American Voting Behavior essays

American Voting Behavior essays Voting defines democracy. Voting is the fundamental right of almost all American citizens over the age of eighteen. In insures that the will of the people is preserved. The essential difference between America and a dictatorial nation such as Iraq is the right of our citizens to choose between two parties who represent differing opinions and contrasting viewpoints. Throughout the history of franchise, American voting behavior has showed continual patterns that can be identified and explained. To begin, young Americans develop attitudes and form opinions that allow them to get along with society. These beliefs affect the political views they hold dear later in life. This is a result of the phenomenon known as political socialization. The strongest socializing agent in political socialization is the family. That is, most children eventually adopt the beliefs of their family. Therefore, most people believe in and vote for issues that are important to members of their preceding generation, especially their mothers. Additionally, the extent to which an individual is involved in the political process is shaped by his or her familys level of involvement. If a child is raised in a house that never votes, it is quite unlikely that the child will become an active participant, and vice-versa. Although not as strong of a socializing agent, educational institutions also play a role in developing the behavior of the voter. Schools are filled with teachers who may display thei r own biases, perhaps indirectly socializing their students. This has posed a problem in the mind of conservatives, who claim that liberals, who are plentiful in both public and higher education, unknowingly pull the political beliefs of their students to the left. Next, there may be several temporary factors that contribute to American voting behavior, but party identification has always been a long-term regularity. Nearly two thirds of...

United States Presidential Pay and Compensation

United States Presidential Pay and Compensation Effective Jan. 1, 2001, the annual salary of the President of the United States was increased to $400,000 per year, including a $50,000 expense allowance, a  $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and a  $19,000 entertainment account.  The presidents salary is set by Congress, and under Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution, may not be increased or reduced during his or her current term of office. Chief Executive Salary The increase was approved as part of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act (Public Law 106-58), passed in the closing days of the 106th Congress. Sec. 644. (a) Increase in Annual Compensation.Section 102 of title 3, United States Code, is amended by striking $200,000 and inserting $400,000. (b) Effective Date.The amendment made by this section shall take effect at noon on January 20, 2001. Since initially being set at $25,000 in 1789, the president’s base salary has been increased on five occasions as follows: $50,000 on March 3, 1873$75,000 on March 4, 1909$100,000 on January 19, 1949$200,000 on January 20, 1969$400,000 on January 20, 2001 In his First Inaugural Address on April 30, 1789, President George Washington stated that he would not to accept any salary or other remuneration for serving as president.  To accepting his $25,000 salary, Washington stated, â€Å"I must decline as inapplicable to myself any share in the personal emoluments which may be indispensably included in a permanent provision for the executive department, and must accordingly pray that the pecuniary estimates for the station in which I am placed may during my continuance in it be limited to such actual expenditures as the public good may be thought to require.† In addition to a basic salary and expense accounts, the president also gets some other benefits. A Full-Time Dedicated Medical Team Since the American Revolution, the official physician to the president, as director of the White House Medical Unit created in 1945, has provided what the White House calls worldwide emergency action response and comprehensive medical care to the president, the vice president, and their families. Operating from an on-site clinic, the White House Medical Unit also attends to the medical needs of the White House staff and visitors. The official physician to the president  oversees a staff of three to five military physicians, nurses, medical assistants, and medics. The official physician and some members of his or her staff remain available to the president at all times, in the White House or during presidential trips. Presidential Retirement and Maintenance Under the Former Presidents Act, each former president is paid a lifetime, taxable pension that is equal to the annual rate of basic pay for the head of an executive federal department- $201,700  in 2015- the same annual salary paid to secretaries of the Cabinet agencies. In May 2015, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), introduced the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act, a bill that would have limited the lifetime pension paid to former presidents at $200,000 and removed the current link between presidential pensions and the salary paid to Cabinet secretaries. In addition, Sen. Chaffetz’s bill would have reduced the presidential pension by $1 for every dollar over $400,000 per year earned by former presidents from all sources. For example, under Chaffetz’s bill, former President Bill Clinton, who made almost $10 million from speaking fees and book royalties in 2014, would get no government pension or allowance at all. The bill was passed by the House on Jan. 11, 2016, and passed in the Senate on June 21, 2016. However, On July 22, 2016, President Obama vetoed the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act, telling Congress the bill â€Å"would impose onerous and unreasonable burdens on the offices of former presidents.† Help With Transition to Private Life Each former president and vice president may also take advantage of funds allocated by Congress to help facilitate their transition to private life. These funds are used to provide suitable office space, staff compensation, communications services, and printing and postage associated with the transition. As an example, Congress authorized a total of $1.5 million for the transition expenses of outgoing President George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle. The Secret Service provides lifetime protection for former presidents who entered office before Jan. 1, 1997, and for their spouses. Surviving spouses of former presidents receive protection until remarriage. Legislation enacted in 1984 allows former Presidents or their dependents to decline Secret Service protection. Former Presidents and their spouses, widows, and minor children are entitled to treatment in military hospitals. Health care costs are billed to the individual at a rate established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Former Presidents and their dependents may also enroll in private health plans at their own expense.

Movie review 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1 - Movie Review Example It is a movie about a French criminal Michel who is enamored by the cinematic persona of Humphrey Bogart. He ends up killing a policeman while committing a crime and is shown to be on the run from the police. Per chance he comes across an American girl with whom he falls in love. This youthful American girl Patricia is ambivalent about her feelings of love for Michel though she does her best to help him and make good his escape to Italy. Eventually Patricia gives in to the ambivalence bothering her and betrays Michel to the police, who is shot dead while making an escape. This is a war film that is based on the feeling of camaraderie between groups of French prisoners of war. This film presents the essential humanity in the soldiers affiliated to the warring sides and the cinematic drama in the film ensues from the prisoners of war Marechal and Rosenthal making good their escape from the Germans towards the Swiss border. The romantic drama in the film owes to an affair between a German woman Elsa and Marechal, who is eventually renounced by Marechal to be true to his call of duty. Au Hasard Balthazar is a film showcasing the life of a young farm girl and her donkey. Though the girl and the donkey eventually get separated, the film traces the life of both as they come in contact with different people and suffer abuse and violence at their hands. The donkey is shown to take abuse and violence from his varied owners with a sense of poise and grace, which elevates him to the rank of a saint. In contrast, though the girl also suffers abundant violence and abuse in her life, yet her destiny remains unresolved and chaotic, thereby bringing in a sense of irony into the plot. This is a film that has for its setting a village in the Indian province of Bengal. This film captures the Indian country life in Bengal during the World War II. It showcases the immense human suffering and pain marking the Great Famine of 1943 in the province of Bengal

Talent Development and Capability in Sunny Optical Dissertation

Talent Development and Capability in Sunny Optical - Dissertation Example When the four dimensions of emotional intelligence pursuant to Coleman’s model are examined, the value for talent retention and attraction is obvious. These four dimensions of emotional intelligence are the cornerstone of â€Å"effective primal leadership† (Pahl 2008, p. 8). Leaders will not be able to manage their emotions if they are not aware of their own emotions. As a result, their ability to cope with and manage organization relationships will be compromised. Also tied to self-awareness is self-confidence. A confident leader inspires trust from within the organizations. This is important because, talented employees are more likely to remain with an organization lead by a self-confident leader (Pierce and Newstrom 2002). The self-management dimension of emotional intelligence is also important to talent retention and attraction because it is tied to control of one’s emotions and will likely be accompanied by transparent leadership, the ability to adapt, high achievement, initiative and optimism. What this means is that by being transparent, Wu exhibits key elements of trustworthiness: honesty and integrity. Being able to adapt means that Wu has the necessary ability to adapt to the new labour law and low available talent and to overcome these challenges. Achievement means that Wu has the determination to enhance performance and talent and to meet these objectives. Being possessed of initiative, Wu is ready to act and to take advantage of any opportunity that arises (Pahl 2008). Social awareness is perhaps the most important trait associated with emotional intelligence for resolving the challenges for SO. Social awareness involves empathy and manifests the basic ability to sense and predict the emotions of others and to show understanding and interest... The paper demonstrates how the emotional intelligence is a good way to retain and attract talent and thus if channelled properly. The drive to attract and retain talent is important for the success of any organization. Ultimately, organizations will stand or fall on its talent. The key issues are whether or not Wu and the remainder of the management team at SO are making the correct decisions relative to where to invest finances and human capital and whether or not they have the wherewithal to ensure that the organization is innovative and competitive. This report identifies the challenges for achieving this objective and recommends ways that SO can overcome these challenges to meet its talent retention goals. As a result of the difficulties associated with coming into direct contact with leaders, the following recommendations are made so that SO capitalizes on its CEO’s emotional intelligence for the purpose of retaining and attracting talent. To start with, SO is a knowledge intensive organization with its emphasis on quality products and innovation. Finally and more importantly, as the paper says, Wu should take steps to ensure that he is personally available to his staff so that they can be influenced by his emotional intelligence. It is not enough that he meets weekly with other management. In the meantime, funds and resources should be allocated to training and education so that all staff members will have the opportunity to develop talent.

Article Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Article Critique - Essay Example It is vital to understand the methods implemented by single mothers to successfully cope with stress as mothers experiencing stress can be detrimental to the stressors of their children. Similarly, a link has been revealed that shows a correlation between the economic stress of a single mother, the way in which she responds to and raises her child, and the overall outcome of her child in regard to their own behaviors and future economic status. Understanding how economic pressure negatively influences a single mother will also help in gaining an understanding into how maternal optimism promotes positive parenting behaviors despite environmental adversity, thus promoting a positive life for the child. Another purpose that this article serves is to fill the gap of literature pertaining to dispositional optimism within minority ethnic groups, especially in relation to mother-headed homes. Very few studies have been undergone in regard to this; most studies have looked into the negative influences and outcomes of single-mother households, shunting aside the existence of maternal optimism in other families with similar structures. Methods The study began in the mid-1990s, using 889 African American children, their caregivers, and, when possible, an older sibling, all living in Iowa and Georgia. The participants of the study were taken on through telephone interviews. Data was collected between these families in four different waves, starting in 1997 and ending in 2006. Of the original 889 participants available during the first wave, only 86.7% were involved in wave two and three interviews. From this group, families run by single mothers, as opposed to caregivers, were chosen and the others were dismissed. The final sample group of the study consisted of 394 single mother families. During each interview, two two-hour home visits in a span of seven days were made to each family. The first visit involved the giving of consent, both of the mother and the children to p articipate in the study; name and locations of schools were also given, and children’s teachers were authorized to provide further information about the children’s functioning at school. The ages of the participating children varied from ten to fifteen years of age; the mean age of the mothers was thirty-five years of age. The mean education of the mothers was approximately twelve years, and the mean income was $20,689. The mean number of children per family varied between one and two. Various questions were asked of the mothers and children, each pertaining to certain economic situations or behavioral statuses. These variables would be used to measure the overall situations of the individual families. These variables are are follows: Mother’s childhood adversity, which asked eight questions to determine if the mother was subjected to specific adverse childhood advents such as a relative living at home having a serious drinking problem. Economic pressure, which measured four indicators (unmet material needs, cannot make ends meet, financial cutbacks, and no money), all dealing with the financial situation of the household. Mother’s dispositional optimism was then measured, offering yes/no questions to determine the mother’s level of optimism during times of hardship. Mother’s internalizing symptoms, which measured how depressed, discouraged,

The Country I Live in Essay Example for Free

The Country I Live in Essay I living in Russia, love our country and is proud of it. The official name of our country is The Republic of the Russian Federation there are 21 republics and 65 other regions in the Russian Federation. The key symbol of Russia is the troika. The Nation government of Russia consist of the President, the Council of Ministers and Federal Assembly. There are two houses in the Federal Assembly: The Federal Council and the State Duma. The population of Russia is about 145000000. The ecological situation in Russia is not very safe. Pollution in some industrial towns is high. Some parts of western Russia were badly influenced by the radiation from Chernobyl in 1986. Russia is located in Northern hemisphere, in the north of continent Eurasia. She is washed by waters of Silent and Arctic oceans, and also Baltic, Black, Azov by the seas of Atlantic ocean and Caspian sea, More than 70 % of territory of Russia are occupied by plains and lowlands. In the south of the European part northern ridges of the Big caucasus (here there is the highest top of Russia Elbrus, 5 642) In Russia more than 120 thousand rivers and about 2 million lakes. The largest rivers: the Cupid, Lena, Yenisei, Irtysh, Ob, Volga, Kama; the largest lakes Caspian seas, Baikal, Ladoga, Onega. Position of Russia in northern part of Eurasia has caused her placing in Arctic, subarctic, moderated and partially in subtropical climatic belts. The prevailing part of territory is located in a moderate belt. A variety of a climate depends also on features of a relief and affinity or remoteness of ocean. Woods occupy over 40 % of territory. In territory of Russia there is a fifth part of all woods of the world and half of world coniferous woods. The fauna is various here live both polar bears, and walruses, both tigers, and leopards, etc. In Russia 35 national parks and 84 reserves are located. Unique in the country the natural park which is in city boundaries — Omsk  «the Birds harbour ». Moscow the capital of Russia and one of the worlds great cities. Yuri Dolgoruky founds Moscow in 1147. Today Moscow is the political centre of Russia, the countys leading city in population, industry and in culture importance. Moscow is definitely a city of contrasts. So rich in many ways, yet in other ways, quite poor. Moscow stands on the Moskva River in the centre of vast plain of European Russia. The climate is continental. Moscow is the largest industrial centre of Russia. The most important industries are those producing automobiles and trucks, machine tools, radio and television sets. The most important element in Moscows city transport is the metro subway. The system was began in 1935 and still developing. Some of the stations, especially the older ones, are highly decorate with marble, statues and mosaics. Moscow is a city where a lot can be seen and much can be done. You can seen: Red Square, St. Basils Cathedral, The Momunent to Minin and Pozharsky, Lobnoye Metro, The Spasskay Tower, The Lenin Mausoleum, The State History Museum, The State Department Store (GUM) and many other places. Moscow has numerous theaters, headed by the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre, which was founded in 1825. The citys principal drama theatre is the Moscow Art Theatre. Also of the worldwide fame are the State Central Puppet Theatre and Moscow State Circus. Moscow has some museums and art galleries of international rank. Among them are the State Pushkin of Fine Arts, with a fine international collection, and the State Tretyakov Gallery with an excellent collection of Russian paintings. Moscow is one of the cities of the world that must be seen. Russia has produced a great number of very creative and talented people, for example: Alexander Pushkin, Peter Tchaikovsky, Isaac Levitan, Georgy Zhykov, Yuti Gagarin, Andrei Sakharov, Boris Godunov, Vladimir Lenin, Vladimir Putin and e.t.c. Theatrical performances, museums and picture galleries in fact all aspects of Russian live prove that. The Russians are much interested it the rest of the world. Russian people are very hospitable, hardworking, friendly, open, honest, generous, kind, sometimes sentimental, sometimes careless, often unsmiling, having bold manners, sometimes lazy and selfish. Russian love animals, especially dogs and horses. Russian cultural level is quite high, Russian people like to read books, to visit theaters, museums and different concerts. We are the nation of sport lovers because our people like different kinds of sports and spend a lot of time going in for sport or just watching it. Many Russian are religious people. The main church is the Russian Orthodox Church. It has survived the hard times and now people speak about a rebirth of religion in the country. Russian keep our traditions because there are lots of traditions which have been maintained from ancient time. Russian national holidays — the holidays of Russian people connected with widespread national traditions of their carrying out. New year (in the night from December, 31st for January, 1st). It is accepted to decorate a premise the decorated New Year tree or branches. At midnight for January, 1st the congratulation of the head of the state and peal of bells obeys. On a table it is accepted to submit, among other, a Russian salad and champagne. To children give gifts (from Father Frost). According to sociological polls, it is the most celebrated holiday. Christmas (on January, 7th on new style and on December, 25th on Ã'ŽÐ »Ã ¸Ã °Ã ½Ã' Ã ºÃ ¾Ã ¼Ã'Æ' to a calendar) — an orthodox holiday. At night before Christmas it is accepted to guess that was never approved by orthodox church. The holiday is marked by a solemn celebratory supper. The tradition to mark Christmas is officially restored in Post-Soviet Russia. Day of the defender of Fatherland (on February, 23rd) — widely celebrated mans holiday established at the Soviet power, and in Post-Soviet Russia become in the day off. Women congratulate men and give them gifts. Congratulations are accepted also by women-military men, and also participants of wars. The international womens day (on March, 8th) — female holiday officially established still at the Soviet power became in public marked. Men congratulate women, give them flowers and gifts. Maslenitsa (Pancake week) — week before the Lent. Has ancient pagan roots. During all week bake and eat pancakes. Easter — an orthodox holiday. Celebratory meal — Easter (cottage cheese with candied fruits), Easter cakes, coloured in red colour and welded eggs. Victory Day over Hitlerite Germany (on May, 9th) — an official All-Russia holiday. It is accepted to visit burial places of the soldiers who were lost during the Second World War, and to remember the fallen. Veterans put on awards and medals and accept congratulations. This day on Red Square military parade is spent. Celebratory actions last years are decorated by yellow-black Guards tapes. Day of national unity (on November, 4th). A Victory Day of Russian over the Polish invaders in 1612. This day across all Russia Russian nationalists spend Russian march. The greatest love of Russia is for tea – its drunk without milk and often served with homemade jam (varene), baranki and pirozhki. The mail dishes of the traditional menu are blini (homemade pancakes) with caviar, honey or sour crà ¨me; different soups (like shci and borshch), pirozhki, pelmyeni. Usually tourists buy traditional Russian souvenirs such as Martyoshka dolls, beautifully painted mugs, plates and spoons from the village of Khokhloma and Palekh boxes.

Project Management Of The Emirates Stadium Construction Essay

Project Management Of The Emirates Stadium Construction Essay A lot has been documented on the principals and methodologies required to successfully execute a project, that it almost seems a Clichà © when the term project management is discussed. However, I shall try to focus on project management in the construction industries as it is a good idea to discuss project management as it applies to a specific industry. In this two part report, I shall attempt to first critically analyse and evaluate the PM challenges as documented in the group presentations, with the aim of; Critically evaluating the management challenges identified and highlighting how the groups dealt with identifying the challenges and frameworks adopted in explaining these challenges. Evaluating the procurement strategy adopted and considering reasons for its adoptions, benefits derived and circumstances contributing to its success, before considering alternative approaches. Make a comparison between the management strategy adopted for the emirate stadium and established best practices. THE EMIRATE STADIUM Arsenal football club had previously occupied the Highbury stadium. With a capacity to hold 35,000 fans, this was grossly inadequate for a club increasing in fan base due to her popularity and successes achieved in competition with other top flight clubs in the premiership. Therefore the club management decided to invest in a larger stadium as a means of accommodating the increasing fan population but more strategically, rebranding the club and increasing its competitiveness with top flight clubs at the premiership. PROJECT OVERVIEW Hence, a design and built contract was signed by Sir Robert Alpine for a  £220m worth 60,000 capacity stadium facility, after an intense planning and conception stage spanning 5 years. The entire project cost was estimated at  £400m including related projects due to relocation works and ancillary works. (Designbuild-network.com, 2008) The actual construction commenced March 2004 and was completed by July 2006 ahead of schedule and on budget. At the end of the entire project, 80 businesses had been relocated, 2500 new homes had been provided, 2600 new jobs and 4 new community health facilities built. A successful project with regards to its achievement of project objectives at the stipulated time frame, within the estimated budget and to the quality and performance required. (Arsenal, 2007) But like all projects, risks, challenges and uncertainties are sure to abound, the outcome of the project however, will depends on the identification and mitigations of these risks and uncertainties plus the application of management strategies and tools. CLASSIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES So lets look at the challenges identified, one key observation from a critical assessment of the group challenges identified was the frequent repetition of similar challenges expressed in different words, mainly due to varying dictions of expressions. Classification of these challenges was therefore necessary to critically evaluate and analyse them. Some groups adopted a framework to identify the challenges. Groups 3 and 4 in particular, identified the challenges using the project life cycle framework. On the other hand, groups 1, 2 and 5 viewed the challenges by broadly looking at individual elements of the projects strategic management and operational stages as viewed by the contractor during the implementation of the project. For groups adopting the project life cycle framework, the task of identifying key challenges was best viewed by considering each phase of the lifecycle. The initiation and planning stages in particular, required critical risks assessments before the implementation phase because of the ease to adjust plans and mitigate risks at these initial phases. They effectively pointed out that, due to the attention paid to issues such as collaboration, client management, extensive site investigation and a constant assessment of uncertainties, a smooth implementation stage ensued. Presentations for group 1, 2 and 5 as mentioned earlier, broadly looking at individual management strategies of the project implementation and operational stages as viewed by the contractor during the implementation of the project and can be broadly categorised under the following; Strategic Management challenges: client satisfaction, stakeholder impact and project coordination. By identifying the need to manage people, risks, strategy adopted budgetary issues and contracts details, these presentations focused primarily on organisational elements of the project with emphasis on the construction management aspects. Operational/Design and Construction Challenges: Although project management challenge was the main focus, it seems illogical not to consider certain technical issues as major challenges. Therefore key engineering challenges such as restrictions in stadium height (a local planning authority directive), pitch quality, service fitting and the need for access bridges to the stadium were challenges that shaped most decisions taken by the project managers. Table 2.1 Categorisation of Identified Challenges MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK CATEGORISATION IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES GROUPS PROJECT LIFECYCLE FRAMEWORK INITIATIONS Scope and Specification, Identifying stakeholders, Deciding Location, Planning Business and home Relocations, 3 4 PLANNING Reaching and securing Authority Approval, Satisfying Stakeholder and client expectation, Procurement Strategy Selection. Risk Management IMPLEMENTATION Design and Technical Challenges, Risk Mitigation, Traffic control, Community involvement, TERMINATION Testing and commissioning Challenges, Client Satisfaction NO SPECIFIC FRAMEWORK STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Procurement Strategy, Document Management, Timing and Scheduling, Stakeholder and Client management, Team work and Coordination, Defining Scope, Communication, Cash flow and Budget Control. 1, 2 5 OPERATIONAL/DESIGN CONSTRUCTION Pitch Quality, Roof design, Construction Technique, Weather, Geotechnical, height restraints, Relocation and details, Pedestrian Bridges, Choice of Material The table above show the key project management challenges identified and categorised under management frameworks as adopted by the groups. PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH All groups identified the adopted procurement strategy as the design and build or turnkey approach however, the common opinion was that adopting a management contract procurement approach would have proved equally successful. To critically evaluate the management approach and understand the reasons for its adoption and factors aiding its successful utilization, a brief description of these two procurement approaches would be reviewed. Design and Build: one contractor is employed to design, manage and construct the project. Although mostly taking a variety of forms, the contractors roles may include the following; As principal contractor who carries out all design and construction, with minor subcontractors. As the clients agent, managing the consultants and contractors who carry out the actual design. A combination of principal contractor for design or construction, and management contractor for the other functions. ( F. Harrison and D. Lock, 2004) So why was this adopted? To a greater extent, it provided the client (Arsenal FC) the following advantages; Time/ contract duration could be shortened and facility ready for start of the new season Exempted the client from the technicalities of building a stadium. They were club managers who knew nothing about building a stadium but recognized the importance of the facility in meeting their business goal. Protected the client from the complexities in project organisation. Enable the client to transfer most risks identified in the conception stage. In this case study, Sir Robert Alpine was the designated design and build contractor, together with her supply chain which included Architects HOK Sports venue, Bur Happold (the structural, Mechanical and electrical engineers) and AYH PLC (Project Managers/Quantity Surveyors). Figure 2.1 ORGANISATION/PROJECT ROLE FOR THE EMIRATE STADIUM CONSTRUCTION The alternative, management contracting approach as recommended by all, is characterised by the client appointing an external organisation to manage and coordinate the delivery of the project. The main advantages to the client in the case study would have been benefits from time and cost savings and better flexibility with regards to changes. Thereby, allowing the client to concentrate on dealing with sponsorship deals, investors and the large number of stakeholders. COMPARISION WITH BEST PRACTICE The main success criterion of a construction project is the value of the facility to the client over time. Successful delivery requires an integrated process in which design, construction, operations and maintenance are considered as a whole, together with an understanding of how the project will affect efficiency and service delivery over the lifetime of the project. (OGC, 2009) So whatever they are called, best practices, golden rules or PM creeds, the general believe is, following these techniques summaries in figure 2.2 below will effectively manage a project to time, cost, quality and performance. The office of Government commerce therefore set out guidance to achieving excellence in construction project management. In their opinion success is guaranteed if projects are planned to ensure they possess the following; Projects provide the best option to meet the business need Have sufficient resources allocated to deliver the project and effectively manage these resources. Are managed through defined and accepted accountabilities, supported by clear and short reporting lines which ensure effective channels of communication between stakeholders, clients and project Implementation team Have a clear commitment throughout the integrated project team to clearly defined objectives. (OGC, 2009) I shall endeavour to compare the management approach as adopted in this case study with the recommended and prescribed best practices as stated by the office of Government Commerce. The OGC recommends that resources, roles and responsibilities for delivery should be assigned to effective individuals who are empowered to deliver, who are drawn from the business unit that owns the project. The OGC further stated, Critical consideration needs to be paid to ensuring effective lines of communication. The effectiveness of the lines of communication to top level management, who are then responsible for making decisions based on these information provided. Successful delivery requires an integrated process in which design, construction, operation and maintenance are considered as a whole. (OGC, 2007) Health and safety performance during all phases of the project is mandatory. There are also legal requirements which require clients to set requirements for healthy, safe working conditions and facilities on construction sites. (OGC, 2007) Amongst the OGCs best practice recommendations, is the selection of the right people for the project team. They stated that the selection of an integrated project team is a paramount consideration in project planning. The best projects and the best clients put time into getting the right project team. They assess the quality of the individuals, their ability to work together and their experience. For the emirate stadium case study, the design and build contractor commented after the project completion (SRM, 2009) [a] textbook example of project management and team building, Emirates Stadium showcases the benefits our collaborative approach to business can bring. Our early involvement and that of our key supply chain partners was an essential element in the projects success. Risk assessment and value management should be continually assessed throughout a projects lifecycle. With early collaboration between the entire integrated project team, risks are better identified and resolved before risk mitigations become too expensive to implement. (OGC, 2007) The adoption of the lowest price tendered does not often lead to best value for money. Quality and costs of the implemented projected over the life of the asset are the real indicators of value for money. The focus should always be the optimum balance of required quality and the whole-life costs of a facility the costs of acquiring it, the costs of maintaining it and the costs of operating it over the whole life of the asset to its disposal. (OGC, 2007) Judges at the awards for the building project of the year stated, The whole process was an example of how important teamwork should be to a project, with everyone from the client to the contractor and subcontractors coming together and working successfully to ensure the project was completed on time and under budget. The way that this team tackled design changes should be a lesson to the industry. (Martin Spring, 2007) In summary, the emirate stadium project highlighted in context and principle, is an exemplary addition to best practice adoption and utilization in stadium construction, of course with certain modification as best fits the project in question. Figure 2.2 BEST PRACTICE SUMMARY USING THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE FRAMEWORK For example, collaboration during the planning and design stage, formulating and communicating set milestones to the project team, feed backs and managing the clients expectation in view of the outcomes provided. Figure 2.3 show as weights, the management strategy adopted in relation to a summarised best practice. Figure 2.3 COMPARING BEST PRACTICE WITH CASE STUDY THE 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES For this part of the report, I shall attempt to develop guidelines for the 2012 Olympic by firstly; Discussing the differences between managing a single project and managing a project as part of a larger portfolio or programme. Review current facts about the on-going 2012 Olympic stadium construction that will further assist to pinpoint and discuss project management challenges. And then finally, based on the characteristics of the project identified, lessons learnt and a review of the best practices, develop guidelines for the project. PROJECT OVERVIEW In July 2005 the International Olympic Committee awarded the city of London the hosting rights for the 2012 Olympic Games. With the establishment of this immovable deadline, the London organising committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), aware of the heights of expectations, particularly after the ingenuity displayed by the Chinese, began plans in earnest. Milestones were set, plans conceived and a programme to regenerate London in preparation for the games was hatched. The entire programme included amongst others, the redevelopment of a 24 hectare Olympic park to accommodate an Olympic stadium, ten sports venues, an Olympic Village, media centre, parklands, several training venues and pre-game training camps. THE OLYMPIC STADIUM The stage was therefore set for the construction of the main Olympic arena, the 80,000 capacity Olympic stadium. At an estimated cost of  £469 million, to be completed in 2011 and convertible to a 25,000 capacity stadium after the games. PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT VERSUS PROJECT MANAGEMENT Having clearly stated how the Olympic stadium (as a project) fits into the entire Olympic delivery programme, I will begin by defining a project, a programme and their managements. This will enable my arguments in reviewing the differences between managing a single project and a project under a programme of work. D.C Ferns (1991, p. 21) defined a programme as a group of projects managed in a coordinated manner in other to gain benefits which are not achievable by managing individual projects independently. R.S House (1988, p. 16) in his book the human side of project management defined a project as [a] group of related tasks or activities which together satisfy one or more objectives. Robert Prieto defined program management as [t]he definition and integration of a number of projects to cause a broader, strategic business outcome to be achieved. He further argued that Programme management is not just the sum of all project management activities but also includes management of the risks, opportunities and activities that occur between projects. (PM Hut, 2008) While an individual project will employ a specific project delivery approach (design-bid-build, design/build, DBOM etc.), program management may combine different delivery approaches across multiple projects to best achieve the desired strategic business objectives. In the case study as I will later explain, a consortium was formed (Team McAlpine) to deliver the project. Now using several management parameters, I will therefore itemize the differences between their managements. Table 3.1 Differences between Programme Management and project Management Parameter Programme Management Project Management Organization Semi-permanent in nature, resourced to address the full range of business requirements associated with achievement of a strategic business objective Transient organization in nature, resourced to address a limited set of requirements that may be more temporal in nature and not recurring through all project phases. Organizational Alignment Analogous to building a new company with a sharply defined strategic business objective. Team alignment around project and contract requirements Outcome Definition Strategic Business Outcome (enterprise viewpoint) Defined scope, schedule and budget (output viewpoint) Risk Management Management of all risks associated with achievement of the defined strategic business objectives Management of assumed risks Requirements Establish programmatic and system technical requirements and allocate as appropriate to individual projects Manage project to meet the allocated programmatic and system technical requirements Interface Management Management of all programmatic interfaces between defined projects as well as other programmatic interfaces with stakeholder groups Management of allocated interfaces, if any, and all interfaces within the assembled project team Execution Planning Program wide execution planning including top level schedule, budget, performance standards, supply chain configuration and contracting strategy Project execution planning consistent with agreed to scope schedule, budget. and performance standards Timeframe Through achievement of strategic business objectives (more permanent in nature) Duration associated with completion of project activities Stakeholder Engagement Identification and integration of stakeholders interests and proactive engagement to assure achievement of strategic business objectives Interaction with stakeholder groups only as contractually provided for Source 🙠 PM Hut, 2008) Figure 3.1 Impressionist view of the London 2012 stadium. PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES Before outlining the challenges, we will look briefly at certain information we have gather about the games so far. The multidisciplinary management structure required to deliver the project. The LOCOG acts in the capacity of client for the stadium project. They appointed the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to manage all embodied projects with the stadium inclusive. Hok sports, venues ltd was the designated architects, Bur Happlold the service engineers, Sir Robert Alpine the construction firm and M-E Engineers as the mechanical consultant. A consortium was formed and named Team McAlpine comprising all mentioned for the delivery of the project. The share size and number of stakeholders was of National and international proportion. These includes; The mayor and people of Stratford, London Minister for the Olympics British Olympic Association The International Olympic committee The individual featured sports committee The department of culture, media and sports The British Paralympics Association More than a dozen sponsors and Partners Quite a number of official suppliers and providers. The interrelated projects that would have direct and indirect impacts on the stadium construction e.g. the Olympic park, the volodrome, the access bridges. The budget initially estimated at  £280 million but quickly rose to  £496 million mostly due to rising inflation and an increase in contingencies (Guardian, 2009). The stadiums proposed location, a contaminated site at Stratford in central London. (Contract Journal, 2009) The economic downturn that hit the financial market and the world in general. Rising inflation figures as released by economic analyst on the health of the economy. The announcement by the IOC, naming sustainability as a focus for the summer Olympics, this made it clear that the London 2012 organizers had to think beyond the Olympics and consider the concept of legacy, in particular environmental sustainability. (B. Digby, 2009). Therefore, challenges were present right from the conception phase through the entire project lifecycle, and based on the facts listed above, the following challenges can be deduced; The sustainability slogan meant most of the designs proposed had to be carbon sensitive and sustainability driven. This called for innovative designs and as explained by Alan Webb (1996, p. x) the management and creation of innovative projects are the most challenging of all managerial tasks as novelty implies a leap into the unknown. It is not for the faint hearted for there are shocks and surprises around every corner. Cost and budgetary issues represents one of the greatest challenges the project faces. Many things can happen during the lifecycle of a project to increase project cost estimate, distort the expected rate and magnitude of expenditure (D. Lock, 2007). Has was the case when the recent financial meltdown raised its ugly head. The challenge of managing stakeholder involvement is worth mentioning. Particularly regarding the sensitivity attached to stadium construction in the United Kingdom. The media was recently awash with condemnation for the management team of the Wembley stadium finishing behind schedule and with an escalated budget. Secondly, the magnitude of stakeholders warrants a proper dissemination of information and the pre-planned mitigation of wrong or biased information. A.D. Orr (2004, P. 8) wrote, [t]he purpose of a stakeholder plan is to ensure that the relationships between the principal people in the project have been discussed and the information flowing between them have been agreed. The site for the construction was reported contaminated, although this might appear not to be a project management challenge, it is important to understand the project managerial resonance this might generate due to uncertainties ascribed. The selection of a procurement strategy is always a challenge for projects in a multi project environment. The OGC advises that the procurement of contractor should be on the basis of whole-life value for money. The design and operation of the facility should maximize the delivery of effective service and this is most likely to be achieved through integration of design, construction, operation and on-going maintenance (OGC, 2007). In the Olympic stadium case study, a consortium was formed and proved a substantial factor in the mitigation of the project risks. It is important to mention resources management (void of cost) as a key challenge. One of the aims spelt out in the London 2012 sustainability policy document is to demonstrate an exemplary resource management practice (TOB, 2007). As a result resource utilization was minimized to achieve energy and environmental sustainability and project manager had to make tough decisions during construction. GUIDELINES FOR THE 2012 OLYMPIC STADIUM H. Kerzner (1994, p. 43) wrote, [t]he success of a project is best determined by its ability to deliver within the specified time, cost, desired performance and technology level whilst utilizing the resources effectively and efficiently. If an organization is to be successful in the delivery of its projects, it is essential to establish standards by which those projects are selected, managed and delivered. And these standards must be consistent with the organizations strategic plans (Maxs, 2009). Therefore, a step-by-step recommendation for establishing consistent successful performance for the management of the 2012 Olympic stadium can be outlined as follows; Plan and understand the project lifecycle. A standard set of project phases, stages and typical milestones required by the organisations management to enable the consistent structuring and cost-effective processing of the organisations project. (Maxs- Issacons, 2000). Align your resources independently with each phase of the project lifecycle. Selecting a procurement strategy that best suites the project characteristics. Wright wrote, the selection of a contract and contractor are influenced by the nature of parties involve, the project objectives, and the equitable allocation of responsibilities and risk, amongst other factors. (N.J Smith, 2002) Establish a control over the project ensuring that a system of reporting, allocating responsibilities and quality assessment is well defined. Bower wrote that the purpose of control is to ensure that the projects status is reported in a consistent, cost effective and timely manner to the project manager, so that necessary action can be taken. (N.J Smith, 2002) Ensure that plans are understood by all team members and constant updates of the plans are frequently done. J.P Lewis (2000) wrote, It would be nice to think that a plan, once developed, will never change. However, that is unrealistic. Unforeseen problems are almost certain to arise. The most important thing is plan, re-plan and re-plan. Continually assess risks. It is helpful to try to categorise the risks associated with the project both as a guide to identification, and to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate risk-management strategy. (N.J Smith, 2002) Manage the impact of stakeholder involvement in the project. Although they appear as indirect players in the project environment, the stakeholders impact on the success of the project. Therefore managing their impact is vital to every successful project. Setting delivery milestones dates for the various facets of the project and having a work breakdown structure helps to identify critical paths and activity duration. This is a must have for the Olympic stadium project. CONCLUSION In this report, we have categorised the project management challenges highlighted in the group presentation. In the categorisation, I have pointed out that while some groups utilized a framework for identifying the challenges, other groups mentioned the challenges under two main categories, strategic management and operational risks. In critically analysing the challenges mentioned, it would appear that selecting a framework for evaluating the risks is indeed a good practice. It is now obvious that a proper understanding of project peculiarities help to reveal challenges. While all groups were speculative about the challenges categorising the challenges would have help to further identify peculiar risks and challenges requiring the formulation of a risks management strategy. The best practice for construction management refers to tools, techniques and guidelines that have proved effective over a wide range of construction management projects. And again this report has utilized a typical project lifecycle framework to outline the necessary elements required at each phase of a project. The assessment of risk and uncertainties was a process repeated in most phases of a project lifecycle because in actual sense the entire functions of a project manage revolves around his ability to provide resolutions to those uncertainties that eventually become a challenge in the implementation of a project. The importance of planning was also emphasised at every phase of the project and planning does not seize until the project has been delivered to time, budget and quality. In the 2012 Olympic case study, differentiating the stadium construction project from a single project and identifying it as belonging to a multiply project environment reveals the need to adopt a different strategies. However, some elements of an established best practice such as value management and risk management would generally be applied successfully. To successfully Identifying the challenges, a review of the facts about the project is necessary as the magnitude and true nature of challenges become obvious. Then finally based on the characteristics of the project identified, lessons learnt and a review of the best practices, eight sets of guidelines were develop for the 2012 Olympic stadium project.