The Lotus by Toru Dutt - 1493 Words

THE LOTUS A poem by Toru Dutt Love came to Flora asking for a flower That would of flowers be undisputed queen, The lily and the rose, long, long had been Rivals for that high honour. Bards of power Had sung their claims. The rose can never tower Like the pale lily with her Juno mien-- But is the lily lovelier? Thus between Flower-factions rang the strife in Psyches bower. Give me a flower delicious as the rose And stately as the lily in her pride-- But of what colour?--Rose-red, Love first chose, Then prayed,--No, lily-white,--or, both provide; And Flora gave the lotus, rose-red dyed, And lily-white,--the queenliest flower that blows. An Analysis of the Poem The†¦show more content†¦After converting his family to Christianity, Govin took them to France and then England before returning to India in 1874. During these travels, Dutt’s writing began to develop. Although she was educated extensively in Europe, Dutt does not abandon her Indian heritage. Instead, she weaves her own culture with the English language, producing a tapestry of lyricism and imagery. Her sonnet, â€Å"The Lotus,† is just one example of this young woman’s ability. Notes; 1) As Dr. Mary Ellis Gibson notes in her recent tudy of Toru Dutt, Dutt’s father published most of her poetry after her death, but if she herself titled this poem, the appearance of â€Å"Sonnet† in the title plays an interesting role. Because she is writing in English, the declaration of the poem’s form is curious—an English audience would have recognized the poem as a sonnet without her naming it in the title. Poetically, however, the appearance works in several ways: I) it claims the form as hers, thereby making her a â€Å"bard of great power,† such as she references in the poem; II) it juxtaposes the most beautiful form of English poetry with the lotus flower itself, reinforcing its unrivaled beauty; III) it poetically expresses both the hybridity of the color of the lotus as well as that of the poet. Toru wrote â€Å"Sonnet.—The Lotus† as a Petrarchan sonnet, a form whose structure often informs its content. Petrarchan sonnets are comprised of 14 lines which are divided into an octave andShow MoreRelatedSarojini Naidu1131 Words   |  5 Pageshad begun to dream that it had a soul. ( â€Å"Introduction† The Bird of Time ) Such a revelation of the heart of India began with the poems of Toru Dutt. Greatly influenced by the puranas and the religious culture of ancient India, she interpreted Indian life before the Western world by recapturing the legendary past of India in her verses. Following Toru Dutt, Sarojini Naidu wrote poems rooted in Indian folklore, myths and legends thus showing the West the soul of India. Sarojini Naidu’s poetry can

Descartes And Descartes s The Meditations - 987 Words

In the Meditations, Descartes believes you can figure out the truth based on your own mind and do not need to go to the outside world. Aristotle and Descartes wouldn’t agree. For example, a blind person. Aristotle would say he cannot know light so he would have to see it from some outside source to get knowledge. Descartes would say to not go to the outside world to find truth. Descartes would recommend meditation: self- reflection. First, you will look at your own mind, using your own mind to look at your mind. Then from that meditation on your mind you can figure out the truth. Descartes believes the simplest explanation is always the best. We have ideas, they are our first reality in our mind and he says to test them for simplicity†¦show more content†¦Dream reality equals real reality they are both an experience in my head. One isn’t better than the other. For example, two plus two equals four. I didn’t create it, outside me did. So now I have this d oubt and I want to go outside and see if it out there but as soon as you move outside you added new information which made the idea more complex. Which makes it now more doubt, so now I’m confused. The problem with skepticism you use doubt to try to figure out what ideas are good and true then you rip all your ideas apart and say outside world will never save you in finding that truth. The evil deceiver can be pumping all deception to you. He can say, they want us to think two plus two is four, but is it? All of this in the world can be an illusion but am I an illusion? No matter what trick they do to you, you have to be tricked so they can’t get rid of you. You are necessary. Human being and human sole is something you can never prove as an illusion. We have ideas and our mind is like a foundation and you cannot get rid of our mind. He doubted everything so much he was unable to doubt himself. I exist, and I’m different from the world so I have ideas. Thinking for Descartes is doubting and doubting is radical freewill. We all believe we have freewill, we all believe we are special and unique, we all believe we are different from everything else. Descartes wants to show us we are special and free. The â€Å"thinking I† is like theShow MoreRelatedDescartes s Meditations, Descartes Essay1139 Words   |  5 PagesEssay 3: Prompt 1 Though unstated throughout his meditations, Descartes primary goal in the Meditations is to lay a strong foundation for the mathematical science that is emerging during his lifetime. There are two Aristotelian doctrines that Descartes wants to reject, the first which is final causation. The second is qualitative science, because Descartes tends to favor quantitative science over final causation. In Descartes’s first meditation his method of doubt is seen clearly since he knowsRead MoreAnalysis Of Descartes s The Meditations Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesExample and Our Ability to Perceive In the Meditations, Descartes abandons his views about everything he knows in the world. During this he discusses the idea of senses relying on the mind rather than the body. The role of senses is shown through his demonstration of the wax example and the ever changing properties the wax entailed. â€Å"The perception I have of it is a case not of vision or touch or imagination†¦but purely of mental scrutiny.† (Descartes 31) To Descartes, the senses were deceiving and couldRead MoreAnalysis Of Descartes s The Meditations Essay1580 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the Meditations, Descartes successfully establishes methodical doubt about math and all sensory information, however, his answer to the doubt cast by the Evil Demon ploy does not fully relieve the dilemma of skepticism that his intense application of doubt has brought forth. Ultimately, Descartes is unable to satisfactorily answer the Evil Demon doubt because his argument does not prove that God’s existe nce would not prevent the serious errors in judgment and perception caused by the EvilRead MoreDescartes s Fourth Meditation On Truth And Falsity1439 Words   |  6 PagesDescartes’s fourth meditation, he specifically demonstrates the relationship between the intellect and will, and his understanding of truth and falsity. Also, according to the objection regarding the cause of error, we know that Descartes’s idea of the source of error and the scope of the intellect and will is challenged. Objectors have different thoughts on the source of errors and they believe the scope of the intellect even seems to be wider than that of will. In fact, I agree with Descartes that the intellectRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On The Existence Of God929 Words   |  4 PagesDescartes sets out in his meditations to prove that something exists beyond any doubt. He determines that the only way to prove anything outside of his mind is to prove the existence of his idea of God. The ide as that come from his process are interesting, but he doesn’t prove the existence of God is undeniable. Several arguments Descartes uses to claim God exists, don’t hold up to what he has proved up to that point in his meditations. The first being his use of the causal principle on which theRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On First Philosophy1295 Words   |  6 Pagesback for centuries, millennia even. Over the years, many great thinkers have struggled to either defend or discredit this belief, a belief that has managed to spread to every corner of the globe. One such thinker is Renà © Descartes. In his Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes attempts to provide logical reasoning to support the existence of God, both asserting his own claims and defending them against possible objections. A prevalent argument against the existence of God is the simple fact thatRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On First Philosophy Essay2099 Words   |  9 PagesFirst published in La tin in 1641, Renà © Descartes philosophical study, entitled Meditations On First Philosophy, poses a question that continues to be both continously relevant, and hotly debated, in the field of philosophy. One of Descartes main queries in his meditations is as follows; how can we be fully assured that we know anything at all? Descarets theorises that, whilst not all knowledge may provide probable doubt, we can never be fully certain that there is no room for doubt, and if we cannotRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On First Philosophy894 Words   |  4 PagesDescartes opens Meditations on First Philosophy by telling us that in order to purify our knowledge from falsehood we must become radical skeptics, and question everything we know as we clear our minds from what we believe to be true. Descartes soon realizes that this is a major problem. Because if he is doubtful of everything, there is nothing to be known as true and he would have no foundation to build his thoughts off of. Pondering this, he came to realize that he himself must be real becauseRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On First Philosophy986 Words   |  4 Pagesas looking inwards, or as Renà © Descartes would call it, meditation. These ‘meditations’ are moments of reflection, time s pent with one’s thoughts, and time to figure out where one is placed within the world. During one of these meditations, Descartes creates the phrase, â€Å"cogito ergo sum†, I think, therefore I am, in his monumental book, Principles of Philosophy, though it was written in another form earlier, â€Å"ego sum, ego existo†, I am, I exist, in his book Meditations on First Philosophy. This phraseRead MoreAnalysis Of Descartes s Meditation I 989 Words   |  4 PagesIn Meditation I, Descartes discusses those things that can be called into doubt. He starts off by talking about how he has been mislead by his beliefs before, so will start off by separating those beliefs that cause him to doubt. He would like to secure his foundational beliefs similar to a house, without a secure foundation, the house can fall. Descartes mentions how he occasionally realizes that he has been deceived by his senses. Some things seem small at a distance, but then when looking

Solid Waste Management Free Essays

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES WITHIN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN NAIROBI: A CASE STUDY OF MATHARE BY Rosemary Kwamboka TABLE OF CONTENTSii LIST OF TABLESiii DEDICATIONiv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSv ABSTRACTvi 1. 0 INTRODUCTION. 1 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Solid Waste Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2 Background of the Study4 1. 3 Problem Statement. 5 1. 4 Justification6 1. 5 The purpose of the study6 1. 6 Hypothesis6 1. 7 Specific objectives6 2. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW7 3. 0 METHODOLOGY11 3. 1 Area and population of Study12 4. 0 RESULTS14 5. 0 DISCUSSION17 5. 1 Statistical Analysis19 5. 2 Conclusions and Recommendations20 7. 0 REFERENCES23 6. 0 APPENDIX25 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Average Family Size and Amount of Wastes Generated14 Table 2: Income Status of Respondents (Per Month)14 Table 3: Seriousness of Solid Waste Management Problem as Perceived by the Respondents. 14 Table 4: Cleanliness of the Area14 Table 5: Matching Educational Levels with Methods of Solid Waste Disposal. 15 Table 6: Frequency of Solid Waste Removal by Government15 Table 7: Environmental Awareness Campaign15 Table 8: Household Solid Waste Composition in Mathare15 Table 9: Rates of Household Solid Waste Generation in Mathare16 Table 10: ANOVA Statistic for HoI16 Table 11: ANOVA F- Ratio Table for HoI16 ABSTRACT A solid waste management appraisal was undertaken in Mathare, an area affected by poor solid waste management strategy as evidenced by many informal dumping sites. Questionnaires were administered seeking data on demographic and waste management in four zones of the area. The rate of waste generation was determined by sorting and weighing of solid wastes produced by people living in the same house. The weighing was done every Friday of the week for one month. The weights obtained were subjected to ANOVA to determine variation across the four zones. Chi-Square test was used to investigate whether there was relationship between waste produced and family size. It was also used to test relationship between waste disposal methods, level of education and income levels. F-calculated = 3. 34(2. 55), while the value of F from table is 2. 49 hence there was significant variation in the composition of waste generated. Chi-square showed that there was significant relationship between solid waste produced and family size. The critical value of X2 of 2 at 0. 05 level was 5. 99 from table (less than 164 calculated). Hence waste disposal methods also depended on income and education level. In general management of solid waste in Mathare calls for more concerted efforts in the areas of public enlightenment campaigns, regular collection and disposal of generated wastes and extension of services to cover more inhabitants of the area. 1. 0 INTRODUCTION. Wastes are inevitable part of human activity. The problems associated with waste can be traced back to the very beginning of civilization, when humans gathered in communities (Priestly, 1968). Wastes generated then were contained and disposed off by natural processes. However, as population increased and villages grew into towns and then into cities, the amount of waste generated increased. Consequently, wastes were dumped indiscriminately into waterways, empty lands and access roads. The appalling conditions gave rise to epidemics like the ‘‘Black Plague’’ that destroyed large population of Europe in the 14th century (Priestly, 1968). Similar conditions were also experienced in the other continents. The industrial revolution that took place in Europe in the 19th century marked a turning point in waste management. It brought with it, among other things, migration of people from rural areas to towns and cities in search of jobs. The resulting concentration of people in towns and cities gave rise to alarming proportion of wastes being dumped in the streets and waterways. Legislations were passed by the governments of the day in order to curb the indiscriminate dumping of waste. Progress was slow until a positive link was established between vermin infested wastes and the spread of disease. The discovery of pathogens as the agents of diseases that for centuries had been the scourge of mankind, paved the way to the modern sanitary practice. Waste is more easily recognised than defined. Something can become waste when it is no longer useful to the owner or it is used and fails to fulfill its purpose. Solid waste according to Miller (1988) is any useless, unwanted, or discarded material that is not liquid or gas. A great mixture of substances including fine dust, metal, glass, paper and cardboard, textiles, putrescible vegetable materials and plastic characterise solid waste. The term municipal solid waste refers to solid wastes from houses, streets, public places,shops, offices, and hospitals, which are veryoften the responsibility of municipal or othergovernmental authorities. Solid waste from industrial processes are generally not considered†municipal† however they need to be taken intoaccount when dealing with solid waste as theyoften end up in the municipal solid waste stream. While urbanisationin developing countries has contributed to wealth accumulation, it has also been accompanied by an alarming growth in the incidence of poverty. Today, one out of four people in cities lives in â€Å"absolute poverty,† while another one in four is classified as â€Å"relatively poor†. Throughout the developing world it is these urban poor, often in the peri-urban areas, that suffer most from the life-threatening conditions deriving from deficient Municipal solid waste management(Zerbock2003). Municipal authorities tend to allocate their limited financial resources to the richer areas of higher tax yields where citizens with more political pressure reside. Usually as income of the residents’ increases, part of the wealth is used to avoid exposure to the environmental problems close to home, but as waste generation also increases with increasing wealth, the problems are simply shifted elsewhere. Thus even as environmental problems at the household or neighbourhoodlevel may recede in higher income areas, city wide and regional environmental degradation due to a deficient solid waste management remains or increases. Hudson and David (1977) observed thatin every human settlement, the microscopic unit of waste generation is the household. The rate ofgeneration in the household is related to its size,lifestyle, type and quality of housing among othersocio-economic characteristics. In developing countries,an urban generated solid waste crisis is highly attributedto three factors: rapid increase in population,heavy consumption pattern of urban dwellers andinefficiency of the authorities whose statutoryroles include efficient refuse management. As time passes the only certainty is that accumulation of waste will outstrip its control. Throughout the western world, there are no longer enough convenient holes in the grounds into which to tip unwanted matter. The third world, having refused to become the â€Å"dustbin† of the western world, also lacks appropriate storage facilities, treatment technologies, and good methods of disposal for its waste. Nairobi like many cities in the world suffers from poor waste management. Waste management is not an isolated phenomenon that can be easily classified and solved with one strategy. It is particularly an urban problem that is closely related, directly or indirectly, to a number of issues such as urban lifestyles, resource consumption patterns, jobs and income levels, and other socio-economic and cultural issues. All these issues have to be brought together on a common platform in order to ensure a long-term solution to urban waste (JICA 1998). Rapidly growing, informally constructed low-income residential areas present a particular challenge to Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM). Besides the physical constraints of dense, low-income settlement, the inadequacies of other infrastructure services such as roads, drains and sanitary facilities often exacerbate waste management problems. The access of collection vehicles or push carts may be difficult where roads and foot-paths are npaved, for example. Existing drains are often clogged with waste materials, and solid waste itself may be contaminated with faecal matter. These conditions lead to a proliferation of vermin and disease vectors, and increase environmental health risks. The interrelated nature of service problems and the active role of residents- who are often owner-builders of their house call for adapted, sectorally integrated dev elopment approaches which depend, to a considerable degree, on the cooperation and participation of residents . There is no single solution to the challenge of waste management. The waste management process is usually framed in terms of generation, storage, treatment, and disposal, with transportation inserted between stages as required. Hence, a combination of source reduction, recycling, incineration, and burring in landfills and conversion is currently the optimal way to manage solid waste. 1. 2 Background of the Study In Kenya like in many other developing countries, typically one to two thirds of the waste generated is not collected. As a result, the uncollected waste, which is often also mixed with human and animal excreta, is dumped indiscriminately in the streets/wards and in drains, contributing to flooding, breeding of insect and rodent vectors and the spread of diseases such as cholera. Poverty Eradication Plan recognizes that waste management is almost non-existent in Kenya. It denotes that for instance in Nairobi, refuse is collected from only 20% of the population and only half of it is disposed in a proper way with the rest being dumped indiscriminately (Senkoro 2004/2005). Furthermore, little attention has been given to waste water disposal and storm drainage. Drainage is poor and limited to major roads and pathways. Most local governments and urban agencies have, time and again, identified solid waste as a major problem and this has been attributed to poor institutional arrangements, poor technologies used and lack of the capacity to handle wastes. This has reached proportions requiring drastic measures. We can observe three key trends with respect to waste – increase in sheer volume of waste generated by urban residents; change in the quality or make-up of waste generated; and the disposal method of waste collected, by land-fill, incineration among others. It is important that the right action be carried out at the right level. Thus, actions at the household level should be predominantly social, technology and economic in nature. Similarly actions to be taken at the state and nation level should also be predominantly economic, political and administrative in nature. 1. 3 Problem Statement. Despite several efforts, legal and institutional frame works that are in place to enhance proper waste management, there is still persistent poor waste management. It is estimated that Nairobi City Council (NCC) spends United States Dollars 1. 53 million per month to remove only 30% of the total waste generated (Simmens 2000). As amounts of solid waste increase, the cost of its removal increases too. Yet NCC does not have sufficient resources to completely and efficiently carry out this responsibility due to lack of proper institutional arrangements, poor technologies like modern trucks and the lack of the capacity by the council to handle the wastes generated. The result has been delays in disposing off this garbage. Also the communities are ignorant of the best way to manage the waste, as there is a little community initiative to undertake collective action. The local people involved in this study area are considered to be poor. Therefore they are vulnerable to health hazards and environmental negative effects resulting from the delayed removal of solid wastes. Solid waste at informal disposal sites produces toxic gases, bad odour and creates air pollution. Given this situation there is need to promote complimentary alternatives such as community initiatives to remove garbage. The microscopic unit of waste generation is the household. The rate ofgeneration in the household is related to its size,lifestyle, type and quality of housing among othersocio-economic characteristics. This problem of poor waste management requires innovative solutions and one of the solutions could be a participatory approach where the local people are involved to define the problem and then propose the solutions. Therefore, this study sought to explore the quantity of solid produced and possible measures which should be undertaken at household level to curb the same. . 4 Justification There are plenty of informal dumping sites due to the lack of collection of solid waste. These are mainly due to improper solid waste management at household level. Dumping sites pose a great health hazard to the inhabitants of the area. This has led to increased incidences of diseases such as coughs, diarrhea, fever among others, hence increasing public expenditure on drugs. There is consistent bad odour from the dumpsites. The aesthetic value of the area is also greatly reduced. 1. 5 The purpose of the study The purpose of this study was to establish the quantity of solid waste produced and variation in the composition of household waste generated within Mathare. 1. 6 Hypothesis There is variation in the composition of household waste generated in Flats, Madoya and Ngei 2. There is no significant relationship between household size and amount of wastes generated. 1. 7Specific objectives ?To find out the means used to collect, transport and dispose off wastes. ?To establish the variation in composition of household waste generated. 2. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW Waste is a man-made substance in a given time and places which in its actual structure and state is not useful to the owner or is an output without an owner and purpose. In other words, waste is anything that we no longer need. It is also commonly referred to as rubbish, trash, garbage, refuse, effluents and â€Å"unwanted or unusable materials† (Zake 2007). It is important to note that wastes take two forms that is; solid or liquid wastes. Solid wastes refer to particles or materials which are no longer useful to their owners and which require to be discarded. They are movable objects, which have no direct use and or no ‘current’ market value or no use to the individual that they require to be disposed off. They are both organic/biodegradable for instance the waste generated from animal and plant remains; it may be broken down by living organisms such as bacteria, protozoa and fungi. This form of waste occurs as green plant tissue waste, food remains, paper, animal and waste (faeces and urine), and non-organic/non bio- degradable wastes, is that form of waste that cannot be broken down by living organisms. It includes metals, polyethylene, most plastics and rubber. Most non biodegradable wastes are produced from manufacturing industries. (Thomas-Hope 1998). On the other hand, Liquid wastes refer to waste materials that contain full liquids. These include waste water from industries, households; sewerage and leachates from land fill or garbage heaps. This is equally harmful to the water sources hence endangering both human beings who depend on such water sources and the aquatic life. It also destroys the land and its level of productivity since some of these wastes like grease, paints will deepen into the soils hence affecting the soil alkalinity (Simmens, 2008). The term ‘Waste Management’ includes all issues and processes associated with the generation, processing, and disposal of all categories of wastes produced by human activities or related to human existence; it includes, therefore, the stages of production and minimization, collection, handling and transportation, reuse and recycling, and treatment and disposal of all such wastes (Zake, 2007). Despite the fact that waste handling and transport varies from region to region, country to country, there are waste management concepts that are universally accepted and implemented. These are the waste hierarchy or the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle), the extended producer responsibility (EPR) and the polluter pay principle. According to NEMA (2000), Solid waste management encompasses generation, collection, transportation and disposal of wastes. Authorities have the responsibility to ensure safe, reliable and cost effective removal and disposal of solid waste Garbage is collected from both the well to do households and poor ones. The management of solid waste is one of the challenges facing many urban areas in the world. Where there is an aggregation of human settlements with the potential to produce a large amount of solid waste; the collection, transfer and disposal of that waste has been generally assumed by municipal authorities in the developed world. The format varies, however in most urban areas. Garbage is collected either by a government agency or private contractor, and this constitutes a basic and expected government function in the developed world (Zerbock2003). Waste management is undertaken mainly to minimize the effect of wastes on resource loss and conservation, health, environment, costs and aesthetics. It incurs financial and social and other costs including ‘external’ costs. The term includes the issue of ‘regulation’ of the various aspects of management of wastes. (Gourlay, 1992) Waste management is the process by which products and by-products generated by business and industry are collected, stored, transported, treated, disposed off, recycled or reused in an effort to reduce their effect on human health. Therefore, a properly managed waste; that is well collected and sorted recycled, treated, disposed off ygienically will promote a clean and safe environment to live in. Waste management is practiced by small businesses when they collect and sort their wastes, recycle their wastes, treat their wastes, dispose of their wastes or implement ways of reducing their waste (Simmens2008) Municipal solid waste (MSW) management has become a major issue of concern formany developing nations. The problem is compounded by rapid urbanization rapidlytaking place in m any developing countries where 30-50% of populations is urban(Thomas-Hope 1998). Some of the consequences of previous waste management policies include; continued air and land pollution, the pollution of fresh and marine waters, resulting in the disruption of ecosystem processes, habitat destruction and species loss. The amount of waste produced also places increasing pressure on the country’s landfills. Increasing amounts of land set aside for landfills could lead to habitat destruction and species loss. (Gourlay1992). Problem areas of Municipal Solid waste management (MSWM) in developing countries can be identified. These are described as inadequate service coverage and operational inefficiencies of services; limited utilization of recycling activities; inadequate landfill disposal, and inadequate management of hazardous and health waste. The quantity of waste arising – solid, liquid and gaseous are generally considered to be growing across the globe as a result of increase in the world’s population, increasing industrialization, increasing urbanization and rising standards of living. (Senkoro 2003) Greatly increased recycling in this country could be reached through several measures. Some analysts claim that 50% to 80% of the nation’s natural resources could be recycled or reused in the near future. Some measures to achieve this include enacting a national bottle bill into law, banning disposable plastic items, requiring labels on products made with recyclable materials and the percentages used, using education and advertisements to discourage the â€Å"throwaway† mentality, requiring households to separate wastes for recycling (or offering financial incentives for doing so), and decreasing subsidies for virgin-material industries, and providing subsidies for secondary-material industries and waste reduction programs. Simmens2000). Indeed the overall problem of MSW is multi-faceted: many organizations, including the United Nations (UN) and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocate for an integrated approach to MSW management by identifying key stakeholders, identifying specific issues which comprise important â€Å"stumbling blocksâ₠¬ , and making recommendations based on appropriate technologies, local information, and pressing human and environmental health concerns (Thomas-Hope1998). 3. 0 METHODOLOGY The study was carried out in four different parts of Mathare namely: Mathare North, Flats, Ngei 2 and Madoya. Questionnaires were administered to 2,060 respondents in these areas. The first part of the questionnaire sought to obtain demographic data such as family size, educational level, occupation and income status. The second part was to obtain information on waste management as regards: cleanliness of the environment, disposal methods and environmental effect of solid wastes among others. Of the 2,060 questionnaires administered 2,001 were received given 97% response. Household approach was used in determining the rate of waste generation in the area. This involved sorting out and weighingwastes from selected households for three consecutive days. One household was selected from each zone. The rates were obtained by dividing the waste measured (in kg) by the number of people in the household. The average for the area was then obtained by adding individual rates for the different zones and dividing by the number of households used. Personal interviews were conducted and at same time using observation method where the occurrence of the social events or phenomenon was recorded. While interviewing, the researcher was guided by both structured and unstructured questionnaires which worked as interview guide. The researcher used questionnaires to people who can ably read and write, and interview guide to people who couldn’t read or write hoping that these would be resourceful sources of information. Interview guides were designed and reviewed by the researcher. Both open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires were used for data collection. Mostly closed-ended questionnaires were used to collect easily analyzable data. A set of question guides were prepared for reference by the researcher and once acceptable the questionnaires were pre-tested before they were finally put to use. Secondary data is the use of already collected data that was not specifically gathered for the research question at hand. The 2009 census and housing report came in handy in knowing the population of the respective areas (GOK 2011). Masterplan on Solid Waste Management in Nairobi in by JICA n 1998 explained the various factors contributing solid waste management problems in Nairobi. Intergrated solid waste management plan for Nairobi for the city of Nairobi(2010) by United Nation Environment programme(UNEP). Solid waste contained in plastic bag was weighed and then sorted into respective groups. The weight of a certain group was divided by total weight and multiplied by 100 to get the percentage. The percentages obtained were tested using analys is of variance (ANOVA) to determinevariation in the composition of waste in the four study areas. Chi-Square (X2) technique was used to test for relationships between household size and amount of waste generated, educational attitude to people’s waste disposal methods and income versus peoples demand for improved solid waste management. 3. 1 Area and population of Study Mathare is the second largest slum in Kenya after Kibera, and probably the third largest in the south of sub-Sahara Africa. It has an estimated population of more than half a million, which forms almost a quarter of Nairobi city population. The host country has a total population of 38. 6 million (GOK 2011). The slum is located 4. 5 kilometres from the Nairobi city centre. Initially, Mathare was a quarry but due to protracted poor economic condition that the country has been experiencing in the recent past, this quarry was turned in to informal human settlement . Indeed the population living here is not out of their own choice but rather dictate of the prevailing poor economic condition. The area is characterized with clumped informal structures. There is no proper infrastructure or even a sewer line. One of the greatest challenges of the people in this area is the disposal of the human waste. There are about a few public toilets, which are only accessible by the very advantaged people, and therefore a good number of the people opt for open toileting and other â€Å"flying† toileting. 4. 0 RESULTS Table 1 shows the average family size and the amount of wastes generated. Table 1: Average Family Size and Amount of Wastes Generated Average size of familyTotal respondentsAmount of waste(in Kg)Percentage(of total),% Less than 5 persons84893320. 7 6-10 persons7902278161. 7 More than 10 persons361792. 117. 6 Total20014506. 1100 Table 2 shows the income status of respondents. It aims to show the purchasing power hence consumption. Table 2: Income Status of Respondents (Per Month) Income, KshsNumber of RespondentsPercentage,% Less than 500076938. 4 6000-1500078039 15000-3000029114. 5 31000-500001105. 5 Above 50000512. 6 Total2001100 Table 3 shows the gravity of solid waste management according to the respondents. Table 3: Seriousness of Solid Waste Management Problem as Perceived by the Respondents. PerceptionNumber of RespondentsPercentage,% Not serious39019. 5 Not very serious26913. 4 Serious41120. 6 Very serious88144. 0 No opinion 502. 5 Total2001100 Table 4 shows the cleanliness of the area according to the respondents. Table 4: Cleanliness of the Area SituationNumber of ResponsesPercentage,% Very dirty59229. 6 Dirty67833. 9 Okay58029. 0 Clean 613. 0 Very clean904. 5 Total2001100 Table 5 matches educational levels with methods of solid waste disposal. Table 5: Matching Educational Levels with Methods of Solid Waste Disposal. Disposal methods Respondents by Educational Level No EducationLittle EducationHigher EducationRow Total% Street bins9814018041821 Throw on open land3012192154127 Bury it5030391196 Feed to animals302120713. 5 In drains /street1991503138019 Burn it1011399933916. 9 Burn/bury it2151611336. Total8007504512001100 Table 6 shows the frequency of solid waste removal by government. This aims to show the seriousness of government in solving the problem. Table 6: Frequency of Solid Waste Removal by Government FrequencyNumber of ResponsesPercentage,% Daily1306. 5 Weekly28814. 4 Once a month (at most)56128. 0 Not at all102251. 1 Total2001100 Public awareness is important in enlightening the p eople on the effects of improper solid waste management. It aims at reducing the cascade effects. Table 7: Environmental Awareness Campaign AwarenessNumber of ResponsesPercentage,% Yes66033 No134167 Total2001100 Table 8: Household Solid Waste Composition in Mathare Sample CompositionNgei 2Mathare NorthFlatsPercentage,% Putrescibles21151617. 3 Polythene/cellophane40221519 Paper14101412. 7 Metal1011910 Glass 71098. 7 Textiles 9121311. 3 Fines (ash, dust and sand)10121412 Miscellaneous 9 810 9 Table 9 shows solid waste generation in the study area. Table 9: Rates of Household Solid Waste Generation in Mathare ZoneRate (in kg/p/day) Mathare North0. 49 Flats0. 41 Ngei 20. 45 Madoya0. 44 Table 10: ANOVA Statistic for HoI CompositionNgei 2(x1)Mathare North(x2)Flats(x3) (X1)2(x2)2(x3)2 Putrescibles211516441225256 Polythene/cellophane202215400484225 Paper141014256100256 Metal1019100181 Glass71094910081 Textiles9131381169169 Fines (ash, dust and sand)101214100144256 Miscellaneous98108164100 F0. 05 (2,21)=2. 49 Table 11: ANOVA F- Ratio Table for HoI (a) Source of Variance, (SV)(b) Sum of Squares, (SS)(c) Degree of Freedom (D/F)(d) Variance Estimate (V/E) Between Samples37502535. 71 Within Samples-336621160. 29 Total Variance38423 Table 12: Chi-Square Frequency Table for HoII Household SizeNumber of ResponsesAmount in KgPercentage,% Less than 5 persons84893320. 7 6-10 persons792278161. 7 More than 10 persons36179217. 6 X20. 05(2)=5. 99 5. 0 DISCUSSION Majority (59%) of the respondents fall within the economically active group (20- 50 years). The interest here is that they have the purchasing power to consume and hence generate wastes. A good proportion of the respondents are married. But singles dominate by a narrow margin. Married life affects family size which in turn influences consumption patterns and waste generation and management. Married people encourage meals that are African in nature and minimum packaged food with attendant wastes like cellophane materials. Single people on the other hand consume more of packaged foods which generate cellophane materials as wastes. With respect to the family size, most families have less than 5 members, or at most 6-10persons as depicted in Table 1. Large familiesgenerate more waste than small size families. Income status of a people is an instrumental factor in demanding for goods andservices. The income status of the respondents is presented in Table 2. The table reveals that 39% of the respondents earn between 6, 000. 00 –15,000. 00 per month; while 38. 4% of the respondents earn less than 5,000. 00 per month. The rest earn above 15,000. 00 per month. These figures were chosen because they represent the ranges within which peoples income fall. It is clear that low income earners (? 15,000. 00) dominate the sample surveyed (77. 4%) The gravity of a problem is visualized by the perception of the people affected or concerned. In the study area, majority of the people considered the problem of managing solid wastes as very serious (44%) as indicated in Table 3. In terms of cleanliness of the area, about 64% of the people described the area as being either very dirty or dirty (see Table 4). The preference of educated people to adopt better methods of waste disposal could be higher than illiterates, see Table 7. It is obvious from the table that most of the people who throw refuse on open land and drains are uneducated. Those who keep waste bins or burn it are mostly those with higher education. In general 46% of the respondents either throw their waste on land or in drains/street. Only 21% of the respondents deposit their waste in bins where they can be transferred to the designated points for ultimate disposal. This is in consonance with the observations of, Muthiomi et al (2005) that solid waste management fall short of expectations in urban areas of Kenya because of use of unconventional and non environmental friendly methods of disposal. Table 6 shows the frequency of removal of solid wastes by government agencies. Majority(51. 1%) of the respondents reported that wastes are not removed from their areas. While 28% said wastes are evacuated at most monthly. This delay in the removal of wastes from points of generation constitutes a potential source of pollution. For instance, pollution of groundwater by leaching and percolation and stream waters by surface runoff. Besides delay in evacuation, public enlightenment campaigns to sensitize the public on the need to preserve the quality of the environment have not being satisfactory as indicated in Table 7. The household solid waste composition in Mathare was studied by sorting and weighing. Three zones namely Ngei 2, Mathare North and flats were selected for this study. It is clear from Table 8 that the dominant materials are putrescibles (food remnants, fresh leaves and vegetation etc). The decomposable wastes could be reused as compost manures. Others such as papers and metals are recyclable. Table 9 shows rate of solid waste generation in the study area. Mathare North generates 0. 49 kg/p/day and is the highest for the area. While the least value of 0. 41 kg/p/day was obtained in Flats. On average, the rate of generation of solid waste in Mathare area was calculated to be 0. 44 kg/p/day. 5. 1 Statistical Analysis HYPOTHESIS I Ho – There is no significant variation in the composition of household solid waste generated in Mathare. The data in Table 8 was subjected to ANOVA F ratio test because of its reliability in testing variation among samples. The statistics is shownin Tables 10a and 10b. The computed ANOVA issummarized as follows: i. Total Variance (Total Sum of Square,TSS) =? X2- (? x)2 =384 N ii. Total Degrees of Freedom (D/F total) = N – 1 = 24 -1 = 23 iii. Between Samples Sum of Squares(BSS) = ? x1+ (? x2)2 + (? x3)2 =3750 nx1 nx2 nx3 iv. Between Samples D/F = K – 1 = 8 – 1 = 7 v. Within Samples Sum of Squares, WSS =TSS – BSS = 384 -3750 = -3366 vi. WSS D/F = D/F total – BSS D/F = 23 – 7= 16 F-calculated = 3. 34(2. 5), while the value of F from table is 2. 49. Hence we reject Ho and H1 because F calculated is greater than F-tabulated. This implies there is significant variation in the composition of the household solid wastes generated in Mathare. HYPOTHESIS II Ho – There is no significant relationship between household size and amount of wastes generated. The Chi-Square statistics was employed for this analysis. It’s appropriate in this case because it compares differences between observed and expected (theoretical) frequencies. The values in column three below (Table 13) are obtained from Table 3. The expected frequency for a unicollumn table is given by the mean as 150. 2. While Chi-Square is given as X2 = ? (0-E) 2/2 and Degree of Freedom (D/F) = N – 1 = 3 – 1 = 2. The critical value of X2 of 2 at 0. 05 level is 5. 99 from table (less than 164 calculated, see Table 13). Hence we reject Ho and accept H1. This means there is significant relationship between household size and amount of wastes generated. The results of the Chi-Square test on the other parameters revealed that: i. Education has significant effect on the people’s disposal methods. ii. The effect of income on willingness topay for solid waste managementservices is significant. 5. 2 Conclusions and Recommendations In developing countries, urban generated solid waste crisis is highly attributed to three factors: rapid increase in population, heavy consumption pattern of urban dwellers and inefficiency of the authorities whose statutory roles include efficient refuse management. The Ministry of Environment(2002) attributed the problem of solid waste in urban areas to the following: i) Overgrowing urban population with its characteristic increase in the rate of solid waste generation; i) Inability of the local government councils to cope with the problem of solid waste management due to inadequate technical and financial resources; iii) Peoples belief that solid waste management is a social service and hence their unwillingness to pay for disposal charges ; iv) The inability of people to discern what constitute wastes and reusable wastes. Poor solid waste management ha s the potential of causing flooding. It also encourages the spread of diseases, pollution of ground and surface waters, air pollution, land pollution and can distort the beauty of an area. It could even result in road accident due to obstruction of traffic flow, for instance where refuse are dumped on streets and roads. The processes of field survey, data collection, administration of questionnaires and data analysis has been presented in this report. Based on the findings, the following conclusions are drawn: 1. Demographic variables like occupancy rate, socio-economic class and education affect solid waste management. The greater the size of the household the greater the tendency to generate more wastes. 2. Many people (64% of the respondents)believe that it is the responsibility of the government to manage solid waste and hence have care free attitude towards the management of the environment 3. Government’s management of solidwaste is inadequate. This manifests indelays in collection of wastes for disposal and near absence of service in some areas. Also, public enlightenment campaigns have not been satisfactory. 4. There is significant variation in thecomposition of household wastes; the dominant materials are putrescibles and polyphone/cellophane. It is therefore recommended that: Government’s effort should be intensified in the areas of awareness campaigns, provision of equipment and personnel in removing solid wastes as well as ensuring compliance with existing environmental laws. ?Composting the putrescible part of the wastes will be a source of raw material inorganic fertilizer blending plants. 7. 0 REFERENCES 1. Beede, D. N. , Bloom, D. E. ,(1995) The economics of municipal solid waste. World BankResearch Observer, 10(2) 2. Evaluations of Waste Treatment and Disposal Technologies for Municipal SolidWaste. Applied Ecology 58, pp. 2009-255. Kapoor B. S (2001). Environmental Sanitation. Chand and company. Ltd. New Delhi 3. NEERI (1996) Report â€Å"Strategy Paper on Solid Waste Management in India†, pp. 1-7. 4. National Environment Management Authority, 2000 5. NEMA,(1998). Caring for our Environment A Handbook for Local leaders, NEMA in conjunction with Friedrich Ebert stiftung (FES). 6. Zerbock O. ( 2003). Urban Solid Waste Management, Waste Reduction in Developing Countries. Available on http://www. cee. mtu. educ/peacecorps/documents-july03. wastereduction and incineration FINAL. PDF. 7. DEAT. (1999a). National Waste Management Strategy: National waste management strategies and action plans, South Africa. Strategy formulation phase. Version D, 15 October 1999. 8. Agarwal, A. , Singhmar,A. , Kulshrestha, M. , and Mittal, A. K. (2005). „Municipal solid waste recycling and associated markets in Delhi, India?. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 9. Ebreo, A. , Vining, J. (2000). Motives as predictors of the public’s attitudes toward solid waste issues. Environmental Management. 10. Adekoge, O. S. , 1990. Waste Management within the Context of Sustainable Development, FEPA Abuja. 11. Hudson, J. F and David, H. M. , 1997. Solid Waste Generation and Service Quality. Journal of Environ. Eng. Division ASCE 103, pp 935-946 12. Onibokun, A and Kumuyi A. J. , 1999. Ibadan,Nigeria in: Onibokun A. G (Ed) Managingthe Monster: Urban Waste andGovernance in Africa IDRC pp 49-100 13. Ministry of planning ,Government of kenya,2009, Kenya census of population and housing 6. 0 APPENDIX This questionnaire was designed for a research on problems of solid waste management in Mathare. The answers provided therefore shall be treated confidentially. SECTION A: BIO DATA 1. Gender: a. Male b. Female 2. Age: a. Less than 17 yearsb. more than 17 years 3. Marital status: a. Single b. Married 4. Average family size and waste generated: a. Less than 5 persons . 6-10 persons c. More than 10 persons 5. Income status of the respondent: a. Less than 5000 c. 16000-30000 e. Above 50000 b. 6000-15000 d. 31000-50000 5. Educational background: a. No education b. Little education c. Higher education SECTION B: ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF PEOPLE 6. Gravity of Solid Waste Management Problem as Perceived by the Respondent: a. Not serious b. N ot very serious c. serious cerious d. Very serious e. No opinion 7. How clean is the area? a. Very dirty b. Dirty c. okay d. Clean e. Very clean 8. Are there any environmental awareness campaigns carried out? a. Yes b. No 9. How frequent does the government remove solid waste? a. daily b. weekly c. Once a month (at most) d. Not at all 10. How do you dispose of your refuse? a. Street bins b. Throw on open land c. Bury it d. Feed to animals e. In drains/street f. Burn it g. Burn/bury it How to cite Solid Waste Management, Essay examples

Better and Melissa Case free essay sample

According to the Melissa’s case, her supervisor told her not to rush callers and she has to complete at least 5 calls per hour because of the volume of calls that typically comes in and the limited staff available. It means that she can only have maximum 12 minutes for each call to success. Maximum 12 minutes per call defeats the purpose of not rushing the caller. In addition she cannot always find the information that she needs in the database which it might take more than 12 minutes to find correct answers. So I think she does not have sufficient time to complete each call since she has to not rushing the caller. That’s why it is normal for her to be stressed whenever she is told to â€Å"speed it up†. My opinion Deming might say about this situation is that it is time to bring the company up-to-date with sufficient technology and create a customer-driven focus aimed at improving processes by implementing a system. We will write a custom essay sample on Better and Melissa Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 2. Drawing upon Deming’s principles, outline a plan to improve this situation. Drawing on Deming’s principles, the following steps for a plan should be used to improve Melissa’s case: a. The company should avoid setting the numeric goal of making 5 calls per hour for Melissa. She is frustrated because there is no method to help her achieve this goal. b. The company should make improvement in technology, training and process design to reduce the variation in Melissa’s work. And since there is a lack of resources which makes Melissa’s work harder, the company should hire an additional support representative or resources. c. It seems difficult to handle at least five calls per hour for Melissa. Up-to-date, new and faster computers could reduce the time for answering the telephone, answering technical questions, troubleshooting customer problems, and providing other general information and guidance to customers. The company will not have customers if customers do not receive the information needed to fix their problems. So for long term the company should not making decisions based on cost for the at least five calls per hour to meet their requirements. e. The company should have a system that all parameters should work together effectively and efficiently such as for optimizing interaction between account manager and Melissa, their jobs should be aligned together.

Information Technology Infrastructure Library

Thesis Statement Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a great platform for professionals in Information Technology (IT) to research policies and processes which can be implemented in an organization. Current business processes supporting IT should be flexible and changeable in order to stay competitive. ITIL has a framework that covers all the aspects of IT within an organization.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Information Technology Infrastructure Library specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Executive Summary ITIL was initially created under the backing of the UK government through CCTA department, which worked together with office of government commerce (OGC). The library is effective in defining structure of an organization through provision of skills of improving organizational information technology. It embraces standardized operational management practices and procedures, which help org anizations operate IY infrastructure (Steinberg, 2001) and achieve high quality service. The fact that ITIL is an approved model of IT services, it helps in business performance. The improved performance is due to increased efficiency level in the operations and data handling procedures. Organizations will be able to implement the latest application systems in the business to improve company brand effectively. The focus should be put on improving the infrastructure library so that the current IT challenges are diverted or minimized. The improvement will enable good service quality and reduce operation cost at all levels of business work. The improvement comes through design of new books that incorporate new management systems inculcated in the business sector (Orand, 2011). More research on the management systems need to be done with the major aim of unlocking key development strategies in the business systems. The ITIL books are reevaluated periodically in order business management and operations to become successful at all times. Introduction ITIL is an approach to the information technology management service. It helps in practical understanding, identifying, and effective framework for planning and delivery supporting IT services in a given business (Van Haren Publishing, 2007). ITIL was formed in response to increasing dependence of businesses on information technology. The agency had set many recommendations to safeguard standard practices for both, government and private sectors in order to facilitate good IT management standards. The quantity of books increased from the initial publication in the year 1989 to about thirty volumes.Advertising Looking for term paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More More comprehensive books were published by the year 2001, which could match various aspects in IT management. The growth in various versions of ITIL books has been constant until the creation of ed ition of the year 2011. This progress ensured that proper and updated IT infrastructural management systems are implemented for better business service delivery. The major advocacy for ITIL is that the IT should be in line with the business needs. It also strengthens the major business processes by giving proper guidance on the use of technological tools to most organizations, which results in transformation and general business growth. In its five core publications there is a provision for systematic and professional approach to IT services. The business goals and efficient delivery method are prescribed in the system. These form the basic role of facilitating the process at all the times. The main reason for ITIL is for identification of needs of customers through managerial approach and good monitoring for improvement of work environment. Adoption of this program ensures improvement of many areas and aspects of successful business. These include IT services, reduction of cost and usage of skills with given experience. There is also improvement in delivery when using ITIL. In addition, customer satisfaction is also emphasized in the information technology provision, hence this is much advantageous to the business progress. By implementing this process, the companies are able to understand managerial issues through better planning in ICT infrastructure design and management. Implementation of ITIL also ensures security management systems and this assures investors and business managers to take appropriate actions. Implementation of this program also ensures that the business achieves its identified priorities in terms of fulfilling its strategic objectives. Benefits associated with ITIL There are many benefits associated with ITIL that prove its usefulness. To start with, the business will be able to organize its finances and utilize them in areas where they are needed. In line with this, there will be good financial savings due to better resource management or services. The saving is due to reduced cost of operation in the business because of efficiency promoted by ITIL. There will be increased productivity in the business when this program is adopted. The other important benefit is that change management is realized through ITIL. This change enables business enterprise to be updated on various operational changes and ensures that there is suitable approach to driving the implementation process (Steinberg, 2001). The benefit of improved customer satisfaction is also realized when information technology is implemented. In addition to that, there will be also improved brand image and general perception on the given products as required by the management.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Information Technology Infrastructure Library specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the various data collected, it is reflected that many organizations have benefited greatly from ITIL process (Steinberg, 2001).The specific cases show that retail organization with nationwide outlook made excess savings of about six hundred thousand pounds per annum when they adopted the practices of the service strategy for financial management. The ITIL provided better approaches for information which was knowledge based on nature. This helped in the reduction of cost of support with about 75% approval. The reduction in support cost came about as a result of increase in user satisfaction and productivity level. This had counted as the most beneficial in the whole service delivery package on the information infrastructure. Major areas of ITIL Framework The first framework is a Microsoft operations framework, which is a guide series whose aim is to help the IT professionals in establishing and implementing reliable and cost effective service. It was created to provide guidance on the entire IT cycle system in order to integrate the community generated governance, compliance a nd risk activities. For effective application of the framework, the lifecycle of IT is divided into three phases namely the planning phase, deliver phase and operate phase. Planning phase in the IT involves strong focusing on the inception, reliability of the IT service requested, compliance with the policies in place, cost effective service and being able to adapt to continuous changing business needs. The deliver phase ensures that the requested services are deployed effectively through building and stabilizing the necessary services. The last one , operate phase ensures efficiency in the operation by monitoring the services deployed to ensure effective IT application in the business operations in order to ensure that satisfaction of any service agreements in the business. The legal doctrine framework ensues legal backing of the processes involved in the ITIL. Through this, there are set out rules and regulations that govern the performance of the system. The procedures to be foll owed are also set out with respect to the common law. The process is outlined in the legal provision and any judgment by all the judges applies the provided regulations when making ruling. This then became the doctrine of any cases since the naming was adopted as legal doctrine framework. Software framework facilitates software development within a short period of time so that the needs of the business can be met effectively. With respect to this framework, there is use of web application framework as a away of developing banking website to facilitate the banking process with the latest technology.Advertising Looking for term paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition to this, as part of software framework, the programming team will be able to design purpose built in house framework with the purpose of fulfilling software needs in an organization. This will actually improve data processing and increase efficiency in business management and delivery process. Other significant features include, control inversion which dictates the general flow of the overall programs. Control is majorly dictated by the framework because the set out procedures must be followed to the latter (Hary, 2005). There is also default behavior of the framework. This is a useful conduct and it is in line with implementation of the required process. In addition, there is extensibility whereby the user can extend the framework selectively based on the specialized user codes in order to achieve specific application. The last distinguishing characteristic is non modifiable code. The framework code cannot be modified because users can only extend it, but not any modifi cation. Thus, specifications can be met effectively without any alterations. IT Service Support (Help Desk) This is the identification of IT items of configurations and its recording process in order to handle changes, incidents, problems that exist in the business operation process. It deals with management aspects in solving given business crisis at all the given times. The service support helps to identify how the establishment and running of a service desk is situated at central point for all users to get in touch (Larry, 2008). This ensures smooth sharing of information at all times and problems are strategically approached. Named below are some specific management areas that exist at the service desk. Incident Management: in situations where something is at a mess, there is great need for the normal operations to resume immediately. The strange incidents must be solved fast to avoid any delay in the business timelines. Problem Management: the first approach is to find out the root courses of all cases that have been reported at the service desk. The immediate action is to arrange IT infrastructure in order to prevent any future recurrence. Change Management: this ensures that appropriate discussion process and other procedures are done promptly and sufficiently in order to handle the changes that exist in the process of management (Larry, 2008). Handling controlled change procedure will enable the business to comply with the latest approaches in the system management and improvement of the IT conditions. Release Management: this is the major planning in having new releases which should consider requirements of both IT and non IT compliant processes. This wide view and provision enable the business development at all times because it is non discriminative. Configuration Management: this deals with how best the identification, maintenance and controlling records for the configurations of items and other services. This configuration management ensures unifo rmity in the area of operation. IT Service Delivery This mainly covers ITIL aspects on the actual service delivery. These delivery aspects entail various management areas mentioned in their respective explanations, which are outlined below. Service Level Management involves establishment, monitoring and report of IT achievements with the aim of identifying ways of eliminating poor service in the business. The service should be of high quality to achieve success. Capacity Management involves best practices that are geared towards prediction of future needs of the IT systems. Availability Management deals with ways of maintaining the available services to allow the effective function of the business. IT Financial Management involves using of the appropriate accounting and budgeting with IT related tools that promote such services. This enhances better performance with good accuracy of information given by the business management. IT Business Continuity Management is whereby there is e mphasis on continuity after any other disaster or business interruptions due to unexpected circumstances. The IT enables the business continuity through provision of ways in which service delivery is promoted. Continuity is provided through ensuring agreement in various levels of operations in the business. Implementing ITIL The business environment requires that IT should be more attentive in tackling the needs of customers because this will fulfill their request in most cases. In order for this to be achieved, there should be appropriate implementation process which should be strategically outlined. These include stage by stage implementation of the IT services in the business. Vision: the first thing to be done is to state vision for the business on how the management feels about this in long term plans and the advantages that comes with it. Good vision facilitates better start point in the IT implementation process. The vision includes benchmarking all the IT needs of the organi zation. This will determine how far it is geared towards success. Baseline: there should be some baseline of operation. The major identified areas that should be implemented in the organization which brings the success. There should be test line whereby the designed IT needs are gauged and assessed. It also involves the practice guidelines that reflect the nature of the exercise in the business operation. Goals: they are mainly useful in identification of standardized level that the business requires so that IT implementation is fixed successfully. Once the position of the organization is known, the extent of implementing the IT services is set. These set goals should be met by the business in order to fulfill the needs of ITIL best practices. They are the long term objectives in the implementation process used to determine the best application process in the ITIL. Costs: the price of implementation of the process should be determined. For instance, the business clients may require that optimization be the business interest, but this may call for large financial backing in order to succeed in the process. The cost determines to what extent implementation can be done. Once this is noted down, then the process can just be implemented to actualize the set needs of ITIL. Then, there should be need to do the gap analysis. This helps in identifying the cost effective ways of performance and select the best target practices. Milestones help in determining which successful process has been realized in the implementation process. There is a need to restore any normal operations to the clients very fast. This ensures that incident management is implemented fully so that other milestones in management are be achieved successfully. This also involves evaluation and measurement of how far a particular IT management system is brought out. This will also help in the delivery improvement process in order to employ ITIL fully in the business (Steinberg, 2001). All the changes in the IT process are adopted in the business operation process. ITIL Improvement In order to ensure effective service delivery, there should be need for continuous improvement while the process testing is periodically done to ensure that it is technically sound. The common challenges include common tendency in revising processes so that familiarity knowledge in operation newly improved service is adopted by the client (The Stationery Office, 2010). The other challenge likely to be faced is the need for culture change. The best practices may be unfamiliar to the clients, including any additional changes that are anticipated during the improvement process. Success Stories Many organization are currently relying on IT to enable them achieve business vision, goals and best strategy. Information technology has been used successfully to revolutionize business operation and communication process (Steinberg, 2001). There has been a significant innovative market gain that has promoted many businesses through IT awareness. This ensures that the business is kept closer to customers by communicating with the global marketplace. Through the wider market, productivity has been successfully increased hence improved business process, sales increase, application of economies of scale, and general business growth. Conclusion The ITIL is very useful for professionals in IT for conducting good research policies that can be implemented in the organization. Many business processes support change as away of staying relevant in the competitive business world. ITIL has a framework that covers all the aspects of IT in an organization in order to achieve this objective. There is clear demonstration of the processes and procedures for the best practice for the IT management of the business. The mentioned benefits in implementing ITIL are the major ways of ensuring good incorporation of IT in any given Business. From the given history, ITIL was to give efficient business environment when it was initiated in the early years through various business processes. The implementation is done in line with the provided guidelines for business efficient performance so that the mentioned benefits are achieved. The ITIL frameworks enable good implementation process. These frameworks, among others, included software framework and Microsoft operation framework. These must undergo continuous improvement with other legal doctrine frameworks provided. The operation process must actually inculcate service delivery management as reflected in the provided information. The implementation process of ITIL caters for vision, baseline, cost and goals to be achieved in the process. In addition, there are milestones that enable efficiency in the improvement process. It is also possible for a suitable improvement process to be adopted as outlined in the research work. Finally, challenges like need for culture change are necessary. The future of ITIL is very bright, as IT has become one major mode of operation worldwide. For instance, the stationery office has begun to update in the entire IT infrastructure Library version three. This is in order to acknowledge experience and all the expertise in ITIL. Most businesses worldwide will be able to give a clear structure in the operation process regarding the ITIL and that the challenges will be greatly minimized. The scope and all development plans for new version is in progress hence the best ITIL practice guidance is in the offing. References Hary, S. (2005). Management Metrics that Matter most to IT Senior Executives. Bloomington, Australia: Trafford Publishing. Larry, J. (2008). Implementing ITIL Change and Release Management. India: IBM Press Orand, B. (2011). Foundations of IT Service Management – The ITIL Foundations. Retrieved from http://www.itilyabrady.com/ Steinberg, A. (2001). Measuring ITIL: Measuring, Reporting and Modeling – the IT Service. New York, NY: Lary Publishers. The Stationery Office ( 2010). Executive Briefing: The Benefits of ITIL. Web. Van Haren Publishing (2007). ITILÂ ® V3: A Pocket Guide (ITSM Library). Netherlands: Haren Publishing. This term paper on Information Technology Infrastructure Library was written and submitted by user Grace Stevens to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Essay Sample on Soccer Coach Behavior

Essay Sample on Soccer Coach Behavior Introduction I recently had the opportunity of watching a soccer match between two local teams. Te Young Christians F.C from my local church was one of the teams. This team is known locally for the prowess its players have in the field. The second team comprised of visitors from a youth group found in a town several miles away. The match took place in a football field which happened to be the training grounds for the local high school. The football match was marked by sportsmanship and fair play with the teams surpassing the expectations I had.. Coaches from both sides were observed encouraging the different players through actions that portrayed behavior he expected the team to show. The stands were full with many spectators having decided to come and cheer up their respective teams to ensure they gave them moral support necessary for the teams success. The coaches from both teams were well seasoned and had good past experiences gathered from years of successful team training. They had actually been involved in coaching several local teams making them the best in the area (Hargreaves Bate, 2009). The soccer coaches for the two teams actually had to actively involve themselves in soccer action even though they were not part of the active soccer team. It is actually imperative that soccer coaches have to develop passion for the game and actively involve themselves albeit from the sidelines in any important soccer match. This they do by directing the players from the sidelines after thoroughly analyzing the opponent teams tactics and overall game play. Behavior presented by coaches for this two teams aimed at either motivating, guiding or reprimanding the athletes in the field. This is attributable to the fact that coaches are actually responsible for the outcomes of the different soccer matches, a condition that often places too much pressure on them resulting in behavior that spectators tend to view as highly reactive as was the case in the match I witnessed (Hargreaves Bate, 2009). Coaching Behavior In order to identify coaching behavior in action, I had to devote time and observe the football match introduced above. This gave me the chance to witness different behaviors presented by the coach in relation to the way his players handled the ball game. Behaviors identified tended to have the implications of motivating the players, disciplining them, introducing warnings and simply directing them on the actions and strategies to use. All this actions were accompanied by numerous physical gestures which the team members seemed to understand well. Voice was also used as a reinforcement to the various actions witnessed (Luce, 2005). During the match, behavior that was found to be most common was instruction based on technicalities which was mainly introduced in the form of hand gestures and voice. The coach for instance was heard shouting nice tackle to a player who had successfully tackled two players and gone ahead to pass the ball successfully to another teammate. The coach was al so heard shouting nice play to a player who has successfully run into the opposing teams side thereby showing perfect offensive behavior. These positive reinforcement messages were found to be directional and aimed at specific individuals who portrayed excellent sportsmanship behavior. Both positive and negative reinforcement behavior was also identified with the coach actively introducing aspects of motivation. This was done by clapping and shouting as well as actively running along the length of the field to encourage players who were running after the ball. The coach was actually so engrossed in the game that it was difficult to distinguish between players and the coach in general. The coach was also actively found to be motivating players on occasions where they happened to lose opportunities to score and this actually seemed to introduce effects of motivation to the team as failed opportunities actually led to more tries. Negative responses were associated to non reinforcement with positive behavior from the team eliciting positive reinforcement from the coach. Occasions marked with no response were also identified during the game play. Positive reinforcement was observed a total of 33 times with non reinforcement been viewed a total of 47 times. Non reinforcement behavior was therefore viewed 14 times more than the positive reinforcement behavior. Another behavior witnessed was actually corrective in nature and it was provided in line with reaction to mistakes (Luce, 2005). During the half time break, I managed to get close to the tea and overheard the coach make use of deterrents by issuing warnings to players he felt were not giving all they had in the game. Punishments were to follow later with these taking the form of substitutions introduced to replace players who seemed reluctant to perform well. Mistakes were reacted to by use of gestures such as hands dropped to the side and voice communication with an example being shouting to individuals to co ntinue with the fight for the ball where an individual was found to be playing without energy and drive. The coach offered general instructions for at least 14% of the 90 minutes of play. Encouragement was found to occur at least 3% of the time. Behaviors from the coach can be summarized into four categories which are: Positive reinforcement (P.R) 33 Non reinforcement (NRE) 47 Motivation (M) Punishment (P) 2 Negative reinforcement (N.R) Situational Variable Meaningful change in the different behaviors was witnessed with different behaviors been found to have different applications and eliciting different responses in the team. An example of meaningful application and change was witnessed where positive reinforcement behavior was applied (Susan, 1987). This as mentioned earlier was introduced by making use of gestures and actions that indicated good sportsmanship was in practice for instance where a team effectively and successfully defended against the opponents resulting in change in the general trend of the game. This was also witnessed where the coach congratulated a player on playing well. Positive reinforcement actions were witnessed for most part of the game with a total of 33 instances observed. Motivation was tied in with the positive reinforcement with numerous remarks being heard all pointing towards encouraging the team (Susan, 1987). Punishment was meted out on two occasions with the same taking the form of substitutions. N egative reinforcement was also observed where the coach sneered at players who constantly made mistakes. Positive reinforcement as indicated on the graph was successfully introduced by the coach with a total of 33 hits identified. The number of times this was portrayed was more than the number stated however I decided to make use of the events that were quite serious leaving out minor occurrences of reinforcement actions. Motivation was found to be the second most used behavior by the coach therefore the many instances of application recorded. Punishment was meted out only on two occasions with negative reinforcement both by use of voice and expressions took place even fewer times. Motivation and Performance The behaviors above were mainly aimed at introducing positive feedback from the team by encouraging results in line with winning the match. The behavior presented by the coach made it clear that the team was accustomed to his way of communication as each behavior was responded to instruction positively and as expected based on the behavioral category. This for instance highlights behavior in the team in cases where the coach motivated them to actively defend or simply pass the ball more freely (Pierro McGahey, 2003). Overall, instructions based on behavior were found to be effective as motivators to the team with increase in performance where the coach implied he needed a boost in the same. For instance, by running along the length of the field, the coach motivated a player with the ball to forge forwards towards the opponents side. Punishment and deterrence in terms of warnings and substitutions also worked well showing successful instruction and authority on the part of the coach and responsiveness in the players. Overall, the application of the different behaviors was found to be effective in ensuring that the players were kept on their toes throughout the session.

African Americans in Contemporary Media Landscape Article

African Americans in Contemporary Media Landscape - Article Example Over the years, many people who immigrated to America from various countries and continents in pursuit of various goals are also considered to be African Americans. African Americans are often associated with black skin and Africa. For a long time in the history of America, African Americans were considered to be inferior to their white counterparts and, therefore, suffered the consequences of racial segregation. Furthermore, the Black Americans, as they are sometimes referred to, have greatly been associated with poverty, drugs, violence, ghettos, and crime. African Americans have been subject to a lot of stereotypes since the days of slavery. As a minority group in the U.S., they have mostly been associated with negative aspects, behavior or lifestyles even as their white counterparts are often associated with a lot of good. In many television programs, African Americans always take minor roles or play second fiddle to the main actors. Also, in terms of representation, they are always fewer in number in the television programs in which they are featured. Stereotypes may be positive, neutral or negative. In many cases, the African American is always depicted as being servile, simpleminded, slow-witted, primitive, drug addicts, poor, aggressive, criminal, overweight (for females), lazy, athletic, gifted to make music, and religious as noted by the M3 Foundation (n.d.). This list of stereotypes is all negative except for athletic and musical gift stereotypes. In some cases, African Americans are also depicted as having no jobs in spite of their education which leads them to remain poor. These depictions of the African American in television shows and films generally serve to reinforce the negative attitudes that whites have towards the Black Americans. African American Stereotypes as Presented on Contemporary TV Programs In Bravo's Top Chef, one stereotype that is assigned to the African American is aggression. In the second season of the show, one of the characters in the TV program is an African American male called Cliff. All the while, Cliff is depicted as a very talented chef.  

Comparative politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Comparative politics - Essay Example The focus of Green political theory â€Å"is usually on two themes: on the role of anthropocentric ethics in reducing the non-human world to merely being of instrumental value to humans; and on the question of limits to growth.† (Paterson, 2001:35). Eckersley (1992) suggests that the defining characteristic of Green politics is ecocentrism, or the rejection of an anthropocentric thought which places value only on humans in favor of one which also places value on ecosystems and all other living organisms. Ecocentrism recognizes the full range of human interests in the non-human world- and not merely the instrumental value of particular parts of nature-, the interests of the non-human world, as well as the interests of future generations of humans and non-humans. Finally, ecocentrism â€Å"adopts a holistic rather than an atomistic perspective†, valuing populations, species, ecosystems and the ecosphere as a whole as well as valuing them individually. Dobson (1990) specifies another defining characteristic of Green politics- the limits to growth argument about the nature of the environmental crisis. Paterson says that Greens suggest that â€Å"it is the exponential growth experienced during the last two centuries† which is the main reason behind the current environmental crisis. (2001:36) Dobson suggests that there are three arguments which are important in this context: first, that technological solutions will just postpone the crisis, but cannot prevent it from happening altogether; second, that the exponential nature of growth means that dangers which have been accumulating over a period of time may suddenly have a catastrophic effect; and third, that the problems associated with growth

Qualifications of arbitrator 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Qualifications of arbitrator 1 - Essay Example But the case may be different in the laws of other countries. The English Arbitration Act 1996 (EAA 1996) is distinctive from most other national arbitration laws, say, in comparison with its predecessor, the former Act 1950. The law does not provide for any general qualifications for an arbitrator. In Saudi Arabia, there is a quite detailed set of qualifications for the arbitrator taking into consideration the elements of the Saudi Arbitration Law 2012 (SAL 2012) and also the Islamic Sharia (Sharia). Under Sharia, the scholars’ views may vary due to the absence of such provision either in Quran or Sunnah (the two main sources of Sharia). Whilst it is seen by some scholars that it is necessary for strict requirements to be stipulated for whom is selected as an arbitrator, all of these requirements are not mandatory according to the view of some contemporary scholars. The essential aim for this section is to analyse and discuss two aspects. First, the qualifications of arbitrat or stipulated by law. Second, the freedom of parties to determine additional qualifications. This will be carried out in the context of the EAA 1996, Sharia, and the SAL 2012. 1. Qualifications of Arbitrator as Stipulated by Law The English Arbitration Act 1996, like many Western arbitration laws, provides a high degree of freedom for arbitration parties3. This is the case as long as the impartiality of the arbitrator is established. Under this Act, the only restriction is if the chosen arbitrator is a judge of the Commercial Court or Technology and Construction Court of England and Wales. In this instance, an additional approval from the Lord Chief Justice is required.4 The prescribed qualifications, hence, are simple and straightforward, which is markedly different from Sharia or the SAL 2012. Sharia prescribes several qualifications that should be met in the chosen arbitrator. This provides for a system that are bound to have different interpretations. Scholars, for instance, hav e different opinions regarding the qualifications that should be met in an arbitrator based on whether the requirements of an arbitrator are those for the judge or not. Most scholars of the four schools (Maliki, Shafi', Hanafi and Hanbali) see that the qualifications for the arbitrator are those required for a judge.5 This view is dominant on account of the fact that the arbitrator carries out the same function as that of a judge, which includes hearing the litigants and issuing the Judgement. 6 78 In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, due to the dominance of Sharia on its laws as it is the constitution of the Kingdom,9 many writers believe that the Saudi courts require the arbitrator to meet the qualifications of a judge as it is the view of the majority doctrine in Sharia.10 This is in addition to the qualifications stated by the SAL 2012.11 On the other hand, some scholars as Ibn Taimiyah12 and Ibn Hazm Aldhaheri 13 maintain the position that the qualifications of a judge are not neces sarily required for an arbitrator. Therefore, they believe any Muslim can be an arbitrator. The differences, hence, becomes problematic especially in the event of a challenge to an arbitration decision or its implementation. The Sharia law in this paper will refer to the Saudi Law for purposes of clarification. As what has

Urbanisation of City Centres | Essay

Urbanisation of City Centres | Essay Introduction The past few decades have witnessed a myriad of development and rapid change throughout the city centres of the developed nations. Promethean gentrification schemes, improvements in infrastructure, and an amelioration of the service sector have all assisted in encouraging many citizens to buy or rent property within the very heart of the city. As Pacione (2005, pg. 84) has highlighted, ‘there is now a growing body of case-study evidence that indicates a recovery of large cities from the high levels of population loss experienced in the 1970s era of counter urbanisation.’ Pacione (2005, pg.84) has also revealed that ‘the rate of population loss for all 280 of Britain’s urban areas fell from 4.2% in 1971-81 to 0.1% for 1981-1991.’ Thus, it would appear that there has been much success in encouraging households to dwell within the vibrant ‘zone of transition.’ However, academics are keen to discern whether or not the often adventurous strategies deployed by urban authorities and private investors alike will truly serve to stem the tide of citizens who seek to relocate to the rural hinterland. The coming of ‘re-urbanisation’ From the mid eighteenth century onwards ‘that complex series of innovations commonly referred to as the industrial revolution’ hastened the process of urbanisation throughout Europe and gave birth to the ‘industrial city’ (Pacione, 2005, pg. 50). Social commentators such as Marx and Engels noted how the city exhibited an ‘unequal division of power’ (Pacione, 2005, pg. 51) between the capitalists (who owned property) and the working classes. Indeed, Engels’ study of Manchester during the mid 19th century highlighted the phenomenon of ‘class-repulsion.’ The Chicago school of the 1920s promulgated the theory of ‘the city as organism.’ Burgess’s ‘concentric ring’ model of the industrial city highlighted how the form of an urban area commonly extended from a central business district (which was normally surrounded by a zone of poor quality housing and social exclusion) to areas of increasing affluence in the outer city and hinterland. The majority of the great industrial urban centres throughout Europe did indeed exhibit this pattern. However, since 1945 there has been a period of ‘post industrial urbanisation’ and a consequent ‘restructuring of urban form’ (Pacione, 2005, pg. 65). One could now say that many cities within the developed world have now moved into a fourth transitional stage known as ‘re-urbanisation.’ This phenomenon is when ’the rate of population loss of the core tapers off, or the core starts regaining population’ (Pacione, 2005, pg. 83). Such a trend is encouraging for municipal authorities and private investors who for many years have been forced to endure a process of depopulation or ‘counter urbanisation’ within the inner city. This was due to a period of industrial decline from the 1950s onwards. The large slum clearance and resettlement projects conducted within cities such as Glasgow and Liverpool also significantly reduced the urban population. As Holliday (1973, pg. 4) has succinctly stated, ‘change in cities is the result both of social, economic and technological forces at work in society and of particular local forces and physical factors within the city.’ Factors which have altered the structure of urban settlements and attracted residents back towards the city centre are indeed varied. There have been demographic alterations throughout the West since the post war ‘baby-boom.’ ‘Over a quarter of households contain only one person’ and ‘more women are starting a family late in life’ (Pacione, 2005, pg. 106). Thus, the requirement of a suburban family dwelling is not as essential for as many citizens now and the prospect of an inner city apartment may seem more attractive. As Knox and Pinch (2006, pg. 33) have also observed, the ‘growth of the service economy has had important consequences for the social geography of cities.’ Indeed, western cities are no l onger industrial zones over-shadowed by Blake’s ‘dark satanic mills’ and many white collar workers within the financial sector often dwell comfortably within the urban core. However, many would argue that the most potent force which has initiated the process of ‘re-urbanisation’ has been the stance adopted by governmental authorities in order to revitalise the city. Such a determination to improve the vitality and viability of the CBD often manifests itself in the guise of ambitious public/private ventures focusing on regenerating an entire area of the inner city. This was certainly the case at the London Docklands which has been entirely transformed over the past three decades. The Regeneration of the London Docklands The redevelopment of the London Docklands has been much publicised and is an example of a public/private venture which sought to revamp the ‘brown area of mostly abandoned nineteenth century docks and warehouses’ (Rykwert, 2000, pg.226) close to the centre of London. The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was set up in 1981 in order to manage the project. As Rykwert (2000, pg. 226) has noted, ‘Docklands offered a prime site for development, but only if there was huge investment.’ The LDDC coordinated the regeneration and transformation of this once dilapidated zone. In 1987 the government also agreed to ‘fund an elaborate infrastructure’ of ‘roadways, rail links, and mains services on a large scale’ (Rykwert, 2000, pg. 226). Docklands was also designated as an ‘Enterprise Zone’ which was exempt from the rigorous planning restrictions which existed elsewhere within the city centre. According to the LDDC ‘Strategy for Regeneration’ report of 1997, the population of the locale had ‘increased from 39,400 to more than 80,000’ and the number of jobs had ‘risen from 27,200 to 72,000’ (LDDC, 1997) since 1981. The Corporation also stated that ‘the substantial numbers of new houses built has relieved pressure for residential development in Londons Green Belt’ (LDDC, 1997). A policy of offering generous tax incentives to private investors, coupled with public investment in local services would appear to have paid off. The LDDC also insisted that the newly revitalised residential districts of the zone are entirely ‘sustainable.’ However, there are some who would argue that the regeneration of the Docklands and the creation of new employment opportunities at Canary Wharf has largely benefited the influx of white collar workers, to the detriment of the socially excluded indigenous population. Gentrification of the area has also displaced many of the original inhabitants. Rykwert (2000, pg. 227) notes the stark contrast between the ‘expensively finished high-rise office buildings’ which ‘dwarf the more or less gated new housing to make an even sharper contrast with a blighted hinterland.’ Indeed, Rykwert also draws attention to the nearby borough of Tower Hamlets, which still suffers from one of the highest unemployment rates in the UK. Such a redeveloped area seems to be attractive to younger professional people who can enjoy the services and cultural aspects of the city centre close at hand. However, the ultra-secure environment of intercoms, security cameras and high walls, which en velopes the modern residential buildings, insulating the affluent from the potentially unsavoury world around them, is less appealing to families with young children. As Pacione (2005, pg. 65) has emphasised, young families will naturally gravitate towards the ‘stability, security’ and ‘comfortable world of consumption’ offered by suburban life. Marketing the City Centre Promoting a ‘positive image’ of the city is of paramount importance to contemporary municipal authorities. Indeed, as Knox and Pinch (2006, pg. 51) have noted, recent years have witnessed numerous ‘attempts by public agencies to re-brand cities and make them attractive to investors.’ The ‘Glasgow’s Miles Better’ campaign of the 1980s and 1990s, which was launched by Glasgow City Council, sought to shake off the ‘hard’ image the city had acquired as a centre of social depravation and criminal activity. The ‘Garden Festival’ of 1988 and Glasgow obtaining the accolade of ‘European City of Culture’ in 1990 further improved the reputation of the city and its environs. Glasgow is now considered to be a vibrant centre which offers a wide array of services and boasts a much improved infrastructure. Gentrification projects along the River Clyde coupled with the rejuvenation of the ‘Merchant City’ in the heart of the town have attracted white collar workers back towards the hub. The local council and private investors are now keen to promote the city’s heritage as well as preserving listed buildings, areas of environmental importance and historical monuments. Such a policy adds emphasis to Holli day’s (1973, pg. 21) statement that ‘the image of a city centre is a reflection of the values of city councillors and officers’ and that it is imperative to ‘present a centre of obvious commercial prosperity, traditional values, cultural activities and an appearance reflecting pride in the city.’ Such a determination to promote a positive image of urban space also compounds Eaton’s (2001, pg. 10) notion that ‘something as complex as the city can be promoted in the mind’s eye.’ The very perception one has of a city or space is of the utmost importance and has been of great interest to academics such as Michel Foucault and David Sibley in recent years. The LDDC also highlighted how the social connotations surrounding the name ‘Docklands’ have changed dramatically over the past few years due to positive marketing and a subsequent re-imaging of this once run-down area. The same phenomenon can readily be applied to the city of Glasgow, as well as other sites of urban regeneration. However, modern-day architects who design dwellings for inner city urbanites understand the complexity of their task. Graham Haworth (who was involved in the renovation and design of residential buildings in Coin Street in central London) has acknowledged how ‘city-centre housing still proves to be something of a paradox’ and that buildings must ‘fit in comfortably to a metropolitan context’ whilst providing a ‘setting for small scale domestic activity’ (Haworth, 2003, pg. 150). Indeed, public tastes often alter considerably through time and space, and this phenomenon also represents a major challenge to all agencies involved in restoring and maintaining the vibrancy and vitality of the ‘zone of transition’. Conclusion Urban authorities now deploy a range of strategies to enhance their city centres. Allen, Massey and Pryke (1999, pg. 100) have also observed that ‘new flows of international tourists and business people are restructuring old urban spaces.’ As Knox and Pinch (2006, pg. 33) have highlighted, the post war world has witnessed the ‘emergence of global cities’ which must compete for inward investment. The city centre offers a range of options for developers. The process of gentrification is seen by many to be a positive element in regenerating brown belt sites and a ‘back-to-the-city move by capital’ (Knox, Pinch, 2006, pg. 145). However, some would contest this ‘revanchist’ notion. Pacione (2005, pg. 212) has noted that gentrification ‘commonly involves residential relocation by people already living in the city’ and is not a ‘back-to-the-city move by suburbanites.’ The notion championed by the LDDC, and other agencies, that inner city redevelopment will place less strain on the rural hinterland and reduce the flow of households to the periphery is also questionable. It should be borne in mind that inner city regeneration tends to attract younger professional people in the 20-39 age group. Statistics released by the Development and Regeneration Services of Glasgow (2007, pg. 14) this year concluded that over 35% of the inner city population was within this age group. Numbers of citizens falling into the other age categories were below the national average. Indeed, one could say that the vibrancy of the urban core is more appealing to young professionals as opposed to households with children. Tonkiss (2005, pg. 80) has also emphasised that gentrification ‘remains something of a minority taste.’ As Holliday has highlighted, a variety of factors, from demographics to technological shifts, affect the development of the city. Municipal strategies tend to respond to these forces, and act accordingly. Despite the recent success of urban regeneration schemes, and a marked reduction in the depopulation of city centres throughout the UK, it seems likely that many households will continue to seek the safety and security of the rural periphery. During the period from 1981 to 1991 suburban zones in the UK continued to expand at a rate of ‘less than 6%’ (Pacione, 2005, pg. 84). Many retired people are also tending to move away from urban areas and relocate within the ‘sunbelt’ zone of the Mediterranean region. Bibliography ALLEN, J. MASSEY, D. PYKE, M. Unsettling Cities, Routledge, 1999 DEVELOPMENT AND REGENERATION SERVICES OF GLASGOW, Glasgow Factsheets, DRS, 2007 EATON, R. Ideal Cities: Utopianism and the (Un)built Environment, Thames and Hudson, 2001 HOLLDAY, J. City Centre Redevelopment: A Study of British City Centre Planning and Case Studies of Five English Cities, Charles Knight, 1973 KNOX, P. PINCH, S. Urban Social Geography, Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2006 LONDON DOCKLANDS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Strategy for Regeneration Report, LDDC, 1997 PACIONE, M. Urban Geography: A Global Perspective, Routledge, 2nd Edition, 2005 RYKWERT, J. The Seduction of Place: The City in the Twenty-First Century, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 2000 THOMAS, R. Sustainable Urban Design: An Environmental Approach, Spon Press, 2003 TONKISS, F. Space, The City and Social Theory: Social Relations and Urban Forms, Polity Press, 2005 RIDDELL, R. Sustainable Urban Planning, Blackwell, 2004 SHORT, J, R. Urban Theory: A Critical Assessment, Palgrave, MacMillan, 2006 1