Monday, December 30, 2019

Challenges Facing The Sporting Goods Stores - 1407 Words

Introduction â€Å"Over the past five years, the sporting goods stores industry has fared well due to strong demand for sporting goods from more health-conscious individuals. Due to such high demand, Fit-Fem plans to enter the industry by providing a variety of female athletic apparel, athletic footwear, and sporting equipment along with an in-store professional trainer. The main center will be located in Orlando, Florida due to its vast economic growth and increasing demand of healthy lifestyles. In 2013, Orlando was categorized as the second highest fittest city in Florida and it was nationally â€Å"ranked No.34.† Form of Ownership Fit-Fem retail store will be a limited liability company. This form of ownership would be the most preferable selection due to its limited liability in a case of a lawsuit. In an event of a lawsuit, any personal property cannot be liquidated for any final settlements. In addition, it also has an important advantage in protecting personal assets. As stated in an article, â€Å"All your business losses, profits, expenses flow through the company to the individual members. You avoid the double taxation of paying corporate tax and individual tax.† Supply and Demand Fit-Fem will provide the desired products for customers with a regulation on its prices through competition-based pricing strategy. This involves â€Å"setting prices based on competitors’ strategies, costs, prices, and market offerings.† Consumers primarily use their judgments of a product’s value onShow MoreRelatedJ. Penney Corporation Inc.970 Words   |  4 PagesCompany Overview: J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc, also known as JCPenney, is a chain of American department stores specializing in selling affordable clothing, shoes, accessories, and home decor for the entire family. For more than a century, JCPenney has been a regular shopping destination and a dependable retailer for the American family. In 1902, the department store was founded by James Cash Penney and was established on the principle of the Golden Rule. Over the years, the company has developedRead MoreSwot Analysis-Saocony745 Words   |  3 Pageswill have most of all the same technologies as the other big companies plus more. With all the shoe is offering the targeting market is limitless. The place or distribution channel will be made available to the consumers on all levels; the top sports stores, the malls, and any other location that sells running shoes. To compete with other large companies our price must obviously be more attractive than theirs. Our agency and Saucony will negotiate a pri ce that is lucrative for both parties, yet inexpensiveRead MorePotential Between India s Tier II And Tier IIi Cities Essay1361 Words   |  6 Pagestrained work force, low skill level for retailing management, lack of development programs to the existing human resources and problems in retaining qualitative manpower are some of the obstacles creating huge challenges to the Indian retail sector. At present, to overcome some of the challenges faced by retail, the companies are investing heavily in training and recruitment of qualitative work force. Organized retailing comprises mainly of modern retailing with busy shopping malls, multi stored mallsRead MoreDealing With Societal Trends : Mcdonald s Marketing Strategies1230 Words   |  5 Pageswill help them be knowledgeable of the needs of the market. They also need to adjust their menu to suit the needs of the consumers. McDonald’s Marketing Strategies McDonald’s has developed a series of marketing strategies to meet is mission and challenges. One of them is its adaption to local preferences. Let’s take India as an example. â€Å"Many Indians are either Hindus or Muslims. The article â€Å"Etiquette in Indian Restaurant† indicates that â€Å"in Hinduism, the cow is considered a sacred animal so itRead MoreLi And Fung Commercial Company1719 Words   |  7 Pagesmarket environment. LiFung trading in consumer goods exports. It initially served as a â€Å"middleman† mainly for European and American customers which are including chain of department stores, supermarkets and well- know brands to provide high value- added sourcing service. LiFung’s clients include Disney, Reebok, Gap, Esprit, Guess, Kappa, AbercrombieFitch and the other brands. The mode of the main export business was that LiFung procures goods which mainly include garments, gifts, home productsRead MoreLevis Strauss Canada Holding an Ember: the Gwg Brand1653 Words   |  7 PagesMarilyn Monroe and James Dean began sporting variations of the Denim bottom 3. Manual Labor through High Fashion : In modern time a blue jeans is considered as an everyday common garment for varied occasions .It has a fashion relevancy as well as it is a casual wear of daily use. 4. It reflects own Personal independence and style. It reflects the utilitarian image. People wear jeans for work , relaxation ,to be themselves ,to attract others and to feel good. 5. Jeans are considered as ‘Cool’Read MoreLevis Strauss Canada Holding an Ember: the Gwg Brand1660 Words   |  7 PagesMarilyn Monroe and James Dean began sporting variations of the Denim bottom 3. Manual Labor through High Fashion : In modern time a blue jeans is considered as an everyday common garment for varied occasions .It has a fashion relevancy as well as it is a casual wear of daily use. 4. It reflects own Personal independence and style. It reflects the utilitarian image. People wear jeans for work , relaxation ,to be themselves ,to attract others and to feel good. 5. Jeans are considered as ‘Cool’Read MoreAdidas Case Study: SWOT analysis and Michael Porters Five Forces Model, including strategic recommendations2516 Words   |  11 PagesExecutive Summary: Adidas was the dominating manufacturer of sporting goods. It achieved this success by developing cleated shoes for the soccer and track and field sports. The landscape of the sporting goods industry has changes, but Adidas has not changed with it. Sporting good textiles and footwear have become popular with younger individuals as a substitute for casual wear. Soccer and track and field sports are no longer the mainstream sports. These sports have been replaced in market shareRead MoreWal Mart : An American Multinational Retail Corporation1738 Words   |  7 PagesCompany Overview Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., popularly known as Wal-Mart, is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. Wal-Mart has been ranked as number 1 in the list of Fortune 500 companies for 2013. (CNN money, 2013) The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, United States. It is also the largestRead MoreCase Study for Skadurz Pro2200 Words   |  9 Pagessport. Skadurz Pro is facing several challenges to its successful retail model all at the same time. West 49 is a chain sporting goods store that is opening in a location in New Sudbury across the street from Skadurz flagship store. Unlike the Pinnacle Sports, the only local competitor to date, West 49 specializes in skateboarding and snowboarding gear and apparel, directly competing in Skadurz product line and target demographic. With the purchasing power of a chain store, Skadurz stands to have

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Function of Teams at Whole Foods Applying the Team...

The function of teams at Whole Foods: Applying the team performance assessment instrument Introduction One of the most successful companies of recent memory is Whole Foods, the all-organic grocery store that caters to customers who are concerned about the sourcing of their foods. A cornerstone of Whole Foods success is its use of team leadership to enable the organization to fulfill its functions and mission. This paper will evaluate how Whole Foods uses teams to advance its interests and create a positive corporate culture. Functional structure Whole Foods designs its teams to serve the goals of the organization. At Whole Foods, the team, not the hierarchy, is the defining unit of activity. Each of the 43 stores is an autonomous profit center composed of an average of 10 self-managed teams produce, grocery, prepared foods, and so on with designated leaders and clear performance targets. The team leaders in each store are a team; store leaders in each region are a team; the companys six regional presidents are a team (Fishman 1996). The emphasis on quality and specialty foods is reinforced by segmentation according to function, allowing different units to establish expertise and is designed to encourage specialization. Each team has a set of distinct performance goals which encourages specificity and focus. It also creates the ability for teams to fulfill short-term goals germane to their team efforts. This boosts morale, versus only focusing on the big pictureShow MoreRelatedSocial Change And Public Policy1528 Words   |  7 Pagesfields of learning, it creates a difficult social issue to handle, especially for students. Although society is always on the verge of implementing the idea of social change, taking away a necessity is not going to create a pathway to success. By applying classical music to everyday life as a student, it helps stimulate daily activity in the brain, helps relate music to certain issues, and create a compassionate sense for music. Particularly in Laredo, classical music has seen as a downfall insideRead MoreGender Equality and Environmental Sustainability in Uganda‚Äà ´s Water Sector4435 Words   |  18 Pagesdecision making and activities that in turn have been affected in both the management and sustainability of the environment. It has been observed that there is an undesirable imbalance that has existed between men and women resulting in inadequate performance of the letter of their roles. Often this has slowed down development initiatives leading to adverse effects on the environment. 1.2 Significancy of Water in Social and Economic Development Water is a key strategic resource, vital for sustainingRead MoreThe Impact of Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Airline Industry in Hong Kong8588 Words   |  35 Pagesfive-year passenger traffic from 2003 to 2008. Therefore, airlines can seize the opportunity to gain a larger market share from the increasing air traffic of passengers. Since customer loyalty is a prime determinant of the long-term financial performance of a business (Jones and Sasser, 1995), to complete for passenger dollars, service quality is a main concern for customer. 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Friday, December 13, 2019

The importance of the Baghdad School of Sufism Free Essays

string(91) " in order to grow closer to God was important and cemented the path forward for adherents\." Abstract The Baghdad School of Sufism has been argued to have had many important contributions to religion and the world. This study will examine the philosophy with the goal of determining the reach of Baghdadi Sufism and the influence that it has had on the world today. The evidence presented in the study confirms the argument that the tradition is well rooted throughout the religious establishment and has been a defining factor in modern international culture. We will write a custom essay sample on The importance of the Baghdad School of Sufism or any similar topic only for you Order Now This study will be of value to anyone studying the evolution of the Sufi tradition and the influence it has had. The importance of the Baghdad School of Sufism The Baghdad School of Sufism has had a profound impact across the entirety of the world of Islam from its inception to the modern day[1]. The â€Å"Sufiyya†, or Sufis, were forged out of a convergence of differing religious ideals that coalesced into a distinct movement within Baghdad during the second half of the third/ninth century[2]. The critical nature of this evolution of Islam was to give rise to a form of worship that devoted attention to attaining experiential knowledge of God, profound examination of the concept of a spiritual path, as well as the elevated nature of the friends of God[3]. The Sufi school of thought was built on the foundation of emerging trends taking root in the evolving cultural centre of Baghdad[4]. Brought about as a cultural means of bringing together disparate pieces of worship, Baghdadi Sufism serves to form a vital and valuable link to God for many around the world. This study will examine what importance the Baghdad School of Sufism has had on the world. Beginning with an overview that illustrates the definition of the Baghdadi Sufism tradition alongside a portion of the rich history that has given this tradition form, this essay will build an infrastructure upon which to develop theory. Following this section by identifying key leaders and teachers within the tradition will serve to demonstrate the nature of the philosophy and its attraction. A combination of the first sections will provide evidence that illuminates the fundamental value and importance that many have come to associate with the Baghdad School of Sufism. Baghdadi Sufism â€Å"Sufism is a reality without a form†[5]—Ibn al-Jala Baghdadi Sufism is argued to have taken shape as a social movement directly challenging the existent interpretive justification of the exoterically minded traditionalists[6]. The city of Baghdad was perceived as a centre of culture during this period of Sufi evolution which adds to the value of the emerging concepts capacity to reach most of the classical world. The rise of the city of Baghdad provided a fertile crossroads for mysticism and religion to come together in classic society[7]. Known as the â€Å"the lords of declaring God one†, there have long been debates regarding the veracity of the Baghdadi Sufi claim to a distinct school[8]. Others hold that the Sufi tradition is deeply unique and separate from all others[9]. The distinction between the Baghdadi Sufi and other classical traditions were evident during this period with some equating the early Sufi’s traditions with a moral laxity and private exploration[10]. Teachers among the early Sufi travelled in every direction with the intent to teach the emerging style of piety, which in turn was a fundamental shift away from existent practice[11]. In every respect, the nature of the Baghdadi Sufi stood ready to change the tradition and instil a growing sense of companionship with God. Ma’ruf al-Karkhi is argued to be present at the inception of the Bagdad School of Sufism[12]. This legendary social figure was born of a Christian background in the karkh quarter of Bagdad. Through his teachings, he brought the element of Kufan ascetic piety to the Sufi tradition[13]. Incorporating the elements of mysticism and Islamic asceticism served to offer insights into the nature of God. Others argued that his combination was adverse to the traditional paths to worship[14]. This element of teaching was of a critical nature as it was a counter point to the ecstatic and uncontrollable religious immersion of the era[15]. Conversly, opposition to this used these very elements to prove that the sect was mistaken[16] Islam is built upon the concept of social religion that compels a believer to take an active role in the family or community as defined by the Qur’an and hadij[17]. This fostered a very important sense of duty and respect for culture and society which in turn was a critical component of the teachings of the Baghdadi Sufism traditions. Bishr al Hafi, the barefooted, served as an important example to the worshipers during the formation of the Baghdadi Sufism[18]. He led the masses to a life of scrupulous expression of religious piety, whereby they grew closer to God. Succinctly, al-Hafi incorporated the simplicity of his worship in these words illustrating his devotion, â€Å"Nothing is left to me of the pleasures of this world but lying down on my side under the heavens in the Dome of the Rock.†[19] This unswerving devotion to God, served to build a following that would develop into Sufism. Leaders and Teachers of Baghdadi Sufism â€Å"If intellect were a man, it would have the form of Junayd†[20].One of the fundamental teachers of the Baghdadi Tradition has been heralded with finding a means to transform the nature of Islam away from excess into a more ‘sober’ form. Junayd is argued to have refined the very art of speaking in isharat, an allusion to the truth that became a fundamental characteristic Sufi writing[21]. The importance of this concept is fundamental as Junayd utilized his connection with God to consistently purify the mind and body in order to be closer to the divine[22]: â€Å"We did not take Sufism from talk and words, but from hunger and renunciation of the world and cutting off the things to which we were accustomed and which we found agreeable†[23].This concept of divesting the individual in order to grow closer to God was important and cemented the path forward for adherents. You read "The importance of the Baghdad School of Sufism" in category "Essay examples" In this tradition, Junayd was able to divide the Sufi tradition into recognizable elements including the renunciation, the devotion and remembrance of God, sincerity and contemplation[24]. This establishment of tradition was vital during an era that had an influx of mysticism and religious devotions. Further, this division led to the formation of understandable steps to finding God[25]. This attainment of spirituality or ‘fana’, or the passing away of self-consciousness taught a believer how to find the wisdom of God in order to live a better life[26]. This approach was a clear distinction from other forms of worship taught by Junayd that related to the logical expression of mysticism thereby forming the ‘sober’ attribution[27]. The creation of a ‘sober’ Sufism was an important concept in that it sought to rein in those that absorbed themselves in the worship of God to the exclusion of all else[28]. In this form of Sufism it was vital that the adherent allow God to return them to their body in order to retain their footing in the world. This was a very transformative teaching as Junayd asserted that as a person approaches God, they must become separate from their ego or self-consciousness in order to escape the imprisonment or the diminishment of progress[29]. Further, this was a concept that suggested a return to a higher state of spiritual being as in the Day of the Covenant. Junayds teaching demonstrated that the Baghdadi Sufi tradition was a light in the darkness, describing their vital role as: â€Å"God has made them unfurled flags of truth, lighthouses erected for guidance, beaten path for humanity. These are indeed the scholars among the Muslims, the truly trusting among the faithful, the noblest of those who are pious†[30] This set the Sufi apart from the typical adherent in that it allowed them to teach that their approach was mirrored in the eyes of God. Further, these teachers were given important positions in the culture following the teachings of Junayd: â€Å"They are those who guide in the crises of religion and theirs is the light which leads in the darkness of ignorance†¦.God has made them the symbol of His mercy for His creatures, and a blessing of whom He chooses. They are the instruments whereby he instructs the ignorant, reminds the negligent, guides the seeker aright.†[31] This is a concept that divided the tradition as Junayd taught that this state of spirituality could be attained and still provide for God in a person’s everyday life, or the state of baqa[32]. It was this critical formation of fana/baqa that enabled society to understand the devotion necessary to attain spiritual remedies, yet remain effective in the culture. This approach further elevated the Sufi in the eyes of their fellows, making this an important allocation of authority[33]. This Sufi concept as taught by Junayd illustrated the perception that â€Å"Only the extinction of the ego in the divine Oneness could satisfy both the necessity of initiation and religious orthodoxy†[34]. Sufism strives to reach the ideal balance that Junayd taught could be attained between esoterism and exoterism in the expression of Islam. This method early on taught the very important concept that reverberates in the modern era: ‘There is no god but God’[35]. In the Baghdadi tradition, humans are viewed as God-servants, which in turn grant them opportunity for audience on the Day of the Covenant[36]. This illustration of value in the tradition is vital to provide incentive for the believers to work for the promised intimate closeness that is to arrive upon the Day of the Covenant[37]. A far reaching implication of the adherence to the Baghdadi doctrines rests in the cultural adjustment that accompanies the spiritual journey. The piety measures instilled in the sober approach are attained through the domestication of the lower self, through deprivation and reduction, which in many cases means seclusion and poverty[38]. This was broadly appealing to those outside the Sufi circles as well. Upon Sufism becoming a recognized tradition these same principles attracted a substantial number of Jews interested in Conversion[39]. Judaism is credited with having a large influence during the early years of Sufi emergence enhancing the ease of inco rporated elements of each tradition, which in turn added depth and attraction for potential followers. This formation of tradition based on Baghdadi Sufism resulted in an important cultural result including the formation of Sufi communities[40]. Utilizing the core teaching of the Baghdadi Sufi tradition enabled a thriving community to grow, which in turn elevated the leaders into positions of societal power. Alongside the expansion of reach and power of the Sufi tradition rests the leaders, or Shayks ascension into the leadership opportunities[41]. This is a direct result of the religious expression of value within the Sufi society that has allowed the society to take a greater control in the governing of their world. The Baghdadi Sufism tradition As the Baghdadi Sufi tradition gained ground there was a very real expansion of the philosophical conception that served to influence generations of worshipers[42]. The Sufi tradition began to spread across Western Iran into Arabia and beyond. This in itself signalled a growing integration that has led to modern issues. Many equate the Sufi movement with a branch of the Sunni Islam, which is a division of wider cultural identifications[43]. This modern cultural division has arisen in part due to the separate interpretations of the means to attain spirituality. The modern world of Sufi has a clear delineation for those that rest outside of their philosophy[44]. Yet, this value of tradition among the Baghdadi Sufi culture has the potential to lead to tremendous examples of piety[45]. Over time the Sufi communities that have sprung up due to the teaching of Baghdadi Sufism tradition, have become a brotherhood that profess specific forms of worship[46]. This practice continues the teaching of the Sufi and enables interpretation of the traditions. In every facet of life the modern impact of the Baghdadi Sufi tradition influences adherent’s day to day existence in a dramatic fashion[47]. Conclusion Junayd described the Baghdadi Sufi tradition as: â€Å"†¦noble qualities made manifest by the Noble One (Al-Karim) at a noble time through a noble man from among a group of noble men†[48]. This philosophy served to provide the mystical essence of Islam a place to take form. Serving the vital purpose of welding the diverse cultures and beliefs together into an understandable concept, the very inception of the Baghdadi Sufi tradition was a very important religious evolution. The subsequent adherence to the ‘sober’ Sufi led to a piety movement that has transformed a culture, shaping the very means by which believers live their daily lives. Lessons espoused by the Baghdadi Sufi’s, including the need to step away from the self in order to find God have found their way into people’s lives across the world. Further, the concept that it is possible to both find God and still walk in the world enable the Sufi culture to thrive in a very complicated religious environment. The influence of the Baghdad School of Sufism has managed to touch even those that are unaware of it as followers continue to live their life as an example of what it means to be truly spiritual. In the end, the Baghdadi Sufism expression of reverence has not only been fundamentally important to the evolution of modern religion it has incorporated many elements that are continually echoed around the modern world. Bibliography Abun-Nasr, J. 2007. Muslim communities of grace. New York: Columbia University Press. Chiabotti, F. 1970. A Soaring Minaret. Abu Bakr al-Wasiti and the Rise of Baghdadi Sufism (Albany, 2010). Bulletin d’’etudes orientales. Ephrat, D. 2008. Spiritual wayfarers, leaders in piety. Cambridge, Mass.: Distributed for the Center for Middle Eastern Studies of Harvard University by Harvard University Press. Frank, D. and Leaman, O. 1996. Routledge history of world philosophies. London [etc.]: Routledge. Geoffroy, E. and Gaetani, R. 2010. Introduction to Sufism. Bloomington, Ind.: World Wisdom. Karamustafa, A. 2007. Sufism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Knysh, A. 2000. Islamic mysticism. Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill. P. 1-200 Landolt, H. and Lawson, T. 2005. Reason and inspiration in Islam. London: I.B. Tauris. Melchert, C. 2001. The hanabila and the Early Sufis. Arabica, 3 (1), pp. 352-367. Melchert, C. 2005. Ba?ran Origins of Classical Sufism. Der Islam, 82 (2), pp. 221–240. Melchert, C. 2001. Sufis and competing movements in Nishapur. Iran, 39 pp. 237–247. Neale, H. 2007. Sufism, godliness and popular Islamic storytelling in Fari?d al-Di?n ?At?t?a?r’s Tad?kiratu-l- ?awliya. Renard, J. 2009. Tales of God’s friends. Berkeley: University of California Press. Schimmel, A. 1975. Mystical dimensions of Islam. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Sells, M. 1996. Early Islamic Mysticism: Sufi, Koran, Mi’raj, Poetic and Theological Writings. Mahway, New Jersey. Pauliast Press. Silvers, L. 2013. A soaring Minaret: Abu Bakr al-Wasiti and the Rise of the Baghdadi Sufism. Wong, E. 2005. Sufis Under Attack as Sunni Rifts Widen. NYTimes, 1 (2), pp. 1-3. [Accessed: 2 Dec 2013]. Wright, J. 1995. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. Cambridge Univ Press. [1] Karamustafa, A. 2007. Sufism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. p. 20 [2] Ibid p. 20 [3] Ibid p. 20 [4] Knysh, A. 2000. Islamic mysticism. Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill. p.48 [5] Geoffroy, E. and Gaetani, R. 2010. Introduction to Sufism. Bloomington, Ind.: World Wisdom. p. 1 [6] Silvers, L. 2013. A soaring Minaret: Abu Bakr al-Wasiti and the Rise of the Baghdadi Sufism p. 3. [7] Ibid. p. 3 [8] Ibid, p. 26 [9] Geoffroy et al p. 2 [10]Melchert, C. 2001. The hanabila and the Early Sufis. Arabica, 3 (1), p. 352. [11] Karamustafa, A. 2007 p. 30 [12] Frank, D. and Leaman, O. 1996. Routledge history of world philosophies. London [etc.]: Routledge. [13] Ibid p. 49 [14] Schimmel A. 1975. Mysitical Dimensions of Islam. Chapel Hill: University fo North Carolina Press. P. 57 [15] Ibid. p. 58 [16] Neale, H. 2007. Sufism, godliness and popular Islamic storytelling in Fari?d al-Di?n ?At?t?a?r’s Tad?kiratu-l- ?awliya? [17] ?.Ibid, p. 20 [18] Ephrat, D. 2008. Spiritual wayfarers, leaders in piety. Cambridge, Mass. p. 16 [19] Ibid, p. 18 [20] Schimmel, A. 1975. p. 58 [21] Schimmel, A. 1975 p. 61 [22] Ibid, p. 58 [23] Ibid, p. 59 [24] Sells, M. 1996. Early Islamic Mysticism: Sufi, Koran, Mi’raj, Poetic and Theological Writings. p. 27. [25] Sells M. 1996. p. 28. [26] Karamustafa, A. 2007 p. 2 [27] Ibid p. 28 [28] Geoffroy, E. and Gaetani, R. 2010. Introduction to Sufism. Bloomington, Ind.: World Wisdom. p. 72. [29] Karamustafa, A. 2007 p. 3 [30] Ibid. p. 18 [31] Karamustafa, A. 2007 p. 18 [32] Ibid. p. 72. [33] Ibid p. 72 [34] Ibid. p. 72 [35] Karamustafa, A. 2007. p. 19 [36] Knysh 2000 p. 755 [37] Ibid. 20. [38] Ibid. 21 [39] Knysh 2000 p. 755 [40] Karamustafa 2007 p. 31 [41] Ibid. p. 31 [42] Karamustafa, A. 2007 p. 56 [43] Wong, E. 2005. Sufis Under Attack as Sunni Rifts Widen. NYTimes, 1 (2), pp. 1-3. [Accessed: 2 Dec 2013]. [44] Ibid. p. 2 [45] Ibid. p. 3 [46] Abun-Nasr, J. 2007. Muslim communities of grace. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 1 [47] Ibid. p. 140 [48] Renard, J. 2009. Tales of God’s friends. Berkeley: University of California Press. How to cite The importance of the Baghdad School of Sufism, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Variation Orders in Highway Projects in Oman- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theVariation Orders in Highway Projects in Oman. Answer: The type of the variation order can be established by analyzing the cause of their occurrence and their respective effects. Variation orders can be divided in to two types and they are beneficial and the detrimental orders. The issue of the beneficial order is done to ensure improvement in the quality, cost reduction, degree of difficulty and the standard of the project. The balance between the functionality, cost and the durability of the project is obtained by initiating a value analysis (Han, Love and Pea-Mora 2013). This type of variation order is issued to reduce the unnecessary cost involved in the project. Detrimental variation order has a negative impact on the value of the client and project performance. The financial problems of a client can be resolved by using detrimental variation order. Causes of variation orders by client The project is initiated by the client and plays an important part throughout the project. The client is the one who decides on the objective and the respective needs of the project. The quality standard of the project is determined as per the requirement of the client. The variation has to be reduced by the client during the construction and the design of the project. The scope of the project is very important as it helps to identify the clear baseline for the project (Kikwasi 2013). Moreover, there are two types of clients, one who has the knowledge regarding the construction industry and others are the clients who have minimal knowledge regarding the construction industry. These clients are totally dependent on their designer and so it is necessary to identify the exact needs of the client. The clients who do not have any knowledge regarding the industry are the ones who frequently change the variation order are they keep on changing the requirements through the commencement of th e project. Moreover, the changes proposed by these clients will be major, it will result in the degradation in the quality of the project, and at the same time will increase the cost of the project (Mubarak 2015). Causes of variation orders by consultant Architects, specialists, designers, engineers, cost consultants and project managers are the members of the consultant team. The goals and the scope of the project have to be clearly understood by the consultants. The consultants will always feel superior to the contractors, which may result to less focus on the request of the contractor (Mohammad, Ani and Rakmat 2017). When the consultants are unable to understand clearly the needs and requirement of the client, it will result in variation orders, which will be issued in context to the requirement of the clients. The consultants may be unaware of the availability of new products and materials which could act as a replacement and this may lead to a variation order which will be issued to give the project a better method of construction. Causes of variation orders by contractors Contractors are responsible for the issue of the variation order when there are technical issues in the documentation of the project. The information provided is not fully accurate all the time and it may happen that the contractor suggests appropriate method for the better execution of the project (Mohammed, Mohammed and Hassan 2017). Contactors may suggest alternate method, which are suitable for the execution of the project in their field of expertise. Moreover, the contractors may identify various omissions, discrepancies, conflicts and errors in the documentation of the project. The contractors may request an issue of a variation order to resolve the issue by allotting additional cost to the project. Causes of variation order by external factors There are various external factors, which cause the issue of the variation order, and they are change in the government regulation, changes in weather, changes in economic condition and changes in the needs of the local resident. There are instances where the government policies and regulations change which cause the change in the construction design and other factors (Senouci et al. 2016). Variation order has to be issued to make changes to the documentation of the project. There are instances when extreme weather conditions such as rain can hamper the construction and measures have to be taken to reschedule the construction and documentation of the project. The economic scenario may change due to instances such as corruption. When anyone in the project is involved in corruption, variation order will have to be issued so that the documentation has to be changed. The corruption may be in the field of money laundering which will cause the change in the entire cost of the project. The requirement of the client has to be fulfilled and the changes in the documentation have to be done to meet the needs of the client. The management team will have to be changed if anyone is involved in the fraud and will have to be removed immediately as a best interest of the client (Hanif et al. 2016). There are instances where the construction will cause issues for the residents in the neighbouring areas and the management team will have to change their course of action to accommodate the needs of the nearby residents. Impact of variation order The various impact of the variation orders are cost overruns, quality degradation and time overruns. The issue of the variation order will have always have an impact on the cost of the project. The changes will increase the cost associated with overall construction of the project and the costs that are associated with the variation orders are material and time charges, standing time, effect of timing, change of inflation to cash flow and time of management (Oyewobi et al. 2016). There are variation orders, which are issued at different phases of the project, and this will negatively affect both the time of completion and overall cost of the project. The issue of frequent variation orders will degrade the quality of the project as the contractors will try to compensate the extra time and cost incurred by degrading the quality of the project. Reference Han, S., Love, P. and Pea-Mora, F., 2013. A system dynamics model for assessing the impacts of design errors in construction projects.Mathematical and Computer Modelling,57(9), pp.2044-2053. Hanif, H., Khurshid, M.B., Lindhard, S.M. and Aslam, Z., 2016. Impact of Variation Orders on Time and Cost in Mega Hydropower Projects of Pakistan.Journal of Construction in Developing Countries,21(2), p.37. Kikwasi, G., 2013, February. Causes and effects of delays and disruptions in construction projects in Tanzania. InAustralasian Journal of Construction Economics and Building-Conference Series(Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 52-59). Mohammad, N., Ani, A.I.C. and Rakmat, R.A.O., 2017. Causes and effects of variation orders in the construction of terrace housing projects: A case study in the State of Selangor, Malaysia.International Journal of Supply Chain Management,6(1), pp.226-232. Mohammed, E.A.E., Mohammed, S.Y. and Hassan, A.S., 2017. Preliminary Investigation on the Causes of Variation Orders in Building Projects-Studied Cases in the State of Khartoum, Sudan. Mubarak, S.A., 2015.Construction project scheduling and control. John Wiley Sons. Oyewobi, L.O., Oyewobi, L.O., Jimoh, R., Jimoh, R., Ganiyu, B.O., Ganiyu, B.O., Shittu, A.A. and Shittu, A.A., 2016. Analysis of causes and impact of variation order on educational building projects.Journal of Facilities Management,14(2), pp.139-164. Senouci, A., Alsarraj, A., Gunduz, M. and Eldin, N., 2016. Analysis of change orders in Qatari construction projects.International Journal of Construction Management, pp.1-13.