Job Enrichment Essay

The cost of not applying this people-oriented philosophy is that workers become unmotivated, and dissatisfied which leads to low productivity and quality and high absenteeism and turnover rates. The average turnover rate in the building service industry is more than 100 percent. This means that if you have a crew of 10, you will have to hire more than 10 new people over the course of a year just to maintain your crew. You will spend a lot of time filling in for the employees who quit, adjusting work schedules, training replacements and answering a thousand questions from people who don’t have the authority or the knowledge to make decisions on their own. High turnover in the industry is even more significant for another reason: It means that we aren’t doing our job well as supervisors and managers. All levels of management must know how to work with people. Compensation and the work itself are factors, but management certainly shares responsibility when a worker quits. Study after study shows that workers can be motivated to work hard if they are involved, given responsibility and recognized. Job enrichment is one way to accomplish this. The Case For Job Enrichment Most employees are trying to reach the economic level at which their basic needs for food, shelter, health care, job security and the like will be fulfilled. Usually less fulfilled but equally important, are the employee’s intangible needs for knowledge, achievement and general self-satisfaction. These higher-level needs can be fulfilled only through work that is personally significant or meaningful to the employee. Meaningful work not only improves the motivation of employees and serves their human needs, but also increases their productivity and the overall effectiveness of the organization. 10 Meaningful work: ⠝‹ Involves employees in the identification and solution of problems that affect them and the organization. ⠝‹ Provides employees with the feeling – not the pretense – that they are personally contributing to the organization. ⠝‹ Provides employees with the opportunity to do the work they do best. If employees are performing meaningful work, they are highly involved in solving work problems that touch them personally and they share in the planning, organizing and controlling of what they do. With this comes increased understanding, achievement and stimulation, which combine to boost motivation and the organization’s effectiveness. One of the most effective ways to make work more meaningful is through vertical job loading or job enrichment. It goes a long way toward ensuring that the job satisfies people’s higher level needs and that employees are motivated to greater performance. Job enrichment can reduce turnover and give supervisors more time for work that cannot be easily delegated. Taking the time to build in motivators can result in increased job satisfaction and much smoother operations for your company. The argument for job enrichment can be summed up quite simply: If you have people on the job, use them. If you can’t use them on the job, let them go. If you can’t use them and you can’t let them go, you will have a motivation problem. Principles Of Job Enrichment Job enrichment is essentially a structured system of increasing employee responsibility and authority through effective, welldirected delegation. However, it is important to remember that only responsibility and authority can be delegated; accountability cannot. With that in mind, let’s look at the five principles of job enrichment. Principle 1: Remove controls. The first principle of job enrichment is to remove some controls while still retaining accountability. As dis- BSCAI Services Magazine November 2005 cussed above, the supervisor must always retain accountability but can remove or lessen some of the controls on subordinates when they are ready for it. Obviously, this can’t be done with employees who have just started on the job. If it is, they’ll be overwhelmed and confused, and the results will be disastrous— for them and for their supervisors. But it can and should be done when the employee is ready for it. Example 3. A lead person with a particular knack for training is made an on-the-job trainer. Example. When a cleaner has completed an initial training period, the supervisor checks on his work less often, perhaps weekly instead of nightly. Vertical Versus Horizontal Loading In this example, the employee has achieved a certain level of expertise. That achievement is recognized, not just with words, but also with actions. The fact that some controls are being removed demonstrates confidence in the employee. It increases the employee’s responsibility and control over his or her own work, and that improves motivation. Principle 2: Assign a complete natural unit of work. The second principle of job enrichment is to assign employees a complete project—a complete natural unit of work—whenever possible. Doing this increases their sense of accomplishment. They can see the results of their own work more clearly. It increases their accountability for that work and fosters pride in a job well done. Example. A cleaning team is given complete responsibility for everything within their area. Of course, the employees must see these as positive changes, and be interested in making them. Assigning new or specialized tasks recognizes some special ability in an individual employee, and it provides an opportunity for growth and advancement. One warning: It is important to distinguish between vertical job loading and horizontal job loading. Job enrichment involves vertical loading, or increasing the importance of the job upward. Horizontal loading merely increases the amount of work required without providing for growth and more responsibility. Here are some examples of horizontal job loading: ⠝‹ Rotating the assignments of a number of jobs that need to be enriched. This means general office cleaning for a while, then restrooms, then trash removal, etc. ⠝‹ Removing the most difficult parts of the assignment in order to free the worker to accomplish more of the less challenging assignments. ⠝‹ Challenging employees by increasing the amount of production expected. If the employee cleans 4,000 feet a night, see if he or she can clean 5,000. Principle 3: Give employees additional authority. The third principle of job enrichment is to give employees additional authority and freedom. Whenever possible, people should be given the authority to make decisions about their own work. Example. An experienced work crew is given responsibility for inspecting their own work. Obviously, the additional authority has to be realistic and consistent with the person’s job, and the person has to be ready for it. This is different from just piling on more work. It is giving the person some new authority and responsibility because he or she has demonstrated competence in other areas. This gives people recognition and a sense of achievement, and that again improves their motivation. Principle 4: Make reports directly available. The fourth principle of job enrichment is to make periodic reports available directly to employees rather than just to their supervisors. Example. Inspection reports are given directly to the crew responsible for cleaning the area. Again, this lets employees know that they are important. It gives them recognition, keeps them informed, and gives them direct feedback on their performance. Principle 5: Assign new or specialized tasks. The last principle of job enrichment is to assign people new or specialized tasks, enabling them to become experts. Example 1. A general cleaner is trained to become a floor machine operator. Example 2. An employee is given responsibility for quality control for an entire account or series of accounts. Circle No. 11 on Free Inquiry Card November 2005 BSCAI Services Magazine These examples of horizontal job loading do nothing to make a job meaningful and should be avoided at all costs. They actually reduce the employee’s personal contribution rather than providing an opportunity for growth within the job. In confusing horizontal for vertical loading, supervisors and managers often merely enlarge a job’s meaninglessness instead of enriching it. Developing A Job Enrichment Program Whether or not you apply these job enrichment principles depends on you and the people who work for you. While nearly everyone needs recognition and a sense of accomplishment, not all employees want more challenging work, additional responsibility, and a chance for advancement. Some workers may be meeting their higher level needs off the job, they may have other needs entirely, or they may simply lack the ability. Other employees, though, will have the potential and desire for more. They may need to be coached because of fear or a sense of inadequacy or they may need to be prodded because of a lack of ambition. But they should be encouraged to take advantage of opportunities, if they have the potential to better themselves and the company. For those employees who have the potential and the drive to move up, managers and supervisors have a responsibility to provide opportunities for further training and advancement. According to Steve Garcia, CBSE, of SMI Facility Services of Albuquerque, New Mexico, job enrichment begins when the employee is hired. The employee needs to feel that his or her employment is not a dead-end job. It should be explained to him or her that the goal of the company is to train, develop and promote employees.   And, notes Garcia, it is important that the company follows through with this process. â€Å"In most cases, company training involves learning only how to clean, which is fine, in the beginning, but I think shortly thereafter it should go a step further by teaching employees how to inspect, how to interact with customers and how to train new employees.† â€Å"Imagine telling your cleaner that you will be stopping by tonight to review an inspection report he has filled out himself,† he continues,â€Å"I think you will find in most cases the facility will meet or exceed the expectations of the company and the customer. Your employee will also feel his role with the company is more than just a janitor. He will realize he plays a key role in the entire process.† In addition, Garcia believes job enrichment allows a company to have a pool of well-qualified, loyal employees, which can move into higher positions within the company. Approach these jobs with the positive attitude that they can be changed even though years of tradition may have led managers and supervisors to believe that the content of the jobs is unchangeable. Get Employee Input Once the jobs are selected, the next step is direct participation by the employees whose jobs are to be enriched. Get a group of workers together to develop a list of changes that may enrich these jobs. They will be a valuable source of ideas and their participation will help ensure the success of any changes. Do not be concerned about the practicality of their suggestions at this time. Just generate a list without getting sidetracked into discussions about how they could be implemented. Once the list is complete, you and the group should screen the list to eliminate suggestions that involve dissatisfiers rather than actual motivation. (You may want to implement changes that eliminate dissatisfiers as well, but right now your focus should be on job motivators.) You should also screen the list to eliminate any horizontal loading suggestions. Be sure suggestions are specific and concrete. Generalities, such as â€Å"Give us more responsibility,† are very difficult to implement and are virtually meaningless. You want things you can carry out and measure or observe in some way. For example:The work team will inspect their own work nightly and the supervisor will inspect weekly. This actually gives the team more responsibility but in a specific, defined way that can be implemented and observed for its effectiveness. Use direct participation by the employees whose jobs are to be enriched. They will be a valuable source of ideas and their participation will help ensure the success of any changes. Implement The Program Once the job enrichment program begins, there may initially be a drop in performance. This is because changeover to a new job or way of doing things can lead to a temporary reduction in efficiency. But don’t lose faith! If the above steps are taken and the principles of vertical job enrichment followed, your employees will be motivated to achieve the growth and self-fulfillment they need and want. Clearly, job enrichment takes some work. It has to be built into a job. That takes some time and effort at the beginning but like good training, it will pay off with more motivated employees who are willing to work hard and capable of working independently. Ultimately that means improved motivation and job satisfaction. Select The Right Jobs The first step in putting job enrichment into practice is to select those jobs as candidates for job enrichment that meet the following criteria: $ Current attitudes are poor Motivation will make a difference in performance Changes will not be too costly This article was excerpted from the Building Service Management Program Volume Three – Motivation And Training. The program is a multi-volume training course that covers the technical aspects of cleaning and maintaining buildings as well as the management skills required in an increasingly complex and demanding industry. For more information on the program, contact BSCAI’s Information Central at 1-800-368-3414 or visit www.bscai.org go to the on-line store and click on publications. BSCAI Services Magazine November 2005

Behavioural based safety strategy

Abstract Behavioural Based Safety, or BBS, has become a topic of substantial debate as the issue has been linked to performance.This dissertation examines the modern development of the BBS philosophy in order to determine the strengths and weaknesses inherent in the concept. The evidence presented illustrates 1 Introduction1.1 BackgroundEmployee injuries have significant impact on organisations as a whole; for example, reputation, stakeholder expectations, financial implications and legislative (Orr, 2008). Organisations therefore have to look increasingly at more effective measures to control or eradicate such events. To this end historically many organisations have looked to the development and implementation of formal safety management systems in order to address this issue. Safety management systems are a formal and prescribed means of managing organisational safety and improving performance (Agnew et al, 2012). The safety management systems currently implemented within organisations generally are centred on policies, procedures, objectives, processes such as risk assessment, hazard identification the use of various safety tools such as JSA’s and the wearing of personal protective equipment, or PPE, and focus on measuring compliance against key targets and objectives. This diss ertation examines how Behaviour Based Safety, or BBS, aids in the drive to prevent accidents and boost overall employee development (Lebbon, Sigurdsson and Austin, 2012). Qatar holds the position of second smallest country in the Arabian Peninsula after the island state of Bahrain. Qatar’s population currently stands at 2.04 million of Development Planning and Statistics, 94 per cent of which are foreign nationals (Qsa.gov.qa., 2014). Of this 94 per cent the majority is low-paid migrant workers. This number is expected to rise significantly in the coming years primarily due to the coming 2020 World Cup and the need for an influx of foreign labour for the booming construction requirement associated with it (Qsa.gov.qa., 2014). These migrant workers will primarily work on critical construction projects, drastically increasing the need for an effective safety program to be in place. The country has grown in a record breaking manner in the last ten years, to become the world†™s highest per capita GDP National (Fromherz, 2013). This achievement is primarily based on the vast resources of oil and gas discovered in the country. As a consequence of this discovery, construction of mega production plants has been the main focus of development in the country. This level of construction indicates an influx of safety challenges requiring an up to date and efficient method of implementation. These projects have historically required vast numbers of multi-cultural and diverse workforces, coming from different parts of the world (Orr, 2008). This being the case there are many challenges and great difficulties in bringing about a consciousness of safe work practices and in instilling a positive safety culture (Fromherz, 2013). The recognition of the need for workplace safety publicly materialized in the work of Mr Heinrich, an Assistant Superintendent of the Engineering and Inspection Division of Travellers Insurance Company during the 1930’s and 1940â€⠄¢s (Heinrich, 1959). His position required an investigation into the high and rising rate of supervisor accident reports during the period .This report revolutionized the working world by concluding that 88% of industrial accidents were primarily caused by unsafe, possibly preventable acts (Heinrich, 1959). This transformative moment in safety strategy motivated an entire industry to introduce reform (Fogarty and Shaw, 2010). Prior to these period witnessed steadily decreasing standards of working conditions that led to the need to reform the system. Heinrich (1959) subsequently published his first book in 1931; Industrial Accident Prevention: A Scientific Approach, laying out a more systematic approach to the study of accident data. This indication of a willingness to embrace change was tempered by the overwhelming capacity that big business interests had to keep costs low, creating a volatile safety environment. The modern era has maintained that safety is significant concern for companies, often requiring a considerable fraction of their overall revenue stream (Fromherz, 2013). This drive to increase performance and reduce injury has resulted in many companies showing excellent improvement in the area of safety performance, thereby reducing cost and increasing productivity. The rationale for this research rests on assessing the potential for improvement of HSE performance in the Oil and Gas sector, specifically in the Middle East; through a means of behavioural based safety. The intention of the study is to establish the appropriateness of this hypothesis, whether as a process to be used as a standalone mechanism, or additionally, for the augmentation of an existing HSE management system. Behaviour based safety concept, or BBS, has been considered in industry worldwide for around a decade as a means to achieve a positive safety culture and an improved organizational safety performance (Mohr, 2011). An organisation’s culture can be as influential in achieving good safety results as a safety management system. The positive or negative safety culture of an organisation is directly linked to human factors and the positive behaviour of its workforce (Mohr, 2011). According to Books (1999), the largest influences on safety culture are; 1) the style and management commitment; 2) the involvement of employees; 3)training and competence; 4)ability to communicate at all levels; 5) compliance with procedures; and 6)organisational learning. The current research has affiliation with an earlier study conducted as part of the Post Graduate Diploma award (Turner, 2013). The subject of the previous research was â€Å"Safety Culture or Climate: An Appraisal of Perceptions and Scale†. This research sought to measure the health and safety, culture and climate of the researcher’s employer organisation. In this case the researcher determined that there was evidence of a positive safety culture within the XXXX Group of companies. Howeve r, this research also illustrated that this positive safety culture has not entirely achieved the expected and desired outcome of zero harm to people. All these factors in themselves do not prevent injuries from continuing to occur within the organisation. The previous study and current research focuses on the Middle East region. In particular to the varying needs and challenges faced by operations based in the region; specifically those that require the engagement of personnel from a vast array of differing backgrounds and cultures and how the principles of behavioural based safety may effectively be used to influence this specific workgroup. To facilitate understanding, it is also important to outline the distinctiveness of the location, (Qatar), the demographics of the workgroup, and the difficulties and challenges related to the management of such a work group within a safe work environment. Based on the above reasoning this affords the researcher the ideal incentive to both add ress the topic as an area of research for the required dissertation element in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Postgraduate MSc Degree in Health, Safety & Risk Management and to make recommendations that will enable XXXX Group to continue its safety culture development journey; that is, towards a more safety aware, proactive and empowered workforce; ultimately leading to an overall improvement in the safety performance results attained1.2 Aims & ObjectivesThis dissertation research focuses on the potential for improvement of HSE performance in the Oil and Gas sector, specifically in the Middle East; through a means of behavioural based safety. It is evident from recent research that traditional methods of safety management, such as safety management systems and risk assessments, do not wholly protect employees from incidents and injuries, as such organisations are looking for an alternative approach to improve performance and eradicate injury from the workplace, there fore the aim of this project is The following aim has been developed in order to meet this goal of this research: Critically evaluate existing research into behavioural based health and safety strategies, programmes and model with a view to identify a best practice model for future implementation. Objectives: The objectives of the research are as follows: 1) To critically analyse available literature and research studies pertaining to behavioural based health and safety. 2) To ascertain employee perceptions. 3) To identify best practices and success rates of behavioural based safety programmes. 4) To evaluate performance improvement. 5) Determine an appropriate behavioural approach for Labour safety in Qatar. 1.3 Research Questions In order to fully develop this dissertation the following questions will be considered by this research: 1) What is behavioural based safety and how does it impact Qatar? 2) Which elements of the behavioural based safety process are suited for Qatar? 3) What is the best method of behavioural based safety implementation for Qatar? 4) How to assess behavioural based safety effectiveness in the workplace?1.4 Scope of this researchThis research examines safety perception and behavioural application from 2000 until 2014 in order to ascertain the best possible elemen ts for future implementation. With a national focus on Qatar this research incorporates studies conducted in similar environments and conditions internationally in order to gain insight for these research objectives.1.5 Structure of the DissertationThis dissertation will consist of an Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology and Analysis, followed by Discussion/Conclusion. 2 Literature review 2.1 Overview â€Å"BBS is about everyone’s behaviour, not just the frontline† (Agnew & Ashworth, 2012:1). 3 Methodology / Analysis 4 Discussion/Conclusion 5 References Agnew, J. 2012. Behaviour based Safety. Performance management magazine, 1 (1), p. 1. Books, H. 2009. Reducing error and influencing behaviour. New York, NY. Fogarty, G. J. and Shaw, A. 2010. Safety climate and the Theory of Planned Behaviour: Towards the prediction of unsafe behaviour. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 42 (5), pp. 1455–1459. Fromherz, A. J. 2013. Qatar: Politics and the Challenges of Development by Matthew Gray (review). The Middle East Journal, 67 (4), pp. 649–651. Greene-Roesel, R., Washington, S., Weir, M., Bhatia, R., Hague, M., Wimple, B. 2013. Benefit cost analysis applied to behavioural and engineering safety countermeasures in San Francisco, California. Heinrich, H. W. 1959. Industrial accident prevention. New York: McGraw-Hill. Santos-Reyes, J. and Beard, A. N. 2002. Assessing safety management systems. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 15 (2), pp. 77–95. Lebbon, A., Sigurdsson, S. O. and Austin, J. 2012. Behavioural Safety in the Food Services Industry: Challenges and Outcomes. Journal of Organizational Behaviour Management, 32 (1), pp. 44–57. Mehta, RK. & Agnew, MJ. 2013. Exertion-dependent effects of physical and mental workload on physiological outcomes and task performance. The IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 1(1), 3-5. Mohr, D. P. 2011. Fostering sustainable behaviour. Gabriola, B.C.: New Society Publishers. Orr, T. 2008. Qatar. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. Qsa.gov.qa. 2014. . Welcome to Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics-Statistics sector website :.. [online] Available at: http://www.qsa.gov.qa/eng/index.htm [Accessed: 27 Mar 2014].

Importance in accurate bac identification-microbio Essay

Importance in accurate bac identification-microbio - Essay Example It leads us to identify whether the microorganisms are pathogenic? Which type of infection do they cause? What is the route of transmission? What pathological conditions does it cause with in the living body? These all questions can only be answered by the correct identification of microorganisms. The diseases can never be cured until the microorganism is recognized. It also enable us to prepare suitable media for the growth of specific specie there can study their characteristics easily. After identification, we can determine the mode of action of certain pathogenic microorganisms. It may also help us to design certain drugs against them. These drugs have mode of action respectfully to the pathogen for example, the pathogen causing GIT infection, the drugs used will be considered more effective if it is administered orally. It not only enables us to create preventive measures against epidemic or pandemic infections but also help us in determining the way of their administration into the body. Today the major arising problem in the world of microbiology is the mutations that are taking place in the genetic makeup of microorganism. These mutations enable the microorganisms to become resistant against certain drugs. The resistant power of infectious organisms may also arise due to the improper route of administration, which does not provide significant immunity but results in the enhancement of pathogenicity of microorganisms by the exposure of certain drugs in the amount less than the required doze. Because of the identification of certain microorganisms at specie level, today we are able to compete with them and even can defeat this little creature. We can design antibiotics, drugs antiserums, toxoids, vaccines etc. due to the identification today we are able to reduce the infectious diseases at a remarkable rate (Collier & Haburchak,

Assassination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assassination - Essay Example Other incidents include unauthorized airplanes passing over the White House and in given situation, an aircraft crashing into the house. Plans to utilize planes seem most application for the assassins since the ground is somehow well guarded and the only place they can reach the presidents is using the planes to strike the White House. Other characteristics of assassinsare the use of threats, comprising armed assaults and bombings, dreaded kidnaping and captive-taking, assassination plots, alongside direct, strikes on the presidents (Jost & Sidanius 78). On the other hand, some assassins sometimes form organized groups that take part of some regions in opposition to the president’s leadership or just greed for power. Such incidences occur regular accompanied by kidnapping of children while on vacation like the incident of President Cleveland. Another example is the September 11, 2001 where the attackers used different planes to strike different buildings (Jost & Sidanius 123). The three categories of motivations for Non-Presidential assassinations depend on some objectives but not all of them possess the past US model. The categories are based on assassinations as a way through which politicalelite replaces the existing government without influencing systemic or usualchange. The second category is those with reasons to harm the legality of controlling the elite and influencing the system or ideological amendments and lastly categorized based on propaganda of encouraging ideology (Jost & Sidanius

Plato - The Republic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plato - The Republic - Essay Example as a real philosopher named Plato and was somewhat of a contemporary of Plato (Socrates died when Plato was but twenty-five), the ideas accredited to Socrates are generally thought to be Plato originals and Reeve acknowledges as much (Reeve 2004 P xi). So through his own observations of the Republic Reeve puts forth an interesting argument that Plato felt strongly in the goodness of Kallipolis (in Greek the beautiful or noble city) and was very eager to broadcast his ideas through the argument/debate process written in the Republic. In the introduction, Reeve points out that Plato’s main theme in Kallipolis is not the bylaws which govern the city. Instead, the speaker talks of the value of a social structure based entirely on virtue, achieved in ways not the least of which is the education of all people (Reeve 2004 P xix). This includes females, which is not a very favourable idea among his conversationalists. So almost from the first Plato realizes this vision of utopia (a term coined by Sir Thomas Moore almost 1,900 years later) would never actually exist. In the Republic, Book 1 finds Socrates and his companion Glaucon returning from a religious festival only to find themselves literally forced to spend at least the night with a man named Polemarchus, his brothers and his aged father Cephalus. Wiling away the time the men get into a deep philosophical discussion concerning politics and money. As happens with the elderly, Cephalus is happy with the money he has made and expounds that at his age, having virtues (i.e. not cheating or lying) is far more important than the wealth he has accumulated (Reeve 2004 P 5). So the conversation naturally turns to virtue and two subjects brought up are paying one’s debts and helping a friend with his enemy (your enemy is my enemy). Plato rejects these, not on the basis of not being just ideas, but rather that they are mostly hard to define, for each situation is different (in battle, at sea, etc.) and says he

Thurgood Marshall and his impact on the American civil rights movement Term Paper

Thurgood Marshall and his impact on the American civil rights movement - Term Paper Example He is recognized for making contributions to race and gender equality as well as the rights of an accused. He was born on 2 July 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Samuel Coleridge Taylor Elementary School and Booker T. Washington Junior High. Thurgood Marshall’s parents were mulattoes who could trade their ancestry to a nineteenth-century Congo slave who have caused much trouble for his master that he was set free. The former slave was Thurgood’s Marshall’s great grandfather. Thurgood Marshall’s father was a waiter and amateur writer while his mother was a schoolteacher. During his elementary years, Thurgood Marshall â€Å"was best remembered† to be on the front row so teachers could see him closely. He was also described as to have â€Å"enjoyed teaching the girls while he was in school†. According to Thurgood Marshall, himself, he was born Throughgood Marshall but after growing tired of spelling his long first name, he shorted his name to Thurgood when he was in second grade. Thurgood Marshall had revealed that although they had lived on a respectable street but behind them were â€Å"back alleys where the roughnecks and the tough kids hung out.† Further, Thurgood Marshall had revealed that every dinnertime, his mother had to go to the front door to call her brother but had to use the backdoor to call him for dinner. 12 In 1921 to 1925, Marshall attended the Colored High and Training School that became the Frederick Douglass High School in 1923.13 The Colored High and Training School was known as an all-black school with no school library, no cafeteria, and no gym when Thurgood Marshall was enrolled.14 The school was â€Å"so overcrowded that half-day sessions were held to accommodate all students†. 15 Students in the school were divided based on perfor mance and Marshall had belonged to the best students of the school.16 Nevertheless, Marshall was known as a prankster and his â€Å"antics† usually sent him to punishment.17 The main form of punishment then was to put the punished in the school basement to memorize the US Constitution.18 From the experience, Marshall recounted later, that came to know the US Constitution by heart.19 Marshall was a figure on the high school campus because of his participation and success in his school’s debate team.20 Marshall married Vivian Burey in 1923.21 In 1924, he graduated from high school at the top three of his class after maintaining a grade of B average. 22 In 1930, Marshall graduated cum laude from the Lincoln University in Lincoln, Pennsylvania.23 Lincoln University was known as the â€Å"Black Princeton† because it was founded and ran â€Å"by the same Presbyterians who ran Princeton University†. 24 In Lincoln University, despite graduating at the top of his class, many thought he never studied.25 One friend even described him as someone who was the least likely to succeed.26 In Lincoln University, Thurgood Marshall was known as a great pinochle player, fan of cowboy movies, and connoisseur of comic books. 27 On his second year in the university, Marshall joined the Alpha Phi Alpha, a fraternity described as â€Å"elite† and composed of â€Å"mostly light-skinned boys†.28 Thurgood Marshall was known to have â€Å"enjoyed† hazing the younger students and â€Å"did so in such an aggressive manner that he got kicked out school, along with 25 other sophomores†.29 However, Marshall and the rest of his companions were readmitted after they wrote and sign a confession of admission to the University.30 Marshall initially intended to attend the University of Maryland Law School but found out that only two black students had graduated from the law school in Maryland. 31 Further, he

The principal objective of strengthening the community partnership Coursework

The principal objective of strengthening the community partnership - Coursework Example Based on this research strategic planning is all about making the right strategy to be induced in the planning process to make it more effective. It is extremely important to know the basic environment of Atlantic Cape Community College, its faculties, the teaching process, the facilities and the goals and objectives of the institution which is to be known as the best college in the city and be a centre of learning and career growth. The final report will be extensively discussing the need of the strengthening of community partnership and the strategy employed for achieving it. To attain this objective, there is a need for local strategy plan and international alliance with business communities and learning centers. The report will discuss with examples that how Atlantic Cape Community College will plan strategically to achieve the goal and objective. With the advent of internet marketing tools, the college can focus on its facilities being marketed well, the comfort and the pricing advantages businesses have in renting their facility, the kind of constant up-gradation they are doing to gain competitive advantage and giving the learning and business communities the best of infrastructural and lodging facilities. â€Å"In order to survive the difficulties ahead, colleges and universities must have more foresighted management. But at the same time, universities must maintain their decentralized form and capitalize on the entrepreneurship and idea-generating abilities of the faculty.† ... ralized form and capitalize on the entrepreneurship and idea-generating abilities of the faculty.† (Keller, 1983) Keller has emphasized of the fact that strong leadership and entrepreneurship are the requisite area for the colleges to strategically plan and execute the college business partnership relation to newer heights. This will give a huge morale boost to the college as it goes on its quest for attaining the academic, learning and business excellence center of the region. SWOT Analysis The Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats give a detailed analysis of the overall strategic position of the organization. Based on this analysis, analyst and members of the institute can logically and strategically plan the execution of its business plans. Atlantic Cape Community college wants to strengthen their community partnership ties with companies, colleges and learning centers where they can avail the infrastructural facilities for conferences, meetings, lectures and knowled ge sharing programs. SWOT Analysis has already been dealt with in the earlier sections. This report will be taking up specific examples which are going to illustrate the analysis. Strength: Atlantic Cape Community College students were surveyed as part of the student’s Facilities and Services Satisfaction Survey 2011 where 7456 students were surveyed in 2010-11 out of which there were 156 respondents. 76% were satisfied with the overall facility at their campus. (Atlantic Cape Report, 2011). The college already has a reputation as a source of learning with facilities of a 500 seat theatre, 30 seat board room, lodging and restaurant / catering facilities & availability of satellite campuses in Atlantic & Cape May County. With the provision of advanced technology with Information Communications

What are the essential differences between Prometheus(as he is Essay

What are the essential differences between Prometheus(as he is portrayed by Hesiod) and Loki as he appears in Scandinavian myth - Essay Example On the other hand, Loki was malevolent since his intentions were purely to cause suffering to others (Schnurbein, 112). Prometheus was a god of fire, who stole fire and gave it to mankind, an aspect that then brought civilization that was against the will of his family gods, because the god Zeus wanted to obliterate the human race but his plans were destroyed by Prometheus. Therefore, Prometheus was subjected to eternal punishment where the eagle would feed on his liver daily, â€Å"not only for stealing fire, but also for destroying Zeuss plan (Peretti, 194). Loki however applied his intellect in a totally different way. His mischievous intellect even enabled him to sneak his way up to becoming a god when he was not even deserving, and through his malice, he became â€Å"responsible, though indirectly, for the death of deaths of other gods† (Schnurbein, 117). There is little evidence to suggest even that Loki ever stole fire, but there is much evidence to the effect that his malicious ways brought a stir amongst the gods, and he was finally sentenced to punishment which he really deserved. The other essential difference between Prometheus and Loki is in relation to overall effects of their actions. Prometheus overall consequences were beneficial, but Loki’s overall consequences were destructive (Lamberton, 41). This is because; Loki was a selfish and egocentric god, who did not stop at anything to ensure that he succeed in his mischievous ways. Loki sided with his family against the other gods, and he set himself on a path of causing destruction to the other gods, even though little evidence exists to suggest that he deserved to be a god. He pursued his mischievous plans to the end, and saw the destruction that he intended to happen accomplished. Thus, even after being sentenced to imprisonment, his mischief did not end there. He was supported by his wife

EXPENDITURE PLANNING AND CONTROL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

EXPENDITURE PLANNING AND CONTROL - Essay Example Conclusion......................................................................................13 Appendix A: Time and Cost Calculation................................................15 Appendix B: Preliminaries cost due to the Prolongation of the Works. 15 References 16 Bibliography 17 Expenditure Planning and Control – Assignment 1 I. Introduction I have been instructed by the main contractor (‘the Contractor’) to prepare a report in relation to a construction project which has experienced significant problems from the get go, which have resulted in delay and disruptions during the course of the Works. These delays and disruptions have inevitably affected the Contractor’s ability to complete the work in a timely fashion. This report provides an independent assessment of the surrounding particulars and contract documentation with a view to resolving the matter. I have specifically been instructed to include in the report the following points: an analysis of the delays; extension of time (‘EOT’); liquidated damages; valuation of work and claims for loss and / or expense. Generally speaking, I am instructed to provide my opinion in relation to the parties’ rights and obligations under the contract. The report begins by outlining in brief the ‘Background Facts’ and issues which arose (see section II). Section III of the report provides an ‘Analysis of the Issues’. Under this section, each problem is addressed in chronological order. The ‘Procedural Issues’ are set out at section IV. Section V addresses the ‘Methods of Quantification’. Finally, section VI is the Conclusion. II. Background Facts The contract was entered into by the parties for the construction of an extension to a cancer centre at a hospital in the north east (‘the project’). The project can be more specifically summarised as the construction of an extension and some refurbishment work t o the cancer unit. The standard form construction contract used for the works is the JCT Standard Building Contract with Quantities (SBC/Q) (‘JCT05’) with sectional completion. This form of contract is generally used where the works have been designed / detailed by or on behalf of the Employer. The contract documentation is comprised of the JCT05 contract, contract drawing and the bill of quantities. The Contract Sum for the Works was set at ?4,000,000 under a firm price contract; otherwise known as a fixed price contract. The Contractor was to be paid monthly with 3% of the Contract Sum being retained by the Employer until completion. The duration of the contract was 34 weeks with a start date scheduled for 1st February 2008. The Works were to be executed whilst the neighbouring hospital buildings were to be occupied. It was specifically mentioned in the Preliminaries, however, that the Works were to be carried out with ‘as little disruption as possible to the da y to day working of the hospital’. Albeit, contractors were advised to visit the site at the pre-tendering stage in order to assess the conditions which could potentially impede the execution of the Works (see the Preliminaries). Furthermore, there is only one site entrance, which is situated along a busy road and is also on a ‘blind corner’, which requires careful supervision at the time of site deliveries. The following issues arose on site soon after the works commenced: Relevant Issues i) A delay of six weeks resulted after site conditions were found to be of poor quality which demanded that the foundations be redesigned; ii) A further five

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay In some works of literature, the main character often finds himself or herself in conflict with the social or moral values of his environment. Choose one novel or play of literary merit in which the character is at odds with the people around him or her, or with society at large. Write an essay in which you explain how these conflicts are essential to the overall meaning of the work. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: An Analysis of Conflict In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, author Mark Twain introduces the conflict of an individual versus society. Huckleberry Finn, the protagonist, embarks on an adventure of his own in order to escape the society that has done him wrong. With a runaway slave as his companion, Huck ventures out on the Mississippi River, observing and analyzing all aspects of the world around him. On his journey, Huck not only uncovers the hidden hypocrisy of his so-called â€Å"civilized† society, but also discovers his own inner conscience and sense of morality. Set in pre-Civil War Missouri, Huckleberry Finn’s tale captures the essence of southern society during that time period. During the early nineteenth century, slavery was still a predominant establishment in southern life. Those who owned slaves saw nothing wrong with the practice, for they had been raised believing slavery was just and acceptable. And the slaves themselves were born into the system simply accepting their fate as inferior beings. The reader sees this strange predicament in almost every situation Huck is faced with, from his temporary stay with the Widow Douglas to his encounter with Mrs. Loftus. During his stay with the Widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson, Huck is constantly pestered to be more well-mannered and â€Å"civilized. † Miss Watson feels that Huck is in need of a spiritual saving, and so â€Å"By-and-by they fetched the niggers in and had prayers, and then everybody was off to bed,† (Page 2). While she tries to save Huck from eternal damnation, she fails to realize that she herself is practicing a much more damning institution. She ironically preaches salvation, but she herself is involved with slavery – something the Bible condemns. Another example of this irony is Huck’s confrontation with Mrs. Loftus. Although she seeks to aid Huck, she ultimately is part of the reason he is in danger. Her husband is on a search for Jim, who is wanted for not only being a runaway but also for being a suspect in Huck’s â€Å"murder. † With this, the Loftus family puts Huck in more danger than he already was in. As Huck observes the hypocrisy of his society, he feels more inclined to break away from their way of life and instead form his own conclusions about what is right and what is wrong. Huck’s struggle against society and its attempts to civilize him is the starting point of the conflict in the novel. He feels trapped by the standards society has set for him. In order to avoid his culture’s influence, Huck flees his life with the adults that have done nothing but set a bad example for him. As he forms a relationship with Jim, a runaway slave, Huck truly begins to question the morals upheld by his society. To Huck, being associated with a slave is one thing, but aiding one in escaping is an entirely different and more dangerous predicament. When Jim is captured, Huck must decide whether to turn Jim in, as society demands, or to protect and help his friend instead. Eventually, though, Huck’s inner conscience and humanity prevail, and declares that he rather â€Å"go to hell,† (Page 170) than let Jim be enslaved again. Huck’s sacrifice to save Jim in return for his own eternal soul is the ultimate climax of the story. After dealing with the conflict of a morally corrupt society, Huck’s decision to disregard the norms set for him and make up his own mind creates an epic conclusion to the story. In the end, Huck not only frees Jim from bondage but also metaphorically liberates himself of society’s control over him. With this moral reckoning, Huck can learn from the mistakes of his society and set a new path for others to follow.

The Inspiration Of Art In Architecture

The Inspiration Of Art In Architecture The essay investigates the inspiration of art in architecture and the links and interchanges between them in the late sixties and early seventies with emphasis on the exchanges between conceptual art and architecture. The basic assumption of the essay is that the rigorous conceptualisation that characterised conceptual artist was transferred into some advanced architectural practices during the late sixties and early seventies. It also discusses about the parameters on which the inspirations are carried further to design process in terms of project conditions. During this process of transforming the art to a design, it passes through the process of adding architectural characteristics. So the essay seeks, how further is the design taken and if it still has the essence of the original art from which it was inspired. The text examines relations and differences between artist Sol Lewitt and architect Peter Eisenman in reference with a few of Eisenmans past works and argues that this dis cussion is still relevant to current practices exploring the potentials of digital based design through the use of parametrics, scripting etc. INTRODUCTION Design should do the same thing in everyday life that art does when encountered : amaze us, scare us or delight us, but certainly open us to new worlds within our daily existence. 1 Aaron Betsky While both art and design can perform a similar role, there is a distinct difference between the two. Art is unladen by boundaries, whereas design takes on the added responsibility of performing a function. The challenge of design is to try and meet the lofty ideals of art while remaining utilitarian. The artists work freed from practicality is more agile and able to freely explore concepts and ideas that will open us to new worlds. Artists are the scientists who research and test concepts; designers are the engineers who translate those discoveries into everyday life. Architects, as designers of spaces, can learn valuable lessons from artists. The same principles that have been tested and found successful in art can become a part of the built environment. Why not have colorful buildings that explode organically like Dale Chihulys glass works? i1 If nothing else, looking at art should remind architects of the artistic possibilities of architecture. This is especially important today, when architecture tends too heavily toward utility. CONCEPTUAL ART I will refer to the kind of art in which I am involved as conceptual art. In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art. This kind of art is not theoretical or illustrative of theories; it is intuitive, it is involved with all types of mental processes and it is purposeless. It is usually free from the dependence on the skill of the artist as a craftsman. It is the objective of the artist who is concerned with conceptual art to make his work mentally interesting to the spectator, and therefore usually he would want it to become emotionally dry. 2 Sol Lewitt By Conceptual art I mean work that firstly makes the immaterial ideas that define its artistic concepts and than secondary its object status and method of production. By conceptual architecture I mean that work which tries to do what conceptual art does while retaining some of the distinctive characteristics of architecture. Sol Lewitt (1928-2007) was a painter and sculptor who helped establish Conceptualism as a dominant art movement in the post war era. He was chosen for this study, first and foremost, because he had a similar relationship with his works that an architect does; he planned the pieces but entrusted their execution to others. This distance meant his works were less dependent on rendering techniques to be successful. In this regard, his works are a step closer to architecture than many artists. Another reason LeWitt was selected was his interest in a conceptual art, rather than a perceptual art. The way his pieces looked was important, but not as important as the concept that created them. Architecture deals with environments, which are inherently perceptual, so moving to a conceptual understanding of architecture, seemed to be an interesting challenge and worthwhile pursuit. Many of Sol LeWitts works were never seen by the artist until their exhibition. As an artist he was revolutionary in that he rarely executed his own works, simply because it was unnecessary. Sol LeWitts written instructions for his wall murals are specific about how they are to be produced. For LeWitt, the role of the artist is to create the concept not the object, or in other words, the concept is the art. Applying the idea of a conceptual art to architecture can be a significant challenge. The wellknown American architect and theorist Peter Eisenman explains the challenges succinctly: It is possible to say that while a conceptual art and a conceptual architecture could be similar in an idea state, there is an inherent difference when it comes to the realized object. Where a conceptual art object can remain in a more pure state, for example as a mathematical notation, built architecture takes on cultural, pragmatic, and semantic references. Thus the conceptual aspect of an architecture cannot be defined by what is conceptual in, say, painting and sculpture.11 These thoughts are mirrored by Sol LeWitt: Architecture and three-dimensional art are of completely opposite natures. The former is concerned with making an area with a specific function. Architecture, whether it is a work of art or not, must be utilitarian or else fail completely. Art is not utilitarian. When three-dimensional art starts to take on some of the characteristics, such as forming utilitarian areas, it weakens its function as art.12 Is it then inappropriate to create architecture based solely on concept? Especially when the utility of the space is compromised? If utilitarian concerns are allowed to alter or compromise a space, both Eisenman and LeWitt would agree that work is no longer conceptual. To avoid compromising the artistic concept both LeWitt and Eisenman have decided to make art instead of architecture. The difference being that Eisenman insists on using buildings as his medium; buildings which must to some extent lend themselves to the uses for which they were constructed. By turning his back conceptually on utility, and yet allowing it to happen, his concepts are polluted by the interference. Conceptual art is not necessarily logical. The logic of a piece or series of pieces is a device that is used at times, only to be ruined. Logic may be used to camouflage the real intent of the artist, to lull the viewer into the belief that he understands the work, or to infer a paradoxical situation (such as logic vs. illogic). Some ideas are logical in conception and illogical perceptually. The ideas need not be complex. Most ideas that are successful are ludicrously simple.16 The interesting thing is that this irony is really the only meaningful substance behind the work. When LeWitt talks about wanting the viewer to understand the concept behind the work, it appears that the concept is simply the set of rules that guided the actions. Discovering the rules is certainly mentally interesting, but only represents another layer of subjective decisions front loaded into the project. This superficial level of meaning can be seen in the work of several contemporary architects including Peter Eisenmans superimposed lines of influence. Conceptual arts focus on process during the 60s was an attempt to banish a number of conventions around the work of art: art as reified totem, art as static shape, aesthetic formalism, the manual contribution of the artist to the work, and so on. However, the invocation of art in architecture had a rather different series of concerns. For instance, Peter Eisenmans citation of process art practices in his early house projects, while invoking LeWitts ideas, was ultimately attempting to mimic his forms. Conceptual architecture during the 70s thus neatly overlapped the International Style, minimalist aesthetics, and conceptual art strategies. Borrowing from Sol LeWitts and Lawrence Weiners arguments on the primacy of the generating idea over its material properties, Eisenmans notion of an autonomous architecture privileging form over construction gained currency in critical and academic circles. Sol LeWitt here describes his distinction between art and architecture: Architecture and three-dimensional art are of completely opposite natures. The former is concerned with making an area with a specific function. Architecture, whether it is a work of art or not, must be utilitarian or else fail completely. Art is not utilitarian. When three-dimensional art starts to take on some of the characteristics of architecture such as forming utilitarian areas itweakens its function as art. When the viewer is dwarfed by the large size of a piece, this domination emphasizes the physical and emotive power of the form at the expense of losing the idea of the piece. In other words, art that becomes utilitarian does not make it architectural, only less convincing as art; similarly, architecture that denies its utilitarian, practical nature is weak architecture. In answering these questions I have sought to investigate and elaborate upon a previously recognised correlation between Eisenmans work and that of conceptual artists, Sol LeWitt in particular. The introduction of conceptual art raises issues of value in respect of the finished piece. That is it would seem that in work of a conceptual nature, the idea, can only be hindered by the existence of a final piece. The question that often arises is why, given the conflict it causes, bring the idea to a physical reality? If, as is usually the case, it is deemed necessary to realise the object what, if anything, should accompany the work to facilitate its understanding? During this period we find a particular fruitful exchange of ideas between artist and architects that is still relevant to current aesthetic thinking. The focus here is mainly on the architectural consequences and potentials of these exchanges (1). It is possible to argue that an unbroken lineage of architectural thinking and designing runs right up to today. A number of current architectural practices that explores digitally based working methods seems to face some of the same conceptual and aesthetic challenges that conceptual artist such as for instance Sol Lewitt was exploring. The article will attempt to point out some of the still active and relevant questions. The aim of this investigation is not only to give an accurate account of a historically situated set of ideas. It is just as much a starting point for an artistic development work that is fuelled by the investigations. This work is briefly presented at the end of the article. It is not to be seen as a solution or a concl usion to the questions that is raised during the article. The aim is rather to suggest an approach to architectural research that includes academic as well as design based research without one part being seen as a justification for the other, but hopefully rather instigates a productive gap between the two. What makes architecture conceptual is that unlike art, it demands not only the primacy of intention to take something from the sensual to the intellectual realm, but also that this intention be present in the conceptual structure; again, whether it is built or not, is not at issue. 1 Peter D. Eisenman Design Quarterly, No. 78/79, Conceptual Architecture (1970), pp. 1-5Published by: Walker Art Center This section explores three concepts integral to the work of Sol LeWitt: Concept, Series, and Reductivism. In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. Sol LeWitt Ulrik Schmidt has described the characteristics of minimal art as objectivity, non-illusionism and reality, an abstract-concrete appearance as well as non-expressionism and non-anthropomorphism using principles of unity and uniformity, non-relationalism, instrumentalisation and, more profoundly, repetition. (2) Schmidt traces a desubjectivation in minimalist art. he describes an approach to the work of art where the artist withdraws from directly influencing the work of art, creating, as Lewitt states it, a situation where all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. Through much modernist thinking runs an interest in objectivisation. Minimal art could be seen as the logicand extremeconclusion of some of modernisms basic assumptions, as well as an inherent criticism of these assumptions. (3) To a certain extent one might claim that this separation of conceptualisation and execution is how architects have been working at least since the academisation of architecture in the renaissance, when architects became detached from the directly involvement in the realisation of the works they designed. obviously the minimal arts movement investigates the consequences of this separation of conception and execution much further than the average architect, but it might still be one of the reasons for the prolific transfer of ideas from minimal art to architecture. Another reason could be that the formality and use of geometry that one find in the practices of artist such as Sol Lewitt or Robert Morris might have certain affinities to architecture. In any case there seems to be a parallel interest in conceptually articulated, systematic manipulations of form of these artists and the architectural designs of Peter Eisenman and likeminded architects such as John Hejduk, Michael Graves and Richard Meier during the late sixties and early seventies. There are for instance obvious common traits between Lewitts art and Eisenmans ar chitecture (Werner Petersen 1990: 19). Lewitts drawings and sculptures are generated through rule based, straightforward transformations of simple geometrical figures. The series of transformed figures are systematically organised in matrixes that conclusively describes all the possible combinations of the operations. In this way the works of Lewitt seems to explore a dilemma between the transparent logic of the formal operations and the apparent purposelessness of the result. Everything about the process is explained and understandable and yet the result seems to be without inherent meaning, at least if meaning is understood as a specific insight or sensibility expressed through the work. Something similar characterises Peter Eisenmans early projects. They are perhaps less abstract, as they are based on a recognisable modernistic vocabulary utilising the formal analyses Eisenman made of modernist architects such as Terragni (Eisenman 2003). But the complex decomposition of Eisenman basically explores a similar and deliberate lack of inherent meaning, even though the projects are at once paraphrasing, praising and mocking their modernist heritage. It seems to be an important point that the processes and transformational logic is readable in the work. In Sol Lewitts Variations of incomplete open cubes from 1974, every possible combination of the open cube is constructed and presented in a comprehensive scheme that makes it possible for anyone who would care to check, that all variations are present. This inclusive logic, where every possible variation of a finite series of possibilities is present without differentiation, is a way to eliminate any form of subjective choice or design decision from the realised work. One finds a similar logic in Eisenmans early architecture. house II from 1969-70 uses a nine-square grid that allows for a highly systematised series of transformations and superimpositions of columns, walls and volumes within the grid. Eisenmans design process is obviously more complex than Lewitts. In Lewitts art pieces the ordering principle is mostly immediately readable. It points didactically to the logic that has constructed the piece. Eisenmans process is more convoluted and probably only directly traceable by referring to the laborious complex drawings that accompany the published project, even though the realised project displays obvious traces of the process. This complexity might be partly relating to the requirements of a habitable structure. But more importantly it is probably related to an exploration of the syntax of architectural space. For Eisenman geometry is not an abstract spatial system. It is already imbedded within an architectural tradition and Eisenman uses the systematic spatial transformations to break down preestablished notions of spatial organisation in architecture. (4) Sol Lewitt seems to employ a more innocent notion of geometry. In his work geometry seems to be perceived as an abstract system devoid of connotations. It mainly serves as a vehicle that allows general conceptual ideas to enter into physical form. The properties and rules of geometry make it possible to develop and translate general principles. Lewitts frequent use of cubes might be understood as part of this approach. The orthogonal angles and equal length of the sides of the cube does not refer to an idealised geometry, but is rather considered as a default option uninfluenced by specific conditions or contexts. The white colours and anonymous materials further support this idea, hinting at standardisation and industrialised production. But even if this idea is easily understandable one could question whether Lewitt is successful in completely breaking any connotations and relations. The cubes might after all still refer to previous notions of a relation between ideal geometries an d meaningful forma frequent belief throughout the history of architecture. Even if these connotations are unintended by Lewitt, the vague recognisability might still be an important part of the fascination of his work. (5) The project that accompanies this article is part of an ongoing research by design project by the author. It could be thought of as a conclusion to the text. In this case it would of course not be understood as a summation of the findings of the paper and putting these findings into perspective of already existing research. It would rather be a conclusion in terms of trying to establish a relation between an analysis of and reflection on an existing body of work and a new work that tries to explore and expand some of the findings of the analysis. In this way the accompanying project could be considered as a continuous exploration of some of the conceptual and formal questions raised in Lewitt and Eisenmans works. The work is based on a formal exploration of a nine-square grid. This exploration is structured on a combinatory series of objects based on an adapted menger spongeprinciple (Fig. 1)6. Instead of removing the central cube of each nine square grid in each step as in the origi nal menger sponge, the project removes a different number of cubes in every iteration. This logic can be explored in different ways. Fig. 2 describes a transformative series based on three iterations where the first iteration removes two cubes, the next four and the last one. In this case it is possible to remove four cubes in 12 different ways from the nine-square grid (with the precondition that the variations are limited to those that are symmetrical along a vertical axis). This produces a series of 12 different cubic objects (Fig. 3) that unfolds the possible variations. This series is then in turn one of a series of the six possible ways the three iterative levels can be combined (1-2-4, 1-4-2, 2-1-4, 2-4-1, 4-1-2 and 4-2-1) resulting in 72 different objects (see Figs. 4-6 for examples). It is using the didactic approach of Lewitt where the formative logic is immediately accessible and readable. Instead of Peter Eisenmans critical dissection of the formal syntax of modernist architecture or Lewitts exploration of the concept as artistic motor it attempts to explore the proliferation of formal organisations made possible by systematised processes. The resulting objects are just as purposeless as Lewitts sculptures. But at the same time the cubic shapes and hierarchically nested geometries hopefully hint at architectural or perhaps rather protoarchitectural potentials. - CASE STUDIES Peter Eisenman You would be better qualified to answer that question than I would. The energy of Terragni permeated my early work; House I is certainly Terragni, but House II is much more influenced by, say, Rosalind Krausss writing on contemporary art at the time and the idea of sculpture in the expanded field and the work of minimalist sculptors Robert Morris and Sol LeWitt. By House II, Krauss and I were working closely-she eventually wrote Notes on the Index in October 3 and 4, which became key to House IV. The Wexner Center at Ohio StateUniversity by Peter Eisenman is an exam-ple of a building that exhibits characteris-tics motivated by the framework of thekit-of-parts problem. It is a spatially com-plex building that discounts the materialfacts of the architecture except as they serve as signs. The richly overlappingspaces, whether implied by frames orplanes, are all defined by painted gypsumboard and off-the-shelf acoustic ceilingsystems. Brick is selectively deployed to al-lude to pre-existing buildings on the site(in a series of faux ruins), but not for itsmaterial qualities and uses. The programcontent of the building is not the driver of design development; the form of thebuilding is instead a result of the selectivemapping of physical forces on the site,resulting in an itinerary that is choreo-graphed both outside and inside the build-ing. The overlap of competing spatialsystems is generated by two axes that existon the campus; the program/content andthe constructional logic pla y relatively mi-nor roles in the design. Perhaps it is therelative disregard for the quality of thebuilding materials and details that makesthe Wexner Center so decidedly postmod-ern in character today.Whether the underlying moti Series Serial compositions are multipart pieces with regulated changes. The differences between the parts are the subject of the composition. If some parts remain constant it is to punctuate the changes.22 Sol LeWitt The primary method of communicating the concept in Sol LeWitts work is the use of series. By presenting objects in series, any difference between the objects immediately becomes the focus of the piece. If three forms are equal in all aspects, with the exception of height, the viewer automatically assumes that the height is the focus. Works in series can really only be appreciated when viewed together as a series. A direct application within architecture therefore would most naturally happen with a group of buildings in close proximity. This may be on the scale of a college campus, a business park, or several small structures on a residential lot. The difficulty is that most architecture is developed on the basis of a single building at a time. Where more than one building is employed the scale of projects may make it difficult to discern the variations. It may be necessary to introduce smaller scale elements, such a building details, which provide clues about the larger moves within the grouping.