Cost Estimation and Management Strategies

Cost Estimation and Management Strategies Introduction Cost is one of the three pillars supporting project success or failure, the other two being Time and performance. Projects that go significantly over budget are often terminated without achieving the construction project goals because stakeholders simply run out of money or perceive additional expenditures as throwing good money after bad. Projects that stay within budget are the exception, not the rule. A construction project manager who can control costs while achieving performance and schedule goals should be viewed as somewhat of a hero, especially when we consider that cost, performance, and schedule are closely interrelated. The level of effort and expertise needed to perform good cost management are seldom appreciated. Too often, there is the pressure to come up with estimates within too short a period of time. When this happens, there is not enough time to gather adequate historical data, select appropriate estimating methods, consider alternatives, or carefully apply proper methods. The result is estimates that lean heavily toward guesswork. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that estimates are often not viewed as estimates but more as actual measurements made by some time traveller from the future. Estimates, once stated, have a tendency to be considered facts. Project managers must remember that estimates are the best guesses by estimators under various forms of pressure and with personal biases. They must also be aware of how others perceive these estimates. It requires an understanding of costs far beyond the concepts of money and numbers. Cost of itself can be only measured, not controlled. Costs are one-dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects travelling through a fourth dimension, time. The real-world things that cost represents are people, materials, equipment, facilities, transportation, etc. Cost is used to monitor performance or use of real things but it must be remembered that management of those real things determines cost, and not vice versa. Cost Management Cost management is the process of planning, estimating, coordination, control and reporting of all cost-related aspects from project initiation to operation and maintenance and ultimately disposal. It involves identifying all the costs associated with the investment, making informed choices about the options that will deliver best value for money and managing those costs throughout the life of the project, including disposal. Techniques such as value management help to improve value and reduce costs. Open book accounting, when shared across the whole project team, helps everyone to see the actual costs of the project. Process Description The first three cost management processes are completed, with the exception of updates, during the project planning phase. The final process, controlling costs, is ongoing throughout the remainder of the project. Each of these processes is summarized below. Resource Planning Cost management is begun by planning the resources that will be used to execute the project. Figure 6-2 shows the inputs, tools, and product of this process. All the tasks needed to achieve the project goals are identified by analyzing the deliverables described in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). The planners use this along with historical information from previous similar projects, available resources, and activity duration estimates to develop resource requirements. It is important to get experienced people involved with this activity, as noted by the expert judgment listed under Tools. They will know what works and what doesnt work. In trying to match up resources with tasks and keep costs in line, the planners will need to look at alternatives in timing and choosing resources. They will need to refer back to project scope and organizational policies to ensure plans meet with these two guidelines. Except for very small projects, trying to plan without good project management software is tedious and subject to errors, both in forgetting to cover all tasks and in resource and cost calculations. The output of this process is a description of the resources needed, when they are needed, and for how long. This will include all types of resources, people, facilities, equipment, and materials. Once there is a resource plan, the process of estimating begins. Estimating Costs Estimating is the process of determining the expected costs of the project. It is a broad science with many branches and several popular, and sometimes disparate, methods. There are overall strategies to determining the cost of the overall project, as well as individual methods of estimating costs of specific types of activity. Several of these can be found in the resources listed at the end of the chapter. In most software development projects the majority of the cost pertains to staffing. In this case, knowledge of the pay rates (including overhead) of the people working on the project, and being able to accurately estimate the number of people needed and the time necessary to complete their work will produce a fairly accurate project cost estimate. Unfortunately, this is not as simple as it sounds. Most project estimates are derived by summing the estimates for individual project elements. Several general approaches to estimating costs for project elements are presented here. [3] Your choice of approach will depend on the time, resources, and historical project data available to you. The cost estimating process elements are shown in Figure. Figure 6-3 Cost Estimating Elements Cost estimating uses the resource requirements, resource cost rates, and the activity duration estimates to calculate cost estimates for each activity. Estimating publications, historical information, and risk information are used to help determine which strategies and methods would yield the most accurate estimates. A chart of accounts may be needed to assign costs to different accounting categories. A final, but very important, input to the estimating process is the WBS. Carefully comparing activity estimates to the activities listed in the WBS will serve as a reality check and discover tasks that may have been overlooked or forgotten. The tools used to perform the actual estimating can be one or more of several types. The major estimating approaches shown in Figure 6-3 are discussed here. While other approaches are used, they can usually be classed as variations of these. One caution that applies to all estimating approaches: If the assumptions used in developing the estimates are not correct, any conclusions based on the assumptions will not be correct either. Bottom-Up Estimating Bottom-up estimating consists of examining each individual work package or activity and estimating its costs for labour, materials, facilities, equipment, etc. This method is usually time consuming and laborious but usually results in accurate estimates if well prepared, detailed input documents are used. Analogous Estimating Analogous estimating, also known as top-down estimating, uses historical cost data from a similar project or activities to estimate the overall project cost. It is often used where information about the project is limited, especially in the early phases. Analogous estimating is less costly than other methods but it requires expert judgment and true similarity between the current and previous projects to obtain acceptable accuracy. Parametric Estimating Parametric estimating uses mathematical models, rules of thumb, or Cost Estimating Relationships (CERs) to estimate project element costs. CERs are relationships between cost and measurements of work, such as the cost per line of code. [3] Parametric estimating is usually faster and easier to perform than bottom-up methods but it is only accurate if the correct model or CER is used in the appropriate manner. Design-to-Cost Estimating Design-to-cost methods are based on cost unit goals as an input to the estimating process. Tradeoffs are made in performance and other systems design parameters to achieve lower overall system costs. A variation of this method is cost-as-the-independent-variable , where the estimators start with a fixed system-level budget and work backwards, prioritizing and selecting requirements to bring the project scope within budget constraints. Computer Tools Computer tools are used extensively to assist in cost estimation. These range from spreadsheets and project management software to specialized simulation and estimating tools. Computer tools reduce the incidence of calculation errors, speed up the estimation process, and allow consideration of multiple costing alternatives. One of the more widely used computer tools for estimating software development costs is the Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO). The software and users manual are available for download without cost (see COCOMO in the Resources.) However, please note that most computer tools for developing estimates for software development use either lines of code or function points as input data. If the number of lines of code or function points cannot be accurately estimated, the output of the tools will not be accurate. The best use of tools is to derive ranges of estimates and gain understanding of the sensitivities of those ranges to changes in various input parameters. The outputs of the estimating process include the project cost estimates, along with the details used to derive those estimates. The details usually define the tasks by references to the WBS. They also include a description of how the cost was derived, any assumptions made, and a range for estimate (e.g. $20,000 +/- $2000.) Another output of the estimating process is the Cost Management Plan. This plan describes how cost variances will be managed, and may be formal or informal. The following information may be considered for inclusion in the plan: Cost and cost-related data to be collected and analyzed. Frequency of data collection and analysis. Sources of cost-related data. Methods of analysis. Individuals and organizations involved in the process, along with their responsibilities and duties. Limits of acceptable variance between actual costs and the baseline. The authority and interaction of the cost control process with the change control process. Procedures and responsibilities for dealing with unacceptable cost variances. Cost Budgeting Once the costs have been estimated for each WBS task, and all these put together for an overall project cost, a project budget or cost baseline must be constructed. The budget is a spending plan, detailing how and at what rate the project funding will be spent. The budgeting process elements are shown in Figure 6-4. All project activities are not performed at once, resources are finite, and funding will probably be spread out over time. Cost estimates, WBS tasks, resource availability, and expected funding must all be integrated with the project schedule in a plan to apply funds to resources and tasks. Budgeting is a balancing act to ensure the rate of spending closely parallels the resource availability and funding, while not exceeding either. At the same time, task performance schedules must be followed so that all tasks are funded and completed before or by the end of the project schedule. The spending plan forms the cost baseline, which will be one of the primary measures of project health and performance. Deviations from this cost baseline are major warning signs requiring management intervention to bring the project back on track. Various tools and techniques are available to assist in the budgeting process. Most of these are implemented in some form of computer software. Budgeting is usually a major part of project management software. Cost Control Cost control is the final step of the cost management process but it continues through the end of the project. It is a major element of project success and consists of efforts to track spending and ensure it stays within the limits of the cost baseline. The following activities make up the cost control process: Monitor project spending to ensure it stays within the baseline plan for spending rates and totals. When spending varies from the plan determine the cause of variance, remembering that the variance may be a result of incorrect assumptions made when the original cost estimate was developed. Change the execution of the project to bring the spending back in line within acceptable limits, or recognize that the original estimate was incorrect, and either obtain additional funding or reduce the scope of the project. Prevent unapproved changes to the project and cost baseline. When it is not possible to maintain the current cost baseline, the cost control process expands to include these activities: Manage the process to change the baseline to allow for the new realities of the project (or incorrectly estimated original realities.) Accurately record authorized changes in the cost baseline. Inform stakeholders of changes. The cost control process compares cost performance reports with the cost baseline to detect variances. Guidance on what constitutes unacceptable variance and how to deal with variance can be found in the cost management plan, developed during the estimation activities. Few projects are completed without changes being suggested or requested. All change requests should run the gauntlet of cost control to weigh their advantages against their impact to project costs. Cost control tools include performance measurement techniques, a working cost change control system, and computer based tools. A powerful technique used with considerable success in projects is Earned Value Management , if used appropriately. It requires a fully defined project up front and bottom-up cost estimates, but it can provide accurate and reliable indication of cost performance as early as 15% into the project. The outputs of cost control include products which are ongoing throughout the life of the project: revised cost estimates, budget updates, corrective actions, and estimates of what the total project cost will be at completion. Corrective actions can involve anything that incurs cost, or even updating the cost baseline to realign with project realities or changes in scope. Cost data necessary to project closeout are also collected throughout the life of the project and summarized at the end. A final product, extremely important to future efforts, is a compilation of lessons learned during the execution of the project. Tools for analyzing/evaluating Cost Management Some construction insurance projects dont only exceed their budget because they turn out to be bigger than originally estimated. They often blow the budget because the estimates were badly managed. As a result, the profitability analyses are not well quantified because the estimates of future return were not accurate. Accurate estimates turn to be really important, as they are frequently required for three principal reasons: The first is to well-define the costs/budget of the project. The second is to justify the project. It enables the cost to be compared with the anticipated benefits. The third is to evaluate and control the actual costs vs. estimated and take corrective actions when needed to make the project succeed. Applying Activity-Based Costing (ABC) to construction projects can help insurance companies to better understand their costs and maximize construction resources. Combined with the Earned Value Management, construction projects can be tracked and controlled effectively in terms of time and budget. Activity-Based Costing (ABC) Activity Based Costing (ABC) is a method for developing cost estimates in which the project is subdivided into discrete, quantifiable activities or a work unit. The activity must be definable where productivity can be measured in units (e.g., number of samples versus man hours). After the project is broken into its activities, a cost estimate is prepared for each activity. These individual cost estimates will contain all labour, materials, equipment, and subcontracting costs, including overhead, for each activity. Each complete individual estimate is added to the others to obtain an overall estimate. Contingency and escalation can be calculated for each activity or after all the activities have been summed. ABC is a powerful tool, but it is not appropriate for all cost estimates. This chapter outlines the ABC method and discusses applicable uses of ABC. ABC methodology is used when a project can be divided into defined activities. These activities are at the lowest function level of a project at which costs are tracked and performance is evaluated. Depending on the project organization, the activity may coincide with an element of the work breakdown structure (WBS) or may combine one or more elements of the WBS. However, the activities must be defined so there is no overlap between them. After the activity is defined, the unit of work is established. All costs for the activity are estimated using the unit of work. The estimates for the units of work can be done by performing detailed estimates, using cost estimating relationships, obtaining outside quotes for equipment, etc. All costs including overhead, profit, and markups should be included in the activity cost. Earned Value Management (EVM) An interesting phenomenon exists in the construction industry. The industry probably uses parts of Earned Value management about as well as any industry. But, what makes it interesting is that in construction work, practitioners rarely use the term Earned Value. The Earned Value Management (EVM) technique is a valuable tool to measure a projects progress, forecast its completion date and final cost, and provide schedule and budget variances along the way. Earned Value management is a technique that can be applied, at least in part, to the management of all capital projects, in any industry, while employing any contracting approach. The employment of Earned Value requires a three-dimensional measurement of project performance, ideally from as early as possible—perhaps as early as 15 percent complete, up to 100 percent final completion. However, two of the three dimensions of Earned Value—the baseline plan and the physical performance measurement—will apply to all capital projects, in any industry, using any contracting method. Using Earned Value metrics, any project can accurately monitor and measure the performance of projects against a firm baseline. Using the three dimensions of Earned Value, the project management teams can at all times monitor both the cost and the schedule performance status of their projects. The Earned Value Management (EVM) technique is a valuable tool to measure a projects progress, forecast its completion date and final cost, and provide schedule and budget variances along the way. EVM provides consistent indicators to evaluate and compare projects and give an objective measurement of how much work has been accomplished. It lets the project manager combine schedule performance and cost performance to answer the question: What did we get for the money we spent? Using EVM process, management can easily compare the planned amount of work with what has actually been completed, to determine if cost, schedule, and work accomplished are progressing as planned. It forces the project manager to plan, budget and schedule the work in a time-phased plan. The principles of ABC and EVM techniques provide innovative cost and performance measurement systems, allowing productivity improvements, and therefore can enhance the projects profitability and performance. Quality Management (QM) The process of planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring, and documenting a system of management practices that coordinate and direct relevant project resources and activities to achieve quality in an efficient, reliable, and consistent manner. Quality Management Plan (QMP) A project-specific, written plan prepared for certain projects which reflects the general methodology to be implemented by the Construction Manager during the course of the project to enhance the owners control of quality through a process-oriented approach to the various management tasks for the program. The Quality Management Plan complements the Construction Management Plan (CMP) and forms a basis of understanding as to how the project team will interrelate in a manner that promotes quality in all aspects of the program, from the pre-design phase through completion of construction. Its purpose is to emphasize the quality goals of the project team in all issues associated with the work. This pertains not only to the traditional QA/QC of constructing elements of the work, but also addresses the quality needs of management tasks such as performing constructability reviews during design, checking estimates, making appropriate decisions, updating schedules, guiding the selection of sub contractors and vendors from a quality-oriented basis, to dealing with the public when applicable. Owners, for certain projects, require that a separate Quality Management Plan be prepared by the Construction Manager. In these cases, the QMP is a project-specific plan which reflects the approach of the CM towards achieving quality in the constructed project. It is developed with heavy reliance on many of the sections included in these Guidelines, and fully supports the Construction Management Plan (CMP). When a separate QMP is prepared, most of the quality-oriented issues and discussion of processes, check lists, audits, etc., are contained in the QMP rather than the CMP. The CMP then addresses the day-to-day performance of the various functions and outlines the methods by which the Construction Managers forces will perform their services. The QMP typically will include some of the following: †¢ Overall project organization †¢ Project QA/QC organization †¢ QA/QC representatives of design team and contractors †¢ Management decision flow chart †¢ Formats for various elements of the CM services (i.e., formats for job meeting minutes, progress payment applications, field observation reports, shop drawing logs, notice of proposal change order, etc.) †¢ Detailed check lists or audit plans to provide for quality in the practice of CM functions (i.e., check lists for approving contractors schedules, approving revisions to schedules, reviewing change order costs, obtaining approval within the owner organization for changes, approval to start foundation construction, approval to start concrete pour, approval to start steel erection, preliminary and final acceptance, etc.). †¢ Project Quality Audit forms The CM will prepare quality management narratives for the use of his staff for each of the check lists and quality procedures contained in the QMP to provide for an acceptable level of quality at all levels of CM practice. Inputs to Quality Planning. Quality policy . Quality is the overall intentions and direction of a construction organization with regard to quality, as formally expressed by top management. The quality policy of the performing organization can often be adopted as is for use by the project. However, if the performing organization lacks a formal quality policy, or if the project involves multiple performing organizations (as with a joint venture), then the project management team will need to develop a quality policy for the project. Regardless of the origin of the quality policy, the project management team is responsible for ensuring that the project clients are fully aware of it. Scope statement. The scope statement is a key input to quality planning since it documents major project deliverables, as well as the project objectives that serve to define important client requirements. Project description. Although objectives of the project description may be embodied in the scope statement, the project description will often contain details of technical issues and other concerns that may affect quality planning. Standards and regulations. The project management team must consider any application area-specific standards or regulations that may affect the project. Other process outputs . In addition to the scope statement and project description, processes in other knowledge areas may produce outputs that should be considered as part of quality planning. For example, procurement planning may identify contractor quality requirements that should be reflected in the overall quality management plan. Tools and Techniques for Quality Planning. Benefit/cost analysis . The quality planning process must consider benefit/cost tradeoffs. The primary benefit of meeting quality requirements is less rework, which means higher quality, lower costs, and increased client satisfaction. The primary cost of meeting quality requirements is the expense associated with project management activities. It is axiomatic of the quality management discipline that the benefits outweigh the costs. Benchmarking. Benchmarking involves comparing actual or planned project practices to those of other projects to generate ideas for improvement and to provide a standard by which to measure performance. The other projects may be within the performing organization or outside of it, and may be within the same application area or in another. Flowcharting. A flow chart is any diagram that shows various elements of a system relate. Flowcharting techniques commonly used in quality management include: Cause-and-effect diagrams A cause-and-effect diagram is an analysis tool that provides a systematic way of looking at effects and the causes that create or contribute to those effects. It was develop by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa of Japan in 1943 and is sometimes referred to as an Ishikawa Diagram or a Fishbone Diagram because of its shape. Cause-and-effect diagrams, also called Ishikawa diagrams or fishbone diagrams, which illustrate how various factors might be linked to potential problems or effects. A Cause-and-Effect Diagram is a tool that helps identify, sort, and display possible causes of a specific problem or quality characteristic. It graphically illustrates the relationship between a given outcome and all the factors that influence the outcome. A Cause-and-Effect Diagram is a tool that is useful for identifying and organizing the known or possible causes of quality, or the lack of it. The structure provided by the diagram helps team members think in a very systematic way. At the head of the Fishbone is the defect or effect, stated in the form of a question. The major bones are the capstones, or main groupings of causes. The minor bones are detailed items under each capstone. Applying cause-and-effect diagram A cause-and-effect diagram is a tool that is useful for identifying and organizing the known or possible causes of quality, or the lack of it. The structure provided by the diagram helps team members think in a very systematic way. Some of the benefits of constructing a cause-and-effect diagram are that it: helps determine the root causes of a problem or quality characteristic using a structured approach; encourages group participation and utilizes group knowledge of the process; uses an orderly, easy-to-read format to diagram cause-and-effect relationships; indicates possible causes of variation in a process; increases knowledge of the process by helping everyone to learn more about the factors at work and how they relate; and identifies areas where data should be collected for further study. System or process flow charts, which show how various elements of a system, interrelate. Flow chart is used to provide a diagrammatic picture using a set of symbols. They are used to show all the steps or stages in a process project or sequence of events. A flowchart assists in documenting and describing a process so that it can be examined and improved. Analyzing the data collected on a flowchart can help to uncover irregularities and potential problem points. Flowcharts, or Process Maps, visually represent relationships among the activities and tasks that make up a process. They are typically used at the beginning of a process improvement event; you describe process events, timing, and frequencies at the highest level and work downward. At high levels, process maps help you understand process complexity. At lower levels, they help you analyze and improve the process Pareto Analysis A Pareto Chart is a series of bars whose heights reflect the frequency or impact of problems. The bars are arranged in descending order of height from left to right. This means the categories represented by the tall bars on the left are relatively more significant than those on the right. The chart gets its name from the Pareto Principle, which postulates that 80 percent of the trouble comes from 20 percent of the problems. It is a technique employed to prioritize the problems so that attention is initially focused on those, having the greatest effect. It was discovered by an Italian economist, named Vilfredo Pareto, who observed how the vast majority of wealth (80%) was owned by relatively few of the population (20%). As a generalized rule for considering solutions to problems, Pareto analysis aims to identify the critical 20% of causes and to solve them as a priority. The use Pareto Charts You can think of the benefits of using Pareto Charts in economic terms. A Pareto Chart: breaks big problem into smaller pieces; identifies most significant factors; and helps us get the most improvement with the resources available by showing where to focus efforts in order to maximize achievements. The Pareto Principle states that a small number of causes accounts for most of the problems. Focusing efforts on the vital few causes is usually a better use of valuable resources. Applying Pareto Chart A Pareto Chart is a good tool to use when the process you are investigating produces data that are broken down into categories and you can count the number of times each category occurs. No matter where you are in your process improvement efforts, Pareto Charts can be helpful, .early on to identify which problem should be studied, later to narrow down which causes of the problem to address first. Since they draw everyones attention to the vital few important factors where the payback is likely to be greatest, (they) can be used to build consensus. In general, teams should focus their attention first on the biggest problems-those with the highest bars. Making problem-solving decisions isnt the only use of the Pareto Principle. Since Pareto Charts convey information in a way that enables you to see clearly the choices that should be made, they can be used to set priorities for many practical applications in your command. S

English as the Official Language Essay

For so many years in the world, it is undeniable that the English language has been used as a medium of communication. Many countries are using the English language for its people to understand each other. Today, the American English is peculiarly influential, due to the fact that the United States has become the center of excellence in terms of popular music, television programs, business and technology, film making and many others (â€Å"History of the English Language†). Although there are myriad kinds of English language spoken around the world like Australian English, Indian English and Canadian English, the dominance of the English language is the primary reason that its utilization as an official language in the United States of America should be pushed through. Therefore, it is claimed in this paper that it is proper and tenable for the American English to be considered and approved by the government as the official language of the United States of America. There are three major reasons why it is proper for the American English to be approved as the official language of the United States of America. First, American English is widely used in many countries in the world that makes the United States of America as a melting pot of many races. Second, the American English is the best communicative tool for the understanding of individuals in terms of political, economic, spiritual, physical and educational development. Third, it has been proven for so many years that the use of America English has caused improvement of the country in general. With that, it cannot be denied that the most influential and dominant language in the world is American English. The Dominance of the American English Language American English is widely used in many countries in the world that makes the United States of America as a melting pot of many races. There are many people around the world who have chosen to migrate in the United States of America. The reasons of their migration are to find a greener pasture or to enjoy the freedom and affluence that they can get in the country by chance or opportunity. The country is known for its democratic and representative governance, such that many races are confident enough that America can make their dreams come true. In connection with that, speaking the American English language is an indispensable tool to become a successful immigrant in the country. Therefore, majority of immigrants are also speaking the same language as used by the Americans, making the language the most widely used communicative tool in the land. A study was conducted by the U. S. Census Bureau and released findings that literacy and fluency in English is necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency (Burt 1). Immigrants who can speak well in American English language are most likely profitable in their jobs and business while staying in the United States. Since almost 22% who held jobs in the United States are foreign-born, their ability to speak English has a great impact on the economic improvement of the country (Burt 1). That is the main reason why immigrants wanted to learn English as a second language, which adds to the dominance of the same language in the United States of America. Is it not a sign of additional resources for the economic and political progress of the country? Yes, it is. The numerous foreign-born workers in the country contribute to the economic development in one way or another. The native-born workers and businessmen can communicate well with immigrants adding more chances for economic improvements.  Ã‚     Hence, making the American English Language as official in the United States is proper. American English Language: The Best Communicative Tool The American English is the best communicative tool for the understanding of individuals in terms of political, economic, cultural, spiritual, physical and educational development. It has been said that a language is a systematic medium of communication through the use of sounds or conventional symbols (Manivannan 1). For so many years, the American English has been considered as one of the principal assets of the country for political, economic, cultural, spiritual, physical and educational development. There are myriad reasons why American English language is the best communicative tool in the whole world. In order to conduct political activities such as elections, foreign affairs, decision-making and policy-making, the use of the American English language is necessary. Journals and books on business matters and other economic conditions are generally printed in American English language, which makes all the people to learn the language. Tourists are enthusiastic to learn the same language because it could help them in enjoying the wonderful sites of the country. The enjoyment of American literature depicted in films and television programs reached across many nations which is the means for other races to learn the richness of the American culture. The American invasion is still effective by the dominance of our language which makes our products and services appealing to the whole world. Aside from that, there are many students in other countries who wanted to study in the United States of America. Their contribution in the academe is very important as well as their willingness to learn the language. Hence, all the people who live in America become united due to the influence and dominance of the American English language. Do we need to prevent the approval in making the American English language the official one, knowing that it is useful to us? No, we cannot afford to do so. Therefore, the arguments to support the approval of making the American English language as official are meritorious. The Advantages of the American English Language It is not denied that the American language is a principal asset for political and economic development of the country. The English language is also used as a preferred language for the conveyance of international business and scientific studies (Lian 1). In addition, it is easy to sell American products for American English language is widely used in advertisements and promotions worldwide. A foreign-born individual mentioned that, being fluent in American English is a ladder to successful business and other carrier endeavors (â€Å"The Importance of English in Modern World†). We were able to attract many intelligent individuals through the English language and everything we have is a standard for other countries. In all aspects in life, the said language is useful and also pervasive that it reaches in all parts of the world. Conclusion We are all fortunate to have a language that makes our country a center of commerce, excellence in education and culture and influential in politics. Our country is a strategic place because the American English is widely used in many countries in the world that makes the United States of America as a melting pot of many races. Since the American English is the best communicative tool for the understanding of individuals in terms of political, economic, spiritual, physical and educational development, we are confident that we remain in power all over the world. Finally, the use of America English has caused improvement of our country in general. As conclusion, there is still no doubt that making the English American language as official in the United States of America is proper and meritorious.   Works Cited Burt, Miriam. â€Å"Issues in Improving Immigrant Worker’s English Language Skills†. December 2003. 2 February 2009 â€Å"History of the English Language†. 2009. English Club. 2 February 2009 . Lian Li, Khaw. 2008. Khawlilian. 2 February 2009 < http://www.khawlilian.com/>. Manivannan, G. 2006. Using English Website. 2 February 2009 < http://www. usingenglish.com/teachers/articles/importance-english-language.html>. â€Å"The Importance of English in Modern World†. 17 November 2007. MSN Content Website. 2 February 2009 .

Importance of Respect Essay

Respect, respect, respect, that’s what my father always said to me. Growing up in a typical Chinese family, I have learnt the importance of Respect, whether it is towards your grandparents, friends or your teachers. Although most of them are just simple things, it really shows your respect towards others. To show your respect towards others, there are often things you must not do. For example, if you respect your parents or your grandparents, you wouldn’t just pat their heads, dropping their wig onto the ground when you start asking them things such as â€Å"Hey grandma, how are you today?† or â€Å"what are we eating today?† The only people you are allowed to pat (if you must) are the ones who are younger than you, but that doesn’t mean you can go up to a random stranger who’s younger than you and start patting them on their head, no no no, that’s not what I mean at all. Towards your elders, respect can be shown when you grab food for them when the food is too far for them to reach or by standing up and allowing them to sit on your seat when there are no more chairs left. Such small acts of kindness can actually show your respect towards others and the kind of person you actually are. For some of us, when we graduate from university, we may start to feel like we are superior beings, and that everyone who are still in college are lesser beings, or the lower-class people. This may cause us to look down on our parents or grandparents just because they didn’t go to university, neglecting the fact that without them, there wouldn’t be us, the fact that without their hard work and efforts, we wouldn’t even have the chance of going into university. Let’s say, when your friends invites you over to their house, you don’t just rush in and attack the fridge, licking the internal structure clean, or rush into the master bedroom and starts bouncing on their parents’ bed because for your information, a bed is not a trampoline, no matter what the advertisements tell you, I can assure you that they are two different  things. Idiotic acts such as attacking your friend’s fridge or bouncing on their parents’ bed clearly shows that you do not, and I repeat, DO NOT truly respect your friend. If you really respect your friend, when they invite you over to their house, you should show them some courtesy, or act like civilized people, instead of the monster you are at home. You should take your shoes off before entering their house or ask them for their permission before going to their bathroom, which in most cases, they will say yes, but if they say no for some strange and awkward reason, then you have to find other ways of solving your problem. If you are going to a friend’s house, you should not go there empty-handed instead you should always bring some gifts. I am not telling you to bring expensive gifts like a diamond ring which is the size of a tennis ball, or a Plasma TV, although if you really insist then, that’s your choice. But usually, small gifts such as a basket of fruits would be enough to show your respect because after all, it’s the thought that counts. However, when bringing gifts, especially to a Chinese family, there are things you shouldn’t bring. Such items are clocks or pears because the Chinese word for clocks sounds the same as the Chinese word for death whilst the Chinese word for pear sounds the same as the Chinese word for separation. Another thing to keep in mind is remembering NOT, and I repeat, NOT to wrap the gifts in black or white since those colours are the ones used in funerals. I hope I am not discouraging you from going to Chinese friend’s house because of such rules; these are just little things that you should watch out for because the last thing you want is an angry mum chasing you down the street carrying a butcher knife, and shouting at you in Chinese, even if you cannot understand a word she is saying. Ok guys, since you are all such an attentive listener, I will let you in on a secret. When you go to your friend’s house, the moment you step into the house, you don’t go looking for the toilet or start licking the fridge, the first thing you have to do is to greet the parents. Normally, the reason why they may stare at you menacingly as you move around the house is because people often forget to greet them. Normally, when people enter the house, somehow they just manage to ignore the parent’s presence, even if they were  just standing in front of him. Now, if you want to see a smile on their faces, just remember to greet them as you enter the house- It doesn’t have to be very formal, just remember to say â€Å"Hi† as you enter and say â€Å"Bye, Thank you very much for having me† when you leave. Back in Singapore, when I was still young and youthful, the whole class had to stand up when the teacher came into the classroom. Now, you may think that standing up to welcome the teacher may not seem like much but to the teachers, it may mean the whole world to them. Think of it this way, the teachers give up their time and effort to teach us, so in return, all we have to do is to give up a bit of our time to welcome them, showing our respect for them. In conclusion, respect really plays an important aspect in our lives, whether it is towards our family, friends or teachers. When we respect one another, there will be fewer conflicts and everybody will get along better. So, try to respect one another, who knows, maybe one day, people will learn to respect you too. Min HanBibliography- None- Wrote it by myself

Schizophrenia Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment Essay

INTRODUCTION Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. Patients experience progressive personality changes and a breakdown in their relationships with the outside world. They have disorganized and abnormal thinking, behavior and language and become emotionally unresponsive or withdrawn. â€Å"The first signs, usually only noticed in looking back on events, are likely to include an unexpected withdrawal of the degree or type of contact that the person used to have with family or school. The person seems less capable of of dealing with minor stresses in the accustomed way. This may develop to an extreme over months or years (sometimes termed negative symptoms). 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