Semester 3 Old Testament 2 (Hebrew Wisdom Literature) Faith Bible Institute Flashcard

Semester 3 Old Testament 2 (Hebrew Wisdom Literature) Faith Bible Institute

There Is Nothing New About New Social Movements †Sociology Essay

There Is Nothing New About New Social Movements – Sociology Essay Free Online Research Papers There Is Nothing ‘New’ About New Social Movements Sociology Essay Movements such as the students movement and peace movements that took place in the late 1960s served both to define the era as one of distinct social and political unrest, and also to mark the emergence of a new form of social movements. These new movements differed in many ways to the workers movements that had been most prominent in industrial society. As Scott (1990) outlines, the focus of the new movements stretched further than political issues and rested firmly in notions such as values, morals and lifestyles, and at the same time resisting incorporation into institutionalised politics. (Scott 1990 p.14) In the study of new social movements, Giddens (1991), Kriesi (1995) and Scott (1990) have stressed that the main defining characteristics of these movements is their emphasis on cultural issues of lifestyle and identity, and their location within civil society. Whether or not the term ‘new’ now remains a valid description for contemporary social movements is a question that calls for a detailed analysis of the new movements distinguishing features as well as the historical point at which these movements emerged. Such an analysis shall be the focus for this discussion, involving comparisons to ‘older’ types of movements and their organisational structure, motiv ations, aims and ideologies. In Scott’s (1990) analysis, it is suggested that the labelling of specific movements in recent times as ‘new’ may have arisen through recent changes within society that have served to motivate such movements. A change in the style and conduct of a social movement can indeed reflect a change in society and social structures, as well offer reasons for mobilisation, as social changes bring about different pressures on different social groups, thus motivating a movement. All social movements can be referred to as a reaction to a common set of circumstances, and thus as circumstances to which society is subjected to change over time, new ways of challenging and attempts to change circumstances have arisen in the form of new social movements. The period following the Second World War is an interesting point in history on which to focus, as it marks the shift from industrial to post-industrial society, as well as the shift to late modernity. These profoundly social chang es are key factors that led to the emergence of new social movements, as they brought about the erosion of rigid class structures and traditional morals and values within society, leading ultimately to individualisation and a higher degree of self awareness. This resulted in the formation of minority groups and consequently their efforts to establish and maintain an identity through new social movements. This ideology is one much focused upon by Giddens (1991) in his analysis of modernity, and shall be returned to later in the discussion. In order to provide a sound foundation for the argument for the ‘new’ social movements, a conceptual analysis of the movements must first be made and compared with more traditional forms of movements. A conceptual analysis involves the identification of the movements main characteristics such as movements aims, demands, ideologies and organisational structures. The contrasting concepts of the workers movements and new social movements, such as the ecology movement and peace movement, provide a strong footing for arguing the relative ‘newness’ of contemporary social movements. Table 1, extracted from Scott’s (1990) analysis summarises the key distinctions between these two types of movement. Table 1 – Points of contrast between new movements and the workers’ movement: Workers’ Movement New Social movements Location increasingly within the civil society polity Aims political integration/ changes in values and economic rights lifestyles/defence of civil society Organisation formal/hierarchical network/grass roots Medium of action political mobilisation direct action/cultural innovation (Source: Scott 1990 p.19) Through examination of these distinct differences between the two types of movements, it is possible to justify the new movements as ‘new’, as they incorporate an entirely different set of concepts and are also more loosely organised movements. Perhaps the most profound difference in the new movements is their location within civil society and not within the polity, and in fact the lack of any specific political aims or actions. The focus of the new movements lies within areas such as personal freedoms, identity promotion, and individual rights, which is a move away from the aims of more political and industrial related movements. Scott (1990) provides the best summary of the aims of these new movements: â€Å" On the basis of much recent discussion of new movements, we can characterise their aims broadly as bringing about social change through the transformation of values, personal identities and symbols. These movements are identity involving and transforming, they self-consciously manipulate symbols and they challenge entrenched values. This can be best achieved through the creation of alternative life-styles and the discursive re-formation of individual collective wills.† (Scott 1995 p.18) Much of the new movements therefore aim to promote a different lifestyle, a safer environment or issues such as gay and lesbian rights, bringing such subjects out of the private and into the public domain. Mobilisation of such movements has been brought about by the discrimination or alienation of minority groups who aim to promote their identities and argue their cause. The processes of modernisation and technological advancement since the Second World War has allowed minority groups to substantiate themselves and project their identities through media that was not previously available to them. Global news coverage of social movements and technologies such as the internet are relatively new in the historical timeline of social movements, and thus their social significance has increased only in recent times, as these new media allow the global unification of minority groups and more effective movement organisation. These new technologies and means of global communication are directly linked to the notion of modernity, on which much of Giddens’ (1991) work is focused. Modernity, or rather Late Modernity, as Kriesi et al (1995) and Giddens (1991) agree, is a factor that lies at the heart of this discussion of new social movements. It is a notion that has given rise to new social structures and social groups which mobilise into new social movements as a response to the profound change in social circumstances brought about by modernity and the shift to a post-industrial society. Kriesi (et al 1995), offers insight into popular thinking on modernity and its impacts on social values and structures in the following extract: â€Å" We believe, indeed, that the rise of new social movements was intimately linked to the slow, but profound transformation of the societies conflict structure in the course of the macro historical process of modernisation. This transformation implies, first of all, a weakening of traditional cleavages in which people are free from traditional ties of class, religion, and the family. The result has been an unprecedented degree of individualisation, but not the dissolution of structural and cultural bonds altogether.† (Kriesi et al 1995 p. xxvii) The post industrial stages of late modernity is indeed the point at which society, moreover in western states, experienced a distinct change in structure, eroding long standing traditions and class structures. The emergence of the new middle classes in the 1960s served to further this process. Replacing formal class structures were new smaller groups within society, each eager to establish an identity and uphold individual civil rights. Recent structural and cultural transformations are the roots of many of the new social movements, many of which are located within the new middle classes. The increase of citizens working in the service sector since the 1960s has brought about new issues and conflicts between small groups included in the middle class. Kriesi (1995) states that much of the work in this sector is related to organisation and control of individuals through management of personnel, and many of the disputes that take place within this sector are tied to the control of the w orkplace and personnel and their freedoms and rights. (Kriesi et al 1995) Whereas previous movements such as workers movements have fought political battles, the conflicts in the contemporary workplace remain rooted in notions of identity and the rights of individuals such as women and ethnic minorities. This fact alone provides another means of justifying the ‘newness’ of such social movements, as the aims and location within society a markedly different from previous politically tied movements, where such issues were not included. Giddens’ (1991) analysis of new social movements and their relation to what is referred to as ‘high modernity’ allows a greater insight into how modernisation and its recent socio-cultural impacts have motivated the new movements. Giddens states that modernisation has lead to a profound increase in self-awareness and self-promotion, both issues incorporated into his notion of ‘life politics’. New forms of social control that have arisen in recent years target new emerging groups in society which has lead in turn to new oppressive forces to which many new movements are a reaction to. The movements have also been actuated by responses against minority groups resulting from increasing local-global relations. â€Å" It becomes more and more apparent that lifestyle choices, within the settings of local-global relations, raise moral issues that cannot simply be pushed to one side. Such issues call for forms of political engagement which new social movements both presage and serve to initiate.† (Giddens 1991 p.9) This extract serves to focus the attention of this discussion to how local events and newly emerged groups can establish themselves in global issues of lifestyle and identities, provoking reactions and thus social movements, all enabled through a high degree of global connectivity. The technologies that enable this series of events are recent introductions to society, therefore showing the new movements to in fact remain ‘new’, as reactions to small scale events and distant minority groups were difficult, if not impossible in early industrial society. The anti-globalisation movement provides another sound example of a new social movement, motivated by the shared experience of circumstances around the world, as the process is in its nature global. Politics, stated so far as a feature of more traditional social movements, is of course at the centre of this issue, however the impacts of the process on cultures and individuals also strongly motivate the movement. Globalisation, a very recent phenomenon has resulted from modernisation, and is such closely tied with many social and cultural changes that have taken place recently. Corporatism lies at the heart of the process, as large corporations move into international territories, expanding their hold on global markets, as well as meeting with strong resistance both within home states and foreign territories. Anti-corporatism movements, as analysed by Crossley (2003), is a contemporary social movement that displays many of the characteristics of the new social movements outlined by Sc ott (1990). Crossley argues that the reaction against the process of corporate domination has arisen through the evident ‘cultural impoverishment’ that it creates through intrusive advertising, corporate take-overs of small firms and widespread cultural homogenisation. (Crossley 2003 p.290) Rationalisation is also central to his explanation for new social movements, as is that of Scott (1990) and Giddens (1991). The following extract gives insight into this thinking: â€Å" Integral to the process of rationalisation, however, has been the uncoupling of these two forms of activity [religion and tradition] from the normative core of society, such that each has become an arena for relatively free utilitarian action†¦.As political and economic agents, in modern societies, we make a choice about what is best for us and pursue that choice in a strategic fashion. We are not, or at least need not be, bound by normative considerations or traditions.† ( Crossley 2003 p.292) This brings to light the fact that in modern society, we are freed from the constraints of religion and tradition and thus free to voice opinions and take actions against oppressive and intrusive events and forces. Modern society is arguably becoming more and more rational, and this coincides with the recent emergence of new social movements that campaign for individual rights and freedoms, as well as ecology movements that benefit all. The discussion has so far argued the case for the ‘newness’ of new social movements, emphasising that a conceptual change in the movements themselves as well as changes in society brought about by ‘high modernity’ have motivated these movements. The fact that the new movements are reaction to a common set of circumstances which are firmly located in the time period of the last 40 years suggests that they are indeed relatively new in the long history of social movements. Therefore the classification of the new movements as ‘new’ is dependant upon how they are viewed in relative terms. The students movement and anti-Vietnam protests marked the point in history where society began to voice its views on personal rights and freedoms, and when compared to highly organised and more formally conducted movements previously in history, they were in fact profoundly new in their nature. Of course, all social movements are a reaction against a shared set of circumstances and fuelled by shared grievances, and in this sense, all social movements are fundamentally the same. However it must be emphasised that issues of identity, symbols, culture and personal freedoms are the focus of these new movements and thus clearly distinguish them from other movement families. Bibliography: Crossley, N. 2003 – â€Å"Even newer social movements? Anti-Corporate protests, Capitalist Crises and the Remoralisation of Society† – Organization Articles Vol. 10(2) pp.287-305 Sage, London Giddens, A. 1991 – â€Å"The Consequences of modernity† Cambridge Polity Press Kriesi, H., Koopmans, R., Dyvendak, J., Giugni, M. 1995 – â€Å"New Social Movements in Europe – A comparative analysis† – University Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. Scott, A. 1990 – â€Å"Ideology and the New Social movements† – Routledge, London Research Papers on There Is Nothing ‘New’ About New Social Movements - Sociology EssayWhere Wild and West MeetAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Hockey GameBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPETSTEL analysis of IndiaEffects of Television Violence on Children

Business architecture definition (IT) Research Paper

Business architecture definition (IT) - Research Paper Example Typically, the business architecture artifacts and practices in business architecture frameworks concentrate on business processes and business applications. Business architecture should help business reap the benefit of business agility and visibility and must reflect the full business design, from the point of analysis of business owners and designers, rather than IT solution delivery (Born, 2012). The connection between business architecture and IT (information technology) is two-fold (Born, 2012). Primary, business architecture is a vital input to IT scheduling, business solution delivery and technology architecture. Subsequent, IT capabilities and technology trends influence business design selection in the realms of capacities, processes, value chains, and channel. Adopt-A-Farm is an online business platform that involves connections between the citizens and farmers (Adopt-A-Farm, 2014). The business treats both farmers and their potential clients as its customers. The diagram below provides the platform for connection that the business employs to connect farmers with their respective clients. Part B: customers access Adopt-A-Farm website to get information. Account manager login information is submitted then customer is authenticated. Portal application is able to automatically retrieve core customer information for its application. Sharing the information with potential customers is applicable per regions. Retrieve application history for precise account and service agreement for respective clients. Get meter data is suitable in ensuring proper transfer of data to partners (Born, 2012). Adopt-A-Farm business design is based on finding farm related information and availing the information to customers. The business structure is information oriented and customers are able to acquire information that links them (local citizens to farmers). The diagram below is a simplified structure showing how information is in shared in Adopt-A-Farm

Comparative Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Comparative Analysis Paper - Essay Example This, in essence, was a stunning and radical idea; the previous political atmosphere before the American Revolution was that state and sovereign authority was derived solely from the monarch. The American framers of the Constitution made sure that political authority should emanate from the people, through the holding of regular, free, and fair elections in the form of representative democracy in which those who weld political power has to seek a new mandate each time by election. Some historians suspect the idea of a separation of powers came from a suggestion made by Alexis de Tocqueville, a foremost French observer of the American experiment in the new representative democracy in which sovereign will resides in the people, although the idea is not new. It had been extensively discussed earlier by John Locke in his â€Å"Two Treatises of Government† at around 1689; even the Greeks under Aristotle also took up the doctrine of the separation of powers in his treatise entitled â€Å"Politics† circa fourth century B. C. E. (before the current era) and subsequently also in ancient republican Rome based on the same principle of checks and balances to prevent abuse of power by any one man or group or cabal. a. The original intentions of the Founding Fathers of the American Constitution had been distorted, such that this noble concept of separation of powers had become the source of policy deadlock in the American government. Instead of helping in the task of governance, it had instead become the main cause of gridlock we see today in the form of bitter partisanship. America today is faced with a host of problems which require urgent solutions, such as the budget deficits, illegal immigration, the war on terror, environmental concerns, peak oil (that oil is now running out and alternative renewable energy sources must be found, and fast) and persistently big trade deficits as well, but cooperation

See inside Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

See inside - Assignment Example A company will come up with a strategy to achieving a particular goal or a set of goals set out as planned. Then a means or a tactic by which the strategy will be carried out. A sound strategy will succeed by using facts and assumptions, analysis, previous conclusions, and previous recommendations. However, a strategic outline plan begins with a vision that should be futuristic, specific, and promises a better outlook than the current state of affairs. To achieve a vision, a company should have a mission statement that is in line with its objectives. A mission statement should identify core competencies and philosophies while explaining why it is possible to achieve a vision. SWOT analysis is a crucial part when a company is laying out a strategic plan. SWOT analysis simply means identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that a company possesses and faces. It is through SWOT analysis that a company gets to learn about its competitive advantages and disadvantages. From the article, it is clear that Duke Energy Company has an ambitious vision that it wants to achieve by the year 2050. The vision that Duke Energy Company has is to modernize its grid and make its communities the most energy efficient communities in the world. This vision is in line with our current text since it is both futuristic, and it promises a bright future. However, according to the President and CEO of Duke Energy Company, this vision can be achieved without factoring in facts and data analyses since he believes numbers do not necessarily connect to the vision. According to our current text, it is tactically crucial to use facts and analysis in-order to be able to achieve a vision that has been set out. Using SWOT analysis on Duke Energy Company, it is easy to identify its competitive advantage. According to the CEO, the fact that they have already experimented with different technologies gives them an

Building Information Modelling (BIM)

Building Information Modelling (BIM) 2.1 Introduction As expressed in the Egan report (1998), the UK construction industry is a significant contributor to the domestic economy in the UK that it is simply too important to be overlooked. The construction process and its success are influenced by various factors and choosing the most effective investment to improve the construction process is a very important decision. Building Information Modelling has been said to represent a paradigm that will have comprehensive benefits brought to the construction industry (Eastman, 2009b). Popov et al. (2010) claimed that the growing diversity of disciplines, professionals, tasks, events in respect of the management during design and construction stages of projects, plus the more competitive cost and more intense deadlines with higher quality expectations as well as the need for enhancing technology are the driving force of information modelling in the construction industry. Building Information Modelling, or better known as BIM is not; strictly speaking a new technology as it has been developing and used by other industry sectors since 1950s i.e. the automotive and aero plane industries. These industries have been way ahead of the AEC industry as for the past 20 years, fully utilizing the available technology for their industries (Augustsson, 2007). Subsequently, this literature review will assess and evaluate the historic and current information in respect of Building Information Modelling to enable an understanding on the past development of BIM, the benefits that it could offer to our construction projects as well as identifying the barriers entailing for the full adoption of BIM among the contractors in the UK construction industry. 2.2 What is BIM? As defined by BIMForum:- â€Å"A building information model (BIM) is an object-oriented building development tool that utilizes 5-D modeling concepts, information technology and software interoperability to design, construct and operate a building project, as well as communicate its details† (BIMForum, 2007). One common understanding to describe BIM is the building development tool that creates a three dimensional (3D) geometric model with computer softwares. The model then can be used to assist the design, construction and operational process and also acting as a communication tool (BIMForum 2007). Nevertheless a 3D geometric model wouldnt be sufficient to answer the demanding construction requirements at present. A BIM model contains a high level of intelligence which not just limited to a three-dimensional geometric representation of the building, (GSA, 2007) but also includes 5D modelling where the 4th dimension is referring to time element whilst the 5th dimension is referring to cost. In addition, as indicated by BIMForum (2007), there might be further development that is inclusive of procurement application which is the 6D as well as the operational applications which is the 7D. In general, a building information model is a digital representation, â€Å"virtual† representati on of all the physical and functional characteristic of a building which also acts as a resource of information storage for the building which could be shared/used from the inception period and throughout the lifecycle of the building. 2.3 The past development and revolution of BIM Conventionally, constructing a building was merely the responsibility of the Architects and the Engineers, designing on papers and then the Contractors build it. Cyon Research (2003) stated that Construction projects have always been defined by various drawings and documents where at times might be in conflict with each other thus showing inconsistency. These inconsistencies are the typical issues that often aroused when the documents and drawings are maintained separately with different participants working on different or superseded documents. There will always be unanticipated field costs, delays and eventual lawsuits between various parties within a project team as a result of errors and omissions in paper based communication. According to Vinod Kumar (2009), the beginning of orthographic drawings and perspectives can be traced back as far as during the Renaissance era when Filippo Brunelleschi represented the plans in drawing format for Santa Maria del Fiore in Italy in order for the patrons to understand how the building would look like. Vinod Kumar (2009) further explains the evolution of systematic documentation from manual methods all the way till our presently available technology by dividing it into three phases: I phase Till early 1980s: Before 1980s the traditional way of creating design documents are through manually drawn lines representing building i.e. plans, sections, elevations and etc. II phase 1980s to Late 1990s: This was the period where major change took place from manual drafting towards computer aided drafting when computers were firstly introduce. There is more elaborated information as the complexity of buildings increased as well as more specialization in the design and construction process. Use of computers, especially for 2D drawings and reports are ground-breaking changes into the systematic Documentation. III phase Beginning of the 2K: With the buildings degree of complexity presently, the number of parties involved in the process of drawing production has also increased. In line with the development of technology there are also more introduction of more interrelated and integrated building system i.e. HVAC system, energy requirement and etc. The computer based technology has also been constantly updated to reduce errors that occur but nonetheless they are still merely the collections of manually created, non-intelligent lines and text. The diagram below shows the evolution from manual methods all the way till the introduction of new technologies. A previous study by Autodesk (2002) which correlates with Vinods statement, mentioned that in the early 1980s the Construction industry took one step forward when the architects began using PC based Computer Aided Design, CAD. It is said that the CAD system was adapted with ease by the Industry as it was initiated from the pin-bar drafting which the Industry was familiar with. Thus many construction documents and drawings were completed using CADD rather than being drafted manually on drawing boards. DWS files were then exchanged in replacement of paper drawings, from simple graphics to the information content on the building. The CAD files developed significantly, communicating the information on the building which plotted drawing couldnt. Following that Holzer (2009) also stated that in the late 70s and early 80s, CAD systems like RUCAPS was used where it operated in parametric environment enabling 2D information extracted from a 3D model. RUCAPS allowed multi user access and put f orward a new way in generating, distributing as well as retrieving building information which was different fromt he common drafting processes. Unfortunately the down side of this system was the high cost and slow speed of the system as well as its inability of producing more complex geometrical shapes. Nevertheless, some of the fundamental concept of RUCAPS can be found in the current BIM software such as Autodesks REVIT, Bentleys TRIFORMA, Gehry Techs DIGITAL PROJECT and etc. Nowadays, the use of BIM is very common within the manufacturing and aerospace industries where new products or product changes are modelled virtually for the assessment of design, performance and production. . We are also in the process of experiencing a similar revolution in the construction industry. BIM and other related technologies have emerged since the past decade and developing up till the present where they have been acknowledge as the platform for the design and construction of various projects (Shen, et.al, 2009). Nevertheless, FWCI (2009) argued that it is important to understand that BIM is not CAD+ or the â€Å"Son† of CAD as BIM functions in its own approach and discipline. BIM, acting as a single source entry for project team involves the process of generating, storing, managing, exchanging and sharing building information in an interoperable and reusable way. Generally a BIM system is a tool that enables users to integrate and reuse building information and domain knowledge through the lifecycle of a building Presently there are numerous BIM products on the market by various vendors. Autodesk Revit was considered as one of the leading BIM creation tools. Bentley Systems, Graphisoft, Vico software and Nementcheck are also currently very well-known in the market. They each provide various building model tools to design a building (Rosenberg 2006). With this technology, the information needed for a projects design, construction and operation are contained in a model digitally which is centralized and could be shared across all associated project stakeholders (COBRA, 2008). 2.4 Various understanding of BIM in the Industry At present there is a vast amount of information that is available in respect to the definition of premise of BIM. Holzer (2007) explained that even though the application of BIM becomes more accepted and common throughout the industry, but there has been a problem in agreeing the definition of BIM. The common definitions would be described as a method for project information management with the combination of non-geometry attributes with geometrical entities, or defined mostly by pointing out its capabilities for cost-control and to facilities management. Holzer (2007) continues to claim that because the term BIM is often used by vendors for their marketing strategies in order to promote their company software, the definition of BIM technology has become very confusing. On the other hand, Eastman et al (2008) has suggested that in order to deal with this confusion it is useful to describe modelling solutions that do not utilize BIM technology. This includes tools that create models containing only 3D data with no object attributes, models that do not utilize parametric intelligence, models composed of multiple 2D CAD reference files that must be combined to define the building as well as models that allow changes to dimensions in one view that are not automatically reflected in other views. Furthermore, another popular â€Å"talk about† issue within the industry is the multi dimension product models, the ability of BIM to provide multi dimensional application. (GSA 2007) has stated that 4D models represent 3D models plus time which include project phasing, construction scheduling whilst 5D models incorporate the costs elements. Nonetheless, Lee (2005) has identified the additional numbering of the dimension as â€Å"nD† modelling. Lee stated that nD modelling is an extension of the building information model that incorporates multi-aspects of design information required at each stage of the lifecycle of a building facility. On the other hand, in the year 2006, The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) also published â€Å"The Contractors Guide to BIM† which touched on the issue in respect of the continuing usage of the numbering i.e. 6D, 7D, and etc has therefore acknowledged the extended application of the 3D tool as â€Å"XD† (AGC , 2006). This research is mainly focusing on the 3D models with incorporation of time (4D) and cost (5D) elements. 2.5 Benefits of BIM There are many obvious benefits that BIM could offer to various parties including the owners, planners, engineers, estimators, designers and etc. It is understood that different stakeholders would value BIM differently. They may share the same information but have different responsibilities and uses on the model. From a Contractors perspective, BIM brings essential value for enabling virtual construction of the structure within a single source file (Hardin, 2009). As quoted from the BIM 2009 Smart Report, â€Å"A model is Worth a Thousand Drawings†. Contractors are making use of the intelligent model for assisting them with various activities i.e. planning construction sequences, cost estimations and bidding, conflict resolution and visualization project demonstration for client and etc (Neeley, 2010). The incorporation of intelligent data improves the models construction and post-construction realities, which also enables the contractor to get closer to the world of the desig ner (Sage software 2008). The initial literature review has showed that costs are significantly reduced, time is saved and the quality improved. 2.5.1 Single source Model In conventional process, the Project Manager reviews the updated drawings and reflects any changes onto the schedule as the design progress. Many times the same information is entered into different program. Every repetition increases the probability of inconsistency and error occurrence. BIM on the other hand allow direct changes applied to the single model. As both designers and contractors have access to the model simultaneously, this corresponding process also enables them to reduce lead times which normally take place throughout the period of sending back-and-forth the documents. The collaborative environment contributes to a substantial time saving during pre construction. Extra coordination checks are also unnecessary because the information generated from the model will lead to fewer errors on site which normally is caused by inaccurate and uncoordinated information. In the case of any last minute design changes, addendums, clarifications and etc it could be altered and updat ed to the model automatically across the project team, from early design through completion (Hardin, 2009). These ensure that all parties are working with the latest information. With all the information contained within the BIM database it will definitely increase the efficiency between the Architect, Engineer as well as the Contractors. 2.5.2 The 3D Visualization Clash Detection The 3D visualisation capability of BIM models can be of great benefit as a means of testifying the workability and demonstrating aspects of the construction itself such as construction sequencing, logistics, access, storage and security (C3 System 2009). BIM allows for â€Å"building twice† which offers various benefits like improvement in Constructability, maintainability, cost estimate accuracy and etc. This reduces ambiguities before commencement of actual construction (Robert, 2005). The construction issues for layperson or non layperson are also made easier to understand as the 3D visualisation helps them to understand any constraints that the client had not made clear earlier, or were misunderstood (Furneaux and Kivits 2008). One of the major benefits which BIM could provide for contractors is clash detection. As identified by FWIC (2009), a hard clash is where more than one object is being designed to occupy the same space whilst a soft clash is where the objects in the design is too close to each other that there is no space for access or construction, or are too close that they have violated the building codes. The BIM system automatically detects and manages interferences which prevent possible delay or additional cost. The system could be set to run the check either the entire model or between certain parts of the model. 2.5.3 Construction Phasing (4D Simulation) Furthermore, one of the obvious BIM applications for improved time efficiency is construction planning. Hardin (2008) argued that the construction planning is one of the most important tasks and also one of the driving factors that determine the success of any projects. It is noted by Eastman et al (2008b) that Construction Planning and scheduling involves sequencing activities in space and time, procurement consideration, resources, spatial restrictions and etc. BIM is said to contribute in project planning solutions via the use of 4D simulation. Napier (2009) claimed that the conventional scheduling methods are labour intensive and is not easily understood by laypersons. BIM enables better communication and understanding how the schedule would impact site logistics as a result of the 4D construction phasing/planning tools that incorporate direct links to the design model, capturing spatial information which the traditional Gantt chart is unable to demonstrate. The 4D model incorpor ates time as added 4th dimension which enables the planner to visually plan and sequencing of construction activities with space and time consideration. Also, there might be specific materials and products selected from a potential range of refinements and substitutions that meet the project specification but may result in changes to some aspects of the design. As Neeley (2010) have stated, with the allowance of â€Å"what ifs†, a significant of cost, project risks and unnecessary waste could be saved by shifting the â€Å"try-and-error† process from construction site to the virtual environment on beforehand. Resource Allocation/Reducing Waste According to Egan (1998) in â€Å"Rethinking Construction†, within the construction industry almost 10% of materials are wasted and 30% of construction is rework. As mentioned by Articlesbased (2009) construction projects are very often planned based on resources availability as well as other external factors. With the 4D construction phasing/planning, the team members are able to understand the scope of work and the availability of various resources in order to optimize the resources and labour accordingly. In addition, Eastman (2008b) highlights that BIM is also accurate in providing the design model and material resources required for each segment of the work, it effectively assists in utilization of critical resources like labour, material and time during the building construction life cycle. With the improved monitoring of site logistics and the progress of project, the site management via BIM fosters just-in-time (JIT) of materials, plant/equipment and labours. Pre-fabrication Accuracy of design details are critical for determining the success of pre-fabrication, and a data-rich BIM model can have a positive impact and provide greater confidence on pre-fabrication. As BIM brings clarity towards a complex project, more contractors appreciate that BIM offers the advantage of effective coordination as the complexity level of project increases. The â€Å"Design to Build and Build to Design† concept improves accuracy for estimation and design specification for prefabricated elements thus reducing unnecessary wastage (BIMJOURNAL 2009). With greater confidence in the coordination process, many contractors are approaching more prefabrication options to help ease schedules. (BIM Smart Report, 2009) 2.5.4 Cost Estimates/schedule management From the costing aspect, Jernigan (2008) stated one of the main benefits provided by BIM is the accuracy in cost estimate during earlier stages. Conventionally, estimators have been relying on Excel spreadsheet to carry out their construction cost estimating (Autodesk, 2007), Eastman (2009b) then revealed that BIM include features for extraction and quantification of BIM component properties. By using a building information model instead of drawings; the takeoffs, counts, and measurements can be generated directly from the underlying model and the information can be linked to generate bills of materials, size and area estimations along with other related estimating information. Therefore the information is always consistent with the design and reduces the potential for human error or misunderstanding (Autodesk, 2007). This contributes to substantial time and cost saving as well as ensuring good quality of the BOQ. BIM offers the opportunity to develop more accurate cost estimates bas ed on actual elements (Hartman and Fischer 2008). Moreover, the linked cost information evolves in step with the design changes (Ashcraft, 2008). In addition, an indirect advantage that BIM could offered is the estimator would be given more extra time to bring in more value engineering, more time for risk evaluation and to more time to find any additional cost savings as the â€Å"technology† has taken up most of the grunt work from the estimator (Hague, No date).Using cost attributing features of the model to assess alternative design and construction schemes to enhance and improve the value engineering process; BIM certainly contributes in supporting the Contractor to present value for money to the Client. Neeley (2010) has claimed that the use of BIM and IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) is reducing project costs around 10%- 20% below construction costs compared to non BIM/IPD projects. 2.6 Case Studies No 1: One Island East, Hong Kong One of the popular examples of the actual Building Information Modeling Project that has been mentioned by various Authors in their research is One Island East Office Tower in Hong Kong which was developed by Swire Properties Limited. Together with the project BIM consultant, Gehry Technologies (GT) they began the process of working together to create a single, 3D electronic Building Information Model (Riese, 2006). The Project Details are summarized as follow: 2.6.1 Background Information The One Island East is a 308 meter high skyscraper with 59 stories of office space and two basement levels. The building has 70 floors in total which comprise of a sky lobby on 37th and 38th floors (Elkem Microsilika, 2009). It was Swires intention to achieve a high-quality design while improving construction time as well as cost savings by the use of collaborative, collocated work methods and integrated 3-D modeling tools. The initial objective was to save 10 percent on the cost with reduced time for construction (Shelden et al, 2008). The software tool chosen to create the BIM for this project is â€Å"Digital Project† with some of the benefits stated as follows: (Riese, 2006) Has automated clash detection and management Has a complete ME system routing tool. With built-in scripting function, enabling project requirements to be integrated for customization. Automated simultaneous file versioning and file sharing. Able to handle and manipulate large amounts of data Integrated with Primavera scheduling software with high interoperability 2.6.2 BIM Implementation (Pre-tender stage) BIM commenced after the schematic design phase. The office building has been pre-designed virtually using Digital Project by assembling up to 300.000 building components in a single master file. Almost all coordination issues were resolved using BIM. The design team, BIM consultant and Project Manager worked in one room for the first year. They also communicate with each other via a portal site for the BIM process. The DP software was capable of identifying geometric clashes and generates a list automatically. There were already several clashes and errors identified and resolved before tendering and construction. The DP tool also measured most of the quantities automatically which reduced the time and effort compared to manual take off. Also, the quantities were linked to the BIM which automatically updates when changes were made. 2.6.3 BIM Implementation (Tendering Stage) The model was provided to all tenderers which enabled them to have confirmation on the bill of quantities using the model without having to measure the quantities manually. As a result, tender process improved significantly with lower cost estimates and more accurate quantity takeoffs. 2.6.4 BIM Implementation (Post Tender Stage) Gammon Construction Limited, which was the contractor awarded for the project had full responsibility for the BIM model and began the development of highly accurate and detailed 3D BIM model for construction, ensuring that all 2D information would be firstly scrutinize in the 3D prototype before it went to the site. 2.6.5 BIM Implementation (Construction) During the construction period, the BIM model became the main visualization tool for the coordination of various project elements. There were full time modelers that assisted with the clashes identification and coordination issues where the design solutions were then incorporated into the model. A few subcontractors also participated in modeling their parts of work. 4D simulation was one of the main factors for the success of the OIE project. It was used extensively for improving construction sequence and managing risk. 2.6.6 Outcome There were more than 2000 clashes and errors were identified prior to bidding and construction stage, which resulted significant cost savings. The figure below is an example of a clash that has been detected between an electrical cable tra y and an air supply duct. Without BIM it wouldnt have been detected until the actual construction taken place which might potentially cause additional cost and time to the project. According to Shen et al.(2009), the geometric coordination off the design prior to construction is thought to achieve 10% cost savings whilst construction process modeling is thought to contribute further 20% cost savings on the construction. Gammon Construction has also reported that Construction Process Modeling saved the project at least 20 days. This project was awarded the American Institute of Architects 2008 BIM award for design/delivery process innovation. 2.7 Implementing BIM and the Potential Challenges From section 2.2 above it is demonstrated that BIM has brought numerous advantages and benefits to the industry. However there are also challenges and barriers that to be overcome before the full capability of BIM could be demonstrated and subsequently fully â€Å"enjoyed† by the industry stakeholders (Furneaux and Kivits 2008). In the very traditional and fragmented building industry, new technologies are not easily introduced. It should be noted that when a new technology is introduced, there will be a certain period of time in which the claims about the potential of the technology needs to be examined, tested and verified particularly the AEC industry which is known for the very long adoption periods of promising technologies (May et al. 2005; Salazar et al. 2006). Even though the technology of BIM is readily available and rapidly maturing but the adoption of BIM is much slower than anticipated (Fischer Kunz, 2006). Gillis (2008) made the criticism indicating that UK appears to be a more conservative and over protective country that demands proven effectiveness before considering adoption of new technology whilst Counties such as Norway, Sweden, and US attempts to proceed with new technology without 100% confirmation (Simon Gillis, 2008). As criticised by Prather (2007), most of the time, our professional would take the â€Å"wait-and-see† approach towards BIM. This is echoed by Safe software (2008) stating that our industry would mostly accept BIM only when the risk level has dropped and a clear return on investment is made known to the industry. Moreover, in these recessionary times, the money to spend on technology has got to have a good business case. The current UK industry inhibitors include contracts that has not promote working in collaboration, no external incentive for innovation, no motivation for parties to seek ways to deliver a better or quicker product and etc (Steve Dunwell, 2008). 2.7.1 Installation and operation Cost Eastman (2009) has highlighted one of the barriers to adopting BIM is the cost associated with the implementation. It is said that implementing new technology like BIM requires additional cost in respect of purchasing new software and hardware packages, training as well as changing the work processes and workflows. Also, if there are no technical expertises available within the organization, there will be a need to engage with external consultants to train employees prior to applying BIM within the organization which accounts for additional cost as well (Furneaux and Kivits 2008). Corresponding to what Eastman (2009) as well as Furneaux Kivits (2008) have said, a research done by Suermann et al. (2009) revealed that the whole installation of BIM for an organization is a costly plan when done at on one occasion, and even greater when done for several installations simultaneously for different projects. In addition, Suermann et al (2009) findings showed that there has been company which have had to increase their effort and cost allowance to do BIM due to the high learning curve. Apart from that, there is also an implication for procurement policy where consideration needs to be given to the additional funding for the development of BIM models in the first instance. The large size of BIM files will involve a different system for data sharing i.e. real time access to the BIM database between firms which are geographically distant and high speed internet connectivity will be essential (Kiviniemi et al., 2008 p.64). This would constitute extra cost for the operation of BIM. Furthermore, in order to reduce the risk of data corruption, sabotage, and loss; it is important to pay any indispensable cost associated to ensure data stability and security. 2.7.2 Embracing BIM throughout the entire supply chain Another apparent factor that has caused BIM taking the back seat is lack of commitment from the higher level of the supply chain. According to Oberle (2009), the transition to BIM requires support and commitment throughout the supply chain from top to down of an organization. In addition, The Crawley Schools PFI project in West Sussex has revealed the benefits which they have gained with the implementation of BIM but simultaneously also addressed one of their main barriers in implementing BIM was the reluctance of the supply chain in embracing this new technology, stating that some conservative individuals did not believe the benefits that BIM could offer thus were hesitant to undertake this new approach (Constructing Excellence, 2010). It is also noted that some Contractors that have too much existing workload might give the excuse that they dont have enough time to try out new technology. As quoted from Dunwell (2009), â€Å"Old habits die hard†. Most workers are reluctant to step out from their comfort zone and believed that their current handling approaches towards Building Information Modelling (BIM) Building Information Modelling (BIM) 2.1 Introduction As expressed in the Egan report (1998), the UK construction industry is a significant contributor to the domestic economy in the UK that it is simply too important to be overlooked. The construction process and its success are influenced by various factors and choosing the most effective investment to improve the construction process is a very important decision. Building Information Modelling has been said to represent a paradigm that will have comprehensive benefits brought to the construction industry (Eastman, 2009b). Popov et al. (2010) claimed that the growing diversity of disciplines, professionals, tasks, events in respect of the management during design and construction stages of projects, plus the more competitive cost and more intense deadlines with higher quality expectations as well as the need for enhancing technology are the driving force of information modelling in the construction industry. Building Information Modelling, or better known as BIM is not; strictly speaking a new technology as it has been developing and used by other industry sectors since 1950s i.e. the automotive and aero plane industries. These industries have been way ahead of the AEC industry as for the past 20 years, fully utilizing the available technology for their industries (Augustsson, 2007). Subsequently, this literature review will assess and evaluate the historic and current information in respect of Building Information Modelling to enable an understanding on the past development of BIM, the benefits that it could offer to our construction projects as well as identifying the barriers entailing for the full adoption of BIM among the contractors in the UK construction industry. 2.2 What is BIM? As defined by BIMForum:- â€Å"A building information model (BIM) is an object-oriented building development tool that utilizes 5-D modeling concepts, information technology and software interoperability to design, construct and operate a building project, as well as communicate its details† (BIMForum, 2007). One common understanding to describe BIM is the building development tool that creates a three dimensional (3D) geometric model with computer softwares. The model then can be used to assist the design, construction and operational process and also acting as a communication tool (BIMForum 2007). Nevertheless a 3D geometric model wouldnt be sufficient to answer the demanding construction requirements at present. A BIM model contains a high level of intelligence which not just limited to a three-dimensional geometric representation of the building, (GSA, 2007) but also includes 5D modelling where the 4th dimension is referring to time element whilst the 5th dimension is referring to cost. In addition, as indicated by BIMForum (2007), there might be further development that is inclusive of procurement application which is the 6D as well as the operational applications which is the 7D. In general, a building information model is a digital representation, â€Å"virtual† representati on of all the physical and functional characteristic of a building which also acts as a resource of information storage for the building which could be shared/used from the inception period and throughout the lifecycle of the building. 2.3 The past development and revolution of BIM Conventionally, constructing a building was merely the responsibility of the Architects and the Engineers, designing on papers and then the Contractors build it. Cyon Research (2003) stated that Construction projects have always been defined by various drawings and documents where at times might be in conflict with each other thus showing inconsistency. These inconsistencies are the typical issues that often aroused when the documents and drawings are maintained separately with different participants working on different or superseded documents. There will always be unanticipated field costs, delays and eventual lawsuits between various parties within a project team as a result of errors and omissions in paper based communication. According to Vinod Kumar (2009), the beginning of orthographic drawings and perspectives can be traced back as far as during the Renaissance era when Filippo Brunelleschi represented the plans in drawing format for Santa Maria del Fiore in Italy in order for the patrons to understand how the building would look like. Vinod Kumar (2009) further explains the evolution of systematic documentation from manual methods all the way till our presently available technology by dividing it into three phases: I phase Till early 1980s: Before 1980s the traditional way of creating design documents are through manually drawn lines representing building i.e. plans, sections, elevations and etc. II phase 1980s to Late 1990s: This was the period where major change took place from manual drafting towards computer aided drafting when computers were firstly introduce. There is more elaborated information as the complexity of buildings increased as well as more specialization in the design and construction process. Use of computers, especially for 2D drawings and reports are ground-breaking changes into the systematic Documentation. III phase Beginning of the 2K: With the buildings degree of complexity presently, the number of parties involved in the process of drawing production has also increased. In line with the development of technology there are also more introduction of more interrelated and integrated building system i.e. HVAC system, energy requirement and etc. The computer based technology has also been constantly updated to reduce errors that occur but nonetheless they are still merely the collections of manually created, non-intelligent lines and text. The diagram below shows the evolution from manual methods all the way till the introduction of new technologies. A previous study by Autodesk (2002) which correlates with Vinods statement, mentioned that in the early 1980s the Construction industry took one step forward when the architects began using PC based Computer Aided Design, CAD. It is said that the CAD system was adapted with ease by the Industry as it was initiated from the pin-bar drafting which the Industry was familiar with. Thus many construction documents and drawings were completed using CADD rather than being drafted manually on drawing boards. DWS files were then exchanged in replacement of paper drawings, from simple graphics to the information content on the building. The CAD files developed significantly, communicating the information on the building which plotted drawing couldnt. Following that Holzer (2009) also stated that in the late 70s and early 80s, CAD systems like RUCAPS was used where it operated in parametric environment enabling 2D information extracted from a 3D model. RUCAPS allowed multi user access and put f orward a new way in generating, distributing as well as retrieving building information which was different fromt he common drafting processes. Unfortunately the down side of this system was the high cost and slow speed of the system as well as its inability of producing more complex geometrical shapes. Nevertheless, some of the fundamental concept of RUCAPS can be found in the current BIM software such as Autodesks REVIT, Bentleys TRIFORMA, Gehry Techs DIGITAL PROJECT and etc. Nowadays, the use of BIM is very common within the manufacturing and aerospace industries where new products or product changes are modelled virtually for the assessment of design, performance and production. . We are also in the process of experiencing a similar revolution in the construction industry. BIM and other related technologies have emerged since the past decade and developing up till the present where they have been acknowledge as the platform for the design and construction of various projects (Shen, et.al, 2009). Nevertheless, FWCI (2009) argued that it is important to understand that BIM is not CAD+ or the â€Å"Son† of CAD as BIM functions in its own approach and discipline. BIM, acting as a single source entry for project team involves the process of generating, storing, managing, exchanging and sharing building information in an interoperable and reusable way. Generally a BIM system is a tool that enables users to integrate and reuse building information and domain knowledge through the lifecycle of a building Presently there are numerous BIM products on the market by various vendors. Autodesk Revit was considered as one of the leading BIM creation tools. Bentley Systems, Graphisoft, Vico software and Nementcheck are also currently very well-known in the market. They each provide various building model tools to design a building (Rosenberg 2006). With this technology, the information needed for a projects design, construction and operation are contained in a model digitally which is centralized and could be shared across all associated project stakeholders (COBRA, 2008). 2.4 Various understanding of BIM in the Industry At present there is a vast amount of information that is available in respect to the definition of premise of BIM. Holzer (2007) explained that even though the application of BIM becomes more accepted and common throughout the industry, but there has been a problem in agreeing the definition of BIM. The common definitions would be described as a method for project information management with the combination of non-geometry attributes with geometrical entities, or defined mostly by pointing out its capabilities for cost-control and to facilities management. Holzer (2007) continues to claim that because the term BIM is often used by vendors for their marketing strategies in order to promote their company software, the definition of BIM technology has become very confusing. On the other hand, Eastman et al (2008) has suggested that in order to deal with this confusion it is useful to describe modelling solutions that do not utilize BIM technology. This includes tools that create models containing only 3D data with no object attributes, models that do not utilize parametric intelligence, models composed of multiple 2D CAD reference files that must be combined to define the building as well as models that allow changes to dimensions in one view that are not automatically reflected in other views. Furthermore, another popular â€Å"talk about† issue within the industry is the multi dimension product models, the ability of BIM to provide multi dimensional application. (GSA 2007) has stated that 4D models represent 3D models plus time which include project phasing, construction scheduling whilst 5D models incorporate the costs elements. Nonetheless, Lee (2005) has identified the additional numbering of the dimension as â€Å"nD† modelling. Lee stated that nD modelling is an extension of the building information model that incorporates multi-aspects of design information required at each stage of the lifecycle of a building facility. On the other hand, in the year 2006, The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) also published â€Å"The Contractors Guide to BIM† which touched on the issue in respect of the continuing usage of the numbering i.e. 6D, 7D, and etc has therefore acknowledged the extended application of the 3D tool as â€Å"XD† (AGC , 2006). This research is mainly focusing on the 3D models with incorporation of time (4D) and cost (5D) elements. 2.5 Benefits of BIM There are many obvious benefits that BIM could offer to various parties including the owners, planners, engineers, estimators, designers and etc. It is understood that different stakeholders would value BIM differently. They may share the same information but have different responsibilities and uses on the model. From a Contractors perspective, BIM brings essential value for enabling virtual construction of the structure within a single source file (Hardin, 2009). As quoted from the BIM 2009 Smart Report, â€Å"A model is Worth a Thousand Drawings†. Contractors are making use of the intelligent model for assisting them with various activities i.e. planning construction sequences, cost estimations and bidding, conflict resolution and visualization project demonstration for client and etc (Neeley, 2010). The incorporation of intelligent data improves the models construction and post-construction realities, which also enables the contractor to get closer to the world of the desig ner (Sage software 2008). The initial literature review has showed that costs are significantly reduced, time is saved and the quality improved. 2.5.1 Single source Model In conventional process, the Project Manager reviews the updated drawings and reflects any changes onto the schedule as the design progress. Many times the same information is entered into different program. Every repetition increases the probability of inconsistency and error occurrence. BIM on the other hand allow direct changes applied to the single model. As both designers and contractors have access to the model simultaneously, this corresponding process also enables them to reduce lead times which normally take place throughout the period of sending back-and-forth the documents. The collaborative environment contributes to a substantial time saving during pre construction. Extra coordination checks are also unnecessary because the information generated from the model will lead to fewer errors on site which normally is caused by inaccurate and uncoordinated information. In the case of any last minute design changes, addendums, clarifications and etc it could be altered and updat ed to the model automatically across the project team, from early design through completion (Hardin, 2009). These ensure that all parties are working with the latest information. With all the information contained within the BIM database it will definitely increase the efficiency between the Architect, Engineer as well as the Contractors. 2.5.2 The 3D Visualization Clash Detection The 3D visualisation capability of BIM models can be of great benefit as a means of testifying the workability and demonstrating aspects of the construction itself such as construction sequencing, logistics, access, storage and security (C3 System 2009). BIM allows for â€Å"building twice† which offers various benefits like improvement in Constructability, maintainability, cost estimate accuracy and etc. This reduces ambiguities before commencement of actual construction (Robert, 2005). The construction issues for layperson or non layperson are also made easier to understand as the 3D visualisation helps them to understand any constraints that the client had not made clear earlier, or were misunderstood (Furneaux and Kivits 2008). One of the major benefits which BIM could provide for contractors is clash detection. As identified by FWIC (2009), a hard clash is where more than one object is being designed to occupy the same space whilst a soft clash is where the objects in the design is too close to each other that there is no space for access or construction, or are too close that they have violated the building codes. The BIM system automatically detects and manages interferences which prevent possible delay or additional cost. The system could be set to run the check either the entire model or between certain parts of the model. 2.5.3 Construction Phasing (4D Simulation) Furthermore, one of the obvious BIM applications for improved time efficiency is construction planning. Hardin (2008) argued that the construction planning is one of the most important tasks and also one of the driving factors that determine the success of any projects. It is noted by Eastman et al (2008b) that Construction Planning and scheduling involves sequencing activities in space and time, procurement consideration, resources, spatial restrictions and etc. BIM is said to contribute in project planning solutions via the use of 4D simulation. Napier (2009) claimed that the conventional scheduling methods are labour intensive and is not easily understood by laypersons. BIM enables better communication and understanding how the schedule would impact site logistics as a result of the 4D construction phasing/planning tools that incorporate direct links to the design model, capturing spatial information which the traditional Gantt chart is unable to demonstrate. The 4D model incorpor ates time as added 4th dimension which enables the planner to visually plan and sequencing of construction activities with space and time consideration. Also, there might be specific materials and products selected from a potential range of refinements and substitutions that meet the project specification but may result in changes to some aspects of the design. As Neeley (2010) have stated, with the allowance of â€Å"what ifs†, a significant of cost, project risks and unnecessary waste could be saved by shifting the â€Å"try-and-error† process from construction site to the virtual environment on beforehand. Resource Allocation/Reducing Waste According to Egan (1998) in â€Å"Rethinking Construction†, within the construction industry almost 10% of materials are wasted and 30% of construction is rework. As mentioned by Articlesbased (2009) construction projects are very often planned based on resources availability as well as other external factors. With the 4D construction phasing/planning, the team members are able to understand the scope of work and the availability of various resources in order to optimize the resources and labour accordingly. In addition, Eastman (2008b) highlights that BIM is also accurate in providing the design model and material resources required for each segment of the work, it effectively assists in utilization of critical resources like labour, material and time during the building construction life cycle. With the improved monitoring of site logistics and the progress of project, the site management via BIM fosters just-in-time (JIT) of materials, plant/equipment and labours. Pre-fabrication Accuracy of design details are critical for determining the success of pre-fabrication, and a data-rich BIM model can have a positive impact and provide greater confidence on pre-fabrication. As BIM brings clarity towards a complex project, more contractors appreciate that BIM offers the advantage of effective coordination as the complexity level of project increases. The â€Å"Design to Build and Build to Design† concept improves accuracy for estimation and design specification for prefabricated elements thus reducing unnecessary wastage (BIMJOURNAL 2009). With greater confidence in the coordination process, many contractors are approaching more prefabrication options to help ease schedules. (BIM Smart Report, 2009) 2.5.4 Cost Estimates/schedule management From the costing aspect, Jernigan (2008) stated one of the main benefits provided by BIM is the accuracy in cost estimate during earlier stages. Conventionally, estimators have been relying on Excel spreadsheet to carry out their construction cost estimating (Autodesk, 2007), Eastman (2009b) then revealed that BIM include features for extraction and quantification of BIM component properties. By using a building information model instead of drawings; the takeoffs, counts, and measurements can be generated directly from the underlying model and the information can be linked to generate bills of materials, size and area estimations along with other related estimating information. Therefore the information is always consistent with the design and reduces the potential for human error or misunderstanding (Autodesk, 2007). This contributes to substantial time and cost saving as well as ensuring good quality of the BOQ. BIM offers the opportunity to develop more accurate cost estimates bas ed on actual elements (Hartman and Fischer 2008). Moreover, the linked cost information evolves in step with the design changes (Ashcraft, 2008). In addition, an indirect advantage that BIM could offered is the estimator would be given more extra time to bring in more value engineering, more time for risk evaluation and to more time to find any additional cost savings as the â€Å"technology† has taken up most of the grunt work from the estimator (Hague, No date).Using cost attributing features of the model to assess alternative design and construction schemes to enhance and improve the value engineering process; BIM certainly contributes in supporting the Contractor to present value for money to the Client. Neeley (2010) has claimed that the use of BIM and IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) is reducing project costs around 10%- 20% below construction costs compared to non BIM/IPD projects. 2.6 Case Studies No 1: One Island East, Hong Kong One of the popular examples of the actual Building Information Modeling Project that has been mentioned by various Authors in their research is One Island East Office Tower in Hong Kong which was developed by Swire Properties Limited. Together with the project BIM consultant, Gehry Technologies (GT) they began the process of working together to create a single, 3D electronic Building Information Model (Riese, 2006). The Project Details are summarized as follow: 2.6.1 Background Information The One Island East is a 308 meter high skyscraper with 59 stories of office space and two basement levels. The building has 70 floors in total which comprise of a sky lobby on 37th and 38th floors (Elkem Microsilika, 2009). It was Swires intention to achieve a high-quality design while improving construction time as well as cost savings by the use of collaborative, collocated work methods and integrated 3-D modeling tools. The initial objective was to save 10 percent on the cost with reduced time for construction (Shelden et al, 2008). The software tool chosen to create the BIM for this project is â€Å"Digital Project† with some of the benefits stated as follows: (Riese, 2006) Has automated clash detection and management Has a complete ME system routing tool. With built-in scripting function, enabling project requirements to be integrated for customization. Automated simultaneous file versioning and file sharing. Able to handle and manipulate large amounts of data Integrated with Primavera scheduling software with high interoperability 2.6.2 BIM Implementation (Pre-tender stage) BIM commenced after the schematic design phase. The office building has been pre-designed virtually using Digital Project by assembling up to 300.000 building components in a single master file. Almost all coordination issues were resolved using BIM. The design team, BIM consultant and Project Manager worked in one room for the first year. They also communicate with each other via a portal site for the BIM process. The DP software was capable of identifying geometric clashes and generates a list automatically. There were already several clashes and errors identified and resolved before tendering and construction. The DP tool also measured most of the quantities automatically which reduced the time and effort compared to manual take off. Also, the quantities were linked to the BIM which automatically updates when changes were made. 2.6.3 BIM Implementation (Tendering Stage) The model was provided to all tenderers which enabled them to have confirmation on the bill of quantities using the model without having to measure the quantities manually. As a result, tender process improved significantly with lower cost estimates and more accurate quantity takeoffs. 2.6.4 BIM Implementation (Post Tender Stage) Gammon Construction Limited, which was the contractor awarded for the project had full responsibility for the BIM model and began the development of highly accurate and detailed 3D BIM model for construction, ensuring that all 2D information would be firstly scrutinize in the 3D prototype before it went to the site. 2.6.5 BIM Implementation (Construction) During the construction period, the BIM model became the main visualization tool for the coordination of various project elements. There were full time modelers that assisted with the clashes identification and coordination issues where the design solutions were then incorporated into the model. A few subcontractors also participated in modeling their parts of work. 4D simulation was one of the main factors for the success of the OIE project. It was used extensively for improving construction sequence and managing risk. 2.6.6 Outcome There were more than 2000 clashes and errors were identified prior to bidding and construction stage, which resulted significant cost savings. The figure below is an example of a clash that has been detected between an electrical cable tra y and an air supply duct. Without BIM it wouldnt have been detected until the actual construction taken place which might potentially cause additional cost and time to the project. According to Shen et al.(2009), the geometric coordination off the design prior to construction is thought to achieve 10% cost savings whilst construction process modeling is thought to contribute further 20% cost savings on the construction. Gammon Construction has also reported that Construction Process Modeling saved the project at least 20 days. This project was awarded the American Institute of Architects 2008 BIM award for design/delivery process innovation. 2.7 Implementing BIM and the Potential Challenges From section 2.2 above it is demonstrated that BIM has brought numerous advantages and benefits to the industry. However there are also challenges and barriers that to be overcome before the full capability of BIM could be demonstrated and subsequently fully â€Å"enjoyed† by the industry stakeholders (Furneaux and Kivits 2008). In the very traditional and fragmented building industry, new technologies are not easily introduced. It should be noted that when a new technology is introduced, there will be a certain period of time in which the claims about the potential of the technology needs to be examined, tested and verified particularly the AEC industry which is known for the very long adoption periods of promising technologies (May et al. 2005; Salazar et al. 2006). Even though the technology of BIM is readily available and rapidly maturing but the adoption of BIM is much slower than anticipated (Fischer Kunz, 2006). Gillis (2008) made the criticism indicating that UK appears to be a more conservative and over protective country that demands proven effectiveness before considering adoption of new technology whilst Counties such as Norway, Sweden, and US attempts to proceed with new technology without 100% confirmation (Simon Gillis, 2008). As criticised by Prather (2007), most of the time, our professional would take the â€Å"wait-and-see† approach towards BIM. This is echoed by Safe software (2008) stating that our industry would mostly accept BIM only when the risk level has dropped and a clear return on investment is made known to the industry. Moreover, in these recessionary times, the money to spend on technology has got to have a good business case. The current UK industry inhibitors include contracts that has not promote working in collaboration, no external incentive for innovation, no motivation for parties to seek ways to deliver a better or quicker product and etc (Steve Dunwell, 2008). 2.7.1 Installation and operation Cost Eastman (2009) has highlighted one of the barriers to adopting BIM is the cost associated with the implementation. It is said that implementing new technology like BIM requires additional cost in respect of purchasing new software and hardware packages, training as well as changing the work processes and workflows. Also, if there are no technical expertises available within the organization, there will be a need to engage with external consultants to train employees prior to applying BIM within the organization which accounts for additional cost as well (Furneaux and Kivits 2008). Corresponding to what Eastman (2009) as well as Furneaux Kivits (2008) have said, a research done by Suermann et al. (2009) revealed that the whole installation of BIM for an organization is a costly plan when done at on one occasion, and even greater when done for several installations simultaneously for different projects. In addition, Suermann et al (2009) findings showed that there has been company which have had to increase their effort and cost allowance to do BIM due to the high learning curve. Apart from that, there is also an implication for procurement policy where consideration needs to be given to the additional funding for the development of BIM models in the first instance. The large size of BIM files will involve a different system for data sharing i.e. real time access to the BIM database between firms which are geographically distant and high speed internet connectivity will be essential (Kiviniemi et al., 2008 p.64). This would constitute extra cost for the operation of BIM. Furthermore, in order to reduce the risk of data corruption, sabotage, and loss; it is important to pay any indispensable cost associated to ensure data stability and security. 2.7.2 Embracing BIM throughout the entire supply chain Another apparent factor that has caused BIM taking the back seat is lack of commitment from the higher level of the supply chain. According to Oberle (2009), the transition to BIM requires support and commitment throughout the supply chain from top to down of an organization. In addition, The Crawley Schools PFI project in West Sussex has revealed the benefits which they have gained with the implementation of BIM but simultaneously also addressed one of their main barriers in implementing BIM was the reluctance of the supply chain in embracing this new technology, stating that some conservative individuals did not believe the benefits that BIM could offer thus were hesitant to undertake this new approach (Constructing Excellence, 2010). It is also noted that some Contractors that have too much existing workload might give the excuse that they dont have enough time to try out new technology. As quoted from Dunwell (2009), â€Å"Old habits die hard†. Most workers are reluctant to step out from their comfort zone and believed that their current handling approaches towards

Panama :: Essays Papers

Panama The official name of Panama is the Republic of Panama or (Repà ºblica de Panamà ¡). Panama is located on the narrowest and lowest part of the Isthmus of Panama that links North America and South America. This part of the isthmus is situated between 7 ° and 10 ° north latitude and 77 ° and 83 ° west longitude. Panama is slightly smaller than South Carolina, approximately 77,082 square kilometers. The country’s two coastlines are referred to as the Caribbean and Pacific, rather than the north and south coasts. To the east is Colombia and to the west Costa Rica. Pacific. Dominant features of their landform is highlands forming the continental divide. The higher elevations near borders with Costa Rica and Colombia. The highest point in the country is the Volcà ¡n Barà º which rises to almost 3,500 meters. The lowest elevation is in the middle of the country where it is crossed by the Panama Canal. Most of the population is on the Pacific side of the divide. The population of the country is around 2.8 million with a growth rate of 1.5%. The racial and ethnic groups are 65% mestizo, 14% African descent, 10% Spanish descent, 10% Indian. The religion is 85% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant, and 5% Islamic. Spanish is the official language, though United States influence and the canal zone reinforce the use of English as a second language. Panama's arts show its ethnic mix. Indian tribes, West Indian groups, mestizos, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Swiss, Yugoslav and North American immigrants have all offer contributed ingredients to the culture. Traditional arts are woodcarving, weaving, ceramics and mask-making. The capital city is Panama City with major cities of Colon, Bocas del Toro, Potobelo, El porvenir, Santiago, Tocumen, La Palma, David, Balboa, and el Dorado. Political culture traditionally characterized by personalism, the tendency to give one's political loyalties to an individual rather than to a party. Politics from 1968 until his death in 1981 dominated by General Omar Torrijos Herrera, Their form of government is Executive under provisions of their 1972 Constitution, as amended in 1978 and 1983. The chief executive is president of the republic, he is assisted by two vice presidents, all elected by popular vote for five-year terms. The unit of currency is the Balboa which is equal to the United States dollar. Balboas are available only in coins.

Goal Setting Theory

Research conducted in this field has indicated that there is a positive relationship between goal setting and performance outputs. The prime principles of the goal setting theory state that successful goal setting needs to be assessed on five dimensions: goal clarity, goal challenge, goal commitment, performance feedback, and task complexity. The insights Of the empirical studies discussed in this paper imply that when goal setting is done correctly and thoroughly throughout each stage, it leads to a significant increase in motivation.Various methods and strategies have been developed to complement the goal setting theory, an example being, the popular mnemonic acronym S. M. A. R. T. Which uses the words specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely to aid in eating effective goals. Goal setting theory is both measurable and quantifiable. Empirical evidence from both experimental and field settings have supported that the benefits (increase in employee performance, increase in employee motivation, increase in profits, etc. ) far outweigh the drawbacks (results from application error, organization costs, human resource efforts).Based off current research output and the abundance of research still conducted and revised on this theory, it can be concluded that the goal setting theory is an effective theory of motivation and, moving forward, will be a leader in workplace motivation in North America. INTRODUCTION According to Callus's employee study, workplace disengagement is an alarming issue around the world. In North America, the region with the highest ratio of engaged workers compared to the rest of the world, the proportion of engaged workers is only 29% (Gallup, 2011).In other words, the vast majority of workers are not reaching their full potential. This has significant implications to the economy, companies, and individuals. With the great deal of emphasis on productivity in today's marketplace, managers within organizations are constantly search ing for effective strategies in motivating staff to achieving organizational goals. The theory of motivation discussed in this paper will be the goal-setting theory, which is arguably one of the most dominant theories in the field of motivation with over a thousand articles and reviews published within the last 30 to 40 years (Lethal, 2006).The objective of this paper is to produce a summary and evaluation Of the goal setting theory of motivation. The paper will be divided into two sections. The first section will discuss the foundation of the theory along with its main tenets. The second section will provide real life examples of the theory application and critically examine the applicability of the theory in the North American managerial workplace supported by empirical work. FOUNDATION OF THEORY The foundation of the goal setting theory was first developed and refined by the American psychologist, Edwin Locke, in the 1 sass.Locke was inspired by the final cause in Arteriole's the ory of causality, which states â€Å"that for the sake of which† or can be defined as the end or purpose of something. Stemming from Aristotle theory, Locke continued to research on goal setting for thirty years. With the contribution of Locke and other scientists, this theory has now been popularized and become one of the most widely used horses regarding motivation. During Locker's primary research, he studied the relationship between goal setting variables and task performance.There were two major sets of initial studies conducted – the difficulty of the goal (difficult versus easy), and the specificity of the goal (specific versus vague) goals. He concluded that difficult goals led to higher performance than easy goals, given that the difficulty was within an attainable limit. His second conclusion was that specific goals were more effective than vague ones (Locke, 1968). Following Locker's study, Gary Lathe's research established animal conclusions in his workplac e – there was indeed a link between goal setting and workplace performance.Together, in 1990, they published their seminal work in a book called â€Å"A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance† (Locke & Lethal, 1990). Along with the two original characteristics of successful goal setting, three additional characteristics have been identified as crucial. The goal setting theory is now guided by five principles: goal clarity, goal challenge, goal commitment, performance feedback, and task complexity. The following paragraphs will briefly discuss each of the five principles and the supporting research.TENETS OF THE THEORY Research indicates that clear goals can reduce absenteeism, tardiness, and turnover, which all aid in increasing organizational productivity (Locke & Lethal, 2002). A clear goal is defined as being specific and measurable. As Locke mentions in his paper, when the goal is specific and measurable, it provides an external reference such as a time frame, which reduces overall ambiguity (Locke & Lethal, 2002). In six of the eight studies that Locke conducted, the level of performance was significantly higher in the group that was given a specific goal compared to the group that was given a vague goal.An example of a specific goal would be to â€Å"complete X amount in Y time† and a vague goal would be to â€Å"do your best†. Another primary issue researched on goal setting was the goal challenge or difficulty. In a meta-analysis of goal setting studies, easy goals were defined as those with greater than 50% probability of attainment and moderate goals being 16%-D% probability of attainment (Klein et al. , 1999). When participants were given these two types of goals, data indicated that, harder goals resulted in higher levels of performance (Klein et al. , 1999).Optimally, a goal should not be too difficult o a point where it is unattainable and motivation suffers (Bennett, 2009). However, overall on average, the perfor mance level in individuals with higher goals was still significantly higher than those with very easy goals (Klein et al. , 1999). This can be explained by the idea that high goals lead to high performance, which is associated with rewards, and rewards often result in high satisfaction. In other words, individuals are motivated by more difficult goals because of the anticipated accomplishment involved (Locke & Lethal, 2002).Goal commitment has been said to be a secondary characteristic cause it interacts with goal difficulty to produce performance. It has been found that commitment is crucial for difficult goals, but does not necessarily result in high performance when given an easy goal (Klein et al. , 1999). In a review of the literature, on average across all goal difficulty, it has been concluded that the higher the level of goal commitment, the higher the level of performance output (Klein et al. , 1999). Commitment to a goal can be increased when the goal is individually set o r when the individual agrees to the assigned goal.In environments with high group cohesion, goal ointment of individuals is also found to be high because of the strong influence of group norms (Locke & Lethal, 1991). Furthermore, self-efficacy is also a topic often discussed when relating to goal setting. Self-efficacy refers to an individual's judgment of their own ability to perform particular activities given their level of skill and ability (Bandeau, 1986). As this is a topic in and of itself, it is important to just note here that self-efficacy plays an important role in goal commitment.A higher level of self-efficacy in relation to goal attainment (I. E. If the individuals believes he can achieve the goal) exults in a higher level of goal commitment (Lethal & Locke 1991). Performance feedback is necessary for goal setting to be effective because it helps individuals gauge how well they are doing and the adjustments required for improvement. It has been found that when people k now they are below their target, they are most likely to increase their effort or devise a new strategy (Lethal & Locke, 1991 Feedback can be provided both during the process of achieving the goal or after the outcome.Additionally, feedback is also linked to increasing self-efficacy, which in turn leads to a higher performance (Lethal & Locke, 1991). Finally, in 1 996, Lethal examined the relationship between complex goals and performance levels. It was found that complex goals result in higher learning within individuals and thus led to a higher performance when compared to less complex goals. This can be explained by the idea that performance is not always achieved because of effort and persistence, but rather due to the cognitive understanding of the task and the development of various methods in solving the complex task (Lethal & Locke, 1991).Although this condition has to be addressed with care, complex tasks have been found to have an overall positive effect on reference level s (Lethal, 1996). THEORY IN ACTION The history of workplace motivation was initially driven by the belief that money was the primary source for employee motivation, but it was later found that various factors are motivators in determining workplace satisfaction, which is a predictor of job performance (Lethal, 2006).In the following decades, it will be crucial for leadership around the world to address the issue of workplace disengagement. In an organization, managers do not have the time and resources to constantly keep track of an employee's work or motivation. Most organizations use some form of goal setting in operation. Setting goals implies that there is a need or desire to attain a certain object or outcome (Locke & Lethal 2006). In essence, goals tell employees what needs to be accomplished and how much effort should be exerted.In the North American workplace, the direction of the goal setting theory appears to be an effective strategy in motivating staff to meeting organiza tional goals; this explains the abundant amount of evidence in us port of the theory and the various strategies constantly being developed. Based off of goal setting theory by Locke and Lethal, a popular mnemonic acronym developed for effective goal setting is S. M. A. R. T by George Doran. The outlined criteria for S. M. A. R. T. Goal setting states that goals should be specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and time-bound.There have been other variations of S. M. A. R. T. That are also interchangeable such as using â€Å"achievable† and â€Å"relevant† instead of â€Å"assignable† and â€Å"realistic†, respectively. These goal-setting criteria can all be linked back to the five principles summarized by Locke and Lethal and is a popular management strategy used in the workforce. The implications of new strategies and discoveries suggest that goal setting is not an innate attribute that individuals are born tit. It a skill that can be taught, learnt , and practiced.The resources required by an organization to train its employees on successful goal setting is practical and the return can be significant. Large organizations such as General Electric (GE) and Federal Express Company (Faded) have also implemented this theory in their organizations. GE applies goal setting theory in all levels of the organization and refers to goal setting as a key ingredient of their success. After a trial run, Faded found that employees had greater accountability, clearer expectations, and more precise feedback towards their jobs. The initiative was then executed throughout other departments in the organization.In Locke and Lathe's report, they found truck drivers saved the company $250,000 in 9 months when the logs loaded on the trucks were increased as a result of upping the assigned goals (Locke & Lethal, 2002). In 1967, it was found that, United Fund communities that set monetary goals higher than the previous year's performance raised more mon ey than communities that set goals lower than their previous years performance. More recent studies show, negotiators who have clear, challenging, and complex goals achieve higher profits than those with no goals (Locke &Lethal, 2002) and telecommunication employees that set specific high goals had higher job satisfaction and high performance (Locke & Lethal 2002). These are just a few empirical examples of successful goal setting evidence in this field. The goal setting theory is especially prominent in individualistic cultures such as North America. This can be explained by the notion that goals have the ability to function as a self-regulatory mechanism that helps individuals prioritize tasks; also why managers widely accept goal setting as a means to improve and sustain performance (Dublin, 2012).The insights to all he studies show that when goal setting is done correctly and thoroughly throughout each stage, it significantly increases motivation, which is then associated with n umerous other positive outcomes such as an increase in job satisfaction, an increase in organizational commitment, an increase in performance, and more (Locke & Lethal, 2002). Aside from the countless examples of goal setting successes, there are still some limitations and weaknesses of the theory. The goal setting theory cannot be applied in segments and because of that, the outcomes of the set goals can be different than the initial intent.For instance, if a goal is not clear (I. E. It does not address the specific and measurable outcome), it is easy for the individual to lose track of the goal and the goal may never be achieved. Another consequence of the goal being unclear, the performance feedback aspect of the goal can be difficult to execute because there is no measurable component and it will be challenging to determine the adjustments required. On the other hand, if the goal encompasses all five principles, but is too difficult, the individual will not be able to achieve it regardless. It may even result in a hindrance in motivation and performance.Apart from the error in application, some other weaknesses include: individuals setting too many goals and not being able to follow through, individuals concentrating on only one goal and losing sight of the others resulting in tunnel vision, and individuals focusing too much attention on the outcome and forgetting about the process (Lethal, 2004). There are various extensions of the goal setting theory that are beyond the scope of this paper. Advances in the research are currently leaning towards studying how other goal setting variables such as learning goals, goal framing, and subconscious goals, interact with reference (Lethal, 2004).