hours of the morning. I like to have fun also but alcohol and staying up late with is just not me. With regard to its advantages of having plenty of friends and study mates, I already have friends and reliable classmates whom I can study with. With regard to network after college, I believe that my own capability can stand its own in the labor market. I also do not believe in the rite of passage that every neophyte has to go through just to be accepted and become a full member. So to answer the question whether Greek life is for me or not, my answer would be it is not for

CASE STUDY Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CASE STUDY - Research Paper Example Each dimension separately assesses and evaluates the financial performance and financial position of the company. And the purpose of this assessment is to decide whether the shares of this company should be purchased based on its current performance which is reflected by these ratios provided below. The company profitability is constantly deteriorating. The graph 01, which highlights the return on equity, demonstrates that the company has experienced a decrease of more than 1 per cent since 2012, highlighting that the financial and operational performance are not generating results for the company and it is becoming very challenging for the current management to increase return on equity. Similarly, return on assets has also fallen from 8.11 to 7.83 in 2014. In other words, the company management is not utilizing their assets in way to increase their productivity and their performance as well. At the same time, the figure 03, which displays return on sales, also highlights decreasing trend for sales over the mentioned period. This also validates that the company is not using its current and fixed assets in a way to increase their sales over these years instead the profitability ratios highlight that the company management is struggling to retain its financial position and perfo rmance instead of focusing on those strategies which increase the potential of the company to experience rise in the sales. Leverage ratios highlight that the company uses more debt for financing its business requirements. For example, debt to equity ratio demonstrates that the company has been substantially leveraged over these years. In the year of 2012, 2013, 2014, 1.55, 1.48, 1.51 debt to equity ratio has been respectively recorded by the company. As a result, it can be deduced that the real owners of Wal-Mart, who are shareholders, will not be given enough and attractive returns and

Two Reports about Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Two Reports about Research - Essay Example The objective of any research is pursuit for the truth, not popular conceptions. In fact, the whole idea and sole objective of a research is to penetrate the layers of myths and disintegrated notions scattered around about a particular subject and discover reality in the light of worked through well-researched content with due respect to data protection issue and other ethical practices. For a brief period, let us go ahead with a key assumption that one is free to take up a research assignment, bearing in mind that there is no data protection concepts involved in the exercise and all laws related to data privacy is temporarily abolished. Can we identify the steps in the pyramid above where research activity will be accelerated or hindered due to that relaxation While the readers are allowed some time to contemplate on that possibility, let us dwell on other relevant sources and strategies to gather data and briefly understand the impact of data protection, right from the bottom level in the pyramid. While most researchers are aware of the thin difference between methods and methodologies, reliability and validity of information, appropriate analysis and evaluation of data, data protection and ethical practices, results and conclusion - it is the their responsibility to ensure that the broader objective is not diluted in the multiple steps involved in research nor there is any compromise in the entire cycle. A general awareness of data protection needs in all spheres of life - beyond Universities, Corporate, Financial Institutions or wherever - will not only lead a researcher to have a better understanding about the hazards of not protecting data but also prepare him to value that aspect outside the premises of the current project. Once a researcher learns to appreciate data protection principles beyond definition, Act and Law, implementing good practice will be just as important as the authenticity of the report generated, by the end of the research. Identifying Scope of Research/ Problem Quoting an old proverb by Aristotle - "Well begun is half done". It is potentially important to acknowledge, that to obtain desired and realistic results of a research assignment, there is a definite need to have a defined framework. This might not necessarily be a tested or proven approach, however considering the complexity and magnitude of a research, the initial framework to drive all steps in an innovative manner has to be efficiently designed. It is the design that determines the strength of an analysis. There is one thing the researcher needs to have prior to working on the design - A problem. While some researchers are very clear about their needs for information when working towards their thesis or study project, some are quite confused and require information on what studies, topics and papers are available, on specific work in their particular zone of interest. They also might need advice on their proposal and an idea of how effective their findings would be. Some might even need an elaborate discussion on the overall framework and data sourcing. The

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

Rhetoric Assignment - Essay Example The conclusion of the statement has failed to follow the premise and for this reason considered as an incomplete argument. The argument in the second paragraph is also incomplete. The writer says â€Å"The Pope has not yet said much concerning the women and the church and there exists reasons based on his will. Instead on more understanding and compassionate take on women’s stand in church, he has repeatedly embraced the Old Catholic’s view that women roles are at home’’. The statement is a claim and has no prove. The conclusion does not follow the premise and is based on probable rather than true statements (Moss & Burden, 4). The dates are inadequate since they are based on approximations. The use of words such as ten days ago or last week without necessarily giving the exact day and time makes it inadequate. Additionally, the writer has utilized several incomplete arguments to explain his opinions towards the Pope. The numerous incomplete arguments have made the warrant unclear. In addition, the few arguments raised by the writer cannot be used to generalize Pope Francis’s judgment on women and the church (Moss & Burden, 4). It is too much to expect, that the church will decide to admit women to the clergy even with Pope Francis in the Helm. In addition, recognizing women as contributors to the church life is not a violation of the doctrine. The pope has however failed to express these statements and appears to be buying time (Moss & Burden,

Fast food Essay Example for Free

Fast food Essay Department of Finance, Lahore Business School, The University of Lahore Department of Marketing, Lahore Business School, The University of Lahore * E-mail of the corresponding author: farzan. [emailprotected] com Abstract Fast food is convenient and tasty though it prepared with low nourishing or unhealthy ingredients. This paper focused on intensity of fast food trend and its effect on Pakistani society. Previous studied had reviewed to rationalize the results. Questionnaire had utilized as a data collection instrument. Microsoft Excel had used for tabulation and graphs while SPSS for descriptive and inferential analysis. Results showed that youngsters spend more money on junk food. Nuclear and Joint both family systems like fast food due to its taste. People like to eat fast food, outside their homes. Hunger can be satisfied with fast food. Moreover, fast food is not a cost effective mean. Fast food also used for the sake of enjoyment and fun. It is also evaluated that prolonged use of fast food is also a cause of health problems, obesity, indigestion problem and high cholesterol. Due to good taste and fluent availability people prefer fast food over home cooked food. Fast food is also a major cause of avoiding proper nutrition. People prefer fast food at their workplace due to their busy schedules. Age and Education have negative correlation with the likeness, consumption and spending money on fast food. However, with the increase in income there will be more likeness toward fast food. Keywords: Fast food, Obesity, high cholesterol, Junk food 1. Introduction Fast food denoted as food that can be cooked and dished up swiftly. Theyre admired as they serve filling foods that taste fine with low expenditures. Nevertheless, the food is frequently made with cheap items such as high fat beef, classy grains and added sugar fats, rather than nourishing ingredients, for instance, lean meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables. In earlier period people used to consume vigorous, freshly ready food with their relatives in the residence. Nowadays though, several people, mainly young people, have a preference to consume junk food such as hamburgers, fried chicken, Shawarma, or pizza. There are various causes for the fame of fast food. One of the major reasons is the modifying in standard of living. Many people functioning long hours, shifts, or comprehensive school days. They don’t have time to discover ingredients or organize good food. A further reason is the enormous number of young, well off people. In most of countries larger amount of people are young population so they spend more money on fast food. Fast food restaurants regularly target kids with television and Internet promotion. Children meals with bright covering and mini toys appeal to young children, but they are loaded with fat, sodium and additional sugars. The rise of babyhood fatness and other ailments such as diabetes may be connected to the lofty fat and sodium content of these detrimental fast food meals. The ill consequence of fast food and the probable hazard that it possesses by its usual eating is outrageous. Chubbiness, increase in cholesterol levels, dietary deficiencies, cardiac disorders, loss of muscle mass, depression, sexual dysfunction, asthma, strokes, type 2 diabetes, cancer (kidney / uterine / colon / breast / esophagus), liver disease, and cardiovascular diseases can all be caused by eating fast food on a regular basis. Advertising is a gigantic wickedness when it comes to junk. Businesses take benefit of this tool to attract kids, particularly with good deals and offers on food ordered. Television ads and those in print have a way of creeping up on children right down to when theyre toddlers, building upon brand devotion before they can even get the name right of the burger their sinking their little teeth into. Fast food, though it is expedient and a delicious addition to a diet, can have serious health and communal effects. People should learn to choose fast food cautiously. Not all snack food is bad. Today, progressively fast food restaurants are offering improved options and new menu items. This paper reviews the trend and effects of fast food on the society of Pakistan. 1 Food Science and Quality Management ISSN 2224-6088 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0557 (Online) Vol . 11, 2013 www. iiste. org 2. Literature Review The fast food business, initially conceived in Southern California during the 1940s, not only changed the eating habits of Americans, but also those in several other countries around the world, plus Asian countries (Schlosser, 2001). Fast food utilization increased radically in Pakistan. Aspects having impact on customers food choices are; attraction for eating out, socialization, urbanization, taste for college and university students, expediency for dualincome families in Pakistan, and numerous other (Baig and Saeed, 2012). Globalization has influenced the manufacturing and processing of food plus its sales, arrangements and utilization and with growing relative significance of snacks, burgers, pizzas and fizzy drinks, people are snacking in a new way. Urbanization is also one of the issues leading to alter lifestyles and augmented income and sovereignty of young people, as it had been stated that requirement for food is related with the lifestyle of urban areas (Pingali, 2004). Utilization of western style food increased as the income level of developing countries increased (Regmi and Dyck, 2001). A study carried out by a group of researchers in Houston illustrated that just 3% of kids’ meals offered at a range of fast food restaurants met dietary standards describe by the National School Lunch Program (Wood, 2009). Research also evaluated that those who ate fast food at home were more probable to be heavy (MacFarlane et al. , 2009). The researchers also showed that those students who attended school close to fast food restaurants were heavier than their corresponding persons who attended school not next to a fast food restaurant (Davis and Carpenter, 2009). Howard, Fitzpatrick and Fulfrost (2011) sought to find associations between schools located near fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and supermarkets and the rates of overweight students in California. In Turkey just 15% of participants reported consuming the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables. Nearly one-third of participants said that they choose junk food or fast food as a daily snack, and the same number also reported having fast food once or more daily (Akman et al. , 2010). Goyal and Singh (2007) estimate importance of various factors affecting the choice of fast food outlets by Indian young consumers. They indicate that the young Indian consumer has passion for visiting fast food outlets for fun and change but home food is their first choice. They feel homemade food is much better than food served at fast food outlets. Lots of people take pleasure in eating fast food every day, although they might have never recognized about its terrible effect to their health. One of the syndromes that causes from consuming fast food is cancer (Serve et al. , 1980). Shockingly, the anticipated causes of cancer in the U. S. in 1993 demonstrated that the cause from diet because of high fat and fried food to create cancer can be about 25 % (Watson Mufti, 1995). Policy makers in numerous cities have countered by limiting the accessibility or content of fast food, or by requiring posting of the caloric content of the meals (Abdollah, 2007; Mcbride, 2008; Mair et al. 2005). Jekanowski, Binkley, and Eales (2001) inspected the effect of price, income, and demographic uniqueness on fast food. Ekelund and Watson (1991) also found that fast food utilization was empirically associated to opportunity costs of the household. 3. Objectives This research has following objectives: 1. 2. 3. To find out the intensity of fast food trend in Pakistan. To corroborate the effects of fast food on people of Pakistan To verify the association of demographics with research questions 4. Methodology Data had been conducted using questionnaire as a data collection instrument. Questionnaire included close ended questions for the convenience of respondents. Most of the questions were on Likert Scale ranging from â€Å"strongly disagree to strongly agree†. Data had been collected from 398 respondents, who belong to different demographics. Simple random sampling as a sampling technique had selected. There SPSS and Microsoft Excel had used to complied the results. Microsoft Excel for tabulation and graphs while SPSS for descriptive and inferential analysis. 5. Empirical Results Results has presented graphically, descriptively and inferentially. 2 Food Science and Quality Management ISSN 2224-6088 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0557 (Online) Vol . 11, 2013 www. iiste. org 5. 1 Graphical Presentation Data has also shown by using graphs to demonstrate more expediency in viewing results. Chart No. 1: Time of Buying Fast Food What time would you normally buy fast food? before 12 pm between 12 to 3 pm between 3 to 6 pm between 6 to 9 pm 10 pm or later. Above pie chart (chart no. 1) shows that people normally buy fast food between 6 pm to 9 pm as it covers the maximum portion in the chart. However, the least portion shows that very few people buy fast food before 12 pm. Chart no. 2: Reason of eating fast food Reason of eating fast food Nuclear Joint Bar chart (Chart no. 2) shows that mostly people eat fast food due to its taste. Bars show that there was greater nuclear family system than joint family system. However, in case of price as the reason of eating fast food, joint family system have taller bar. 5. 2 Descriptive Analysis. Now there is descriptive analysis of data using frequency and their percentages. 3 Food Science and Quality Management ISSN 2224-6088 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0557 (Online) Vol . 11, 2013 www. iiste. org Table No. 1: Descriptive Analysis of Research Questions Strongly Disagree Research Questions Mostly people like fast food Usually people like to eat fast food outside Fast food is a status symbol Hunger can be satisfied by fast food Every type of people eats fast food Fast food saves cost Almost every member of the family like fast food You eat fast food just for the sake of fun enjoyment. People prefer fast food over continental food Fast food is a cause of high cholesterol Fast food is a major cause of obesity Most of people face indigestion problem due to fast food eating Prolonged use of fast food causes major health problem People prefer fast food over home cooked food due to taste and fluent availability Fast food is a major cause of avoiding proper nutrition Most of people prefer fast food at their workplace Most of the people are addictive to fast food F Disagree % F % Neutral F % Strongly Agree Agree F % F % Total F % 21 5. 3 27 6. 8 85 21. 4 153 38. 4 112 28. 1 398 100 18 4. 5 58 14. 6 69 17. 3 164 41. 2 89 22. 4 398 100 46 11. 6 110 27. 6 83 20. 9 119 29. 9 40 10. 1 398 100 36 9 82 20. 6 80 20. 1 158 39. 7 42 10. 6 398 100 39 9. 8 119 29. 9 100 25. 1 98 24. 6 42 10. 6 398 100 93 23. 4 178 44. 7 62 15. 6 51 12. 8 14 3. 5 398 100 32 8 81 20. 4 68 17. 1 157 39. 4 60 15. 1 398 100 24 6 50 12. 6 77 19. 3 169 42. 5 78 19. 6 398 100 40 10. 1 129 32. 4 116 29. 1 62 15. 6 51 12. 8 398 100 13 3. 3 42 10. 6 72 18. 1 162 40. 7 109 27. 4 398 100 22 5. 5 41 10. 3 89 22. 4 146 36. 7 100 25. 1 398 100 12 3 48 12. 1 110 27. 6 150 37. 7 78 19. 6 398 100. 17 4. 3 47 11. 8 67 16. 8 160 40. 2 107 26. 9 398 100 57 14. 3 85 21. 4 67 16. 8 121 30. 4 68 17. 1 398 100 21 5. 3 46 11. 6 71 17. 8 163 41 97 24. 4 398 100 14 3. 5 53 13. 3 91 22. 9 171 43 69 17. 3 398 100 20 5 48 12. 1 94 23. 6 153 38. 4 83 20. 9 398 100 Table no. 1 shows that most of the people liked to eat fast food. Usually people are fond of eating fast food outside. Whether fast food a status symbol or not, final results cannot be concluded as there is minimal difference between agree and disagree responds. Most of the people agreed that hunger can be satisfied by fast food. Respondents disagreed about eating fast food by every type of people. Fast food does not save any cost as retorting by respondents. Most of the respondents agreed that almost every member of the family like fast food. Fast food also used for the sake of enjoyment and fun. People do not prefer fast food over continental food. Prolonged use of fast food is also a cause of health problems, obesity, indigestion problem and high cholesterol. Due to good taste and fluent availability people prefer fast food over home cooked food. Fast food is also a major cause of avoiding proper nutrition. People prefer fast food at their workplace. Moreover, fast food is also an addiction for most of the people. 5. 3 Inferential Analysis To verify the results inferentially Pearson’s Chi-Square and Correlation has applied. Age, Education and Income has chosen from demographics to corroborate their association with research questions. 4 Food Science and Quality Management ISSN 2224-6088 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0557 (Online) Vol . 11, 2013 www. iiste. org Table no. 2: Pearson’s Chi-Square and Correlation Demographics Age Education Income Research Questions Mostly people like fast food. People spend almost 25% of their income on fast food Every type of people eats fast food Fast food is a major cause of obesity Most of people face indigestion problem due to fast food eating Prolonged use of fast food causes major health problem Most of the people are addictive to fast food Mostly people like fast food People spend almost 25% of their income on fast food Most of people face indigestion problem due to fast food eating Prolonged use of fast food causes major health problem Mostly people like fast food Chi-Square 0. 007 0. 000 0. 002 0. 019. Correlation -0. 199 -0. 285 -0. 048 -0. 103 0. 006 0. 003 0. 048 0. 036 0. 005 -0. 171 -0. 143 -0. 126 -0. 172 -0. 113 0. 002 0. 047 0. 017 -0. 08 -0. 06 0. 021 Table no. 2 shows demographics association with research question. However, only significant values have opted for succinct review. Age has association with likeness of fast food by most of the people. It has negative correlation with age. This means with the increase in age there is less likeness of fast food. Spending almost 25% of income on fast food has also associated with age with negative correlation. People spend less money on fast food with the increase in age. Moreover, as the older people hesitate to consume fast food so there are less health problems in older people as compared to younger ones. Education is also associated with likeness of fast food. It shows negative correlation which means with the increase of education there is less likeness of fast food. Higher educated people also spend less wealth on fast food. Moreover, educated people are well aware of fast food affects on health so they have less health problems as compared to less educated people. Furthermore, income is also associated with likeness of fast food. It shows positive correlation so with the increase in income level there is greater likeness toward fast food. 6. Discussions Fast food is convenient and tasty though it prepared with low nourishing or unhealthy ingredients. Hamburgers, fried chicken, Shawarma, or pizza are famous junk foods. People with much busy schedule mostly consume this type of food. Core population, who eat fast food and spent money on it vigorously are youngsters. Fast food companies are targeting kids and youngster through great promotion strategies, delicious recipes and attractive advertisement. There are much greater side effects of fast food and people are unaware of its ill consequences. Chubbiness, increase in cholesterol levels, dietary deficiencies, cardiac disorders, loss of muscle mass, depression, sexual dysfunction, asthma, strokes, type 2 diabetes, cancer (kidney / uterine / colon / breast / esophagus), liver disease, cancer and cardiovascular diseases can all be caused by eating fast food on a regular basis. Many researchers worked on fast food. They find out the origin, effects and consequences of junk food. The aspects having impact on customers food choices are; attraction for eating out, socialization, urbanization, globalization, taste for college and university students, expediency for dual-income families, and numerous other. Researchers also evaluated that about one-third population consume fast food. The results of this research showed that in Pakistan normally people used to eat and buy fast food between 6 pm to 9 pm. In Pakistan Nuclear family system and joint family system both consume fast food due to its taste. Joint family system is more conscious about price than nuclear family system. Most of people like fast food and prefer to eat outside their homes. According to MacFarlane et al. (2009) the people who ate fast food at home were more probable to be heavy. Therefore, eating outside is bit better option. Whether fast food a status symbol or not, final results cannot be concluded as there is minimal difference between agree and disagree responds. Most of the people agreed that hunger can be satisfied by fast food as there are many 5 Food Science and Quality Management ISSN 2224-6088 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0557 (Online) Vol . 11, 2013 www. iiste. org fatty and oily ingredients. Junk food cannot be eaten by every type of people. People who are health conscious do not prefer to eat this kind of food. Results also showed that fast food does not save cost. There are many expensive deals with offered by most of the restaurants which target high income families. Almost every member of the family like fast food, this fact is almost true for nuclear family system. As in nuclear family system most of the family members are youngsters. Fast food also used for the sake of enjoyment and fun. This result is related to the research by Goyal and Singh (2007) who indicate that the young consumer has passion for visiting fast food outlets for fun and change. However, people use continental food over fast food. Prolonged use of fast food is also a cause of health problems, obesity, indigestion problem and high cholesterol. Due to good taste and fluent availability people prefer fast food over home cooked food; this result is contradictory to the research by Goyal and Singh (2007) who evaluated the preference of homemade cooking by people. Fast food is also a major cause of avoiding proper nutrition. According to Akman et al. (2010) 15% population is consuming the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables. Nearly one-third of participants choose junk food or fast food as a daily snack, and the same number also reported having fast food once or more daily. People prefer fast food at their workplace due to their busy schedules. Moreover, fast food is also an addiction for most of the people. The results are also validated inferentially by using Pearson’s Chi-square and correlations to ensure demographics association with research questions. Only three demographics have selected, i. e. age, education and income. Age has association with likeness of fast food by most of the people with negative correlation. This means with the increase in age there is less likeness toward fast food. Spending almost 25% of income on fast food has also associated with age with negative correlation. People spend less money on fast food with the increase in age as youngsters have more passion toward it. Moreover, as the older people hesitate to consume fast food so there are less health problems in older people as compared to younger ones due to consumption of fast food. Education is also associated with likeness of fast food. It shows negative correlation which means with the increase of education there is less likeness of fast food. Higher educated people also spend less wealth on fast food. Moreover, educated people are well aware of fast food affects on health so they have less health problems as compared to less educated people. Additionally, income is also associated with likeness of fast food. It shows positive correlation so with the increase in income level there is greater likeness toward fast food. This outcome is interrelated with the research by Regmi and Dyck (2001) who evaluated that utilization of western style food increased as the income level of developing countries increased. 7. Conclusion. Fast food is convenient and tasty though it prepared with low nourishing or unhealthy ingredients. Youngsters spend more money on junk food. Fast food companies are targeting kids and youngster through great promotion strategies, delicious recipes and attractive advertisement. There are much greater side effects of fast food and people are unaware of its ill consequences. It can tend to many detrimental diseases. People consume fast food between 6 pm to 9 pm. Nuclear and Joint both family systems like fast food due to its taste. People like to eat fast food, outside their homes. Hunger can be satisfied with fast food. Moreover, fast food is not a cost effective mean. Fast food also used for the sake of enjoyment and fun. It is also evaluated that prolonged use of fast food is also a cause of health problems, obesity, indigestion problem and high cholesterol. Due to good taste and fluent availability people prefer fast food over home cooked food. Fast food is also a major cause of avoiding proper nutrition. People prefer fast food at their workplace due to their busy schedules. Moreover, fast food is also an addiction for most of the people. Age and Education have negative correlation with the likeness, consumption and spending money on fast food. However, with the increase in income there will be more likeness toward fast food. 8. Limitations and Suggestions Due to less finance data had been collected only from one city of Pakistan, i. e. Lahore. Futuristic researchers must cover other cities, particularly major cities of Pakistan for better results. Some other sampling techniques can also be applied. 6 Food Science and Quality Management ISSN 2224-6088 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0557 (Online) Vol . 11, 2013 www. iiste. org 9. Recommendations It is recommended that fast food restaurants should use healthy ingredients in making of fast food. Parents should keep an eye on the diet of their children. Excess and prolonged use of junk food can have many ill consequences. Moreover, policy makers should limit or ban the unhealthy fast food restaurants. Media should spread awareness among people about the side effects of fast food. References Abdollah, T. (2007) A Strict Order for Fast Food. Los Angeles Times, A-1, Akman, M. , Akan, H. , Izbirak, G. , Tanriover, O. , Tilev, S. , Yildiz, A. , Hayran, O. (2010). Eating patterns of Turkish adolescents: a cross-sectional survey. Nutrition Journal, 967. Baig, A. K. Saeed, M. (2012). Review of Trends in Fast Food Consumption. European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences. 48. 77-85. Chang, H. , and Nayga, R. r. (2010). Childhood obesity and unhappiness: The influence of soft drinks and fast food consumption. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11(3), 261-275. Davis, B. , Carpenter, C. (2009). Proximity of Fast-Food Restaurants to Schools and Adolescent Obesity. American Journal of Public Health, 99(3), 505-510. Ekelund, R. B. Jr. , Watson, J. K. (1991). Restaurant Cuisine, Fast Food and Ethnic Edibles: An Empirical Note on Household Meal Production. Kyklos, 44(4), 613-27. Goyal, A. , Singh, N. P. (2007). Consumer perception about fast food in India: an exploratory study. British Food Journal, 109(2), 182–195. Howard, P. H. , Fitzpatrick, M. , Fulfrost, B. (2011). Proximity of food retailers and rates of overweight ninth grade students: an ecological study in California. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 68-75. Jekanowski, M. D. , Binkley, J. K. , Eales, J. (2001). Convenience, Accessibility, and the Demand for Fast Food. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 26(1), 58-74. MacFarlane, A. , Cleland, V. , Crawford, D. , Campbell, K., Timperio, A. (2009). Longitudinal examination of the family food environment and weight status among children. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 4(4), 343352. Mair, J. , Pierce, M. , Stephen, T. (2005). The Use of Zoning to Restrict Fast Food Outlets: A Potential Strategy to Combat Obesity. The Center for Law and the Public’s Health at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown Universities. Mcbride, S. (2008). Exiling the Happy Meal, Wall Street Journal. Pingali, P. (2004). Westernization of Asian diets and the transformation of food systems: implications for research and policy. ESA Working Paper No.04-17, FAO, Rome, Italy. Regmi, A. Dyck, J. (2001). Effects of Urbanization on Global Food Demand. USDA FAS, WRS-01-1. Schlosser, E. (2001), Fast Food Nation. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Serve, A. W. (1980). Chemicals Work and Cancer. London: Nelson. Watson, R. Mufti, I. (1995). Nutrition and Cancer Prevention. Florida: CRC Press. Wood, M. (2009). Kids, Fast Food Obesity. Agricultural Research, 57(9), 20-21. 7 This academic article was published by The International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE). The IISTE is a pioneer in the Open Access Publishing service based in the U.S. and Europe. The aim of the institute is Accelerating Global Knowledge Sharing. More information about the publisher can be found in the IISTE’s homepage: http://www. iiste. org CALL FOR PAPERS The IISTE is currently hosting more than 30 peer-reviewed academic journals and collaborating with academic institutions around the world. There’s no deadline for submission. Prospective authors of IISTE journals can find the submission instruction on the following page: http://www. iiste. org/Journals/ The IISTE editorial team promises to the review and publish all the qualified submissions in a fast manner. All the journals articles are available online to the readers all over the world without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. Printed version of the journals is also available upon request of readers and authors. IISTE Knowledge Sharing Partners EBSCO, Index Copernicus, Ulrichs Periodicals Directory, JournalTOCS, PKP Open Archives Harvester, Bielefeld Academic Search Engine, Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek EZB, Open J-Gate, OCLC WorldCat, Universe Digtial Library , NewJour, Google Scholar.

Construction Economics And Finance Construction Essay

Construction Economics And Finance Construction Essay The economic downturn while unfortunate is real life problem that needs to be managed and controlled by construction companies. Construction is experiencing particular suffering as it relies on large capital expenditure to finance projects and the unavailability of a steady cash flow has resulted in many companies being forced into bankruptcy despite making a profit. Cash flow management has been described as the most important of all a companys resources as its inadequate management can lead to liquidity problems whereby day to day activities cannot be supported (Navon, 1996; Singh and Lakanathan, 1992). As contractors have to wait a number of months before being payed for completed work, this places increased pressure on credit facilities that they have agreed with banks, sub-contractors, suppliers, etc. This is why there is such agreement within the industry towards the importance of cash flow forecasting and control (Navon, 1990; Carr, 1993; Cook, 1991). The UK Governments policy has been to provide a fiscal stimulus by increasing spending on large public projects so as to inject money into the economy which will filter down through all sectors (McFall, 2008). Green (2009) forecasted that the recession will match up to the recession of the late 80s and early 90s but that it will recover quicker. Once again public spending is the underlining reason for the upturn but it is questioned whether the continuous spending can be sustained. The logical relation between high inflation which causes a rise in borrowing costs and a reduction in construction investment and thus a fall in the construction cycle is shown below in Figure 2.2 (Ren Lin 1996). These ups and downs in the economy in general used to be called business cycles but cycles implies predetermined or automatic recurrence and according to Myers (2008) we are not experiencing automatic recurrent cycles and we should refer to these activities as business fluctuations instead. Construction companies need to analyze these cyclical indicators so that they can plan activity and investment depending on the fluctuations. Whitten (2009) writing for Construction News explained how The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has warned of an emerging trend of firms pricing below cost. Both Whitten (2009) and Scully (2009) argue the point that below cost tendering is unsustainable and will increase the risk of contractors facing insolvency. Reductions in material and plant costs have been exceeded by the drop in tender prices. Insolvencies are predicted to occur firstly among contractors who tender correctly but fail to win the contract and then among those who win the contract with unsustainably low bids (Whitten, 2009). Cash flow management is extremely important and despite interest rates being at their lowest levels in a number of years borrowing is still a cause for concern as profit margins have been reduced and in some causes wiped out as contractors take on jobs at cost. Methods to improve the cash flow are described below at the different stages of a contract but in general firms need effective financial planning and control to monitor its position. Before a contract begins issues such as plant ownership, labour, subcontractors, materials, etc need to be discussed and the right mix found for each project. Better buying and terms for sub-contracts involve negotiating improved deals either from suppliers or sub-contractors and therefore improve the cost of the project (Coates, 2009). This is widespread in the current climate due to the reduced amount of work available. The last three methods will bring in early money but must be done before submitting the priced bills (Cooke and Williams, 2009). On site, the use of skilled labour increases efficiency and allows tasks to be completed earlier without the need for expensive and time consuming repair work. For complex tasks which the workforce could perform but not efficiently, specialist sub-contractors should be used. Plant costs can be extremely high which means that any plant that is not being used should be off-hired immediately and if any plant is owned by the company then there should be added emphasis on its use. Strategic tendering and project mix become even more crucial to a companys success during times of a recession. As the private sector feels the impact of a recession firstly and for a slightly longer period it is in a companys long term interest to carry out a more aggressive bidding policy towards the public sector (Ren Lin, 1996). Another advantage of the public sector is its transparency and openness during the tender stage. While the public sector may be susceptible to mal-practice, construction companies know that they will be impartially assessed and receive feedback. Strategic planning can be very beneficial as it seeks to align a company in a certain direction. In todays climate contractors need to evalute the client when deciding to tender as many contractors have commenced work on a project only to instructed to withdraw as the funding has been restricted (Edum-Fotwe McCaffer, 1999). A number of contractors have also begun to take on jobs at cost or even a loss in an effo rt to win work with the chance of repeat work. Also this keeps the company name in circulation and also to hold onto valued staff that might otherwise have to be made redundant. Partnering has been widely adopted in construction in the last number of years as it offers the opportunity for improving the project outcome aswell as benefiting the whole supply chain (Dozzi et al., 1996; Larson and Drexler, 1997). It utilizes each participants expertise and resources so that the required business objectives can be met or exceeded (Bennett Jayes, 1998). The use of sub contractors has increased as there is less overheads involved (Langford Male, 1992). The benefits of partnering can be applied to co-contracting (main contractor-sub contractor) and supply chain integration (contractor-supplier), (Edum-Fotwe McCaffer, 1999). This allows greater flexibility as both partners are working for a common goal and greater economies of scale can be achieved when tendering as contractors will have their own list of preferred suppliers or sub contractors which allows them to price new projects quickly and efficiently. As suppliers account for such a high percentage of building costs their involvement at an early stage should be welcomed as they can contribute new ideas, products or processes (Cartlidge, 2002). Tyreman on the other hand draws attention to the fact that the construction industry is inherently mis-trusting and while benefits do exist he doubts whether it will be fully supported within the construction industry. This opinion is similar to that of Wood and Ellis (2005) who estimate that it will still be some time before a fully genuine relationship exists as there is an engrained culture of mistrust and deception. Successful partnerships offer the opportunity for repeat work but the client must be assured that tenders remain competitive within the relationship of trust. As Project Programme Management provides training and technology advancement, it has allowed them to move into new markets which owing to the current high unemployment rate are particularly busy. They have also looked towards cheaper marketing tools such as over the internet to keep their overheads down while still keeping potential client exposure high. At Laing ORourke, Tyreman discusses how credit checks are performed on all potential clients to rate them but they also use strategic tendering which has led them to tender more aggressively for public sector contrasts which is in line with the theories put forward by Ren and Lin (1996) and discussed in the literature review. Supply chain integration has also helped to achieve greater economies of scale. The importance of cash flow cannot be overstated for construction firms and regardless of its time consuming requirements is particularly worthwhile. Despite many construction firms making a significant profit they can run out of cash and have to cease trading. If firms fail to correctly forecast when cash flow is required they can become insolvent as the cash is not available to pay their debts as they fall due. Effective communication will strengthen your existing relationships and help you to form positive bonds in future interactions with clients, banks, sub-contractors, suppliers, etc. The importance and basic need for cash flow analysis has been stressed in the literature review and by both interviewees. Cash flow analysis is an essential day to day activity in construction and it is recommended that effective planning is carried out by experienced management. They need to establish good terms with suppliers and sub contractors and to put in place an efficient cash flow reporting system. Cash flow analysis can refer to both day-to-day analysis (short term) or economic forecasting (long-term). As discussed by Myers (2008) business fluctuations have been occurring since the start of business and while they are complicated and rely on a number of variables they can help to provide a company with the potential to forecast market conditions and thus position itself accordingly.

Strategies for Welding Aluminium

Strategies for Welding Aluminium CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION OF THE FSW TECHNIQUE In todays modern world there are many different welding techniques to join metals. They range from the conventional oxyacetylene torch welding to laser welding. The two general categories in which all the types of welding can be divided is fusion welding and solid state welding. The fusion welding process involves chemical bonding of the metal in the molten stage and may need a filler material such as a consumable electrode or a spool of wire of the filler material, the process may also need a inert ambience in order to avoid oxidation of the molten metal, this could be achieved by a flux material or a inert gas shield in the weld zone, there could be need for adequate surface preparations, examples of fusion welding are metal inert gas welding (MIG), tungsten inert gas welding (TIG) and laser welding. There are many disadvantages in the welding techniques where the metal is heated to its melting temperatures and let it solidify to form the joint. The melting and solidification causes the mechanical properties of the weld to deteriorate such as low tensile strength, fatigue strength and ductility. The disadvantages also include porosity, oxidation, microsegregation, hot cracking and other microstructural defects in the joint. The process also limits the comb ination of the metals that can be joined because of the different thermal coefficients of conductivity and expansion of different metals. The solid state welding is the process where coalescence is produced at temperatures below the melting temperatures of the base metal with out any need for the filler material or any inert ambience because the metal does not reach its melting temperature for the oxidation to occur, examples of solid state welding are friction welding, explosion welding, forge welding, hot pressure welding and ultrasonic welding. The three important parameters time, temperature and pressure individually or in combinations produce the joint in the base metal. As the metal in solid state welding does not reach its melting temperatures so there are fewer defects caused due to the melting and solidification of the metal. In solid state welding the metals being joined retain their original properties as melting does not occur in the joint and the heat affected zone (HAZ) is also very small compared to fusion welding techniques where most of the deterioration of the strengths and ductility begins. Dissimila r metals can be joined with ease as the thermal expansion coefficients and the thermal conductivity coefficients are less important as compared to fusion welding. Friction stir welding (FSW) is an upgraded version of friction welding. The conventional friction welding is done by moving the parts to be joined relative to each other along a common interface also applying compressive forces across the joint. The frictional heat generated at the interface due to rubbing softens the metal and the soft metal gets extruded due to the compressive forces and the joint forms in the clear material, the relative motion is stopped and compressive forces are increased to form a sound weld before the weld is allowed to cool. Friction stir welding is also a solid state welding processes; this remarkable upgradation of friction welding was invented in 1991 in The Welding Institute (TWI) [4]. The process starts with clamping the plates to be welded to a backing plate so that the plates do not fly away during the welding process. A rotating wear resistant tool is plunged on the interface between the plates to a predetermined depth and moves forward in the interface between the plates to form the weld. The advantages of FSW technique is that it is environment friendly, energy efficient, there is no necessity for gas shielding for welding Al, mechanical properties as proven by fatigue, tensile tests are excellent, there is no fume, no porosity, no spatter and low shrinkage of the metal due to welding in the solid state of the metal and an excellent way of joining dissimilar and previously unweldable metals. 1.2 ALUMINUM ALLOYS AND WELDING OF ALUMINUM ALLOYS Aluminum is the most abundant metal available in the earths crust, steel was the most used metal in 19th century but Aluminium has become a strong competitor for steel in engineering applications. Aluminium has many attractive properties compared to steel it is economical and versatile to use that is the reason it is used a lot in the aerospace, automobile and other industries. The most attractive properties of aluminum and its alloys which make them suitable for a wide variety of applications are their light weight, appearance, frabricability, strength and corrosion resistance. The most important property of aluminum is its ability to change its properties in a very versatile manner; it is amazing how much the properties can change from the pure aluminum metal to its most complicate alloys. There are more then a couple of hundreds alloys of aluminum alloys and many are being modified form them internationally. Aluminium alloys have very low density compared to steel it has almost on e thirds the density of steel. Properly treated alloys of aluminum can resist the oxidation process which steel can not resist; it can also resist corrosion by water, salt and other factors. There are many different methods available for joining aluminum and its alloys. The selection of the method depends on many factors such as geometry and the material of the parts to be joined, required strength of the joint, permanent or dismountable joint, number of parts to be joined, the aesthetic appeal of the joint and the service conditions such as moisture, temperature, inert atmosphere and corrosion. Welding is one of the most used methods for aluminum. Most alloys of aluminum are easily weldable. MIG and TIG are the welding processes which are used the most, but there are some problems associated with this welding process like porosity, lack of fusion due to oxide layers, incomplete penetration, cracks, inclusions and undercut, but they can be joined by other methods such as resistance welding, friction welding, stud welding and laser welding. When welding many physical and chemical changes occur such as oxide formation, dissolution of hydrogen in molten aluminum and lack of color change when heated. The formation of oxides of aluminum is because of its strong affinity to oxygen, aluminum oxidizes very quickly after it has been exposed to oxygen. Aluminum oxide forms if the metal is joined using fusion welding processes, and aluminum oxide has a high melting point temperature than the metal and its alloys it self so it results in incomplete fusion if present when joined by fusion welding processes. Aluminum oxide is a electrical insulator if it is thick enough it is capable of preventing the arc which starts the welding process, so special methods such as inert gas welding, or use of fluxes is necessary if aluminum has to be welded using the fusion welding processes. Hydrogen has high solubility in liquid aluminum when the weld pool is at high temperature and the metal is still in liquid state the metal absorbs lots of hydrogen which has very low solubility in the solid state of the metal. The trapped hydrogen can not escape and forms porosity in the weld. All the sources of hydrogen has to be eliminated in order to get sound welds such as lubricants on base metal or the filler material, moisture on the surface of base metal or condensations inside the welding equipment if it uses water cooling and moisture in the shielding inert gases. These precautions require considerable pretreatment of the workpiece to be welded and the welding equipment. Hot cracking is also a problem of major concern when welding aluminum, it occurs due to the high thermal expansion of aluminum, large change in the volume of the metal upon melting and solidification and its wide range of solidification temperatures. The heat treatable alloys have greater amounts of alloying elements so the weld crack sensitivity is of concern. The thermal expansion of aluminum is twice that of steel, in fusion welding process the melting and cooling occurs very fast which is the reason for residual stress concentrations. Weldability of some aluminum alloys is an issue with the fusion welding processes. The 2000 series, 5000 series, 6000 series and 7000 series of aluminum alloys have different weldabilities. The 2000 series of aluminum alloys have poor weldability generally because of the cooper content which causes hot cracking and poor solidification microstructure and porosity in the fusion zone so the fusion welding processes are not very suitable for these alloys. The 5000 series of aluminum alloys with more than 3% of Mg content is susceptible to cracking due to stress concentration in corrosive environments, so high Mg alloys of 5000 series of aluminum should not be exposed to corrosive environments at high temperatures to avoid stress corrosion cracking. All the 6000 series of aluminum are readily weldable but are some times susceptible to hot cracking under certain conditions. The 7000 series of aluminum are both weldable and non-weldable depending on the chemical composition of the alloy. Alloys with low Zn-Mg and Cu content are readily weldable and they have the special ability of recovering the strength lost in the HAZ after some weeks of storage after the weld. Alloys with high Zn-Mg and Cu content have a high tendency to hot crack after welding. All the 7000 series of aluminum have the sensitivity to stress concentration cracking. All these problems associated with the welding of these different alloys of aluminum has lead to the development of solid state welding processes like Friction Stir Welding technique which is an upgraded version of the friction welding processes. This process has many advantages associated with it, and it can weld many aluminum alloys such as 2000 and 7000 series which are difficult to weld by fusion welding processes. The advantages of the Friction Stir Welding processes are low distortion even in long welds, no fuse, no porosity, no spatter, low shrinkage, can operate in all positions, very energy efficient and excellent mechanical properties as proven by the fatigue, tension and bend tests. 1.3 Conventional Welding Processes of Aluminum A brief description of the most common processes, their applications on aluminum and limitations are given below. 1.3.1 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): In gas tungsten arc welding process the heat generated by an arc, which is maintained between the workpiece and a non-consumable tungsten, electrode is used to fuse the joint area. The arc is sustained in an inert gas, which serves to protect the weld pool and the electrode from atmospheric contamination as shown in Figure 2.3. The process has the following features: It is conducted in a chemically inert atmosphere; The arc energy density is relatively high; The process is very controllable; Joint quality is usually high; Deposition rates and joint completion rates are low. The process may be applied to the joining of a wide range of engineering materials including stainless steel, aluminum alloys and reactive metals such as titanium. These features of the process lead to its widespread application in aerospace, nuclear reprocessing and power generation industries as well as in the fabrication of chemical process plant, food processing and brewing equipment. 1.3.2 Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW): Shielded metal arc welding has for many years been one of the most common techniques applied to the fabrication of steels. The process uses an arc as the heat source but shielding is provided by gases generated by the decomposition of the electrode coating material and by the slag produced by the melting of mineral constituents of the coating. In addition to heating and melting the parent material the arc also melts the core of the electrode and thereby provides filler material for the joint. The electrode coating may also be used as source of alloying elements and additional filler material. The flux and electrode chemistry may be formulated to deposit wear- and corrosion-resistant layers for surface protection as shown in Figure 2.4. Significant features of the process are: Equipment requirement are simple; A large range of consumables are available; The process is extremely portable; The operating efficiency is low; It is labor intensive. For these reasons the process has been traditionally used in structural steel fabrication, shipbuilding and heavy engineering as well as for small batch production and maintenance. 1.3.3 Plasma welding: Plasma welding uses the heat generated by a constricted arc to fuse the joint area; the arc is formed between the tip of a non-consumable electrode and either the work piece or the constricting nozzle as shown in Figure 2.5. A wide range of shielding and cutting gases is used depending on the mode of operation and the application. In the normal transferred arc mode the arc is maintained between the electrode and the work piece; the electrode is usually the cathode and the work piece is connected to the positive side of the power supply. In this mode a high energy density is achieved and the process may be used effectively for welding and cutting. The features of the process depend on the operating mode and the current, but in summary the plasma process has the following characteristics: Good low-current arc stability Improved directionality compared with GTAW Improved melting efficiency compared with GTAW Possibility of keyhole welding The keyhole technique is the high heat concentration can penetrate completely through the joint. These features of the process make it suitable for a range of applications including the joining of very thin materials, the encapsulation of electronic components and sensors, and high- speed longitudinal welds on strip and pipe. 1.3.4 Laser welding The laser may be used as an alternative heat source for fusion welding. The focused power density of the laser can reach 1010 or 1012 Wm-2 and welding is often carried out using the keyhole technique. Significant features of laser welding are: Very confined heat source at low power Deep penetration at high power Reduced distortion and thermal damage Out-of-vacuum technique High equipment cost These features have led to the application of leaders for micro joining of electronic components, but the process is also being applied to the fabrication of automotive components and precision machine tool parts in heavy section steel. 1.4 Weld Defects using Conventional Processes Because of a history of thermal cycling and attendant micro structural changes, a welded joint may develop certain discontinuities. Welding discontinuities can also be caused by inadequate or careless application of established welding technologies or substandard operator training. The major discontinuities that affect weld quality are described below. 1.4.1 Porosity: Trapped gases released during melting of the weld area and trapped during solidification, chemical reactions during welding, or contaminants, cause porosity in welds. Most welded joints contain some porosity, which is generally spherical in shape or in the form of elongated pockets. The distribution of porosity in the weld zone may be random, or it may be concentrated in a certain region. Porosity in welds can be reduced by the following methods: Proper selection of electrodes and filler metals. Improving welding techniques, such as preheating the weld area or increasing the rate of heat input. Proper cleaning and preventing contaminants from entering the weld zone. Slowing the welding speed to allow time for gas to escape.8 1.4.2 Slag inclusions: Slag inclusions are compounds such as oxides, fluxes, and electrode-coating materials that are trapped in the weld zone. If shielding gases are not effective during welding, contamination from the environment may also contribute to such inclusions. Welding conditions are important, and with proper techniques the molten slag will float to the surface of the molten weld metal and not be entrapped. Slag inclusions may be prevented by: Cleaning the weld-bead surface before the next layer is deposited by using a hand or power wire brush. Providing adequate shielding gas. Redesigning the joint to permit sufficient space for proper manipulation of the puddle of molten weld metal. 1.4.3. Incomplete fusion and penetration: A better weld can be obtained by: Raising the temperature of the base metal. Cleaning the weld area prior to welding. Changing the joint design and type of electrode. Providing adequate shielding gas. Incomplete occurs when the depth of the welded joint is insufficient. Penetration can be improved by: Increasing the heat input. Lowering travel speed during welding. Changing the joint design. Ensuring that surfaces to be joined fit properly.8 1.4.4 Weld profile: Weld profile is important not only because of its effects on the strength and appearance of the weld, but also because it can indicate incomplete fusion or the presence of slag inclusions in multiple-layer welds. Under filling results when the joint is not filled with the proper amount of weld metal Figure 2.7. Undercutting results from melting away the base metal and subsequently generating a groove in the shape of recess or notch. Unless it is not deep or sharp, an undercut can act as a stress raiser and reduce the fatigue strength of the joint and may lead to premature failure. Overlap is a surface discontinuity generally caused by poor welding practice and selection of the wrong materials. A proper weld is shown in Figure 2.7c.5 1.4.5 Cracks: Cracks may occur in various locations and direction in the weld area. The types of cracks are typically longitudinal, transverse, crater, and toe cracks Figure 2.8. These cracks generally result from a combination of the following factors: Temperature gradients that cause thermal stresses in the weld zone. Variations in the composition of the weld zone that cause different contractions. Embitterment of grain boundaries by segregation of elements, such as sulfur, to the grain boundaries as the solid-liquid boundary moves when the weld metal begins to solidify. Hydrogen embitterment. Inability of the weld metal to contract during cooling is a situation similar to hot tears that develops in castings and related to excessive restraint of the work piece. (a) crater cracks. (b)Various types of cracks in butt and T joints.8 Cracks are classified as hot or cold cracks. Hot cracks occur while the joint is still at elevated temperatures. Cold cracks develop after the weld metal has solidified. Some crack prevention measures are: Change the joint design to minimize stresses from shrinkage during cooling. Change welding-process parameters, procedures, and sequence. Preheat components being welded. Avoid rapid cooling of the components after welding.8 1.4.6 Lameller tears: In describing the anisotropy of plastically deformed metals, we stated that because of the alignment of nonmetallic impurities and inclusions (stringers), the work piece is weaker when tested in its thickness direction. This condition is particularly evident in rolled plates and structural shapes. In welding such components, lamellar tears may develop because of shrinkage of the members in the members or by changing the joint design to make the weld bead penetrate the wearer member more deeply.8 1.4.7 Surface damage: During welding, some of the metal may spatter and be deposited as small droplets on adjacent surfaces. In arc welding possess, the electrode may inadvertently contact the parts being welded at places not in the weld zone (arc strikes). Such surface discontinuities may be objectionable for reasons of appearance or subsequent use of the welded part. If severe, these discontinuities may adversely affect the properties of the welded structure, particularly for notch-sensitive metals. Using proper welding techniques and procedures is important in avoiding surface damage.8 1.5 Skill and Training requirements: Many of the traditional welding processes required high levels of operator skill and dexterity, this can involve costly training programs, particularly when the procedural requirement described above need to be met. The newer processes can offer some reduction in the overall skill requirement but this unfortunately been replaced in some cases by more complex equipment and the time involved in establishing the process parameters has brought about a reduction in operating factor. Developments, which seek to simplify the operation of the equipment, will be described below but effective use of even the most advanced processes and equipment requires appropriate levels of operator and support staff training. The cost of this training will usually be recovered very quickly in improved productivity and quality. 1.6 Areas for development: Advances in welding processes may be justified in: Increased deposition rate; Reduced cycle time; Improved process control; Reduced repair rate; Reduced weld size; Reduced joint preparation time; Improved operating factor; Reduction in post-weld operations; Reduction in potential safety hazards; Removal of the operator from hazardous area; Simplified equipment setting. Some or all these requirement have been met in many of the process developments which have occurred in the ten years; these will be described in detail in the following chapters but the current trends in the of this technology are examined below. 1.7 New processes: The Primary incentive for welding process development is the need to improve the total cost effectiveness of joining operations in requirement for new processes. Recently, concern over the safety of the welding environment and the potential shortage of skilled technicians and operator in many countries have become important considerations. Many of the traditional welding techniques described in this Chapter are regarded as costly and hazardous and it is possible to improve both of these aspects significantly by employing some of the advanced process developments described in the following chapters. The use of new joining techniques such as Friction Stir Welding appears to be increasing since it does not involve melting. The application of these processes has in the past been restricted, but with the increased recognition of the benefits of automation and the requirement for high-integrity joints in newer materials it is envisaged that the use of these techniques will grow. This is a new process originally intended for welding of aerospace alloys, especially aluminum extrusions. Whereas in conventional friction welding, heating of interfaces is achieved through friction by rubbing two surfaces, in the FSW process, a third body is rubbed against the two surfaces to be joined in the form of a small rotating non-consumable tool that is plunged into the joint. The contact pressure causes frictional heating. The probe at the tip of the rotating tool forces heating and mixing or stirring of the material in the joint. 1.8 Research objectives: The objectives of our project are to: Adopt FSW to a milling machine Design the FSW tools, select its material and have it manufactured Design the required clamping system Apply FSW to plates of an alloy that is not readily weldable by conventional methods Investigate FSW parameters (RPM, Feed Rate and Axial force) Analyze conventionally welded and Friction Stir welded sections then compare their properties. The objective of this research is to characterize the mechanical properties of friction stir welded joints and study the micro structure of the base metal and the weld nugget evolved during the friction stir welding of similar and dissimilar alloys of Aluminum. Aluminum 2024 and 7075 are considered for this investigation. The mechanical properties such as ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, formability, ductility and vickers hardness are measured and an effort is made to find out a relation between the process variables and properties of the weld. The optimal process parameters for the Friction-Stir welding of AA2024 and AA7075 will be defined based on the experimental results. Having understood the significance of FSP, the main objective of this thesis is to investigate the effect of process parameters like rotational and translational speeds on the forces generated during FSP of aluminum alloys and relate these forces with the microstructure evolved in order to optimize the process. The specific objectives of the work presented are: Design and conduct FS processing experiments on aluminum alloy for different combinations of rotational and translation speeds. Measuring the generated processing forces during FSP of aluminum alloys Examine the microstructural of the processed sheets using transmission electron microscope (TEM). Attempt to establish a correlation between these measured forces and the resulting microstructure. Chapter 2 Review of Literature 2.1 General Idea of the Friction Stir Technology This section gives an insight into the innovative technology called friction stir technology. The action of rubbing two objects together causing friction to provide heat is one dating back many centuries as stated by Thomas et.al [1]. The principles of this method now form the basis of many traditional and novel friction welding, surfacing and processing techniques. The friction process is an efficient and controllable method of plasticizing a specific area on a material, and thus removing contaminants in preparation for welding, surfacing/cladding or extrusion. The process is environmentally friendly as it does not require consumables (filler wire, flux or gas) and produces no fumes. In friction welding, heat is produced by rubbing components together under load. Once the required temperature and material deformation is reached, the action is terminated and the load is maintained or increased to create a solid phase bond. Friction is ideal for welding dissimilar metals with very different melting temperatures and physical properties. Some of the friction stir technologies ar e shown in the Fig.2-1. Work carried out at TWI by Thomas et.al [2,3] has demonstrated that several alternative techniques exist or are being developed to meet the requirement for consistent and reliable joining of mass production aluminum alloy vehicle bodies. Three of these techniques (mechanical fasteners, lasers and friction stir welding) are likely to make an impact in industrial processing over the next 5 years. FSW could be applied in the manufacture of straight-line welds in sheet and extrusions as a low cost alternative to arc welding (e.g. in the fabrication of truck floors or walls). The development of robotized friction stir welding heads could extend the range of applications into three dimensional components. Mishra et.al [4] extended the FSW innovation to process Al 7075 and Al 5083 in order to render them superplastic. They observed that the grains obtained were recrystallized, equiaxed and homogeneous with average grain sizes

Cable Television Essays -- Technology Media Papers

Cable Television The word technology has meant a number of different things throughout the span of time and culture. From the beginning of the stone tablet to the introduction of cyberspace there has been technology; something that has enhance our literacy and improved our detail of life and knowledge. The development of the personal computer seems to be somewhat elementary to all of use now. Technology has made its way into our homes and is continuing to make our lives interactive with those around the world. ?Before the advent of the PC, the television and satellites brought the world into the living rooms of many homes Pictures of life beyond the boundaries of one's own community or neighborhood were made accessible every night through local broadcasting and eventually cable television. Kubey and Csikszentmihalyi find that, "Today, the thing hundreds of millions of humans most have in common with one another, aside from their humanity, is television. It has become our culture’s dominant form of leisure and its most powerful means of mass communication. In four short decades it has become the primary channel for the information that we share as a nation and as a world" (24). The use of cable television is not something that seems that entirely revolutionary to us all now. It is the one thing that most Americans relax to every night and look to every morning to find out the weather for the day. It is said, "one third of waking time that is free, the single activity that clearly abs orbs the most time in modern societies is watching television (Kubey and Csikszentmihalyi 12). TARGET TECHNOLOGY : CABLE TELEVISION Description: ?This page will discuss and explore the implications of one of the greatest technologies ... ...EPRI_Journal/jan_feb97/telecom.html. MCM Telecom selects Lucent Technologies to Build Broadband Local Network in Mexico. Online. Internet. 12 Apr 1999. Available. http://wwwlucent.com/press/1098/981015.nsb.html. National Cable Television Association. Online. Internet. 12 Apr 1999. Available. http://www.ncta.com. Ragdoll. Online. Internet. 12 Apr 1999. Available. http://www.ragdoll.it/10fpen.htm. Segal, Sheryl. Telecommunications Act of 1996. 25 Sep 1998. Online. Internet. 12 Apr 1999.Available. http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html. Schaeffer, Lee. Western Pennsylvania Television and Video Teachers Consortium. 1 Jan 1999. Online. Internet. 12 Apr 1999. Available. http://www.nb.net/~schaefer/tvt.html. Telewest and NCI Announce Plans For Interactive Cable Television. Online. Internet. 12 Apr 1999. Available. http://wwwnavio.com/news/releases/telewest.html.