Internal and External Communication

1-a internal communication you would recommend to ensure that hand over process in hospital wards is made efficiently. Typically handover occurs at two levels. The first is the generic handover, completed by the whole team. This handover is often a summary in nature, with only generic client information included. This handover generally does not allow for provision of detailed profession specific information. The handover is typically provided to a central location, namely the receiving hospital or General Practitioner, with copies provided to relevant health services.Breakdowns occur when this handover report is not distributed beyond the primary receiving service or professional. Consequently the AHP may not be aware of the handover, and the client will then fail to receive the required service. The second level of handover involves profession specific handover, where clinical handover is provided between individual health professionals at the referring and receiving site. There ar e limited standard templates or formats for this type of handover.However, Department of Health (DoH) dietitians have recently collaborated to establish a standard client transfer summary sheet, which includes specific information when handing over within the same discipline. 5 A similar approach may be useful for other allied health professions OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate the PACT (Patient assessment, Assertive communication, Continuum of care, Teamwork with trust) Project, aimed at improving communication between hospital staff at handover. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The PACT Project was conducted between April and December 2008 at a medium-sized private hospital in Victoria.Action research was used to implement and monitor the project, with seven nurses acting as a critical reference group. Two communication tools were developed to standardise and facilitate shift-to-shift and nurse-to-doctor communication. Both tools used SBAR (situation, background, assessment, r ecommendation) principles. All nurses attended workshops on assertive communication strategies and focused clinical assessment of the deteriorating patient. Questionnaires were distributed to nurses and doctors at baseline, and post-implementation questionnaires and qualitative data were collected from nurses immediately after the project.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nurses' opinions of improvement in structure and content of handover; nurses' confidence in their communication skills. RESULTS: At baseline, 85% of nurses believed communication needed improvement. After implementation, 68% of nurses believed handover had improved and 80% felt more confident when communicating with doctors. CONCLUSION: Early evidence supports the use of standardised communication tools for handover, together with specific training in assertive communication and patient assessment. Long-term evaluation of patient outcomes is needed.

Tok Knowing a Friend and Swimmin

TOK 11 summative assessment quarter 2 Jacqueline Blok 21/11/11 Compare and contrast knowing a friend to knowing how to swim, knowing a scientific theory and knowing a historical period. What conclusions about nature of knowing can you reach? Thinking I knew how to swim I jumped into a pool and nearly drowned. The one friend who was always there for me, who I thought I knew, left me without a goodbye. Thinking that a light year was a measurement of time, until I had a physics class.I though Pearl Harbor was just a movie, until we were learning about World War 2 in humanities. With asking these questions, to be certain in the world we live in today might be a challenge. Knowing a friend would require a bond, which is created through experiences with each other, a perception of the feelings of that friend and thoughts that run in a deeper level. One might think he/she knows someone very well, because of a long-term close relationship or similar interests or tastes.However no one other t han himself or herself would understand their own way of thinking, the workings of their own mind, it is impossible to know why certain actions are performed by someone else. Only glimpses and insights may be picked up of the complexities of the mysterious mind and personality of oneself. My best friend dislikes exposing her legs, because she doesn’t feel confident enough to show them.This seems like a reasonable excuse, if she is uncomfortable with her body, it would be her choice to expose it or not, however deeper psychological factors are involved and countless other reasons which I would not be able to think of nor comprehend. The knowledge of another person would be mainly created out of language, perception and emotion. A knower’s perception of a friend’s action would be affected by emotions; hence the knowledge of a friend will be affected too.A perception of a friend may be altered when the emotions of a friend affects their actions in certain situation s. Language has complexities too, language can make an attempt at describing feelings, however this doesn’t provide a complete understanding of one and another. The best way to communicate feelings would be to let one experience another’s events and create their own feelings; an example would be the expression â€Å"you can’t possibly imagine what I have been through†, â€Å"Imagine yourself in some one else’s shoes†.Considering the history of one, would affect their ways of acting upon situations, all humans think and act differently according to personalities, which have been shaped by all sorts of experiences in their own past. Swimming is an action which requires a structured breathing pattern and a well timed combination of limb motions, allowing you to travel through water, the important key words here that I found through my observations are that knowing â€Å"how† is not the same as knowing â€Å"of† nor is it close to knowing â€Å"that†.Knowing how to swim is quite similar to knowing a friend. Because one cannot possibly learn how to swim by reading instructions, someone could read all the documents and articles available on how to swim, and jump into a pool and drown. For example at one particular time I developed liking in ‘parkour’ I watched all the youtube videos that I could find on ‘how to parkour, read many articles and tips and tricks. So one day I felt I gained enough knowledge about this acrobatic sport and decided to try it out. And what I learnt was that I could not even jump over a simple bench.I am able to read and apply concepts that I have gained through reading, however in this case I was not able to apply the information fast enough of â€Å"how† to parkour. Even though I had a sophisticated amount of knowledge on how to parkour, I was unable to convert this knowledge and understanding into reality. According to my research these two actions swi mming and parkouring require ‘bodily-kinesthetic intelligence’ which is the ability to control to control the movements of a body and skillfully interact with a variety of objects.Scientific theories have been made through observations of the world, creativity and of course imagination. They can be known through reason, language and perception. A scientist can propose a theory purely upon perception and reasoning and justify this theory with evidence that shows how this particular phenomenon follows the predicted theory. For example in chemistry we did a set of experiments on how different metals when heated in a flame would give out a color. A hypothesis was provided and from that I knew that the flames indeed would change color.I know for a fact that when Copper Chloride is heated it will give out a green color, I saw this through my own eyes and as the experiment was repeated several times with the same results. Seeing out of my own eyes is proof. Through being taugh t by my teacher means I am relying on a higher authority’s knowledge. Also the lack of a language can prove a theory, for example every one dies, this is a fact because by using deductive reasoning there is no one here to tell us otherwise.The problem with knowing a historical period is that it is in the past and we are in the present, the knowledge of a historical period is transferred from the past into the present through language and documentation. If we have not been informed about these periods, the present day people would never had known it existed. The knowing of a historical period is based upon accepting certain events through evidence from the past. It is unfortunate that historians cannot directly â€Å"test† the past whereas a scientific theory and swimming can be tested.This suggests that testing is thus an important factor in determining the nature of knowledge. The claim of knowing a historical period can be justified by looking at pictures or a docume ntary, technology over the years has improved significantly the knowledge we know today about the past. Unlike a scientific theory here we can rely on perception, observation and interpretations. To know a historical period we must have either been there or rely on a higher authority to inform us. I however ponder on the possibility of the authority being fooled by perception.This is where logic and reasoning comes in to decide whether or not something has happened. If something hadn’t happened, then why can we see evidence of the consequences, for example when I visited Cambodia the Angkor Wat temples I saw evidence of historical artifacts of the monks, and until the present monks still live among there. With this I can deduce that these temples must have come from somewhere, and it is definitely a sacred place. With this we are knowing â€Å"that† something happened instead of knowing â€Å"of† a friend.By identifying and considering the four concepts that wer e provided we can conclude that the main difference in the nature of the four knowledge claims are the way you know them; knowing â€Å"how to† and knowing â€Å"that something is† are completely different. A knower will never be able to know a friend than himself or herself, exact feelings and emotions cannot be communicated directly and as detailed through perception and language. Swimming can only be learnt through perception, this ability is not able to be transferred linguistically, but must be learnt first hand through training.A historical period in time can be known by a person who has lived through that time and has transferred the knowledge gained through linguistical means, however the knowledge could be misleading due to perception or the facts of the period are incomplete providing only one side of the story. A scientific theory may be discovered and proven through various tests and observations via perceptions and reason. However communication of this par ticular theory via language does not have the same effect as the perception of it.Emotions can affect perception language cannot transfer precise meanings and assumptions to generalize from specific points can be found through inception. Due to these ways of knowing being limited, complete knowledge is unable to be attained. Different claims requiring different ways of knowing to justify them, they have all have one thing in common; their nature: they are based on premises that we accept in every day life as being ‘true’ and therefore deduct that based on these premises, they are equally true. We know something as far as we are willing to accept it into our world.

Low Stakes Paper: The Shepherd’s Horn Essay

In â€Å"The Shepherd’s Horn†, persuasion plays an essential role throughout the entire story. Persuasion can be an extremely powerful tool and through telling this story, Hansen illustrates just how significant it can be. â€Å"The Shepherd’s Horn† tells the story of a young couple, Ragnhild and Guttorm, who are prevented from having a relationship by Ragnhild’s protective father, Thord. Together, Ragnhild and Guttorm have a child out of wedlock, therefore forcing the couple to hide their relationship as well as their child from Ranghild’s mother and father in fear of disapproval. However, with the help of Caroline, the story’s narrator, the couple is finally reconciled with her parents because Caroline’s abilities to persuade are no match for Thord. Caroline’s curiosity in the story is essential because without it, the story may not have had such a happy ending. His recognition of the sound from the mysterious horn in his dream is what ultimately leads him to learn about the story of Ragnhild and Guttorm and to his surprise, their child. Touched by their romantic story, Caroline was able to convince Ragnhild and Guttorm to have courage and tell her parents the truth about their relationship, as well as their child. This is where the first major instance of persuasion occurs in the story. Caroline’s influential approach was the first step in having the couple confess to Ragnhild’s mother and father the life that they had been hiding for many years. After he was able to convince them to lay â€Å"their fate in [his] hands†, they proceeded to find Thord. Ragnhild and Guttorm had been hiding this child for months, and their relationship for even longer, so the fact that Caroline was able to convince them with such ease to finally admit this story shows that Caroline is a very skillful persuader. However, rather than flat out telling Thord the truth, Caroline first went about telling him in a very clever manner. Caroline started by telling Thord a â€Å"tale† that paralleled the story of Ragnhild and Guttorm, easing the idea of the reality of the situation onto Thord. As he saw Thord grow more and more intrigued in the story, he skillfully explained at the end, how the story taught, â€Å"about your royal lineage†¦here lies the word of the Lord, which teaches that we are the same before God. It teaches humility and forgiveness, mercy and love†. His choice to compare his tale with that of Ragnhild and Guttorm’s was witty as he was first able to explain the moral of the story before Thord became too enraged to listen, which may not have been the case if he had only heard the story of Ragnhild and Guttorm. After Thord had heard everything that Caroline had to say about how, in fact, this story taught valuable life lessons about forgiveness, Caroline decided to proceed right into revealing Ragnhild and Guttorm’s child. At first, Thord and his wife were angry and upset. However, it was Caroline’s continuous efforts to persuade the couple combined with the respect that the couple had for him that eventually lead to their forgiveness. Much to all of their surprise, Thord was able to forgive Ragnhild and Guttorm and open to making peace with the situation. The story ended with Ragnhild and Guttorm happily married and the child was named after Caroline as a means of respect for what he had done for their family. After reading this story, I was able to see how prevalent the idea of persuasion was. It occurred throughout the entire story in instances that may have gone unnoticed, such as when Caroline convinced his driver to drive to the location after hearing the horn, as well as in very impactful places, when Caroline convinced Thord and his wife to forgive their daughter. Whether it was a climactic or part of the story or not, Caroline was very tactful in his methods, which ultimately lead to the happy ending of this story. While sometimes persuasion can be seen as manipulative, in â€Å"The Shepherd’s Horn†, it illustrates how the persuasion of even strangers can have such a positive impact. Caroline was able to use things such as diction, reasoning, and other persuasive strategies in order to achieve his goals of easing the reality of the situation on Ragnhild’s parents. Not only does persuasion take a lot of strategy, but it also requires courage. If it weren’t for Caroline’s persistence and persuasive methods, Ragnhild and Guttorm may not have had the courage to tell her parents and would ultimately live in hiding for the rest of their lives.

New Perspectives in Entrepreneurship - Avril Kennedy and Harlequin Essay

New Perspectives in Entrepreneurship - Avril Kennedy and Harlequin - Essay Example Mary Jesselyn Co (2006, p. 45-46) lists several characteristics of a successful entrepreneur, including a passion for business, internal locus of control, risk-taking, commitment, dedication, perseverance, a need for achievement, initiative, feedback/advice-seeking, creativity and innovation. Zeelie et al. (1998, p. 12) add, "In order to achieve entrepreneurial success, personal, internal development and the development of good interpersonal skills are essential." Steven Brandts (1996, ch. 4 p. 4) list includes applicable business or technical experience, verifiable integrity, the ability to communicate ideas, and a propensity towards team work. Evan Douglas (eds Carsrud & Braanback 2009, p. 19) wrote that "successful entrepreneurship is likely to provide societal benefits as well." Finally, Chris Steyaert and Daniel Hjorth (2004, p. 269) wrote that entrepreneurs emphasized the importance of alertness and timeliness. "Timeliness in taking action was critical because [the entrepreneur s] goal was to grab the (quickly) passing opportunity. Opportune times, they stressed, do not last long in fast-changing environments." Avril Kennedy had exhibited many of these characteristics from the time she started Harlequin. Applicable business and technical experience. Avril had experience selling as a demonstrator of products; therefore, she was exposed to a retail environment. She knew about the potential of making a profit at Barras because her ex-husband had rented a stall there in the past. Alertness and timeliness. As the business grew, Avril stayed abreast of news that would offer opportunities to expand the business, particularly with regards to the availability of more desirable real estate. Risk-taking. Co (2006, p. 46) noted that entrepreneurs "take calculated risks, not high or wild risks," and Avril built her business slowly and expanded purposefully. In an interview with Carmen Nobel (2011, n. p.), Tom Eisenmann, a professor in the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School, said, "Lean startups don't try to scale up the business until they have product-market fit [PMF], a  magical event — more easily recognized in retrospect than in the moment — when they finally have a solution that matches the problem.  

Google's market marketing & strategy in the UK Essay

Google's market marketing & strategy in the UK - Essay Example The concept of resource-based management is founded on the belief that competitive advantage is obtained if a firm can obtain and develop resources which enable it to learn faster and apply its learning more effectively than its rivals. Resource-based view was developed by Barney (1991) who states that firms' competitive advantage deepens upon resources and assets owned by the company. Following Barney (1991) resources are extended if they are: "Valuable (when they enable a firm to conceive or implement strategies that improve its efficiency or effectiveness) Rare (valuable firm resources possessed by large numbers of competing firms cannot be sources of either a competitive advantage or a sustainable competitive advantage) Imperfectly Imitable (because of {a combination of} three reasons: unique historical conditions, causally ambiguous, social complex). Non-Substitutable (there must not be strategically equivalent valuable resources that are themselves either not rare or imitable)" (Resource-Based View 2000). The case of Google UK shows that the company uses resource-based strategy which helps it to develop strategic capability (Fill 12). Similar to its parent company, valuable resources of Google UK allow the company to meet high demands of customers and deliver exceptional quality to end consumers. Google in particular seems to have already undertaken a number of major initiatives such as the indexing of PDF documents, or the purchase of the Deja newsgroup archive. But the reality is that individual search engines do not cover the whole of the visible web, let alone the invisible web. So the prospect of there being a single search engine which has complete coverage of the entire web is some way off. Another variable is dynamic databases (Google: case study 2006). These databases allow users to go directly onto that site in order to perform the search. These databases cover a wide range of different file formats such as free text databases, company directories, market research reports, numeric data or bibliographic information. Even the free text databases vary considerably in their formats. They may each contain a different set of fields or segments. Because the database formats vary so much, and also because of the fact that there are so many different databases, it is not possible to undertake a global search across the entire contents of all the databases available through Google. There are a number of file groups set up which allow cross file searching across a limited number of files, but a key factor in performing a successful and effective search on (Google: case study, 2006). Rare resources of Google are human resources and technological solutions. Also, Google propose customers unique services such as geographic monitoring and Google Video. Service quality is closely connected with Human Resource Management, technology and settings. So, the main "focus" is on service quality and skills of employees which ensure customers satisfaction. Managers must deal with new people issues because the changes brought about by technology definitely require a new kind of employee. The use of technology requires more problem solving skills and the ability to interpret data and is thus likely to lead to a

Research Parameters for BP, P, R &T Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Parameters for BP, P, R &T - Research Paper Example Discussion of the illnesses that can be identified by measurement of these body parameters will be included. Last but not least, the problems that can be experienced if assessing of these parameters is not performed will be explained in this paper. The body of a human being is made up various organs which keep the body in action and alive by making sure important parameters’ status is right. Just like a mechanical machine used to perform work, the organs have specific functions for the body. Examples of vital organs in a human body include; the brain, heart, liver, kidney and others. These organs are like machines; they need a source of energy, they need constant repair and maintenance for maximum efficiency. They also wear after sometime of continuous action and sometime malfunction. In sort organs are the machines responsible for keeping human bodies alive. This research paper will discuss the importance of checking various parameters of the body that are controlled by organs, and the problems that may affect them if the status of those parameters is unknown. It will concentrate on the blood pressure, body temperature, pulse rate and respiratory rate. Body temperature is the ability of the body to generate heat and get rid of it. It is measured using a thermometer and the units used are Celsius. The normal body temperature of a human is 37 degrees Celsius. Body temperature is measured by placing a thermometer, glass or electronic thermometer, in the rectum, mouth or armpit. The normal temperature of persons is variable depending on several factors: They include age, time of the day and the part of the body where temperature was taken from (Mackowiak, 2009). If the body temperature of a person is more than 1.5 degrees above or below the normal, this condition is known as fever. Assessing body temperatures of persons is vital since it determines whether one is suffering from a fever. This can assist the

Spacial topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Spacial topic - Essay Example 2. Operational decision makers- After creation of the business strategy, the objectives for the operation business process are established. 3. Reporting, controlling and analytical processes- The necessary information and data for the desired changes in operational managers’ behavior are identified and specified by the business analysts. 4. ELT developers and data base specialists- The data from data warehouses is gathered by the database specialist or the ETL (extract, transformation, and load) developer who make it assessable and usable to the front-end application of the business. 5. IT Professionals- In this layer, infrastructure run and develop the primary data is developed by generating sources or creating new data by the IT professionals. (Laursen & Thorlund, 2010) Chapter 2 Question1. Explain the process of business analytics at strategic level. Answer. The process of business analytics at strategic level could be explained by integration between the BA function and th e company’s strategy. There are four different scenarios showing the degree of integration between business strategy and strategy: 1. Where no formal link exists between strategy and BA, the BA function is used on an ad hoc basis. 2. When the link between BA and strategy is coordinated, the BA function is purely reactive and there is no feedback procedure from BA to strategy. 3. When there is a formal feedback procedure from BA to strategy and strategy innovation is supported by BA. 4. Where the information is used as a strategic resource. It enables the information to be used to determine the strategy. (Laursen & Thorlund, 2010) Chapter 3 Question1. Explain the process of establishing a new business processes with the Rockart model? Answer. The process of establishing a new business processes with the Rockart model consists of the following stages: 1. Objectives- The first step is the identification of the objectives, i.e. to identify the aim and purpose of the information t o be developed. 2. Operational Strategy- The operational strategy to fulfill the objective is identified and implemented. 3. Critical Success Factors- A large number of activities are initiated by implementation of a strategy. Some of these activities are more critical than others. All such critical success factors should be identified. 4. Lead and Lag Information- The information at functional level can be broadly classified as: Lag information- The information which we choose to register on an ongoing basis is the lag information. Lead information- Lead information is created on the basis of lag information. It helps in monitoring and improving the existing or initiating processes. (Laursen & Thorlund, 2010) Chapter 4 Question1. What are the required competencies of a business analyst? Answer. A business analyst is a provider of methodology. A business analyst must meet the following requirements: 1. Business competencies- A business analyst must have the business competencies and should understand the business process properly. He or she must have the business insight. 2. Tool Kit must be in order- A business analyst should be able to deliver multiple information in same data and should be able to visualize the information as the user. 3. Technical understanding- The business analyst should have the technical understanding of the information which could be used in collection and presentation of data. (Laursen & Thorl

Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 31

Article Example ard that whether there exist the survival of Bitcoin or not in this contemporary world, the technology underlying the same would stay for a longer time (Casey and Vigna, †Bitcoin and the Digital-Currency Revolution†). One of the important points or the lessons learned from the selected article â€Å"Bitcoin and the Digital-Currency Revolution† is that the wide application of Bitcoin will certainly develop the conditions of global economy in a positive manner through varied ways. These ways may include computerizing the operational procedures like introducing payment processors, slashing down the amounts of financial fees and generating opportunities for the people who does not hold bank currents currently among others. Apart from this, the other important point or lesson, which can be learned from the aforesaid article, is about the operational procedure of Bitcoin based on which, the conditions of global economy are developed to the maximum possible extent. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that Bitcoin, acting as an efficient digital currency system, takes into concern certain core software programs that restrict in conducting unfair practices such as hacking attempts(Casey and Vign a, ‘Bitcoin and the Digital-Currency Revolution’). Thus, Bitcoin plays a decisive role in making the system of digital currency quite standardized, which in turn, assists in developing the disrupting conditions of global economy at

Mangement on Thomas cook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mangement on Thomas cook - Essay Example Under the leadership of Harriet Green, Thomas Cook achieved various transformations that made it match the current environment in the travel industry. She implemented a number of saving plans including the reduction of the number of employees and closure of some outperforming branches that built more confidence leading to a rise in the share prices of the company. However, Green failed to maintain the performance of the company as performance declined and shares dropped by around twenty percent in 2013. On her departure, four hundred million pounds discovered to be missing showing difficulty in business operations during her time (Goodley 2014). In addition, there had been views that Green lacked expertise in the operation of business in the travel industry. He rose to the post of CEO in the November 2014 after a working in the organization for around twelve years after joining in 2001. Earlier before joining the company, he had gained much experience in the travel industry after working for Kuoni Travel limited. In the tear 2003, he became the chief product officer and the CEO for the company division in Germany. From June 2007, he was managing the operations of the company in Continental Europe division. In the November 2012, he became the CEO for the United Kingdom and the Continental Europe Divisions (Thomas Cook Group 2014). He rose up to the post of the CEO of the company in November 2013 and began transforming the company to make it the people’s option of all the players in the travel industry. The travel industry is the biggest and fastest growing industry in the world. The industry is very dynamic faced by the need of responding quickly to factors out of its control. In the few years ago, the increased cases of terrorism in the world, the increased use of the internet for booking flights and the increased environmental awareness

Investigate a social or business issue using statistical techniques Assignment

Investigate a social or business issue using statistical techniques (including Excel graphs), analysis and interpretation - Assignment Example ..9 Appendix †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.10 STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION, PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION Abstract This report discusses practical application of statistical techniques. Using secondary data, the paper investigates contents of cigarette brands with the aim of investigating product differentiation. The analysis uses both descriptive and inferential statistics to investigate product differentiation. Introduction Product differentiation is one of the emerging marketing strategies among competing business enterprises. It refers to the production of a unique commodity in the market. The underlying factor in product differentiation is that consumers must be able to distinguish the product from others in the market. The distinction may be with respect to either quality, features or even price. As a market strategy, differentiation has been used to develop brand imaging in products from organizations. Bragg explains that product differentiation is a strong marketing tool that allows firms to capture and control their customers. This is because once consumers have been attracted into a differentiated product or service they become attached to it. This in turn allows sellers to manipulate their markets for profit maximization. The underlying principle is that increasing prices of highly differentiated products does not have significant effects on the demand for such products, a feature that allows sellers to use product differentiation as a tool to market capture and profit maximization (Bragg, 2011, p. 26). Similarly, a firm can differentiate its products as a strategy for remaining competitive among other firms in the industry. Consumers’ dynamic tastes and preference may negatively shift the demand for a particular product and differentiation theref ore allows organizations to develop products that will continually meet their customer’s needs. This helps firms to retain their market control and effectively manage their profit margins. A company that frequently introduces differentiated products in the market also increases its sales because consumers will always be interested in testing the new brands (Bragg, 2011, p. 26). Increasing competition in markets and the need to penetrate into the markets and maximize profits could however lead to virtual differentiation of products with the aim of taking advantage of consumers’ ignorance. Firms may for example claim that their products are unique in content mix and hence quality while such distinctions may not be real. Built loyalty and trust between organizations and their customers together with euphoria may then leads to perception and conviction over existence of differentiation that might not exist or might not be significant. A more practical approach through stat istical analysis can however be employed in order to evaluate existence of differentiation as may be claimed by manufactures. Statistical tools can for instance be used to compare contents

Conoco Report Essay Example for Free

Conoco Report Essay Last week I attended Forresters Content Collaboration Forum 2011. Forrester notes that in five years, almost half of US workers — about 63 million people — will work virtually. I am already one of them. This will change everything in workplace IT support from designing workplace information strategies for collaboration, to delivering content experiences tothe firm. For this international, integrated energy company with thousands of job sites (often quite remote) spread across 30 countries, the challenge of sharing knowledge was very real — and the potential payoff was large. Facing fierce competition on all fronts, ConocoPhillips knew that to continue on its success trajectory, it needed to rapidly and effectively harness the knowledge of its highly skilled but geographically distributed workforce. Instead of assuming that technology either was the solution or was irrelevant when creating online communities, senior managers understood that effective global communities required new processes, roles, cultures, and technologies. Moreover, they recognized that each had to be focused on solving difficult business challenges. Seven years later, the ConocoPhillips knowledge-sharing program is ranked as best-in-class across industries.† Dan mentioned that Conoco Phillips is fourth largest traded company in US with 30,000 employees around the world and many contractors who also participate in their knowledge sharing. They have been many changes in the last 12 years as a number of companies were acquired, along with the merger of Conoco and Phillips. This activity has triggered a big need for knowledge sharing. He likes the term knowledge sharing rather than knowledge management. I completely agree. Dan said it is about getting people to talk to each other. Trust is important for this. They are now going to reorganize and the solid state of their knowledge assets will help with this effort. Dan said that more than 70% of their good ideas have come from their employees. Good things happen when employees talk to each other. Dan said that his boss is the SVP of Planning and Strategy and he reports to the CEO so people listen to him as where you sit in the org chart matters within his firm. I think this is true for most firms. The most successful KM efforts I have seen all have a senior sponsor of rank and respect in the organization. Most KM groups are placed too far down the hierarchy to be effective. Their KM effort started when a senior executive felt they were re-inventing things too much. The focus was always connecting people more than collecting  documents. They grew by sharing success stories. Sharing these success stories was connected to their variable compensation plan and this really triggered response. They started the Archimedes Awards to knowledge sharing. Categories are: Give, Grab, Gather, and Guts. Dan gave some examples about safety improvements that also led to big financial returns. They have documented over 9 billion dollars in gains through the program. Dan said that they have functional excellence models that give specifics for improvements. They promote purposeful collaboration. Dan said serendipity can be useful at times but being purposeful works best in their firm. He said that knowledge accumulates in networks and their firm has a matrix organization. Leadership behavior is important for knowledge to flow and manager support for knowledge sharing is critical. They now have 150 networks of excellence. The first few were launched in 2005. They had 20 by the end of the year. These networks were built on trust and relationships, not technology. Prior efforts failed because they were technology focused. He showed an example covering upstream rotating equipment. A big problem is lost production opportunity. There is a group that addresses this issue to keep equipment running safely. Networks are open to all employees, not just group members. Related networks are connected because issues are related across networks. Their Ask and Discuss component has led to 100,000 exchanges. He does not believe in formal lessons learned. It takes too much time. Informal connections work better. I would agree and add the formal lessons learned become out of date very quickly and talking with people gives the most current ideas. People want to help each other but they also want answers quickly. Dan showed a diagram of all the cross-connections. They are massive. Knowledge silos do not seem to an issue for them. They have three main tools: Ask and Discuss, Knowledge Library, and One Wiki. The wiki is the first place to look for content. Ask and Discuss was covered above. All of their success stories have an economic impact. One had 87 million dollars of benefits. Sharing this is important. Giving credit to the employees is critical. Getting middle managers on board was done through conveying business value of knowledge sharing. It was fun for me to hear about a successful knowledge management effort as I used to be involved with many in the 90s and early 2000s.

Climate Change - Essay Essay Example for Free

Climate Change Essay Essay In the present-day society, the human race is advancing at a staggering rate. However, at the meantime, the environment has been polluting with the high-tech. The most obvious is climate warming. Therefore, we should protect the environment at once. In my opinion, the causes of the climate change are multiple. Firstly, some people have not the realized the environment which has been polluted, so they have not the awareness to protect the environment, and even damage the environment. And some of people realized it, but they have no ability to give some contribution for the environment. And another people who have the ability to protect the environment, but it will have some conflict for their benefit. Hence, the government should cultivate the sense of protecting the environment to citizens. Secondly, some large industries are not control the emissions which led to the climate warning. So the authorizes must scrutinize the industries and encourage them to protect the environment. On the other hand, the government ought to draw more laws to punishment the industries which destroy the environment. Overall, the government is a very important role to arrest the climate warming. Today, China is advancing at a staggering rate in some of areas. For example, politics, economic, and culture. In politics, we have a good relationship with the whole world. The mind of peaceful from our country has been accepted by the whole world. Our country is the one of security council members. In economic, we have many trades with some developed country, for example, America. It led to our economic developing very fast. In culture, culture is very important for a country, we have a long history  about 5000 years. So our country is an unlack of country. We are very proud of this. Well, the causes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦are multip. For example, in our country, you know, we have many many people who need to meet resources. You know the resources is limited, therefore resources and population are the important factor for developing countries. Furthermore, some resources have not been fully utilized, because of the technology. So most of resources have been wasted. For example, Japan recycle some of resources from China, and rework them, Japan have gotten many profits from Chinese resources. So I think the technology is an important factor as well. In the end, education is very very important factor. You know the education depend on the country’s future. However, in China, the university rankings

Big Cities Vs Small Towns Cultural Studies Essay

Big Cities Vs Small Towns Cultural Studies Essay When speaking to an individual of experience, possibly an explorer or an elder, someone may be informed about the way people from particular towns behave. Such as, people from big cities are always in rush or citizens from smaller towns are friendlier. As John Jake states, The big city and small town have been stereotyped in the American experience as being at opposite ends of an imagined social gradientthe former more a place of cold impersonality in social relations and the latter more a place of warm personalized community. Assumptions about urban-based mass society largely blinded Americans through the twentieth century to the existence of, and importance of, locality-based community in big cities. Early in the century, most urban Americans emigrated from rural and small town circumstances, bringing to the nations cities strong rural and small town proclivities at neighboring. Both central city working-class neighborhoods and affluent suburbs mirrored the small town.(Jakle,1) But , for someone born, raised and living in that small town, these differences may seem clearly an opinion, and perhaps some distinctions are. So why, then do so many people prefer one type of life style over the other? Specific characteristics such as economics, population, crime rate, traffic, city planning and also architecture, differentiate one region from the next. In order to form an opinion, one must analyze two towns on opposing ends of the spectrum. By comparing two towns: a small town, and also a busy suburb, the differences in the characteristics of citizens, the city, and their daily life, make it seem as though small towns and big cities are practically from different countries. As John Jake confirms, Americas small towns and big cities occupy opposite ends of an urban spectrum. Early in the twentieth century, commentators on American life clearly differentiated towns and cities as socially differentthe two kinds of place sustaining very different ways of life.(Jakle,1) In a small town, at first one might notice the appearance. It is not generally uncommon to see an assorted crew of soiled young children come running into the neighborhood supermarket without shirts or shoes and buy candy. The cashier, rather than ushering the inadequately clothed children out the door, asks them how their parents have been, they just so happen to live next door. This sort of incident would not go over so well in a big city. The same young children would have been asked to leave and later admonished by their parents for going out in public looking so disarrayed. For example, in a Clockwork Orange a young fifteen-year-old boy known only by the name of Alex is the antihero. Alex and his three droogs are a gang of youngsters who goes around in the dangerous streets of London, fighting, raping, pillaging, and all the basic doings generally associated with anarchy. In a small town, this would be less likely to happen. Overalls, dirty jeans and hats are not uncommon appare l for citizens out running errands and are almost a necessity for the distinguished elderly man. Aside from the readily differences, citizens of small towns seem to have contrasting personality traits as well. Take the scene of a crowded store during the holidays, for instance. In a busy, crowded big city, a shopper with a cart overflowing with items in the checkout lane would simply be focused on checking out and planning on where they need to go next. However in a small sleepy town, that same shopper may check to see if the person just behind them, with only a couple of items, might want to go ahead. Then, possibly even strike up a conversation with a total stranger. As John Jake explains, To Simmel, large cities overloaded residents with social stimuli, producing in people defensive behaviors both patterned and regularized. The urban personality was reserved and detached. Contact person-to-person in the city might be face-to-face, but even those encounters tended to the imperson al, the superficial, and the transitory (Wirth 1938). The metropolis was seen as a mass of separate individuals variously practicing social avoidance, especially in public spaces. City streets were seen as cold and unfriendly (Gross 1965). Small towns, on the other hand, with limited populations interacting in limited geographical areas, tended not to produce social overload. There, people could personalize relationships, even the cursory spontaneities of chance encounter in public space. Small town streets were warm and friendly. The idealized small town was likened to a nurturing extended family, whereas the city was made out to be a place of alienated individuals (Smith 1966).(Jakle,1) Another strange exception happens to be a relative disregard for locking the doors at night or even at all. This such behavior is unheard of in the big cities of larger towns. In small towns neighbors have a tendency to look out for the good of the neighborhood, and are always cautious, but with su ch low crime occurrences, such preventative measures as door-locking are not required. The appearance of a small town is also entirely different when contrasted against a larger city. As John Jackle mentions, This study argues that towns and cities shared much in common, the result of one important fact. Most big city residents in Americas early twentieth century cities came from small town or rural backgrounds. They brought small town ways to big city life.(Jackle,1) Some small towns themselves, nowadays seem like massive tangled knot of parking lots, avenues, service roads, and highways exactly like in big cities. Expanding businesses and developing neighborhoods all connect and intersperse within the maze of asphalt, making it very problematic for an unfamiliar traveler to get from one destination to the next without help. Small, box-like buildings snap together like tinker toys to house businesses for a year or so and then are left empty, only to be replenished by another business soon thereafter. Massive, lighted signs tower over buildings, coupled with billboards outlining the busiest roadways all advertising to the highest bidder. While tiny, insignificant trees limp around consistent, lifeless houses in an attempt to re-beautify a deforested city. A small town, in contrast, is a large grid work, nearly the whole town divided into two blocks with only a few outer roads and two highways entering and existing the city limits. As Bethany Warner explains, Living in close proximity, such as in a small town or distinct city enclave, creates community bonds because people see each other continuously. European cities are structured around this idea, having central squares and preserved green spaces. (Warner,28) In Lars and the real girl, Lars arrives at work and The receptionist greets him and encourages him to talk to the new girl and get a date. He politely ignores her and disappears behind the double doors. This is where all of the cubicles are. He walks to his desk and passes by the new girl. At this point you finally understand he lives in a pretty small town. Each of said city blocks is cut down the middle by at least one alleyway, possibly two. These alleyways serve such intention as garbage pickup and parking for residences, garage access, and the most notable job of all, a playground for the neighborhood children. Most of small towns is housing. Each house is unique, some ranging from a few years old to hundreds of years old, family built to Victorian- style mansions. In the housing district, trees tower over all, stretching ancient branches across the street to form an arboreal canopy across brick and asphalt streets alike. Small family owned businesses and restaurants all share the same space and are built into old houses. The only busy roadway is a section of highway that comes directly through town, there is where residents will find fast food chains, department stores, hardware stores, all sharing the small parking lot and signs. A typical day in a small town is very much at ease, especially when compared to wh irlwind of city life. the opening scene summarily characterizes Blue Velvet in theme and plot. Following the lush, fifties-style opening credits, the screen shows a blue sky, flowers, the local firefighters riding through town waving, and Jeffreys father watering the lawn, all in brilliant, almost surreal color. Then the scene, which might have come from a generation earlier, is interrupted by a massive stroke that drops Mr. Beaumont to his back. The camera pans deeply into the well groomed lawn and uncovers combating insects. Likewise, the camera plunges unflinchingly into the unseen, discomforting side of Lumbertown. In the small town, since most of the businesses are in same proximity, morning and noon rush are not that intimidating, unlike complicated games of bumper cars that is rush hour in the big city. After work, most families go and spend time together, perhaps going to the movies or dinner. Most children come home and run about the neighborhood until dark, without fear of a run-in with a car. During the weekend, it is not uncommon to see many families or even groups of neighbors barbecuing in the back yard and drinking alcohol in plain sight. Some may have a bonfire, though such fires a technically illegal, local law enforcement rarely, if ever, interferes unless it gets out of control. One of the most popular activitys among citizens is to spend a day at one of the parks around towns. As John Jackle states, If the small town was seen to excite tight bonds of social security, then the city did not. If the city represented the cold realization of a new mass society, the small town did not. Stereotypic thinking has always been (and always will be) influential in how Americans not only conceptualize, but configure the nations built environments.(Jackle,1) For some individuals, the stress and speed of big city life is a trip to insanity. Others cannot stand the slow, inactivity of a small town. à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"To each, his ownà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  it is said, and such statement applies well to the choice between living large and living modestly. Small towns sadly may be a increasingly dying species at the current rate of human expansion. As Paul Kantor remarks, Small-town America is easily overlooked. The spreading of suburbia has usually enveloped (or paved over) little towns located near the rim of metropolitan areas. Interstate highways typically by-pass them. Similarly, the attention of academic urban specialists is more likely to be directed to big cities, not small-towns, in order to understand the dynamics of urban change(Kantor,415) Perhaps someday, cities will all merge together and memories of simple, small rural areas will fade. But for now, it is nice to sit back and notice the sometimes staggering conflicting difference between the two life styles.

Ecological Hermeneutics Essay -- Science Technology Ecology Papers

To what extent does Hans-Georg Gadamer’s theory of science provide a basis for the articulation of an ecological hermeneutics? As "hermeneutics" is the art of interpretation and understanding, "ecological hermeneutics" is understood as the act of interpreting the impact of technology within the lifeworld. I consider the potential for ecological hermeneutics based upon Gadamer’s theory of science. First, I outline his theory of science. Second, I delineate ecological hermeneutics as an application of this theory. Third, I discuss what can be expected from the act of ecological hermeneutics. Finally, I make some general comments about the affinity between ecological hermeneutics and brute common-sense. Our question is: to what extent does Hans-Georg Gadamer’s theory of science provide a basis for an articulation of an ecological hermeneutics? As "hermeneutics" is the art or activity of interpretation and understanding, "ecological hermeneutics" is to be understood as the activity of interpreting the impact of uses of technology within the context of the lifeworld. (1) Our considerations of the uses of technology (2) include the spheres of scientific research on one hand and industrial production processes on the other, specifically capitalism. The similarity which makes these two spheres felicitous to ecological hermeneutics is their respective detachment from the lifeworld, a detachment which characterizes each of their decision procedures. Gadamer’s hermeneutic enterprise is modeled on a retrieval of the Aristotelian model of science which calls into question the modern notion of ratiocination detached a priori from experience, from the lifeworld. Through this hermeneutic enterprise Gadamer develops a theory of science whic... ...g strategy designed to stimulate sales? (15) Op. cit., trans. David Ross (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 3. (16) Reason in the Age of Science, p. 8 (17) Ibid., p. 105. Italics mine. (18) In passing it is interesting to note that from the perspective of ecological hermeneutics, such attempts such as Julian Simon’s to discount any aspect of human life which cannot be quantitatively measured are exceedingly tenuous. As he sees it, the "simplest and most accurate measure of health is length of life, summed up as the average life expectancy." But in an effort to remain objective, Simon blatantly overlooks the possibility that life expectancy might have nothing to do with quality of life, as in the cases of terminally ill patients kept alive on respirators. See The Ultimate Resource (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1981), p. 130.

case analysis :: essays research papers

Case Analysis For the past two months our sales on copper fitting has almost doubled due to the increasing demand from the market and the competitors ¡Ã‚ ¦ unsuccessful selling promotion. However, the problem rises from the overwhelming demand. Many back orders are just piled up on the warehouse manager ¡Ã‚ ¦s desk, and some of the customers lost their patience with us. What we really need right now is to limit or reduce the abnormal demand from the customers by raising the price of our products, but to gain a reputation from our customers, we should consider completing all the backorders with a original price. In a long term, the solution to solve this inventory shortage still relies on sufficient and on-time supply from our supplies. The main reason causing this tremendous and unusual high demand from the customer is the loosing market share of our competitors. Also, there is a possibility that some customers have the false expectation about the future price of the market. They heard the rumor about the cost of raw copper material might go up, so they predict that the price of the copper fitting should go up as well. Consequently, they start to make more purchases and store more inventories more than usual to save some money after the price of copper rises. After a serious discussion with our marketing and warehouse managers, we found a strategy to solve this inventory shortage crisis. We can purchase overstocked merchandises a very low cost from our competitors, since their business is slow, and they do not have enough cash flow. Since most of our competitors are local, we can save a bundle from the shipping and handling if we buy their products. But the disadvantage of this is that it might confuse our customers, because the products we purchase from other companies have their own logos. It might become an opportunity for our competitors to get free advertisement on their products through our market chain. We can also begin placing big orders to our supplier to prevent future shortage. However, downside of this is the risk for overstock inventory. The price of copper fitting is very hard for us to foresee, if the price of fitting drops due to other companies ¡Ã‚ ¦ new wave of promotions or other macroeconomic influences, then it wil l slow our sales down as well as our cash flow.

The Benefits of Vitamin E :: essays research papers

The benefits of vitamin E are now fairly well established. Out of a controversial past it has become clear that vitamin E plays important roles as an antioxidant, in your immune system, in preventing heart disease and even in helping prevent cancer. As if this wasn’t enough, the research continues into other beneficial effects that vitamin E may have. It’s not particularly easy to come by however meaning if you want to get all the benefits you probably should consider a supplement to your diet. Vitamin E has many uses. Vitamin E plays an important role as an antioxidant. This means that it is important in preventing the damaging effects of free radicals which are by-products of many normal body processes. Vitamin E can works alongside the other important antioxidants, vitamin C and beta-carotene. It is only relatively recently that the benefits of vitamin E in preventing heart disease have been well proven despite it being suspected since the 1940s. Studies have shown that taking regular vitamin E, either through diet or supplements can have quite dramatic effects to lower your risk of heart disease. In addition to it’s preventative effects, there have been other studies which have indicated that vitamin E can help stop the progression of heart disease which has already been established. Another way in which it acts is to help prevent severe blood clots which can in some cases be highly dangerous. So all around vitamin E can offer some great benefits against heart disease. It has been known for some time that vitamin E can boost the immune system. The antioxidant effects of vitamin E help the immune reaction, but in addition vitamin E works to protect cell membranes against being penetrated by attacking microbes. The idea that vitamin E might help prevent cancer came from observations that people with cancer often have low levels of vitamin E. So the question that needs answering is - does one cause the other? Do low levels of vitamin E make people more likely to develop cancer, or does having cancer cause your levels of vitamin E to drop? There is growing evidence that low levels of vitamin E do make you more likely to develop cancer. This is good news because we can do something about low levels of vitamin E – get more, and reduce our cancer risk. The antioxidant effects of vitamin E seem to be what is giving this protection. So far there is evidence of this effect in acting against colon, cervical and breast cancers and possibly lung cancer. Another benefit can come in patients who are receiving radiation therapy for cancer in whom vitamin E appears to help reduce the side effects of treatment. For normal nerve function vitamin E is essential.

Philosiohy Comparison Essay

Continental philosophy, Pragmatic philosophy, and Analytic philosophy are all three forms of philosophies that are in response to Hegel. The differences began within English speaking countries and European speaking countries, which off-set into two separate traditions. Continental philosophy is the most different in its response to Hegelian idealism in Europe in the 19th and 20th century. The main schools of philosophical thought are existentialism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, and critical theory, being that existentialism and phenomenology are the two prominent schools. Some of the themes of existentialism include â€Å"Philosophy must focus on the individual in her or his confrontation with the world,† and â€Å"Senselessness, emptiness, triviality, separation, and inability to communicate pervade human existence, giving birth to anxiety, dread, self-doubt, and despair,† (Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. , 2011, p. 154). Continental philosophers do not agree that science is the best way to describe the ways of life and emphasize on metaphilosophy. To me, Continental Philosophy is difficult to describe because it seems critical instead of expressive. Next, Pragmatic philosophy is the main tradition of philosophy in the United States. Overall, Pragmatic philosophy speaks of the lack of an absolute truth. The truth can change accordingly to any situation depending on the time and place. The three best known pragmatists are C.S Peirce, William James, and John Davey. Instrumentalism, which is Dewey’s product of pragmatism, says that human activity and human thoughts are instruments used by humans to solve practical problems. They believed that truth varied from person to person depending on where he/she wanted to progress in life. Lastly, Analytic philosophy is the main tradition of philosophy in England and later in the United States. Of course the main purpose of Analytic philosophy is analysis, which expresses complex concepts into more simple concepts. A philosopher, Bertrand Russell whose emphasis was mainly in mathematics, related to logicism. Logicism says that mathematical truths can be proved from principles of logic. Russell along with G.E Moore and Gottlob Frege disagreed with Absolute Idealism, but also traditional philosophy all together. Continental philosophy, Pragmatic philosophy, and Analytic philosophy all have quite different concepts but have been conceptualized around the same roots. References Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. (2011) Philosophy: The Power Of Ideas. (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Family Systems Intervention

Family Systems Interventions Intervention skills: Facilitating family change Change skills 1. Break maladaptive interaction patterns 2. Clarity problematic consequences 3. Alter affective blocks 4. Initiate cognitive restructuring 5. Implement new adaptive patterns 6. Mobilize external resources as required Break Maladaptive Patterns †¢ Intervene to control maladaptive patterns by restructuring family interaction verbally or physically †¢When appropriate, facilitate the adaptive expression of anger of one family member in order to block the recurrent problematic behavior of anotherClarify problematic consequences †¢Confront family members on the problematic consequences of their own behaviors †¢Provide verbal or nonverbal support before and after direct confrontation whenever possible Alter Affective Blocks †¢Convey the importance of expressing and clarifying affective experience in order to better comprehend the maintenance of overt behavior patterns. †¢Remove inappropriate affective blocks by encouraging open discussion of the emotional turmoil of family members; validate their experience, clarify the content, and provide support Initiate Cognitive Restructuring Call into question collective beliefs, values, or goals that appear to be problematic and initiate open discussion and reevaluation of relevant issues. †¢To prevent new affect from blocking further progress, encourage the expression and discharge of emotion (especially through laughing or crying) while modifying a previous cognitive set. †¢Provide appropriate new information or a reformulation as required to develop more adaptive comprehension †¢Encourage family members to consider new ideas further and to continue to discuss specific issues at home in order to reach a reality-based consensus.Implement New Adaptive Patterns †¢Using behavioral principles, apply social reinforcements to strengthen appropriate behaviors at any ti me during the sessions an d encourage family members to do the same. †¢Elicit family member’s willingness to be receptive to suggestions and invite specific behavioral suggestion from other family members (or offer some). †¢Coach the family in implementing changes that are compatible with appropriate development tasks for the whole family as well as individual family members. Introduce adaptive changes in behavior during the interview by redirecting interaction patterns and altering spatial and seating arrangements to rearrange subsystems. Mobilize External Resources as Required †¢Openly admit to lack of progress as explore possible inhibiting factors both inside and outside the family. Effective Assessment and Intervention First, workers must develop an attitude that values the potential of families to change.Assessment and mobilization of family strengths should focus on the positives related to many areas, including †¢Family relationships: caring for members, gender roles that a re respected and valued, parental-child relationships based on the best of the child, physical and emotional self-care, the presence of positive family events and successes, supportive couple relationships, family history of previous successes in conflict management, a strong family identity †¢Individual family member skills: cognitive and intellectual abilities, a positive attitude, competent parenting, positive role-modeling, ability to build and access supportive social environments †¢Personal qualities: motivation, goal directedness, self-esteem and competence, an ability to laugh at oneself, inner strengths and resources, strong relational, abilities, nondefensiveness, willingness to work on issues despite challenges †¢Availability of community resources: friends and caring other outside the family, supportive relatives, health care, education, recreation, spiritual community, social services, the skills to navigate in these community resources †¢Seeing and learning: the ability to recognize difficult life experiences and to learn from these experiences Key Strategies in working with strengths †¢ The strength’s perspective capitalizes on the power and will of the family to self-correct with the help of appropriate environmental supports. †¢Words have the power to build up or tear done discourage or encourage. Pathology-based words darken the vista by imposing problems while strength-based words impose solutions and hope. Use a dictionary of helping, a dictionary that includes the use of such words as empowerment, skills, hope, support, ability, and knowledge Assessment and intervention will be more effective if the family social worker keeps the following considerations in mind: †¢Be keenly attuned to culture and adhere to culturally sensitive practices †¢Focus on family needs †¢Respect client autonomy †¢Avoid fostering unnecessary dependency †¢Reassess and re-interpret client resistance as avo idance of pain †¢Keep healthy professional boundaries while remaining emotionally available Culturally Sensitive Practice †¢ We advocate for cultural competence for all workers-competence that avoids the application of stereotypical checklists to families from minority cultures. Suggesting that a single program model or intervention can meet the needs of all cultural families risks stereotyping an reducing each culture to a single entity. †¢Not all members of a cultural group are connected in the same way to their cultural heritage placater †¢Some groups will have blended traditional and nontraditional practices in their daily living. †¢Acculturation can be seen as a mosaic, blending traditional native ways with dominant cultural ways. Five program structures that can be incorporated into family social worker in order to work appropriately with families from different cultures. 1. Workers must have a sincere interest in learning and accepting different cultu res. 2. Workers can learn to challenge their ethnocentric beliefs as a n integral part of family social work. 3.Family social workers can be open to collaboration with traditional cultural healers and leaders and support family choices about traditional sources of help that parallel, supplement, or replace interventions that are more common. 4. Family social workers should be familiar with and be prepared ti use existing client support systems, following the appropriate cultural protocols. 5. The intervention skills used by family social workers can adapted to specific cultures 6. Family social workers can seek specific cultural knowledge, which includes awareness of communication patterns, worldviews, belief systems, and values 7. Knowing how to gain entrance into a cultural community is important if a worker were to access culturally appropriate resources for a family.Reassess Clients’ Resistance Resistance may be a message from the client that the family social worker is o verstepping the boundaries of the relationship. Resistance can also signal that the issues being discussed are sensitive to the client. Set Realistic Expectations A sixth guideline for family social workers is to foster families’ feelings of competence, rather than inadequacy. Hepworth and Larsen (1993) list the following ecological interventions that family social workers can perform for families: †¢Supplementing resources in the home environment †¢Developing and enhancing support systems †¢Moving and enhancing support systems †¢Moving clients to a new environment Increasing the responsiveness of organizations to people’s needs †¢Enhancing interactions between organizations and institutions †¢Improving institutional environments †¢Developing new resources The way a problem is defined often depends on †¢How the family initially defines the problem †¢The theoretical perspective the family social worker uses †¢The mandate of the agency and how the agency views problems. For example, some agencies embrace solution-focused counseling and define problems to fit theory †¢How the problem is defined jointly between the family and worker in a way that both feel offers the most opportunities to create positive change. Unique ways of viewing a problem 1.A traditional analytic view is that symptomatic person in the problem. 2. The social systems assumption is that the family is the problem – problems evolving from relationship patterns within the family 3. The attempted solution is the problem. This is an interesting view that could be simplified by saying, â€Å"if what you are doing does not work, stop doing it and try something different! † Circular Patters †¢ The term patterns mean that the same behavior happens repeatedly and becomes predictable. †¢When a family is mired in problems, it may be because their repetitive patterns have produced gridlock without providing an adequ ate response to the issue at hand.In this way, the solution becomes the problem. Because the patterns are habits, family members feel secure in the stability they provide. The habitual patterns might be hurtful to individuals and harmful to the family system, but because family members are unaware of or unskilled in other ways of responding, they are unable to change, and the family is described as being stuck. †¢A pattern is a circular sequence of communication that occurs three times. †¢Alternatively, the worker may set the stage to encourage family members to play out their usual family patterns. ? 1. Clarify with the family these patterns, pointing out the relationship between affect, or feelings, and behavior.For example, father scolds child, child feels hurt, child pouts, father feels frustrated, father scolds, and around and around the pattern goes. It is helpful for a family to see how they go around in theses maladaptive circles. 2. When this is done, help clarify any family rules or myths that perpetuate these patterns, for example, a myth that the only way a child will listen to a parent is when the parent yells at the child. 3. When clarifying a circular pattern with a family, it is necessary to explore underlying feelings and any additional behaviors. 4. Point out evidence of emotional distress and get members to label specific feelings. When feelings are out in the open.Particularly fears and hurts, they can be directly faced 5. Encourage the family to provide each member with reassurance and support 6. Help the family develop understanding of each other by bringing their circular patterns out in the open and including underlying feelings. 7. After the dysfunctional patterns have been identified, the worker should then get the family to think of helpful adaptive patterns to deal with problem situations. 8. Help the family negotiate simultaneous change 9. Reinforce family member’s constructive suggestions 10. Coach family members in trying out new adaptive behaviors and assign realistic tasks explicitly as homework.Lineal Circular, strategic and reflexive question †¢Lineal questions ask for basic information and assume a cause-and –effect sequence. †¢Circular questions, on the other hand, are based on circular causality and the connections among family members. Circular questions help the family social worker to learn about ongoing patterns of family interaction and the effects that family members’ behaviors have on one another. †¢Circular questions are intended to create change, whereas lineal questions are intended to draw out information. †¢Strategic questions are directed at change, on the basis of the family social worker’s assessment of the situation.The underlying intent of strategic questions is to correct behavior. †¢Reflexive questions ask clients to become self-observers. Detriangulation Detriangulation involves developing strategies through which the family worker disrupts one triangle and opens up the family members to new, more functional alliances or triangles. Four possible methods of detriangulation are available for the family social worker. 1. One way of detriangulatiojn is to point the triangle out to the three people. 2. Another method of detriangulation is ensuring that family members interact as dyads. 3. Another method is through reversal, or getting one person in the triangle to do the opposite of the pattern. 4.Detriangulation also can occur by shifting alliances that is who does what with whom. If the mother is always the one trying to get a child to comply with a command, change can be accomplished by having the father gain the child’s compliance. Working with Involuntary clients Clients usually look for on of two outcomes from family social work. Some just want to eliminate the pain created by the problem, and in the process want to be nurtured. These clients may be satisfied once the initial stress has b een alleviated, and they may avoid making difficult or lasting changes. Other clients want to change their lives in concrete ways. They are willing to work hard to achieve needed changes in their lives.These are the most rewarding clients for family social workers. Many involuntary clients are precontemplators. In other words, they do not believe they have a problem. Others may acknowledge they have a problem but are not prepared to work on it. Families need to know that participating in family social work is their choice. The family social worker should emphasize that freedom from unwanted agency intervention will occur when the conditions of the court order or contracted work are met. Work with involuntary clients begins by finding out what it is like for them to be ordered into family work. This question is one way of showing empathy and starting where the client is.When clients are court ordered, they should be informed that some conditions of the work are not negotiable and the y need to understand the specific conditions for termination. When clients do not want work, the family social worker can print out that the family has a right not to participate but that nonparticipation involves some consequences. Motivation is the flip side of resistance. Direct confrontation about responsibility for problems during the assessment phase is likely to produce defensiveness rather that lead to change. Instead, using empathy and rolling with resistance might be most productive. The single most important skill for working with family resistance is being able to identify when it may be counterproductive to push an issue with the family.

Convergence-towards-ifrs-in-malaysia-issues-challenges-and-opportunities Essay

In the year 2008 the then Malaysian Accounting Standard Board’s (MASB) chairman, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Putih, announced that Malaysia will be converging with International Accounting Standard Board (IASB)’s International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS). From that point onwards many initiatives were lined up by MASB and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) in order to educate, train and inform all the relevant stakeholders in tandem with fast approaching deadline to converge, which is for the earliest year-end financial reporting date, 31 December 2012. On 19 November 2011, MASB issued the third accounting framework to be applied in Malaysia and this new accounting framework that is IFRS-compliant is dubbed as Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards framework (MFRS). The issuance of MRFS is vital to show and prove the Malaysian commitment and also it becomes a solid guideline for all entities that are administered by Securities Commission of Malaysia and the convergence begin on or after 1 January 2012. Historically, Malaysian accounting standards have always closely followed the former International Accounting Standards (IAS) and the current IFRS. This is due to the colonisation effect on Malaysia, where Malaysia was a British colony up to the year 1957 and many of the accounting standards applied in the United Kingdom has always made its way to be adopted by the Malaysian standard setters authorities and regulators. As Mohammad Faiz Azmi stated in forums that the Malaysian story of convergence has been a ‘slow and steady’ approach and this phased-in approach even though slower is expected to put Malaysian entities in a better position as the problems and challenges faced by Malaysian companies are far much reduced compared to other countries that adopted the ‘big bang’ approach, for example the South Koreans, where the accounting standard setters and regulators in South Korea agreed on full adoption of IFRS (Nazatul Izma, 2009; Suh, 2011) ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORKS IN MALAYSIA Currently Malaysian entities are subject to three sets of accounting frameworks, the first accounting framework is the old Financial Reporting Standards framework (FRS), next is the Private Entity Reporting Standards framework (PERS) and finally the Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards framework (MFRS). All these three frameworks are legally approved frameworks by MASB and can be applied by entities in Malaysia but subject to the type of entity. The three types of frameworks are outlined and discussed below. MFRS framework is to be applied by all entities other than private entities for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2012. Private entities are private companies which are incorporated under the Companies Act 1965, that are not itself required to prepare or lodge any financial statements under any law administered by the Securities Commission Malaysia or Bank Negara Malaysia. Private entities are also not subsidiaries or associates of or jointly controlled by an entity which is required to prepare or lodge any financial statements under any law administered by the securities Commission Malaysia or Bank Negara Malaysia. However ‘Transitioning Entities’ are excluded from applying MFRS and these ‘Transitioning Entities’ are entities that are in the scope of MFRS 141 for ‘Agriculture’ (equivalent to IAS 41) and IC Interpretation 15 for ‘Agreement for Construction of Real Estate’, (equivalent to International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) 15) including its parent, significant investor and venture. These ‘Transitioning Entities’ have an option to either apply the MFRS framework or the old FRS framework, but this leeway is only allowed for one year, as these ‘Transitioning Entities’ need to apply the MFRS framework by  Page 43 International Journal of Business, Economics and Law, Vol. 1 ISSN 2289-1552 2012 annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013 at the latest (Nazatul Izma, 2009; KPMG, 2011; Accountants Today 2012; Ganespathy, 2012; Jebaratnam, 2012). PERS framework is to be applied only by private entities but these private entities have an option to apply MFRS framework for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2012. If the private entities choose to apply MFRS framework and these entities are in the scope of MFRS 141 for ‘Agriculture’ (equivalent to IAS 41) and IC Interpretation 15 for ‘Agreement for Construction of Real Estate’, (equivalent to IFRIC 15), therefore known as ‘Transitioning Entities’, they have the choice to either apply MFRS framework or FRS framework, but these freedom is applicable up to 31 December 2012, as these entities need to revert to MFRS framework for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013 (Accountants Today, 2012; Jebaratnam, 2012). FRS framework which is the Malaysian version of IAS, which has been the main accounting standards framework for nonprivate entities before the introduction of MFRS framework can be applied only by ‘Transitioning Entities’, but as stated earlier, such entities need to revert to MFRS framework for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013 (Accountants Today, 2012; Jebaratnam, 2012) ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN FULL ADOPTION OF IFRS IN MALAYSIA MFRS 1 covers issues pertaining to ‘First-Time Adoption of Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards’ and the transition date stated in MFRS 1 is the beginning of the earliest period for which an entity presents a full comparative information under MFRSs in its first MFRS based statements. Following the requirement of MFRS 1, MFRS 101 on ‘Presentation of Financial Statements’ requires reporting entities to present three ‘Statements of Financial Position’ and two ‘Statement of Comprehensive Income’, ‘Statements of Changes in Equity’ and ‘Statement of Cash Flows’ each. MFRS also dictates that entities need to present statement of financial position as at the beginning of the comparative financial year, therefore reporting entities requires their financial statements to be prepared based on the requirement of MFRS from the financial year beginning on and after 1 January 2010, or otherwise be very cautious to make retrospective restatements and/or reclassify items in all the financial statements and notes to accounts and the transition date would be on or after 1 January 2011. The expectation is that the entities are able to present MFRS compliant financial statements come the year-end financial reporting on 31 December 2012, which may become an issue, if these entities are not MFRS ‘ready’ (Accountants Today, 2012). Another challenge for full adoption of IFRS in Malaysia is that under MFRS 1, whenever the cost of complying with MFRS exceeds the benefits to the users of financial statements and also if retrospective application would mean that judgement by management of a known transaction is required, IASB would grant exemptions and therefore this would create unlevel playing field amongst non-private entities in Malaysia that are supposed to apply MFRS framework as the criterion for full-adoption. To ensure that the reporting entities in Malaysia are MFRS compliant, these entities should perform a comprehensive, thorough and detailed examination of the readiness of their entity in becoming MFRS compliance to avoid any investigation by the authority due to non-compliance after the grace period for full adoption is over. If Malaysia ends up trimming its MFRS as a convergence framework that can be adapted to fit the local conditions and not a one size fits all set of standards, because a full adoption forces countries to surrender their sovereignty, then Malaysia will have serious issues and will face difficulties to be endorsed as a country that compliances to full IFRS adoption (Nazatul Izma, 2009). But as it is evident, MFRS 141 and IC 15 for ‘Transitioning Entities’ is an exception given to such entities to comply to full IFRS adoption by reverting to MFRS framework for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. Even though the IAS 41 assumption that fair value can be measured for biological assets was an issue, but this sort of issues should be communicated clearly to the practitioners and this is where the education and training of the practitioners is key for a successful full adoption of IFRS. For example MFRS 141 (IAS 41) disagreement with IASB need to be entirely made clear to the Malaysian practitioners, as IASB currently have agreed to recognise palm oil tree as a non current asset and not as an inventory (Nazatul Izma, 2009). One of the most common perceived advantages of convergence to IFRS is the possibility of increased foreign direct investment (FDI) (Gardiner, 2000; Christiansen, 2002), but as of 2010, report on the most attractive FDI destinations, the world’s highest FDI receivers are China, United States of America and India, of which none have converged to IFRS. Therefore, the notion that IFRS convergence will attract FDI is not valid, and this so called advantage cannot be applied to entice countries to adopt IFRS for financial reporting of their entities. IFRSs for SME is another reason to ponder on the real plausibility of full adoption of IFRS. If MASB chooses to adopt IFRS for SMEs to replace PERS, than we will have another version of ‘diluted’ IFRS as a framework within the Malaysia accounting scenario. Dr Paul Pacter, the board member and chairman of the SME implementation group, mentioned that some topics in the IFRS were omitted from the IFRS for SMEs, due to its irrelevance and also due to the fact that the ‘diluted’ version will be a simpler option for the SMEs to apply (Nazatul Izma, 2010). The IFRS for SMEs were simplified on the recognition and measurement and the disclosures were also reduced. Brian Blood, the Chief Executive of Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA) mentioned that the IFRS for SMEs were developed to assist SMEs to prepare and present high quality and timely financial statements and information. Other benefits of SMEs applying the IFRS for SMEs are that the financial reporting is done in a consistent manner and not too expensive to prepare (Nazatul Izma, 2010). Having said all that, the fact is that there is a different set of IFRS for SMEs, therefore, it does not allow for full adoption, but maybe just a mere convergence. James Sylph, the executive director, Professional Standards and External Relations of International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) in a forum in 2012, strongly advocated that national accounting standard setters’ authorities and regulators should move away from the mere concept of convergence to a more profound notion of full-adoption. Page 44 International Journal of Business, Economics and Law, Vol. 1 ISSN 2289-1552 2012 Mohammad Faiz Azmi, MASB chairman, indicated that Malaysia will not require the IFRS for SMEs to avoid an ‘underconverged’ version used by SMEs due to the lack of human resources to implement new IFRS based regulations; therefore MASB is still uncertain about how exactly they should deal with the issue related to SME and IFRS (Nazatul Izma, 2010) MASB together with MIA will have to look into the issue of the readiness of the Malaysian education system to deliver enough trained accountants that are IFRS savvy, as a full IFRS adoption can be burdensome and the human capital need to be created to fulfill this need. Mohammad Faiz Azmi mentioned that MASB is working with enforcers to amend the Financial Reporting Act (1997) to allow making amendments to accounting standards in Malaysia if there are any substantial issues that MASB disagrees with IASB (Nazatul Izma, 2009). This again will give some space for MASB for not to adopt the full adoption of IFRS as there will be some possible avenue to make changes in the IFRS provided by IASB. Companies Act 1965 and Financial reporting Act 1997 are the two most important acts pertaining financial statements reporting in Malaysia. The directors are supposed to be responsible for the preparation and presentation of a true and fair set of financial statements of reporting entities and these directors should be aware and be sure that their entities are IFRS ready.

Fire Station Case Study Research Essay

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research study would not be possible without the help of these people in making this research a success. The researchers family and parents who supported them emotionally and financially throughout since day one until the research is completed. For showing their unfailing support, for understanding the researchers and for believing in their skills and capabilities. The researchers would also like to thank the graduate library and electronic library of Far Eastern University for allowing them to use their materials and resources such as books, thesis projects and computers that really helped the researchers for their case study. The researchers would also like to thank their professor Architect Toni Nardo who helped them throughout this whole study, for being a considerate and kind hearted professor who is always there for her students, to support and check on their improvements and for always sharing her opinion and life experiences about this certain topic which makes the researchers eager to fulfil this research. The researchers would also like to thank their friends who were also there to support, give advices and information that really helped the group. They never fail to cheer them up and show their outmost support especially in bad times. Last but not the least, to our Almighty Father God, who created and brought life in this world, who created all things beautiful, who will forever be the reason of our existence, a supportive friend, a loving father, a God who guide, love and support us no matter what we’re going through, for giving us strength and blessing of intelligence for us to use in this research, for helping the researchers make this research a success. The researchers would like to dedicate this study to their family, most especially to their parents who have given them full support in this case study research. May the almighty God bless them for their kind heart and loving gesture that is very much appreciated by the researchers. ABSTRACT We all know that a fire station is a structure with areas set aside for storage of fire fighting apparatus such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire hoses and other specialized equipment. It may also have dormitory living facilities and work areas for the use of fire fighters. Living areas are sometimes arranged above the garage bays where personnel without specific station duties during the night shift are allowed to sleep unless a dispatch is called. In that situation, fire fighters may have special means to allow entry to the ground floor quickly when a call for help is received, such as sliding down a brass pole called a fireman’s pole. This arrangement also allows for a raised area to hang hoses to dry to prevent damage. In a single story station, a tower-like structure is sometimes used for hose hanging. An occupied station will usually have a station alarm system for receiving and annunciating an alarm, and indications of where and what caused the alarm. However, sometimes the only â€Å"alarm† is a telephone that is rung in case of emergency. In a more structured operation, full-time or on-call volunteer or career fire fighters staff the station some or all of the time. There may be office space for the officers, a library of reference and other materials, and a â€Å"trophy wall† or case where the fire fighters display memorabilia. Activities in a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and continuing education in the fire service. Weekly or bi-weekly routine typically includes various drills in which fire fighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the fire station during annual â€Å"fire prevention week† In our case, we will be designing a first class fire station which means, this fire station will contain all of the necessary equipment and apparatus. Also, it will contain all of the necessary and additional space areas such  as recreational area, different offices, living, dining and kitchen areas, library, training area, etc. We are planning to design a fire station that has modern aesthetics that will give a positive impression to us as the designers. Good function of our space program is also what we’re striving, for which this is a fire station, and it needs great planning of spaces mostly in case of emergencies and easy access of the fire trucks to the outside. We are really striving to design an image that would automatically determine that our structure is considered as first class. We will implement in our design the usage of glass which implies modern era and it will help the staff inside the building to be aware on their surroundings outside. PART I: OCULAR INSPECTION Summary of Findings After searching for good fire stations around Metro Manila, we decided to go to these three fire stations: Makati, Intramuros and San Lazaro City. We took pictures of ourselves at the faà §ade of each fire station as soon as we arrived there. First, went to Makati City fire station. As soon as we arrived, the area was filled with citizens of Makati because the area was used as substitute place where the people will register for voting, so it wasn’t the perfect timing but we still continued to go on with our ocular inspection despite the crowd. Makati Central Fire Station was huge. The area is given big amount of spaces for the apparatus bay. We also noticed that the alignment of the apparatus bay was diagonal for more convenience and easy way out. Before we entered the fire station for inquiries and interviews, we went to measure the height, length and width of the different fire trucks such as the ladder fire trucks and the usual fire trucks to have an idea on what is their standard measurements. We also measured the emergency ambulance vehicles and the whole space area allotted for their apparatus bay. We observed and analysed the whole fire station including on how the spaces of different areas are divided and used. After that, we already went inside to have an interview with whoever officer is  available and appropriate for our questioning. Luckily, the city fire marshal was available. The city fire marshal of Makati is Supt. Ricardo C. Perdigon, he is very kind and welcoming. First, he answered each of our questions very precisely with an open mind and a lot of examples to broaden our perspectives and ideas in that field. He showed examples and different brochures from different countries about the modern fire stations that are designed and used these days. He explained and discussed different techniques and required spaces to use in a fire station. He showed different photos of fire stations that is very interesting and it really helped us to design more functional and competitive fire station, since we’re going to design a first class fire station. After that, he showed to us where the different fire stations are divided throughout the entire city. He showed us a huge map and explained it very well. He taught us where each fire stations should be in a city. After that we had a film showing about actual fire fighting and on how the different fire fighting equipment are used in actual emergency fire cases. It also showed there the different modern equipment and tools used by the fire fighters. After the interview, we requested to have a picture taking with the fire marshal and he openly accepted. But the learning doesn’t stop there. We asked the fire marshal if we can see the actual area where the fire fighters stay and do in cases of fire emergencies. He assigned one of his officers to escort us in the field. He showed us the rooms where the fire fighters spend their time, sleep, etc. He also showed us the poles where the fire fighters easily go through. After going to Makati City Central Fire Station, we proceeded to Intramuros Fire Station. The fire station at Intamuros is a little smaller compared to Makati. When we arrived at Intramuros, we couldn’t resist the beauty of the place and its historical ambiance so we took a little time to cherish and take pictures. When we arrived at the fire station of Intramuros, we took pictures of the space area and apparatus bay. It seems to have three slots for the openings of the fire trucks and vehicles. It also seems that the area was a little crowded in the exit way of the trucks, so we had an idea about designing proper exit ways to use without being crowded. When we entered the fire station, an officer is at the reception area and we asked permission to take pictures and to analyse the area. No fire marshal was available at that time we arrived, so we asked for an  interview with the higher position that was available and the Senior Fire Officer IV was the one who assisted us and fulfilled our interview. He is SFO-IV Oscar Bugarin. As what we have done at Makati, we also first did measuring of the entrance/exit way of apparatus bay, fire trucks and poles. After that, we started with the interview with Senior Fire Officer IV Oscar Bugarin. We asked the common questions just like what we asked with the other fire stations, and almost the same answer was given to us. But in this fire station, we were given different examples and experiences that the Makati City Central Fire Station wasn’t able to taught us. The Senior Fire Officer IV personally demonstrated to us how the fire fighting outfit is prepared and easily worn by the fire fighters in case of emergencies. He explained and shown us how to tuck in together all of the outfit, the suit with the boots. He took the actual outfits and demonstrated to us one by one. It was really fun and amazing that it was so easy to wear. But the fun didn’t ended there, we were offered to wear the actual gears ourselves! Who wouldn’t wear that awesome outfit? So there we are, wearing the outfits very happy and sophisticated. After all of the interviews and demonstrations, we had our little goodbyes and thank you and went out to proceed and go on to the next fire station, but we still can’t resist the beauty of Intramuros so we took a little more time to take pictures on our way to the next fire station which is located at San Lazaro City. It didn’t took time to go to San Lazaro City which we we’re only at Intramuros which is not that far. We arrived at San Lazaro City for about 30—40 minutes. As we arrived t San Lazaro City Fire Station, we took pictures of the fassad, as usual. San Lazaro Fire Staton seems to be the same amount of space area with Intramuros, so Makati City Central Fire Station seems to have the biggest or widest space area among the three fire stations we went to. As usual, we did some measuring with the space area of the fire station, the apparatus bay entrance/exit which seems to have only 2 slots in San Lazaro City Fire Station. We also did measured the fire trucks and other vehicles. But what really amazed us in San Lazaro City Fire Station is the historical fire trucks that were displayed in there. It was so amazing and mesmerizing to think that the fire trucks before were very open with old vehicle parts, so we didn’t miss a chance to take pictures with them. After that, we proceed to have an interview with the highest officer available at the time, and it was Senior Fire Officer IV Manolito Laroza. This interview took the most time compared with the other two interviews we did because a lot of facts and requirements was given to us by SFO IV Manolita Laroza. He gave us the spaces we can add in a first class fire station such as bigger training grounds, helicopters, recreational areas, and so on. A lot of facts were given to us, also the standard personnel required in a fire station, office areas such as the duputy’s, sub station commander, radio division operator, etc. they also showed us the fire preventive man size tarpaulin that they will implement around their city. Senior Fire Officer IV Manolito Laroza was very kind and open to us. After this interview, we had our goodbyes and thank you with him and his officers and went out to go home because it was already a little late and dark outside. PART II: RESEARCH STUDY Chapter 1: Introduction A. Background of the Problem Historical Fire fighting was implemented long time ago during our roman and greek era. The history of fire fighting began in ancient Rome while under the role of Agustus. Prior to that, there is evidence of fire-fighting machinery in used in Ancient Egypt, including a water pump invented by Ctesibius of Alexandria in the third century BC which was later improved upon in a design by Hero Of Alexandria in the first century BC. The first Roman fire brigade of which we have any substantial history was created by Marcus Licinius Crassus. Marcus Licinius Crassus was born into a wealthy Roman family around the year 115 BC, and acquired an enormous fortune through (in the words of Plutarch) â€Å"fire and rapine.† One of his most lucrative schemes took advantage of the fact that Rome had no fire department. Crassus filled this void by creating his own brigade—500 men strong—which rushed to burning buildings at the first cry of alarm. Upon arriving at the scene, however, the fire fi ghters did nothing while their employer bargained over the price of their services with the distressed property owner. If Crassus could not negotiate a satisfactory price, his men simply let the structure burn to the ground, after which he offered to purchase it for a fraction of its value. Augustus took the basic idea from Crassus and then built on it to form the Vigiles in AD 6 to combat fires using bucket brigades and pumps, as well as poles, hooks and even ballistae to tear down buildings in advance of the flames. The Vigiles patrolled the streets of Rome to watch for fires and served as a police force. The later brigades consisted of hundreds of men, all ready for action. When there was a fire, the men would line up to the nearest water source and pass buckets hand in hand to the fire. Rome suffered a number of serious fires, most notably the fire on 19 July AD 64 and eventually destroyed two thirds of Rome. In Europe, fire fighting was quite rudimentary until the 17th century. In 1254, a royal decree of King Saint Louis of France created the so-called guet bourgeois (â€Å"burg ess watch†), allowing the residents of Paris to establish their own night watches, separate from the king’s night watches, to prevent and stop crimes and fires. After the Hundred Years’ War, the population of Paris expanded again, and the city, much larger than any other city in Europe at the time, was the scene of several great fires in the 16th century. As a consequence, King Charles IX disbanded the residents’ night watches and left the king’s watches as the only one responsible for checking crimes and fires. London suffered great fires in 798, 982, 989, 1212 and above all in 1666 (Great Fire of London). The Great Fire of 1666 started in a baker’s shop on Pudding Lane, consumed about two square miles (5 km ²) of the city, leaving tens of thousands homeless. Prior to this fire, London had no organized fire protection system. Afterwards, insurance companies formed private fire brigades to protect their clients’ property. Insurance b rigades would only fight fires at buildings the company insured. These buildings were identified by fire insurance marks. The key breakthrough in fire fighting arrived in the 17th century with the first fire engines. Manual pumps, rediscovered in Europe after 1500 (allegedly used in Augsburg in 1518 and in Nuremberg in 1657), were only force pumps and had a very short range due to the lack of hoses. German inventor Hans Hautsch improved the manual pump by creating the first suction and force pump and adding some flexible hoses to the pump. In 1672, Dutch artist, and inventor Jan Van der Heyden’s workshop developed the fire hose. Constructed of flexible leather and coupled every 50 feet (15 m) with brass fittings. The length remains the standard to this day in mainland Europe whilst in the UK the standard length is either 23m or 25m. The fire engine was further developed by the Dutch inventor, merchant and manufacturer, John Lofting (1659–1742) who had worked with Jan Van der Heyden in Amsterdam. Lofting moved to London in or about 1688, became an English citizen and patented (patent number 263/1690) the â€Å"Sucking Worm Engine† in 1690. There was a glowing description of the fire fighting ability of his device in The London Gazette of 17 March 1691, after the issue of the patent. The British Museum has a print showing Lofting’s fire engine at work in London, the engine being pumped by a team of men. In the print three fire plaques of early insurance companies are shown, no doubt indicating that Lofting collaborated with them in fire fighting. A later version of what is b elieved to be one of his fire engines has been lovingly restored by a retired fire fighter, and is on show in Marlow Buckinghamshire where John Lofting moved in 1700. Patents only lasted for fourteen years and so the field was open for his competitors after 1704. In 1631 Boston’s governor John Winthrop outlawed wooden chimneys and thatched roofs. In 1648, the New Amsterdam governor Peter Stuyvesant appointed four men to act as fire wardens. They were empowered to inspect all chimneys and to fine any violators of the rules. The city burghers later appointed eight prominent citizens to the â€Å"Rattle Watch† – these men volunteered to patrol the streets at night carrying large wooden rattles If a fire was seen, the men spun the rattles, then directed the responding citizens to form bucket brigades. On January 27, 1678 the first fire engine company went into service with its captain (foreman) Thomas Atkins. In 1736 Benjamin Franklin established the Union Fire Comp any in Philadelphia. George Washington was a volunteer fire fighter in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1774, as a member of the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Company, he bought a new fire engine and gave it to the town, which was its very first. However the United States did not have government-run fire departments until around the time of the American Civil War. Prior to this time, private fire brigades compete with one another to be the first to respond to a fire because insurance companies paid brigades to save buildings. Underwriters also employed their own Salvage Corpsin some cities. The first known female fire fighter Molly Williams took her place with the men on the dragropes during the blizzard of 1818 and pulled the pumper to the fire through the deep snow. On April 1st of 1853 Cincinnati OH became the first professional fire department by being made up of 100% full-time, paid employees. In 2010, 70 percent of fire fighters in the United States were volunteer. Only 5% of calls were actual fires. 65% were medical aid. 8% were false alarms. The first fire brigades in the modern sense were created in France in the early 18th century. In 1699, a man with bold commercial ideas, Franà §ois du Mouriez du Pà ©rier (grandfather of French Revolution’s general Charles Franà §ois Dumouriez), solicited an audience with King Louis XIV. Greatly interested in Jan Van der Heyden’s invention, he successfully demonstrated the new pumps and managed to convince the king to grant him the monopoly of making and selling â€Å"fire-preventing portable pumps† throughout the kingdom of France. Franà §ois du Mouriez du Pà ©rier offered 12 pumps to the City of Paris, and the first Paris Fire Brigade, known as the Compagnie des gardes-pompes (literally the â€Å"Company of Pump Guards†), was created in 1716. Franà §ois du Mouriez du Pà ©rier was appointed direct eur des pompes de la Ville de Paris (â€Å"director of the City of Paris’s pumps†), i.e. chief of the Paris Fire Brigade, and the position stayed in his family until 1760. In the following years, other fire brigades were created in the large French cities. It is around that time that appeared the current French word pompier (â€Å"fire fighter†), whose literal meaning is â€Å"pumper†. On March 11, 1733 the French government decided that the interventions of the fire brigades would be free of charge. This was decided because people always waited until the last moment to call the fire brigades to avoid paying the fee, and it was often too late to stop fires. From 1750 on, the French fire brigades became para-military units and received uniforms. In 1756 the use of a protective helmet for fire fighters was recommended by King Louis XV, but it took many more years before the measure was actually enforced on the ground. In North America, Jamestown, Virginia w as virtually destroyed in a fire in January, 1608. There were no full-time paid fire fighters in America until 1850. Even after the formation of paid fire companies in the United States, there were disagreements and often fights over territory. New York City companies were famous for sending runners out to fires with a large barrel to cover the hydrant closest to the fire in advance of the engines. Often fights would break out between the runners and even the responding fire companies for the right to fight the fire and receive the insurance money that would be paid to the company that fought it. Interestingly, during the 19th century and early 20th century volunteer fire companies served not only as fire protection but as political machines. The most famous volunteer fire fighter politician is Boss Tweed, head of the notorious Tammany Hall political machine, who got his start in politics as a member of the Americus Engine Company Number 6 (â€Å"The Big Six†) in New York City. Napoleon Bonaparte, drawing from the century-old experience of the gardes-pompes, is generally attributed as creating the first â€Å"professional† fire fighters, known as Sapeurs-Pompiers (â€Å"Sappers-Fire fighters†), from the French Army. Created under the Commandant of Engineers in 1810, the company was o rganized after a fire at the ballroom in the Austrian Embassy in Paris which injured several dignitaries. In the UK, the Great Fire of London in 1666 set in motion changes which laid the foundations for organised fire fighting in the future. In the wake of the Great Fire, the City Council established the first fire insurance company, â€Å"The Fire Office†, in 1667, which employed small teams of Thames watermen as fire fighters and provided them with uniforms and arm badges showing the company to which they belonged. However, the first organised municipal fire brigade in the world was established in Edinburgh, Scotland, when the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment was formed in 1824, led by James Braidwood. London followed in 1832 with the London Fire Engine Establishment. On April 1, 1853, the Cincinnati Fire Department became the first full-time paid professional fire department in the United States, and the first in the world to use steam fire engines. The first horse-draw n steam engine for fighting fires was invented in 1829, but not accepted in structural fire fighting until 1860, and ignored for another two years afterwards. Internal combustion engine fire engines arrived in 1907, built in the United States, leading to the decline and disappearance of steam engines by 1925. Today, fire and rescue remains a mix of full-time paid, paid-on-call, and volunteer responders. Many but not all urban areas are served by large, paid, fire fighting teams. Etymological Fire From Middle English fier, from Old English fÈ ³r (â€Å"fire†), from *fuà ¯r, a regularised form of Proto-Germanic *fÃ… r (â€Å"fire†) (compare Saterland Frisian Fjuur, West Frisian fjoer, Dutch vuur, Low German Fà ¼r, German Feuer, Danish fyr), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pà ©hâ‚‚ur (compare Hittite (paá ¸ «Ã¡ ¸ «ur), Umbrian pir, Tocharian A/B por/puwar, Czech pÈ ³Ã…â„¢ (â€Å"hot ashes†), Ancient Greek Ï€á ¿ ¦Ã  (pÃ… ·r, â€Å"fire†), Armenian Õ °Ã• ¸Ã–‚Ö€ (hur, â€Å"fire†)) and perhaps Albanian prush (â€Å"embers†). This was an inanimate noun whose animate counterpart was Proto-Indo-European *hâ‚ ngÊ ·nis, *hâ‚ ngÊ ·ni-. Old English fyr, from Proto-Germanic *fuir (cf. Old Saxon and Old Frisian fiur, Old Norse fà ¼rr, Middle Dutch and Dutch vuur, Old High German fiur, German Feuer), from PIE*perjos, from root *paewr- (cf. Armenian hur â€Å"fire, torch,† Czech pyr â€Å"hot ashes,† Greek pyr, Umbrian pir, Sanskrit pu, Hittite pahhur â€Å"fire†). Current spelling is attested as early as 1200, but did not fully displace Middle English fier (preserved in fiery) until c.1600. PIE apparently had two roots for fire: *paewr- and *egni- (cf. Latin ignis). The former was â€Å"inanimate,† referring to fire as a substance, and the latter was â€Å"animate,† referring to it as a living force (see water). Fire applied in English to passions, feelings, from mid-14c. Meaning â€Å"action of guns, etc.† is from 1580s. Firecracker is American English coinage for what is in England just cracker, but the U.S. word distinguishes it from the word meaning â€Å"biscuit.† Fire-engine attested from 1680s. The figurative expression play with fire â€Å"risk disaster† is from 1887; phrasewhere’s the fire? â€Å"what’s the hurry?† first recorded 1924. Station late 13c., â€Å"place which one normally occupies,† from Old French station, from Latin stationem (nominative statio) â€Å"a standing, post, job, position,† related to stare â€Å"to stand,† from PIE root *sta- â€Å"to stand† (see stet). The meaning â€Å"place for a special purpose† (e.g. polling station) is first recorded 1823; radio station is from 1912. The meaning â€Å"regular stopping place† is first recorded 1797, in reference to coach routes; applied to railroads 1830. Meaning â€Å"each of a number of holy places visited in succession by pilgrims† is from late 14c., hence Station of the Cross(1550s). Station wagon in the automobile sense is first recorded 1929, from earlier use for a horse-drawn conveyance that took passengers to and from railroad stations (1894). Station house â€Å"police station† is attested from 1836. B. Statement of the Study The following study aims to answer these questions: 1. What design, materials and ideas contains in a first class fire station? 2. Why does first class fire stations are implemented and preferred nowadays? 3. What to expect in a first class fire station? C. Significance of the Study The following would benefit from this study: This study aims to know what design, materials and ideas contains in a first class fire station, why does first class fire stations are implemented and preferred nowadays and what to expect in a first class fire station. This study would be really helpful in terms of guidelines in constructing and designing first class fire stations. To those who are planning to construct or to design a first class fire stations to know what to implement and to use, to have a smart space planning or programming and to have a satisfying way of life for their fire fighters and company. To the government, for which this study will serve as a great guidelines in designing and constructing a first class fire station for their country or city, having many facts and ideas in this study. D. Definition of Terms The following terms have been defined operationally for the understanding of this research. 1. First Class – Constituting or belonging to the highest or best class or quality, best-equipped and most expensive. 2. Fire Station – a building where fire-fighting vehicles and equipment are stationed and where fire fighters on duty wait Also called as firehouse station house. 3. Municipality – a city, town, or district enjoying some degree of local self-government. 4. Fire Fighters – a member of a fire department who tries to extinguish fires. 5. Fire Trucks – any of various large trucks that carry firemen and equipment to the site of a fire. 6. Apparatus Bay – is primarily the parking space of the fire trucks and vehicles in a fire station. 7. Sliding Poles – also known as fireman’s pole is a wooden pole or a metal tube or pipe installed between floors in fire stations, allowing fire fighters responding to an alarm to quickly descend to the ground floor faster than by using a standard staircase. E. Conceptual Framework of t he Problem The conceptual diagram shows and explain the following factors affecting the implementation of first class fire stations and its results brought out by the following factors. When first class fire stations are implemented and constructed, better services will be offered by the fire fighters because of their better equipment and things to use in a fire emergencies. Also, a better way of life for them because their fire station is transformed into a habitable space to stay in for a long period of time, having that comfort of home and more spaces for training grounds, recreational areas for entertainment, better dormitories, etc. With all of these factors, the impact will be positively great for our society, having more inspired and dedicated fire fighters and their team to give better services and thus will make our society a safer and a better place. This design guide provides the basic criteria to evaluate, plan, program. and design standardized Air Force fire station facilities for the United States Air Force. This information is intended to make wing commanders, base civil engineers, fire chiefs, and designers aware of the unique functional design requirements for the facilities, and to provide a basis for developing main and satellite fire station projects. The upgrade and renovation of existing fire stations and the proper planning., programming, and design of new facilities will ensure the safety of all personnel and support our vision: â€Å"To Defend the United States Through Control and Exploitation of Air and Space. The number and location of fire stations must be reevaluated periodically, but at least annually, as a community’s structures and population change. The number of stations a department should have depends, like everything else, on a balance between the costs of the stations and their maintenance, on the one hand, and the need for more stations, on the other. If a station is located near the high-response section of a community (such as a heavily populated area of multiple-occupancy or wood-frame structures) that location will probably be appropriate. Station relocation is necessary over time if the types of hazards and the locations of most fires move to a significant distance from the station. This is an impor tant consideration for selecting a new site for a fire station. If a department finds that relocation or construction of a new fire station is necessary, the three issues to consider are location, station design, and funding. Location: The location of a station in a community directly affects the total response time needed to combat fires effectively. For example, although a fire station is centrally located in a community, the majority of the responses might be at substantial distances from the station. Therefore, an evaluation of the time from receipt of an alarm to the arrival at a fire plays an important part in determining the need for relocating a fire station. The total time is the sum of the time it takes to complete each of the following five fire-fighting processes: 1. Detection: The time it takes to detect a fire. Automatic fire detection systems, such as smoke and heat detectors, give early warnings of fire and save considerable response time. Some detectors are connecte d directly to a fire station through a central station signaling system, whereas others sound only in the building in which there is a danger. In the latter case, detection time depends on human response and then on the number of people who are in the vicinity of the fire, how rapidly they respond, and the time of day. 2. Alarm: The time that elapses between detection of the fire and transmission of the alarm to the fire station. It depends on the availability of alarm boxes, directly connected alarms, telephones, the extent of automation, reliability, and the speed of transmission. 3. Dispatch: The time required to alert responding companies. If information is recorded automatically and if dispatchers have the most modern communication equipment, the time needed for dispatch is minimal. 4. Turnout: The speed with which personnel—paid, off-duty, and volunteers—can report for duty. Turnout depends on the location of the personnel at the time of the alarm, whether at the station, at work, or in their homes. 5. Response time: The travel time for the apparatus and on-duty personnel from the station to the fire. It depends on the distance from the station to the emergency and on the topographic, traffic, and weather conditions. When traffic is particularly heavy, the police department might be needed to aid in traveling to the fire and in beginning evacuation. Each of these issues must be consciously considered as you work towards a decision on how and where to build a new fire station. I will have more on this critical topic in an upcoming post. F. Theoretical Framework of the Problem When a fire occurs, the fire fighting services implemented by a fire department is one of the most important aids for the fire victims. So that is why we need the outmost services offered by the fire fighters, marshals and officers. This means that we cannot change the fact that when it comes to fire emergencies, the fire fighters and officers are the ones who will help us the most, so we need their services. The services that they offer us can be a lot better with this implementation of first class fire station for the reasons, they having more modern and better equipment to use in fire emergencies, more advanced vehicles and gadgets. They also have better experience and alertness when it comes to this kind of circumstances because of the better training grounds in their very own first class fire stations. Not only the services of our fire fighters and fire marshals are upgraded, also their way of living. The environment of a first class fire station captures the aura of their own homes, having the comfort and safety because of well planned space programming, modern materials used in the construction and breath taking designs. The economy, competition and a changing business environment require companies to diversify, change their business plans and adapt. Television networks change their programming to compete with each other, cable channels and the internet for decreasing market share. The fire service has evolved far past having fire buckets outside each home to concepts never before envisioned. Boston Fire Chief John Damrell helped drive this evolution in 1866 when he warned about the dangers of fire, the lack of compatible fire hydrants, water supply issues and the need for building and fire codes. Phoenix Fire Chief Alan Brunacini did it with fire command and customer service. Fire departments have done it with regulations requiring smoke detectors, carbon-monoxide detectors and commercial and residential sprinklers. Many concepts have come from need as the traditional fire suppression department has evolved into the more-accurate emergency services. Other concepts have been forced upon us: lightweig ht construction, weapons of mass destruction and active-shooter incidents. New concepts and practices in the fire service have come about from the economic need to offset budget cuts while maintaining levels of service. These include alternate revenue sources from private-public partnerships such as Adopt-A-Fire Station programs, interfacility transports, even ads on fire apparatus. The fire department’s jurisdiction is organized by the governmental body that controls the department, although there are private fire departments as well. This comes from a municipality, county, prefecture, state, province, or nation type of government. The most common type of government control is at the municipality level. The jurisdiction size and organization would be set up by department or the government in charge of these duties. This deals with the placement of fire stations, equipment, and personnel within the area of control. Fire departments periodically survey their jurisdiction areas and use the data for redeploying proper coverage. This data comes from travel time, range from station, and/or a population survey. This brings equal service to the entire community and gives the department efficient places to launch operations. Some fire departments such as the Statue Of Liberty Fire Brigade which covers Liberty Island and Ellis Islands respond to medical emergencies and provide care until advanced personnel can take over. In the United States, firefighters may get their First Responder Certification, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License, or Paramedic License. Some fire departments even offer ambulance services. A fire department may also provide â€Å"fire protection† or fire prevention services, whereby firefighters visit homes and give fire safety advice and fit smoke alarms for members of the public. In many countries fire protection or prevention is seen as an important role for the fire service, as preventing a fire from occurring in the first place can obviously save lives. Chapter 2: Discussion and Analysis A. Local Related Study on: Metro Manila – Oldtimers of Makati’s Fire Station Do you like oldtimers or have a kid that is crazy about fire trucks? Then you should pay the Makati Central Fire Station a visit. The fire station possesses a collection of older but beautiful and seemingly well-maintained vehicles from past decades. The fire station is not secluded from the street and passer-by can have a close look at the ambulance and deep-red fire engines. As elsewhere in the Philippines, the municipal budget does not often seem to allow the purchase of expansive state-of-the-art rescue equipment. Concerns were already raised that the fire brigades in Metro Manila are not really prepared for fighting fires in the ever-growing condominiums throughout the megacity. However, the local government of Makati recently agreed to buy more search and rescue equipment and disaster preparedness tools, among them a chemical fire truck with foam. Three people were hurt when two fires broke out in Makati City Thursday morning, one near the Makati Medical Center, authorities sai d. The city’s fire department said the first fire started at around 10 a.m. in a slum colony at the corner of Ayala and Gil Puyat avenues in Barangay Pio Del Pilar, about 30 steps away from the MMC’s emergency department on Amorsolo Street. Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. said the fire was put under control at 11:30 a.m. after reaching the general alarm, which required the assistance of all available fire fighting units in Metro Manila. Binay said the fire officials refrained from ordering the evacuation of the hospital as the blaze was quickly contained by responding firefighters. Some firefighters, on the other hand, were seen spraying water on MMC’s faà §ade to prevent it from being set ablaze in case the wind blows the fire towards it. About 300 families who lost their homes blocked Urban Avenue and Dela Rosa Streets with whatever meager belongings they managed to save, causing gridlock. Each displaced family will receive P15,000 in assistance and P5,000 for renters, according to Binay. Prior to the inception of 117, emergency services were reached through a myriad of telephone numbers. The fire department in Manila, for example, had fifty telephone numbers, one for every fire station in the city.[2] At the time, 117 was solely used in the Metro Manila area by the Philippine National Police for the reporting of ongoing crimes as part of a program called the â€Å"Patrol 117 Street Patrol Program† in cooperation with the Foundation for Crime Prevention.[1] Efforts to expand the capabilities of 117 began in the 1990s, starting with the addition of e mergency medical services to the scope of 117 in Metro Manila through a private-sector initiative called Project EARnet (Emergency Assistance and Response network). Government involvement in the expansion of 117’s scope began in late 1998, when the DILG announced the formation of Emergency Network Philippines, a project that sought to support a national emergency telephone number in order to enable the faster delivery of emergency services to the Filipino people. On August 8, 2001, a memorandum of agreement was signed between the DILG and Frequentis, an Austrian company specializing in communications and information solutions in safety-critical environments, on the implementation of the ENP project.[4] The National Economic and Development Authority approved the project later in the year, and project funding was secured with a loan agreement being signed between the Philippine and Austrian governments on December 6. By virtue of Executive Order No. 226, 117 became the officia l national emergency telephone number of the Philippines on July 14, 2003. The P1.4 billion project was completed on August 2, 2003, with the opening of a new 117 call center in Quezon City, serving the entire Metro Manila area. Four more 117 call centers were opened in 2006, and the full 117 network, consisting of sixteen networked call centers, was rolled out in 2007. http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/07/12/two-fires-hit-makati/ B. Foreign Related Study on: New fire station in Andersonville, community effort The Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department celebrated a long-awaited new addition this afternoon. The department celebrated the opening of its third fire station, located in the Belmont community. The new station is located at the site of the former Belmont School, which was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s. The fire station only cost about $22 dollars a square foot, instead of $80, for a total cost of about $110-thousand dollars. Some of the materials were donated and most of the construction was done by volunteers who once attended the former school. â€Å"There’s no way to put a cost on what they mean to us. The four men particularly that worked and worked tirelessly, day in and day out, Sunday afternoons, Saturday’s late. There’s no way to put a figure on it,† said Chief Jeff Bagwell. The station includes a community room and community picnic area. Firefighters will live at the station for free and be available to answer calls at night to help reduce response time. Andersonville residents who worked on the latest fire station will share their efforts with the public Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. According to a press release, the Belmont Fire Station will help make fighting fires in the community more efficient and serve as a public gathering place. In addition, the fire station’s contruction and design provides the neighborhood with a link to the past. The fire department expects to respond to fire calls in the area more quickly since firefighters will live at the station for no charge. The fire station serves more purposes than housing the fire department. Community groups can meet and hold picnics there. In addition to being more than a fire station, the facility has a legacy. It is on the site of a former school which burned down in the 1960’s. Former Belmont School students who are now retired helped build the new fire hall. Volunteers also lent a hand designing the exterior of the firestation fashioning the cupola after one at the old school. Building material contributions and volunteer labor helped to keep the cost of the project down. The grand opening will start at 4:00 p.m. Tours will be offered. A ribbon cutting will take place at 6:00 p.m. The station is on the corner of Park Road and Sequoyah Road in Andersonville. The fire department expects to respond to fire calls in the area more quickly since firefighters will live at the station for no charge. The fire station serves more purposes than housing the fire department. Community groups can meet and hold picnics there. In addition to being more than a fire station, the facility has a legacy. It is on the site of a former school which burned down in the 1960’s. Former Belmont School students who are now retired helped build the new fire hall. Volunteers also lent a hand designing the exterior of the firestation fashioning the cupola after one at the old school. According to a press release, the Belmont Fire Station will help make fighting fires in the community more efficient and serve as a public gathering place. In addition, the fire station’s contruction and design provides the neighborhood with a link to the past. The fire department expects to respond to fire calls in the area more quickly since firefighters will live at the station for no charge. The fire station serves more purposes than housing the fire department. Community groups can meet and hold picnics there. The department celebrated the opening of its third fire station, located in the Belmont community. The new station is located at the site of the former Belmont School, which was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s. The Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department celebrated a long-awaited new addition this afternoon. The station includes a community room and community picnic area. Firefighters will live at the station for free and be available to answer calls at night to help reduce response time. http://www.wbir .com/news/article/286122/2/Andersonville-to-open-3rd-fire-station- Chapter 3: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations A. Summary We all know that a fire station is a structure with areas set aside for storage of fire fighting apparatus such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire hoses and other specialized equipment. It may also have dormitory living facilities and work areas for the use of fire fighters. Living areas are sometimes arranged above the garage bays where personnel without specific station duties during the night shift are allowed to sleep unless a dispatch is called. In that situation, fire fighters may have special means to allow entry to the ground floor quickly when a call for help is received, such as sliding down a brass pole called a fireman’s pole. This arrangement also allows for a raised area to hang hoses to dry to prevent damage. In a single story station, a tower-like structure is sometimes used for hose hanging. An occupied station will usually have a station alarm system for receiving and annunciating an alarm, and indications of where and what caused the alarm. However, sometimes the only â€Å"alarm† is a telephone that is rung in case of emergency. In a more structured operation, full-time or on-call volunteer or career fire fighters staff the station some or all of the time. There may be office space for the officers, a library of reference and other materials, and a â€Å"trophy wall† or case where the fire fighters display memorabilia. Activities in a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and continuing education in the fire service. Weekly or bi-weekly routine typically includes various drills in which fire fighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the fire station during annual â€Å"fire prevention week† In our case, we will be designing a first class fire station which means, this fire station will contain all of the necessary equipment and apparatus. Also, it will contain all of the necessary and additional space areas such as recreational area, different offices, living, dining and kitchen areas, library, training area, etc. We are planning to design a fire station that has modern aesthetics that will give a positive impression to us as the designers. Good function of our space program is also what we’re striving, for which this is a fire station, and it needs great planning of spaces mostly in case of emergencies and easy access of the fire trucks to the outside. We are really striving to design an image that would automatically determine that our structure is considered as first class. We will implement in our design the usage of glass which implies modern era and it will help the staff inside the building to be aware on their surroundings outside. B. Conclusions Based on the findings, the following conclusions have been drawn: 1. In answer to question number 1: What design, materials and ideas contains in a first class fire station? The researchers found out that in a first class fire station, designs of modernism such as the usage of glass, metallic silver borders and bright glossy colors are used. Ideas of minimalism is always applied in modern first class fire stations, vast spaces is implied for better circulation and comfortable aura. Materials like glossy marble, picture glass window, etc. are used. The idea of having wide apparatus bay and more offices is implied in a first class fire station, having complete space areas and additional ones to. More dormitories and spaces for fire fighters, having a sense of home comfort during their stay in the fire station. 2. In answer to question number 2: Why does first class fire stations are implemented and preferred nowadays? The researchers found out that first class fire stations are implemented and preferred in a lot of ways because primarily, first class fire stations have it all. The flexibility and functionality of a first class fire station when it comes to the services being offered by our fire fighters and officers are more upgraded because of modern technologies and design ideas used in a first class fire station. The needs and wants of the fire fighters and officers are met in a first class fire station. With this kind of environment, they are more eager to take and do their jobs more motivated because they are being paid off by the beauty and home comfort of their fire stations. 3. In answer to question number 3: What to expect in a first class fire station? Well obviously, you will expect in any first class structures, buildings, etc. the quality of the materials and designs used. In a first class fire station, it is expect that the materials and equipments used are top of the line, the designs are great and the way the space are programmed is outstanding. You will also expect in a first class fire station the aesthetics or beauty of the structure, the modernism of its design. First class fire stations have it all. The equipments and facilities are expected to be compete. The offices for different officers are divided in such for their own work to be accomplished. Modern tools and apparatus are used, clothings and gears of fire fighters are complete, training grounds and recreational areas are found. C. Recommendations Authoritative The following recommendations were made by the researchers after analysing the beneficiaries of this particular study. These are follows: 1. To those who are planning to construct or to design a first class fire stations to know what to implement and to use, to have a smart space planning or programming and to have a satisfying way of life for their fire fighters and company. 2. To the government, for which this study will serve as a great guidelines in designing and constructing a first class fire station for their country or city, having many facts and ideas in this study. 3. To those concerned citizens who are curious enough to think of a first class fire station implementation for the betterment of our society in the field of fire emergency cases. 4. To future researchers that would make a further study of this kind, it is recommended for them to absorb this study for them to have more knowledge and facts on what will they expand on their chosen research study topic. Researcher’s Recommendations 1. As what is stated above, it is really advisable to recommend this research study to those who are planning to construct or to design a first class fire stations to know what to implement and to use, to have a smart space planning or programming and to have a satisfying way of life for their fire fighters and company staff. This study would really help them throughout their thinking of what is needed in a first class fire station. This study will give a lot of bright ideas and will totally benefit from their design. -Ron Adrian P. Cruz 2. This is recommended to those individuals with plans to construct a first class fire station for which this study contains a lot of facts and details on what to use and to put in a first class fire station. This study will make their ideas more broad and flexible, they will know where to start and to put additional details that they unfortunately didn’t saw on this research study. -Patrica Marie B. Dayao PART III: REFERENCES The researchers would like to thank all of the persons and websites that openly expanded and broadened our research, their help contributes a lot in our case study research. Websites/Articles: http://www.google.com.ph/ http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/07/12/two-fires-hit-makati/ http://www.wbir.com/news/article/286122/2/Andersonville-to-open-3rd-fire-stati on- http://megacities-go-services.com/layout/set/print/Manila/Latest-News-Articles http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/f/fires_and_firefighters/index.html http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2013/08/wrightstyle-looks-back-from-curfew-to-modern-us-fire-safety.html http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/keyword/fire-department http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Bureau_of_Fire_Protection http://www.quezoncity.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=69&Itemid=366 http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/reports/2007/R1813part3.pdf http://www.isomitigation.com/ppc/fire-station.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_department http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=fire&searchmode=none http://www.finedictionary.com/fire%20station.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_City_Fire_Department http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Fire_Department http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/ http://www.peoriagov.org/fire-department/ http://www.firestations.org.uk/Station_Details.php?stn=Woodford%20fire%20station&lat=51.609343&lon=0.024014 http://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/stationdetail.htm?stcode=01&stname=basingstoke http://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/stationdetail.htm?stcode=29&stname=petersfield http://fireservices.ap.gov.in/ http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/Content.aspx?objID=218 http://710keel.com/more-details-surface-about-the-scandal-in-the-shreveport-fire-department/ http://www.mfb.vic.gov.au/Contact-Us/MFB-details.html http://www.mfb.vic.gov.au/About-Us/Stations-and-Districts/Station-No-27.html Persons/Establishments: The graduate library of Far Eastern University for allowing them to use their materials and resources such as books and thesis projects The electronic library of Far Eastern University for allowing them to use their books and computers Makati City Central Fire station for letting the researchers do an ocular inspection, interviews and provide demonstrations for broader knowledge about this case study research topic To Supt. Ricardo C. Perdigon for providing wide range of answers to our questions and additional facts for more understanding and knowledge about this case study research topic