ERG international,inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ERG international,inc - Essay Example The case study of Environmental Research Groups International, Inc. (ERG) proffered issues pertinent to evaluating the overall business plan and future prospects of the organization given previous experiences. ERG is currently owned by spouses Claude and Sherrie Robbins, who both have been instrumental in steering the company from its meager beginnings as a two-person operating entity, to an organization spanning the areas of energy, natural resources, and the environment. With a just recently lost bid for a 5-year, $12 million contract for the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) technical services hotline, Claude Robbins remains optimistic of the future thrusts and prospects for the organization. 2. Executive Summary The study aims to present an understanding of facts and situations that need to be addressed given diverse areas that impact ERG’s operations. The paper would be outlined by initially presenting a summary of the business plan of ERG with i dentified objectives. Likewise, the discourse would delve into relevant details of the business including a brief historical background of the company, its products and its development and growth process. The company’s strengths and weaknesses would likewise be identified; including the main issues that currently face the organization. Finally, the factors that contributed to ERG’s success and the key factors affecting the industry, in general, would be determined, prior to discussing the proposed strategies that would be recommended to achieve identified goals. A. Brief Summary of Plan To achieve growth goals of increasing revenue and size, ERG plans to focus on using government and utilities as their target markets with large and mid-size contracts. The organization likewise plans to target the private sector through focusing on the top 1000 Fortune companies. ERG would offer services ranging from developing, managing, and evaluating demand-side management (DSM) prog rams, conservation programs, and alternative supply side options; as well as the development of innovative options for fuel consumption and improved technological efficiencies. The strategies that are planned to be used, as envisioned by ERG’s personnel are: â€Å"(1) creating a board of directors, composed partly of influential industry insiders who were likely to be aware of requests for proposals, (2) spreading out the marketing function by providing incentives to existing staff for obtaining future contracts, and (3) hiring a person whose sole task would be to solicit projects, with compensation tied to acceptance rate or profitability† (Winn 12). B. Major Objectives According to Claude L. Robbins, President of ERG, there are growth plans for the organization, to wit: â€Å"using government and utilities as a base, ERG would like to (a) expand our federal government contracts, particularly multi-year small business (and Woman-Owned Business) set-asides (which we h ave not actively pursued in the past), (b) develop long term consulting relationships with public and private utilities that are developing, managing, and evaluating demand-side management programs, conservation programs, and alternative supply side options (including cogeneration, and alternative fuels), (c) increase current work level for present client base. In the private sector ERG would like to focus on: (a) working with Fortune 1000 companies to develop energy efficiency and conservation policy as well as developing energy efficient buildings, (b) developing private sector industrial DSM and conservation programs, and (c) work with companies to develop/test new energy efficient technology† (Winn 11). As clearly indicated, the goal for the company is â€Å"to increase ERG's revenues and its size substantially over the next five years† (Winn 11). 3. History of the Business A. Background of the Company The company was originally formed by spouses Claude and Sherrie Robbins on Valentine’

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Economics - Essay Example This is the biggest quarterly raise in the series since the period of March 2007 to May 2007. Part-time employment raised by 3,000 during the quarter to arrive at 7.93 million. During the period of December 2010 - February 2011, â€Å"there were 929.4 million hours worked, up 11.0 million over the quarter and up 15.8 million on the year. Average hours worked per week were 31.8, up 0.2 over the quarter and up 0.1 over the year† (UK Statistics, pp. 1-21). This raise in standard hours worked took place completely with permanent employees. Government has failed to bridge the gap that existed between the poorest and wealthiest within society during the 1980s. During the most recent decade, income inequality has lessened a little and has stabilised on a number of measures, but the huge inequality growth of the 1980s has not been rectified (Sen, p.101). The UK has the eighth most terrible level of income inequality of the 27 members of European Union. The number of individuals living unaccompanied or in single-parent family units raised in the UK more quickly than in all other nations; standard size of family unit in the UK decreased from 2.6 percent to 2.3 percent between 1995 and 2010. Income shortage - that is, a family unit with less than half the nation's average earning - declined from 13 percent 11 percent in the UK during the same time frame. Trends in UK Labour Market Labour market is not a homogeneous phenomenon across the UK. Various parts of the UK have labour markets that differ across a range of aspects, not least the sort of professional openings that they present in addition to the percentage of employments in different sectors and on different income levels that they support. There is a little proof that good, highly paid, high skilled jobs and low paid, low skilled employment are both becoming more intense in some particular regions, leading to a polarisation of the service opportunities facing various societies. This has two inferences for ed ucational provision. First, the extent and excellence of prospects accessible to young individuals through the job-based route in regions with a concentration of meagre professions may be satisfied, and that related issues might focus on the provision of a sufficient number and quality of job placements for individuals pursuing education-based professional offerings. Second, in some particulars regions the inducements on offer to youngsters, from many of the opportunities within the local labour market will be weak (Hills, p.194). Income inequality in the UK grew speedily during 1977 and 1990, reaching a highest point since the war. The rate at which inequality arose in the UK was quicker than in any other nation with the exemption of New Zealand. During 1999 and 2010, the poorest 20 percent to 30 percent of the population failed to gain from financial growth, contrary to the rest of the post-war phase. Reasons for Income Inequality in UK Income inequality has a lot of reasons, a fe w of which are quite apparent, others which remain unidentified and yet others which stay uncertain. On a structural level, the central reason of income inequality is variations in â€Å"hours worked per family unit per year† (Jenkins & Micklewright, p.39). Besides overall hours worked, income inequality is because of dissimilar rates of earnings per hour, as well as unearned income, and the reasons of these

The ancient civilizations of Egypt and China Essay Example for Free

The ancient civilizations of Egypt and China Essay The ancient civilizations of Egypt and China were very similar in many different aspects. Their governments and their geography were extremely alike and the religions of the two civilizations had only tiny differences. The early Egyptians also had the same concept of writing as the Chinese people who lived across the continent from them. Suprisingly, these two ancient civilizations that existed very far away from each other show a enormous amount of similarities in almost every area. The government of Ancient Egypt was headed by a king (in the New kingdom, the king assumed the name pharaoh) with absolute power. Different dynasties, or a line of rulers from the same family, would rule Egypt. Each ruler was considered to be a god whose orders were undisputable. However, the government was not only a monarchy; it was a theocracy. The king would perform religious rituals to help the harvest because this would ensure prosperity in Egypt. Likewise, the Chinese government also consisted of an emperor that would belong to a dynasty. Like in Egypt, a dynasty could rule until it would be eventually overthrown. The Chinese kings would also perform religious duties; they prayed, sacrificed, gave offerings and used oracle bones to call upon their ancestors. Both the Chinese and the Egyptian governments had similar structure and duties. If one took a look at China and Egypts geography, one would notice that they are quite similar. The natural barriers of the two civilizations are akin to each other. China has the Pacific Ocean and the Bay of Bengal to protect it from an attack on land. Equally, Egypt has the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea as an effective natural barrier against non-naval attacks. Also, deserts protect the two civilizations. While Egypt has the Libyan and Nubian Deserts, China is equipped with the Gobi Desert. Both China and Egypt have huge rivers located in them. While Egypts pride, the Nile River, is a huge producer of food and life, China has three major rivers, the Huang He, the Chang Jiang, and the Xi Jiang. The ancient Chinese and the ancient Egyptians were both polytheistic, which caused them to be very similar. The Egyptians believed that the gods were usually part human and part animal each gods each played a different role.  There were a few main gods that everybody worshipped and there were also local gods for different regions of Egypt. Egyptians also believed in a happy afterlife for everybody, in which you could only take along things you were buried with to your afterlife. The early Chinese peoples also believed in many deities and they thought that if they made sacrifices and offerings to their gods, then they would be rewarded. There were gods for everything, like in the Egyptian religion; each god would represent something. The ancient civilizations of Egypt and China were very similar. The government in both places was similarly set up and the geography of China was very much alike to the geography of Egypt. Religion was also a common trait of these two civilizations. Strangely, considering these two cultures developed isolated from each other, they share a lot of common traits.

Anabolic Steroids :: essays research papers

If someone guaranteed you amazing results in the weight room with minimal effort by just taking a pill would you take it? You probably would! But, if you knew that these pills could potentially knock 20 years off your life. Would you take it then? You would be suprised to find out how many people would answer yes to that question. In the past three decades, steroids have become a serious problem, more than ever in the athletic field. It is reported that over 3 million athletes and bodybuilders alone have used anabolic steroids . Steroids are a drug that include the male sex hormones, principally, testosterone and estrogen, the female sex hormone. To begin quite simply, it is apparent to most people that men tend to be larger than women. Indeed, a clear cut example of a difference between the sexes is the relative muscle mass. In men the most important growth builder is testosterone, which is made from the cells of the testes. Approximately 8 mg of testosterone is created daily, most of which is metabolized by the liver and excreted through the body in urine form. Testosterone is also present in the blood plasma of women, being derived from the ovaries and adrenal glands, in amounts roughly 30 times less than that found in men. Among the many effects of these androgens is the general growth on the body tissues and an increase in muscle strength. One of the main effects of anabolic steroids is to increase the number of red blood cells and muscle tissue without producing much of the androgenic effects of testosterone. Steroids have been around since the 1950`s and have been used by athletes as a means of improving appearance, muscle mass and strength. The first people to use anabolic steroids for athletic enhancement were the Russians who discovered the drug and had great success. Soon after scientists discovered how to make artificial testosterone and eliminate some of the dangerous side effects. This is when anabolic steroids were first born. Since then they have become very available in almost every country and local gym. Steroids were first developed for medical purposes. They're used in controlling inflammation, strengthening weakened hearts, preventing conception, and alleviating symptoms of arthritis and asthma. There are only three legal uses for steroids, treatment for certain forms of cancer, pituitary dwarfism, and serious hormone disturbances. Unfortunately research has shown that steroids have been abused in almost every kind of sport including professional football, power lifting and bodybuilding.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 46~48

46 Beans and Succubus Tuck's other partner showed up at his bungalow that evening as he was sitting down to a plate of pork and beans. She didn't knock, or call out, or even clear her throat politely to let him know she was there. One minute Tuck was studying a gelatinous white cube of unidentifiable carbon-based life-form awash in a lumpy puddle of boiled legumes and tomato sauce, and the next the door opened and she was standing there wearing nothing but a red scarf and sequined high heels. Tuck dropped his spoon. Two partially used beans dribbled out of his open mouth, tracing contrails of sauce down the front of his shirt. She executed a single flamenco heel stomp and Tuck watched the impact move up her body and settle comfortably in her breasts. She threw her arms wide, struck a pose, and said, â€Å"The Sky Priestess has arrived.† â€Å"Yes, she has,† Tuck said with the glassy-eyed stupifaction of a newly converted Moonie. He'd seen something like her before, either on the hood of a Rolls-Royce or on a bowling trophy, but in the flesh the image was much more immediate, awe-inspiring even. She pirouetted and the tails of the scarf trailed around her like affectionate smoke. â€Å"What do you think?† â€Å"Uh-huh,† Tuck said, nodding. â€Å"Come here.† Tuck stood and moved toward her in the mindless shuffle step of a zombie compelled by the promise of living flesh. His brain stopped work-ing, his entire life energy shifted to another part of his body, and it led him across the room to within an inch of her. It wasn't the first time this had happened to him, but before he had always retained the power of speech and most of his motor functions. â€Å"What's wrong with you?† she said. â€Å"Bolts in your neck too tight?† â€Å"My entire body has an erection.† She took him by the front of the shirt and backed him across the room to the bed, then pushed him down and pulled his pants down to his knees. She vaulted onto him in a straddle and he reached up for her breasts. She caught his wrists. â€Å"No. You'll fuck up my makeup.† And he noticed – like an accident victim might notice a butterfly in the grille of the bus that is running over him – that her nipples had been rouged to an unnatural pink. He tried to sit up and she shoved him back down, then took him in her hand, nicking him with a red fingernail, making him wince, and guided him inside of her. He reached for her hips to drive her down and got his hands slapped for the effort. And she fucked him – precise and mechanical as a machine, a single pounding motion repeated and lubricated and repeated again – until her breath rasped in her throat like hissing hydraulics and she arched her back and stalled, and misfired, then dieseled for a stroke or two, and she climbed off. Somewhere in all that he had come and she had looked at him once. He lay there looking at the remnants of torn mosquito netting over the bed, breathing hard, feeling a little dizzy, and wondering what had just happened. She went to the bathroom, then returned a few seconds later and threw him a towel, which she had obviously used herself. â€Å"We're flying in three or four hours. Be ready.† â€Å"Okay.† Was he supposed to say something? Didn't this signify some sort of change that should be acknowledged? â€Å"I want you to watch me, but you can't let them see you. Wait a few minutes and go out by the hanger where you can see the airstrip. It's a great show. Theater makes it all possible, you know. Ask the Catholics. They survived the Middle Ages by putting on performances in a language that no one understood on grand stages that were built by the pennies of the poor. That's the problem with religion today. No theater.† This must be her version of cuddling. â€Å"Performance?† â€Å"The appearance of the Sky Priestess,† she said as if she was talking to a piece of toast. She walked to the door, then paused and looked over her shoulder. Almost as an afterthought she said, â€Å"Tucker,† and when he looked up she blew him a kiss. Then she was out the door and he heard her shout, â€Å"Cue the music!† A big band sound blasted across the island, sending a shiver rattling through Tuck's body as if a chill ghost from the forties had jitterbugged over his spine. 47 Grand Theft Aircraft The Shark men were breaking into their second jug of tuba when the music started. They all looked to Malink. Why hadn't he told them there was going to be an appearance of the Sky Priestess? Malink thought fast, then grinned as if he had known this was coming all along. â€Å"I wanted it to be a surprise,† he said. Why hadn't this been an-nounced by the Sorcerer? Was he still angry because Malink had not pro-duced the girl-man on demand? Was Vincent himself angry at Malink for something? Certainly Malink's people would be angry at him for not giving them the time to prepare the drums and the bamboo rifles of Vincent's army – and the women, oh, the women would be shitting coconuts over not having time to oil their skins and paint their faces and put on their ce-remonial grass skirts. As Malink trudged to the airstrip he tried to formulate some explanation that would work with everyone. As if it wasn't difficult enough being chief with no coffee to drink in the morning – he'd had a headache for two weeks from caffeine withdrawal – now his role as religious leader was giving him problems. Leading a religion is tough work when your gods start stirring for real and messing up your prophecies. And what if he did come up with an explanation, only to have the Priestess of the Sky say something that contradicted him? She was supposed to be Vincent's voice, but that voice had been angry lately, so he didn't dare ask her for help as he had in the past. Not in front of his people. He came out of the jungle just in time to see the flash of the explosions. The Sky Priestess walked out of the smoke and even from a hundred yards away, Malink could tell by her step that she was pleased. Malink breathed a sigh of relief. She was carrying magazines for them. If his people were happy with what she said, then he could use the old â€Å"will of Vincent† argument for not preparing them. He could have never guessed the real reason the Sorcerer had not forewarned him of the appearance of the Sky Priestess. At the time when he normally called the warning, the Sorcerer had been watching through the window as the Sky Priestess pumped away on Tucker Case. Tuck waited five minutes before he pulled up his pants and slid out the door of his bungalow, nearly running into Sebastian Curtis. The doctor, normally cool, was soaked with sweat and looked past Tuck to the clinic. â€Å"Mr. Case. I thought you'd be preparing the plane. Beth did tell you that you have a flight?† Tuck fought the urge to bolt. He hadn't had enough time to build up any remorse about having sex with the doctor's wife, and he didn't excel at remorse in the first place. â€Å"I was on my way to do the preflight. It doesn't take long.† The doctor didn't make eye contact. â€Å"You'll forgive me if I seem distracted. I have to perform major surgery in a few minutes. You should go watch Beth's little show.† â€Å"What's all the music and explosions?† â€Å"It's how we retrieve our donors. Beth will explain her theory of religion and theater to you, I'm sure. Excuse me.† He pushed past Tucker and looked at his shoes as he walked toward the clinic. â€Å"Aren't you going to watch?† Tuck said. â€Å"Thank you, but I find it nauseating.† â€Å"Oh,† Tuck said. â€Å"Then I'll go check out the Lear. Great game today, Doc.† â€Å"Yes,† Curtis said. He resumed his stiff-armed walk to the clinic, his fists balled so hard at his sides that Tuck could see them shaking. The guards were gathered at the edge of the hangar. Mato looked up quickly and made eye contact long enough for Tuck to see that he was nervous. Tuck wished he had asked him if the other guards spoke English. â€Å"Konichi-wa, motherfuckers,† Tuck said, covering his linguistic bases. None of the guards responded. Except for Mato, their eyes were trained on Beth Curtis dancing across the airstrip to Benny Goodman's â€Å"Sing, Sing, Sing.† One of the guards hit a button by the hangar and the music stopped as Beth Curtis stepped onto a small wooden platform on the far side of the runway. With the speakers silenced, Tuck could hear the drums of the Shark People. Some were marching around in formation holding lengths of bamboo painted red as rifles. Beth Curtis raised her hands, a copy of People in each, and the drums stopped. Tuck couldn't hear what she was saying, but she was waving her arms around like a soapbox preacher, and the crowd of natives moved, and flinched, and hung on her every word. She paused at one point and handed the magazines down to Malink, who backed away from the platform with his head bowed. Tuck didn't find anything about her performance nauseating, but it was nothing if not strange. Why all the pomp and circumstance? You have six guys with machine guns, you can pretty much go rip a kidney out anytime you want to. He needed to think, and he didn't particularly want to see whom she would pick. Whoever it was, their face would be in his head all the way to Japan and back. He went into the hangar, lowered the door on the Lear, climbed into the dark plane, and lay down in the aisle between the seats. He couldn't hear the sound of the Sky Priestess or the natives oohing and ahhhing, and here among the steel and glass and plastic and upholstery, it felt like home. Here he could hear the sound of his own mind; here in his very own Learjet, the weirdness was all outside. But for the lack of a key he would have taken the plane right then. The guard kicked Tuck in the thigh much harder than was needed to wake him. Tuck looked up to see the face of the guard who had beaten him on the beach. He had a scar that ran up his forehead tracing a bare streak into his scalp and Tuck had started to think of him as Stripe, the evil little monster from the movie Gremlins. Tuck's anger was immediate and white-hot. Only the Uzi stopped him from getting his ass kicked again. The guard dangled the key to the Lear's main power cutoff. It was time to go. Tuck limped to the cockpit and strapped himself into the pilot's seat. Stripe inserted the power key into the instrument console, twisted it, and stepped back to watch as Tuck started the power-up procedure. The other ninjas pulled the Lear out of the hangar by a large T-bar attached to the front wheel. When the plane was safely out of the hangar, Tuck started to spool up the jets. Stripe remained with the Uzi at port arms. Tuck made a big show of going though the checklist, testing switches and gauges. He frowned and clicked the radar switch a couple of times. He looked back at Stripe. â€Å"Go check the nose. Something's not right.† The guard shook his head. Tuck mimed his instructions again and Stripe nodded, then he motioned through the window for another of the guards to join them on board. Evidently, they weren't going to leave him un-guarded in the plane with the power key in. Stripe turned over the guard duty to the other ninja and appeared at the front of the plane. Tuck mo-tioned for him to get closer to the nose. Stripe did. Tuck turned on the radar. â€Å"And a lovely brain tumor for you, you son of a bitch.† Stripe seemed to actually feel the microwave energy and he jumped back from the plane. Tuck grinned and gave him the okay sign. â€Å"I hope your tiny little balls are boiling,† he said aloud. The guard behind him didn't seem to understand what Tuck was saying, but he nudged him with the barrel of his Uzi and pointed. Beth Curtis, in her dark Armani, was coming across the compound with briefcase and cooler in hand. She stepped into the plane and nodded to the guard. Instead of leaving, he took a seat back in the passenger compartment. Beth strapped herself into the copilot's seat. â€Å"We taking him in for shore leave?† Tuck said. â€Å"No. He's just along for the ride tonight.† â€Å"Oh, right.† Tuck powered up the jets and eased the Lear out of the compound onto the runway. Beth Curtis was silent until they were at altitude, cruising toward Japan. Tuck did not engage the autopilot, but steered the Lear gradually, perhaps a degree a minute, to the west. â€Å"So what did you think?† â€Å"Pretty impressive, but I don't get it. Why the whole show to bring in someone for surgery? Why not just send the guards?† â€Å"We're not taking their kidneys, Tucker. They're giving them.† Tuck didn't want to give away what he had learned from Malink and Sepie about the â€Å"chosen.† He said, â€Å"Giving them to who? A naked white woman?† She laughed, reached into her briefcase, and brought out an eight-by-ten color photograph. â€Å"To the Sky Priestess.† She held the photograph where Tuck could see it. He had to steer manually. If he hit the autopilot now, the plane would turn back toward Japan, the only preset in the nav computer. The photograph was in color but old. A flyer stood by the side of a B-26 bomber. On the side of the bomber was the painting of a voluptuous naked woman and the legend SKY PRIESTESS. It could have been a painting of Beth Curtis as she had looked when she arrived at Tuck's bungalow. He recog-nized the flyer as well. It was the ghost flyer he'd been seeing all along. He felt his face flush, but he tried to stay cool. â€Å"So who's that?† â€Å"The flyer was a guy named Vincent Bennidetti,† Beth said. â€Å"The plane was named the Sky Priestess. All the bombers had nose art like that in World War II. We found the picture in the library in San Francisco.† â€Å"So what's that got to do with our operation? You're dressing up like the picture on an airplane.† â€Å"No, I am the Sky Priestess.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Beth. I still don't get it.† â€Å"This is the pilot that the Shark People worship. The cargo cult that ‘Bastian told you about.† Tuck nodded and tried to look surprised, but he was watching his course without seeming to do so. If he had figured it right, they would be over Guam in fifteen minutes and the American military would force them down. The Air Force was very cranky about private jets flying though their airspace. â€Å"The natives on Alualu worship this Vincent guy,† Beth said. â€Å"I speak for Vincent. They come to me when we play the music and I give them everything. In return, I choose one of them for the honor of the mark of Vincent, which, of course, is the scar they get from the operation.† â€Å"Like I said, you've got armed guards. Why not just take what you want?† She looked shocked that he would ask. â€Å"And get out of show business?† Then she smiled and reached over and gave his crotch a squeeze. â€Å"When I met Sebastian in San Francisco, he was drunk and throwing money around. One minute he was so dignified and erudite, the next he was like a little native child. He told me about the cargo cult and I came up with the idea of not just doing this to support the clinic, but to get really filthy rich. We had to keep the people happy if we were going to do this in big numbers.† â€Å"So you thought all of this up?† â€Å"It's the reason I'm here.† â€Å"But Sebastian said you were a† – Tuck caught himself before he said â€Å"stripper† – â€Å"surgical nurse.† â€Å"I was. So what? Did I get any respect for that? Did I get any power? No. To the doctors I was just a piece of ass who could handle surgical instru-ments and close a patient when they needed to get to the golf course. Did Sebastian tell you I used to strip?† â€Å"He mentioned something about it in passing.† â€Å"Well, I did. And I was good.† â€Å"I can imagine,† Tuck said. A few more minutes and they should be joined by an F-16. She smiled. â€Å"Fuck nursing. I was just a piece of meat to the men I worked with, so I decided to go with it. I was pushing thirty and all single women my age were walking around with a desperate look in their eye and a bio-logical clock ticking so loud you thought it was the crocodile from Peter Pan. If I was going to be treated like meat, I was going to make money at it. And I did. Not enough, but a lot more than I would have made nursing.† â€Å"Do tell,† Tuck said. He couldn't remember ever saying â€Å"Do tell,† and it sounded a little strange hearing it. She looked out the window as if she had fallen into some reverie. Then, without looking back, she said, â€Å"What's that island?† Tuck tensed. â€Å"I couldn't say.† She sighed. â€Å"Islands are amazing.† â€Å"I always say that.† She seemed to come out of her trance and looked at the instrument board. Tuck acted as if he was concentrating on flying the plane. He glanced at Beth Curtis. Her mouth had tightened into a line. She reached into the briefcase and came out with the Walther automatic. â€Å"What's that for?† Tuck said. â€Å"Get back on course.† â€Å"I am on course.† â€Å"Now!† â€Å"But I am on course. Look.† He pointed to the nav computer, which still showed the coordinates of the airstrip in Japan, although it wasn't engaged with the autopilot. â€Å"No, you're not.† She pointed to the compass. â€Å"You're at least ninety degrees off course. Turn the plane to Japan now or I'll shoot you.† Tuck was tired of it. â€Å"Right. And you'll fly the plane? There's a difference between being able to read a compass and making a landing.† â€Å"I didn't say I would kill you. I'm good with this. You'll still be able to fly with one testicle. Now that would be a shame for both of us. Please turn the plane.† Tuck engaged the autopilot and let the Lear bring itself around to the course to Japan. â€Å"Sebastian said you might try something like that,† she said. â€Å"I told him I could handle you. I can, can't I? Handle you, I mean.† Tuck was quiet for a minute, berating himself for overestimating the efficiency of the military. Then finally he said, â€Å"You are a nefarious, diabolical, and evil bitch.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"That's all.† â€Å"I'm impressed. ‘Nefarious' has more than two syllables. I am a good influence on you.† â€Å"Fuck you.† â€Å"You will,† she said. 48 Too Many Guns Back at the drinking circle, Malink opened a copy of People reverentially and read by kerosene lamp while the other men huddled to get a look at the pictures. â€Å"Cher is worst-dressed,† Malink announced. â€Å"Too skinny,† said Favo. â€Å"I like Lady Di.† Malink cringed. In the picture Lady Di was wearing a string of pearls, obviously the reason for Favo's preference. Malink turned the page. â€Å"Celestine Raptors of Madison County is number one movie in country,† Malink read. â€Å"I want to see a movie,† Favo said. â€Å"You must tell the Sky Priestess to tell Vincent to bring a movie.† â€Å"Many movies,† said Abo. â€Å"And many delicious light and healthy snacks with NutraSweet registered trademark,† he added in English. â€Å"Vincent will bring many snacks.† Malink was turning to the moving story of a two-thousand-pound man who, after being forklifted out of his house, had dieted down to a svelte fourteen hundred when the sound of a machine gun rattled across the is-land. Malink put down the magazine and held up his hand to quiet the men. They waited and there was another burst of gunfire. A few seconds later they heard shouting and looked down the beach to see Sarapul running as fast as his spindly old legs would carry him. â€Å"Come help!† he shouted. â€Å"They shot the navigator!† The Uzi was pressed so hard into Tuck's side that he felt as if his ribs were going to separate any second. The guard crouched behind him in the cockpit hatchway, while out on the tarmac Beth Curtis exchanged the cooler for another manila envelope. She seemed to be in a much better mood when she climbed back into the copilot's seat. â€Å"Home, James.† Tuck tossed his head toward the back of the plane where the guard was taking his seat. â€Å"I guess you weren't taking any chances about me taking off while you were out of the plane.† â€Å"Do I look stupid?† she said. A smile there, no hint of a challenge. â€Å"No, I guess not.† Tuck pushed up the throttles and taxied the Lear back out to the runway. Again Beth Curtis reached over and gave him a light squeeze to the crotch. She put on her headset so she could talk to him over the roar of the engines as they took off. â€Å"Look, I know this is hard for you. Trust is some-thing you build, and you haven't known me long enough to learn to do that.† Tuck thought, It would help if you weren't changing personalities every five minutes. â€Å"Trust me, Tucker. What we are doing is not hurting the people of Alualu. There are people in India who are selling off their organs for less than the price of a used Toyota pickup. With what we make, we can be sure that these people are always taken care of, and we can take care of ourselves in the meantime.† â€Å"If people are selling their organs on the cheap, then how are you – we – making so much money?† â€Å"Because we can do it to order. Transplant isn't just a matter of blood type, you know. Sure, in a pinch – and usually it is a pinch – you can go on just blood type, but there are four other factors in tissue typing. If they match, along with blood type, then you have a better chance of the body not rejecting the organ. Sebastian has a database of the tissue types of every native on the island. When there's a need for an exact match, the order comes in over the satellite and we run it through the database. If we have it, the Sky Priestess calls the chosen.† â€Å"Don't the people have to be the same race?† â€Å"It helps, but it seems that the people of Alualu have a very similar genetic pattern to the Japanese.† â€Å"They don't look Japanese. How do you know this?† â€Å"Actually, it was figured out by an anthropologist who came to the island long before I did. He was studying the language and genetics of the islanders to determine where they migrated from. Turns out there are both linguistic and genetic links to Japan. They've been diluted by interbreeding with natives from New Guinea, but it's still very close.† â€Å"So you guys opened up Kidneys ‘R' Us and started making a mint.† â€Å"Except for the scar, their lives don't change, Tucker. We've never lost a patient to a botched operation or infection.† But bullets, Tuck thought, are another matter. Still, there was nothing he could do to stop them, and if he had to do nothing, a great salary and his own jet were pretty good compensation. He'd spent most of his life not doing anything. Was it so bad to be paid for what you're good at? He said, â€Å"So it doesn't hurt them? In the long run, I mean.† â€Å"Their other kidney steps up production and they never notice the difference.† â€Å"I still don't get the Sky Priestess thing.† She sighed. â€Å"Control the religion and you control the people. Sebastian tried to bring Christianity to the Shark People – and the Catholics before him – but you can't compete with a god people have actually seen. The answer? Become that god.† â€Å"But I thought Vincent was the god.† â€Å"He is, but he will bring wonderful cargo in the Sky Priestess. Besides, it breaks the boredom. Boredom can be a lethal thing on a small island. You know about that already.† Tuck nodded. It wasn't so bad now. The fear of being murdered had gone a long way toward breaking his boredom. Beth Curtis leaned over and kissed him lightly on the temple. â€Å"You and I can fight the boredom together. That's one of the reasons I chose you.† â€Å"You chose me?† In spite of himself, he was thinking about her naked body grinding away above him. â€Å"Of course I chose you. I'm the Sky Priestess, aren't I?† â€Å"I'm not so sure it was you,† Tuck said, thinking about the ghost pilot. She pushed away and looked at him as if he had lost his mind.

Greek Mythology And Society Ancient Greece - 2283 Words

Greek Mythology and Society Throughout the course of time, different civilizations across the world hold one thing in common by which a society or culture can be based upon or help influence the structure. The one common thing that has help a civilization grow throughout the period of time would be the formation of a religion. Religion is a center point for many societies throughout history. As the center for the different civilizations, it helped form their different traditions and customs. The same could be said about the people of ancient Greece, where religion or mythology played an important role in their lives as it was the pedestal of their culture and how they base their lives upon. The formation of a religion across the large number of regions of Greece, help the different locations mold themselves by the customs that were created from the adaptation. During what was known as Ancient Greece, the people would hear tales of the twelve Olympians and how their actions influence the world around them. Within this period of time for the people of Greece was that of growth, as they sought to bring new ideas into light as they exited from a dark period within their own history. In the period of Ancient Greece or Classical Greece, the teachings of this time would help future regions to grow into powerful structures as they would hear of the stories belonging to their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their religious practices.Show MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography On Ancient Greece1107 Words   |  5 PagesAnnotated Bibliography Ancient Greece Annotated Bibliography Ancient Greece was the birth place of many sciences, famous philosophers and the arts. A time where humans where constantly discovering many different things, forming new ideas and opinions about life each and every day. 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An assessment of the importance of infrastructure investment in the... - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 25 Words: 7363 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Declaration of originality Abstract Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "An assessment of the importance of infrastructure investment in the" essay for you Create order Table of contents List of tables? List of figures? Acknowledgements CHAPTER 1 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" INTRODUCTION Rationale for the research Research Aim Research Objectives Outline Methodology for the research Dissertation Contents CHAPTER 2 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction Monetary Policy A review of the Construction Industry in the UK Economy Introduction to Infrastructure Works What is infrastructure? Types of infrastructure A review of Public and Private Investment within the infrastructure sector CHAPTER 3 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" RESEARCH DESIGN METHODOLOGY 3.1 CHAPTER 4 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" DATA COLLECTION ANALYSIS Introduction Case Study Analysis CHAPTER 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" CONCLUSION The Dissertation Aim Research Objectives Personal Recommendations Limitations of the Research Further Research Acknowledgements In 1999, I completed the 1st year of the full-time Quantity Surveying course at Glasgow Caledonian University before moving to America in 2001. After a five-year stay, I returned to Glasgow in September 2006 and re-enrolled in the Part-time Quantity Surveying course. Ten years on from the first experience of the QS course, it gives me great pleasure and pride to be submitting one of the last pieces of work in the honours year. It has been an amazing and unexpected journey. I would not be in this position if it were not for the incredible levels of support and encouragement shown by so many and would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of these people. First, I would like to thank Raymond McCafferty Michael Heggarty of Cruden Building Renewals for employing me and giving me this opportunity. Their continued support and encouragement throughout this process has given me the focus and drive to continually improve my work. My colleagues at Cruden also deserve a special mention for their support during the dissertation and without the laughs during the day; this process would have been so much more difficult. Thanks guys!!! I would also like to thank Halbert Mills at Glasgow Caledonian University for accepting me back into the course and believing that I had the potential to get to this stage. During the course of this dissertation, I had some challenging times when I felt like I did not know how to develop my chosen topic. I would like to give my sincere thanks to my supervisor, Dr. John Lowe, for his inspirational input when I had these difficulties. Unfortunately, I cannot name everyone but I want to thank all my friends and family who without their support I would never have completed this piece of work. Mum, Dad, Gran, thank you so much for everything. Finally, the love and support shown by my Wife, Brooke, during this process has been a major source of inspiration. We will both be glad when the late night studying and completing of projects is finally over. Peter McLellan 1. Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Rationale for the Study à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Infrastructure forms the economic backbone of the UK. It is the fabric that defines us as a modern industrialised nation. The standard and resilience of infrastructure in the UK has a direct relationship to the growth and competitiveness of our economy.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Skinner, 2010) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“For the UK to retain its competitive edge, a longer-term view of investment in infrastructure must lead policy making.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Stewart, 2009) This dissertation offers an opportunity to explore and research a highly topical issue. The United Kingdom finds itself still in the midst of one of the worst economic downturns in recent memory and in a period of fiscal consolidation. As a result of this depressed economic situation, difficult decisions have had to be made by all sectors within the UK to work together to drive the country out of the recession. The recent edition of the Economic and fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and budget by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, highlights the importance of implementing measures that will promote sustainable growth. Despite modest growths to GDP of 0.4 per cent in the final quarter in 2009 (NSO, 2010), the general consensus is that the United Kingdom is in the early stages of recovery. The 2010 budget, called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Securing the recoveryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, outlines ways in which it aims to support this vision. One of these policies, is to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“invest in infrastructure, including additional funding for transport and local roads and creating a Green Investment bank.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (UK Budget, 2010) Also, the Eddington Report, published on 1 Dec 2006, was a study jointly commissioned by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Its role was to analyse the long-term relationships, within the boundaries of the Governmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s wider commitment to sustainable development, between transport and the UKs growth, stability and economic productivity. The findings of this study will be discussed and compared to the investment required to meet the future demands of the UK. Furthermore, in a recent study carried out by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), it revealed that inadequate energy, transport, and communications infrastructure continues to reduce the opportunity for UK businesses to grow. It also outlines that during this period when businesses play a vital role in the recovery of the economy, productivity is being affected as a result of lack of capacity, thus restricting the UKà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s economic potential. (BCC survey, 2010) In response to the survey carried out in 2010, David Frost, the Director general of the BCC stated the following: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s infrastructure is crucial to the success of its businesses. In the current environment of economic uncertainty and public spending constraints, our energy, digital, and transport networks must be up to the job if business is to deliver growth and create employment.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? The intriguing situation that the UK Government now face is deciding the best way to stimulate economic growth without increasing the deficit. One of the issues with increasing deficits is the Government will have to borrow to service the debt. As a result of the world-banking crisis over the last few years, there is reluctance to increase the UK debt further and therefore this might have an impact on infrastructure investment in this country. This dissertation provides an opportunity to research the level of infrastructure required in the UK and review the part it plays to the long-term sustainable growth of the UK economy. Furthermore, in doing so, the author intends to see if further investment in Infrastructure wo rks is viable in the current economic climate. 1.2 Aim The aim of this dissertation is to assess the importance of infrastructure investment in the United Kingdom and how this impacts on the long-term sustainable growth of the UK Economy given the current economic constraints. 1.3 Objectives To review Fiscal and Monetary policy theories available to the UK Government. To review the current and future demands for infrastructure works in the UK. To understand the level of importance of infrastructure work investment to the UK economy. To understand the roles, responsibilities and options available to public and private bodies in raising capital to invest in infrastructure works in the UK. To highlight the economic and social benefits gained as a result of increased investment in chosen infrastructure sectors by utilising hypothetical cost model projections. 1.4 Outline Methodology of the Research 1.5 Dissertation Contents Chapter 2 Provides an extensive Literature review on the topic area. The author will provide a general overview of economic theory, introduction to infrastructure, and a review of the relevant studies published worldwide that reveal intellectual thoughts on infrastructure investment impact on the economy. This will be carried out in the way of both descriptive and an analytical approach to all the appropriate literature sourced to aid in this dissertation. Naoum (2007) states à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“It is descriptive in that it describes the work of previous writers and it is analytical in that it critically analyses the contribution of others with a view of identifying similarities and contradictions made by previous writersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. According to Naoum (2007), the literature review will serve two purposes. First, it allows for gathering of information to allow development of issues and themes within the chosen topic that ultimately shape the research design. Second, the literature review will help form the basis of the research design by analysing previous research designs. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 introduces the reader to the numerous research techniques available to the author and will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each and merits of each approach, before indicating the chosen methods of quantitative analysis technique Chapter 3 examines the various research techniques that were available to the author and describes the strengths and weaknesses of each of the approaches in respect to the available data. In particular this chapter presents the reasoning behind the authorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s decision to adopt the quantitative analysis technique and explains how this approach was applied. This chapter also describes the source of the data and highlights any potential bias or limitations that the author experienced within the analysis. Furthermore this chapter explicitly explains the process for selecting and categorising the appropriate data prior to analysis in a consistent manner. John Hannah paragraph Chapter 4 Chapter 4 builds upon the process described in the previous chapter and examines the primary source of data to assess what trends are evident with each of the particular categories. This section goes on to expand upon the original quantitative analysis and examine a series of quantitative case studies to assess the extent of early warning events and compensation events that occurred on completed projects. John Hannah paragraph Chapter 5 In conclusion, chapter 5 summarises the findings of this research and consider if the original aim and objectives have been achieved. Finally, this chapter discusses the authorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s findings and proposes a list of recommendations for future studies. John Hannah paragraph 2. Chapter Literature Review 2.1 Introduction à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The purpose of research is to make a contribution, however small, towards understanding the phenomenon being studied and ultimately towards the total body of knowledgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Parahoo, 2006) The intended purpose of the following literature review is to provide a general background to the chosen topic that will aid in the understanding of the following areas: How the UK Economy functions and what factors drive it. Description analysis of previous research on the impact of infrastructure investment on the economy. The role the construction industry plays in the UK Economy. The information presented within the literature review will enhance the readerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s knowledge of the topic with a view of providing clarity and understanding on the findings presented in chapter 4. Economic Theories à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“There are conflicts of opinion on economic theory. For instance, monetarists argue that rises in the money supply cause inflation whereas Keynesians argue that it is changes in inflation which cause changes in the money supplyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Stanlake Grant, 1995) Keynesian Economics John Maynard Keynes was a British economist whose ideas have been a central influence on modern macroeconomics, both in theory and practice. He advocated interventionist government policy, by which governments would use fiscal and monetary measures to mitigate the adverse effects of business cycles, economic recessions, and depressions. His ideas are the basis for the school of thought known as Keynesian economics. Keynes solution to poor economic state is to introduce impetus spending or as the US President Franklin Roosevelt described, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"prime the pumpà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Keynes argues that the government should step in to increase spending, either by increasing the money supply or by actually buying things on the market itself. A supporter of Keynesian economics believes it is the governments job to smooth out the bumps in business cycles. Intervention would come in the form of government spending and tax breaks in order to stimulate the economy, and government spending cuts and tax hikes in good times, in order to curb inflation. Alternative Economic Theories Since Keynesian economics advocates for the public sector to step in to assist the economy generally, it is a significant departure from popular economic thought, which preceded it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  laissez-fair capitalism. Laissez-fair capitalism supported the exclusion of the public sector in the market. A number of laissez faire consequences are drawn from Says law. Say also advocated public works to remedy unemployment. Say argued against claims that business was suffering because people did not have enough money and more money should be printed. Say argued that the power to purchase could be increased only by more production and is also best known for coining the phrase supply creates ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s own demand (Curwen, 1997) James Mill used Says Law against those who sought to give economy a boost via unproductive consumption. Consumption destroys wealth, in contrast to production which is the source of economic growth. The demand for the product determines the price of the product, but not if it will be consumed. Alternatively, Keynes is an advocate of trying to stimulate consumption by government intervention. Views on Economic thoeries Cutting support now, as some are demanding, would run the real risk of choking off the recovery even before it started, and prolonging the global downturn. (Darling, 2009) If consumers, markets and businesses get the message that government wants to carry on spending and isnt serious about dealing with the deficit, they will start to conclude that the UK is no longer a safe place to invest in, spend in or build a business in, (Cameron, 2009) Importance of Construction industry to UK Economy A recent survey commissed by the UK Contractors Group and carried out by LEK Consulting to demonstrate the impacts of the Construction industry on the UK Economy was distributed September 2009. The main aim of this report was to specifically highlight the benefits of investing in construction. The report covered 3 main areas: Contribution of the construction industry at national and regional level. Key contribution that construction makes to national employent levels. The role that the construction industry plays in the broader economic and social objectives. The reports contention is that the construction industry is vital to the overall UK economy while still being in a recession as it provides the following: Construction is a major contributor to the UK DGP. Construction sector employs circa  £3m people throughout 300,000 firms. Construction is also an important driver for other sectors, without which there would be a loss of domestic production capacity and skills. The report, Construction in the UK economy: The Benefits of Investment, shows that construction is the best sector for stimulating employment. It also shows that every  £1 spent on construction leads to an increase in GDP of  £2.84, as the spending not only creates construction output worth  £1, but also stimulates growth elsewhere in the economy worth  £1.84. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“With the Chancellorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Pre-Budget Report looming, the CBI is continuing to press the case for protecting capital spending by government.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (John Cridland, CBI Deputy-Director General, 2009) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A strong economy needs fit-for-purpose schools and hospitals, and it will be the construction industry that builds the new transport and energy infrastructure needed to shift to a low-carbon economy. (John Cridland, CBI Deputy-Director General, 2009) Introduction to Infrastructure Works Infrastructure investment impact: Previous Research Over the last 30 years there have been various economic models developed to help in the research of the impact of infrastructure investment on the economy. The in-depth empirical studies have mainly utilised macro-economic level data, which includes cross-state and cross-country data. (Straub, 2007) edinburgh paper According to the studies carried out by Aschauer (1989) he states that when analysing the importance of public investment to the productivity improvement and economic growth, added weight must be attributed to the public investment decisions made by the Government. Furthermore, the study indicates increased productivity and growth in the economy by investing in areas such as highways, sewers, streets, and water systems. To ascertain these findings, Aschauer took the average annual growth rates of total factor productivity and the non-military public capital stock in America over the period 1950-1985; Aschauerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s data indicated a close relationship between level of investment in non-military infrastructure and productivity. Put in Tables from study Further research in the United States carried out by Munnell (1990) analysed the impact of the stock of public capital on economic activity at the regional and state levels. In conclusion, Munnell found that the US states that had invested in infrastructure had greater output, increased levels of private investment, and high levels of employment growth. The study highlighted above, Aschuer (1989) estimated an elasticity of output with respect to public infrastructure capital in the United States during 1950-1985 of between 0.38 and 0.56. These results have been shown to be econometrically suspect and subsequent work suggests the elasticity is much smaller. The average elasticity across OECD countries for the period 1960-2001 has recently been estimated to be 0.2 (Kanps, 2004). Aschauers paper has, however, proved very fruitful in terms of subsequent research, which it stimulated. (Crafts Leunig, 2005) A number of empirical studies have looked at the relationship between all public infrastructure investment and GDP growth. On average these studies seem to indicate a positive elasticity of output to public capital of around 0.20. Put another way, a ten per cent increase in public capital stock increases GDP by around 2 per cent. (Eddington report 2006) The eddington report suggest that there are limitations to these empirical studies and the results should be viewed with caution. OECD (2003) argues that early empirical work on the link between infrastructure investment and economic performance overstated the magnitude of the impact on GDP and productivity growth (The sources of economic growth in OECD countries, OECD, 2003) In particular, studies that focus on public investment in capital and infrastructure in a broad sense, rather than on transport specifically, do not really distinguish between types of investment in terms of new build, upgrade, maintenance etc although some do make specific conclusions about the value of transport infrastructure investment. Later studies using more complex modelling suggest a positive, albeit weaker relationships between infrastructure and GDP. These include: Kocherlakota and Yi (1997), Demetiades and mamuneas (2002), Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Fallon (2003), and Nijkamp and Poot (2004). (see figure 1.5 eddington report 2006) In 1993, Easterly and Robero carried out further research to expand on the work in this field. Called Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation, it details several conclusions that support the findings expressed by Aschauerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s research in 1989. It tackled areas such as the rate of growth and the level of development by employing historical data and recent cross-section data. The main findings outlined that there is a strong relationship between a countries fiscal structure and the development level and that investment levels in communication and transport is consistently correlated with growth. This therefore indicates that infrastructures are important in the economic prosperity of a nation (Easterly, Robelo 1993). Put in reference Eisner (1991) highlighted that public infrastructures not only serve as an intermediate good in physical goods production, they can also be final consumption goods. For example, water and sewage systems benefit environment, better transportation saves time spent on travelling, public parks give people pleasure, etc. Canning, Fay, and Perotti (1994) found substantial effects of physical infrastructure on economic growth based on the international data set. The strategy for national infrastructure also states, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The majority of empirical research indicates that there is positive relationship between infrastructure and economic growthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (strategy for national infrastructure, 2010). Introduction to Infrastructure What is Infrastructure? Set-up in December 2009 to help meet the infrastructure requirements in the UK for the next 10-20 years, Infrastructure UK defines Infrastructure as key economic sectors which include: Water, Waste, Energy, Transport and communications (strategy for national infrastructure, 2010). Infrastructure networks enable people, goods, energy, information, water, and waste to move efficiently around the UK and, in some cases, across its borders. The extent, capacity and quality of these networks has a direct bearing on the economy of the UK, the environment and the quality of life of everyone who lives in or visits the UK. Infrastructure Studies in the United Kingdom Extensive research carried out in the United Kingdom has indicated the level of infrastructure required for each sector and this can be cross-referenced with studies highlighted in the previous section. For example, the findings from the research carried out by Eisner, 1991 and Easterly, Robero 1993 indicated a relationship between transportation and its impact on the growth of the economy. The Eddington report was published on the 1st December 2006 and was carried out by Sir Rod Eddington under the instruction of the UK Government. The report is an examination of the impact transportation decisions will have on the UK environment and economy. The report analyses the current global economic demands and how our current transportation infrastructure must meet the demands of the 21st century. It states that with rising population and resultant greater demands on the country, higher levels of congestion and issue with reliability will have adverse effects on the economy if the correct infrastructure is not in place. It contends that by not having the required infrastructure in place it costs businesses more money while also effecting peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s social environment (Eddington Report, 2006). As well as utilising the Eisner, Easterly and Robero findings, the Eddington Report drew on research carried out in more recent times. The studies used in the development of the Eddington Report comprised: The historical significance of Transport for Economic growth and Productivity (Crafts Leunig, 2005), Step change transport improvements (Mann, 2006), and transport and labour market strategies (Gibbons Machin, 2006) Assessing transports contribution to the economy Transport can impact on the performance of the economy in a number of different ways: Transports impact on GDP à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Transport can impact on the economy and will ultimately impact on overall output. Gross domestic product (GDP) is currently the best measure of the size of the economy as it measures the total value of goods and services provided. Transport can have an impact on economic output (GDP) thorugh two channels: Firstly, transport can affect GDP though a number of inputs that are used, for example transport may increase employment either by allowing greater access to labour or stimulating the creation of new firms, which can increase the number of goods and services produced and lead to an increase in GDP. Secondly, transport can improve the efficiency with which firms use inputs, in other words transport can have an impact on productivity. For instance, a well functioning transport network can raise productivity by redusing journey times. Transport investment can impact on the drivers of productivity by encouraging prictae investment through raising its profitability; facilitating labour mobility and thereby increasing the returns in investment skills; and enabling effective competition even when economic activity is geographically dispersed. Identifying the impact of transport on productivity is important because improving productivity is a key to determinant of long-term growth and living standards. These effects can either have a one à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"off effect on the level of productivity or a sustained impact on the growth rate of productivity. Transport can impact on the growth rate of productivity by stimulating innovation through its impact on agglomeration economies, trade and foreign direct investment. In practice these dynamics are very difficult to measure, but are nevertheless extremely valuable, as they determine how quickly the economy grows and therefore the rate of growth in GDP. Transports role in supporting quality of life Critically though, GDP measures alone fail to capture the impacts of transport on the environment or its contribution to the wider well being of society. Transports impact on the environment, for example through carbon and other emissions, can increasingly lead to unsustainable growth, as well as impacting on peoples quality of life. Transport improvements that free up wasted travel time allow people to spend more time with friends and family, and enjoy more leisure activities. An economic welfare measurement would seek to measure such broader impacts of transport on society and the environment rather than just a pure GDP measure. These benefits to general well being are known as economic welfare, or welfare. The use of existing transport networks: What benefits do provide Erenburg (1994) finds that policy measures that make more efficient use of existing transport infrastructure through pricing mechanisms or other traffic management solutions can have a significant impact on growth (linking public capital to economic performance, Erenburg, 1994) Hulten and Schwab (1996) estimate that a 1 per cent increase in infrastructure effectiveness would have an impact on growth seven times larger than a 1 per cent increase in the rate of public infrastructure investment. (the public capital hypothesis: The case of Germany, Hulten and Schwab, 1996) OECD/ECMT (2001) paper on the benefits of transport concludes that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"wider economic benefits may be achieved more efficiently by introducing prices which correspond more closely to costs, or by reallocating existing infrastructure more efficiently between users, or by adopting other transport policies. (Assessing the benefits of transport, European Conference of Ministers of transport, OECD, 2001) Victoria transport policy institute (2003) argues that investment in alternative modes of transport and in management strategies to encourage more efficient use of existing road capacity tends to provide greater economic benefit than expanding existing highways to reduce congestion. The study also argues that the benefits of transport improvements are heavily dependant on local circumstances, in that they will only increase economic development where inadequate transport is a significant constraint on economic activity. EVIDENCE OF CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR TRANSPORT TO IMPACT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ECONOMY Caning and Fay (1993) assert that infrastructure should not be seen as a factor of production but as a condition for high growth. Kessides (1993) notes that infrastructure does not create economic potential; it only develops such potential where appropriate conditions exist, i.e. other inputs such as labour and capital are available to drive output growth. Indeed, lynde and Richmond (1993), Trinder (2002), and Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Fallon (2003) assert that public and private capital are complements; that physical infrastructure requires the existence of available productive private capital in order to realise economic growth potential, and that infrastructure investment can boost the productivity of such private capital. Infrastructure investment may also feed through to increased labour productivity. Canning and pedroni (1999), banister and berechman (2000), Trinder (2002) and Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Fallon (2003) highlight other important underlying conditions that will influence the impact of transport investment on the economy (SEE REFERENCES FIGURE 1.7 EDDINGTON REPORT) In summary, these include: Economic conditions, a stable macroeconomic policy climate, local market circumstances, agglomeration, and labour market conditions Investment conditions; available funds, timing and structure of investment, type of infrastructure investment, location of investment in terms of network structure and political and institutional conditions, decision making, planning, sources, and methods of finance, level of investment, supporting legal and organisational policies and processes, and method and governance of infrastructure delivery and provision. Funding and delivery mechanisms for UK national infrastructure The National Infrastructure is funded and delivered in a number of ways: Commercially driven, user-paid infrastructure e.g. unregulated airport and ports where it is for the developer to decide what and when infrastructure is built. Any developments is then paid for by consumers (but prices are not regulated because competition exists) Commercially driven, user paid but price-regulated infrastructure with a stronger role for Government. Regulated airports are an example. Government supports investment in additional capacity but this is a commercial decision for airport operator (and where prices are regulated to protect from monopoly power). The energy sector also largely follows this model but prices are set by the market or thorough Government intervention. Price regulated businesses where independent regulators play a stronger role in determining the level and nature of investment. For example, water, where the regulator has an input into the nature of the investment programme but infrastructure investment in funded by users. Price regulated business that is funded by the taxpayer and users e.g. Network Rail. This is a model where the business is funded both by users and taxpayers where the DfT have a central role in setting out the outputs it wants from the railways and the level of funding to achieve that. The regulator sets the efficiency targets and prices for the company. Publicly decided and publicly funded infrastructure e.g. roads. Government decides where they should go, when they should be built and pays for them. This may include some provate finance but ultimately government rather than users pay. Clearly Government enjoys much greater control over infrastructure, but only a small part of the overall picture. Infrastructure essential for supporting economic activity and growth Many key investment projects rely on private finance either as direct investment or through mechanisms such as PPPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s. In the current economic climate the Uk faces stiff competition in securing investment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" from private investors and from within Government budgets. In this environment, there needs to be a clear vision from Government about the future and needs for infrastructure. This will be essential to persuade the provate sector to invest in the national infrastructure and, in particular, provaste sector investors need long-term certainty in order to judge whether to commit major funds. Chapter 3 This chapter gives a brief description of the methods used for collecting independent data and why they are relevant to the research objectives. Research Strategy Quantitative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Quantitative research is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"objectiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ in nature. It is defined as an inquiry into a social or human problem, based on testing a hypothesis or a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analysed with statistical procedures, in order to determine whether the hypothesis or the theory hold trueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Cresswell, 1994). This statement is expanded on further by Bouma and Atkinson (1995), who state à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Quantitative data is, therefore, not abstract, they are hard and reliable; they are measurements of tangible, countable, sensate features of the world.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? When endeavouring to find information on concepts, attributes and collating factual information and evidence on the relationships of these facts in order to appraise a theory or hypothesis, a quantitative research method should be employed. Qualitative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Qualitative research is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"subjectiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ in nature. It emphasises meanings, experiences (often verbally described), description and so on. The information gathered in qualitative research can be classified under two categories of research, namely, exploratory and attitudinal.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) As explained by Dr Naoum, qualitive research can be split into two areas of research, firstly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“exploratory research is used when you have limited amount of knowledge about your topic. Here, the interview technique is usually selected as a method of data collectionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) and secondly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“attitudinal research is used to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"subjectivelyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ evaluate the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"opinionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"viewà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, or the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"perceptionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ of a person, towards a particular object. The term à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"objectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ is referred to as an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"attributeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"variableà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"factorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ or a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"questionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. (Naoum, 2007) It is also essential to remember that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the data gathered under the qualitative research can later be à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"quantifiedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ to some extent but a qualitative approach tends to value the data as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"qualitativeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Coolican, 1993) Data Collection Within this dissertation, options for the main source of data collection include surveys and interviews, which have been selected due to the nature of the research topic and information, required to complete the report. Generally, data collection can be split into two categories of fieldwork, which is the primary data collection and desk study, which is secondary. Fieldwork à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The term à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"fieldwork researchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ refers to the methods of primary data collection used by the researcher and attention should be paid not be confused with the definition of field research as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"the study of people acting in the natural courses of their daily livesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?(Naoum, 2007) This form of research can be broken down into three main approaches: Survey Case study Problem-solving approach. Experimental or observational approaches can also be used for research purposes, however, these methods require to be carried out over long periods and there is more responsibility for detailed outcomes. The survey approach à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Surveys are used to gather data from a relatively large number of respondants within a limited time frame. It is thus concerned with a generalised result when data is abstracted from a particular sample or population. There are two types of surveys available: the descriptive survey and the analytical survey.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The descriptive survey aims to answer such questions as: How many? Who? What is happening? Where? And When? It deals with counting the number of respondants with certain opinions/attitudes towards a specific object. The counting can be later analysed to compare or illustrate reality and trends.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The analytical survey aims to establish relationship and association between the attributes/objects of your questionnaire, i.e. how often an attribute is associated with another attribute within the sample questionnaire.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Case study approach à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Case studies are used when the researcher intends to support his/her argument by an in-depth analysis of a person, a group of persons, an organisation or a particular project. As the nature of the case study focuses on one aspect of a problem, the conclusion drawn will not be generalised but, rather, related to one particular event. This is not to say that the case study approach is of limited value. On the contrary, it provides an in-depth analysis of a specific problemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Within the case study approach, there are three types of case study approach, which can be utilised to provide evidence or information on the given topic. The three types are descriptive, analytical and explanatory case studies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The descriptive case study which is similar to the concept of the descriptive survey (i.e. counting), except it is applied on detailed case(s).à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The analytical case study which is similar to the concept of the analytical survey (i.e. counting, association and relationship), except it is applied on detailed case(s).à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The explanatory case study, which is the theoretical approach to the problem. It explains causality and tries to show linkages among the objects of the study. In other words, the researcher collects facts and studies the relationship of one set of facts to another, with the hope of finding some casual relationship between them.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Problem solving approach à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“With the survey and the case study approach, the researcher tends not to affect or interfere with that which is being studied. In the problem solving approach (also named action research), the researcher reviews the current situation, identifies the problem, gets involved in introducing some changes to improve the situation and, possibly, evaluates the effect of his/her changes.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Secondary data collection Not unlike primary data collection which is taken first hand, secondary data collection is established from literature searched and as such is classed as a desk study. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The most significant of the advantages of the secondary data are related to time and cost. In general, it is much less expensive to use secondary data than it is to conduct a primary research investigation. This is true even when there are costs associated with obtaining secondary data. When answers to questions are required quickly, the only practical alternative is to consult secondary sources.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Stewart Kamins, 1993) Data collection techniques Further to the decision of how data is to be collected and the method of research to be used, we are able to evaluate the best technique of data collection. Initial proposals for this research dissertation for the main form of data collection include both a quantitative and a qualitative approach. Structured interviews will be one of the highlights of the research topic, as this will source primary data from industry professionals. Postal Questionnaires are also a popular method to be considered. Postal Questionnaire à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The postal questionnaire is probably the most widely used data collection technique for conducting surveys. It is most suited to surveys whose purpose is clear enough to be explained in a few paragraphs of print, in which the scheme of questions is not over-elaborated. Postal questionnaires have been widely used for descriptive and analytical surveys in order to find out facts, opinions and views on what is happening, who, where, how many or how much.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) The use of postal questionnaires, have three main advantages of economy, speed and consultation, which have been outlined as follows: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Economy. Postal questionnaires are perceived as offering relatively high validity of results because of their wide geographic coverage. As a result, it is more suited to assembling a mass of information at a minimum expense in terms of finance, human and other resources.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Speed. Postal questionnaires are certainly a quick method of conducting a survey. If administered properly, the bulk of the returns will probably be received within two weeks. However, time must be allowed for late returns and responses to follow-up attempts.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Consultation. In certain cases respondants may not have the information to hand, particularly when the questions are of a quantitative nature, and may need to consult a document or a colleague in order to give accurate answers.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Although there also limitations to using postal questionnaires, mainly that they must contain simple questions, inflexible technique, accuracy, no control over responses and industry fatigue. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Must contain simple questions. The postal questionnaire is only suitable for simple and straightforward questions, which can be answered with the aid of easy instructions and definitions. The questions should be very carefully worded and free from faults such as ambiguity, vagueness, technical expressions, difficult questions and so forth.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?(Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Inflexible technique. Inflexible in the sense that postal mail questionnaires do not allow the opportunity for probing. In other words, the answers have to be accepted as final and there is no opportunity to clarify ambiguity or to appraise the non-verbal behaviour of respondants, though the latter can sometimes create bias.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Accuracy. Respondants may answer generally when you are seeking a response on a specific level of analysis. People may also answer according to what they think you want to hear. They may answer according to their public profile rather than the underlying corporate reality.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“No control over respondants. This means that although you state in your questionnaire that a particular person should complete the questionnaire (such as marketing director, managing director or the site agent), there is no guarantee that this statement will ensure that the right person completed the questionnaire. However, this is less of a problem than not getting a response at all, given the fact that response rates for postal surveys usually range between 40 and 60 percent.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Industry fatigue. Companies receive a steady stream of questionnaires and pressures of modern business mean that for many organisations and individuals, studentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questionnaires are of less priority.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Personal interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The personal interview is another major technique for collecting factual information as well as opinions. It is a face-to-face interpersonal role situation in which an interviewer asks respondants questions designed to elicit answers pertinent to the research hypothesis.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Using the interview technique can sometimes only be suitable if it is undertaken under certain circumstances, for example, knowing the interviewee so that you know only to ask what is important and how to ask it. Also interviewing people with the same characteristics, so that they are both looking at the question from the same perspective. Performing an interview is also essential if the questions need to be explained or described, as well as being able to probe the answers given by each correspondent, as to why that response was given or feel the way they do about a specific aspect. As with the questionnaire technique, they are some variables that need to be considered, as to the structure of the interview as these can take three forms, namely unstructured, structured or semi-structured. However, this does not mean that only one form needs to be utilised, as the interview can be a combination of all three. Unstructured interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“This form of interview uses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"open-endedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"openà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questions and the questionnaire is often pitched at a very general level so that the researcher can see in what direction the interviewee takes things in their response. It is usually conducted with qualitative research. Unstructured interviews can also be conducted at the beginning of any research (also known as exploratory interviews) when the researcher knows little about his/her subject area.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Semi-structures interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“This is more formal than the unstructured interview in that there are a number of specific topics around which to build the interview. This form of interview uses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"openà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"closed-endedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questioning but the questions are not asked in a specific order and no schedule is used. Your task is to discover as much as possible about the specific issues related to your subject area.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) There are four characteristics of a semi-structured interview, as stated by Merton and Kendal (1946): à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“It takes place with respondents known to have been involved in a particular experience.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“It refers to situations that have been analysed prior to interview.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“It proceeds on the basis of an interview guide specifying topics related to the research hypothesis.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“It is focused on the respondentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ experiences regarding the situations under study.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Semi-structured interviews start by asking indirect questions in order to build up a rapport with the respondent and then explore the specific issues that the interviewer has in mind.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Structured interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“In the structured interview, questions are presented in the same order and with the same wording to all interviewees. The interviewer will have full control on the questionnaire throughout the entire process of the interview. In this technique the questioning may start with some à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"openà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questions, but will soon move towards a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"closedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ question format.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) There are three main advantages of using the structured interview method, as it allows for more accurate answers, a higher response rate and the interviewee can be probed as to why they were gave the answers, they did. Data Analysis Once all data has been collated, the process of analyse all the information begins, and again this can be categorised into three forms of data analysis, namely exploratory, descriptive and inferential statistical methods of analysis. Exploratory data analysis à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Exploratory research is a qualitative research and can be described as a social or organisational behaviour research which produces results that are not obtained by statistical procedures or other methods of quantification. This type of data analysis refers to research about peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s lives, their stories and behaviour, and it can also be used to examine organisations, relationships and social movements. Some of the data may be quantified afterwards, but the analysis is qualitative.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) This form of analysis, allows people to express there own views or opinions on a subject, and so is generally used to analyse the data from open-ended questions. Furthermore, by using the exploratory form of data analysis, we are able to code, similar answers into categories and record the information obtained from carrying out questionnaires and interviews. Descriptive statistics method à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The descriptive statistics method is the simplest method of analysis which provides a general overview of the results. It gives an idea of what is happening. The descriptive method will either analyse the responses in percentages (as in the case of a large sample) or will contain actual numbers (as in the case of a small sample).à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) Descriptive statistics method can also be further categorised into three sections of frequency distribution, measurement of central tendency and measurement of dispersion. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“When summarising large amounts of raw data it is often useful to distribute the data into categories or classes and to determine the number of individuals or cases belonging to each category. This is called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"category frequencyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. It can be presented in the form of tabulation, a bar chart, a pie chart or a graph.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Measurement of central tendency. This type of analysis is applied when you have a group of data and you wish to find the most typical value for the group, or the score which all other scores are evenly clustered around. These statistics are known as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"meanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"medianà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"modeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Many survey analyses entail the comparison of results for different parts of the sample, for example the proportion of traditional contracts that overrun on time with the proportion of design and build contracts that overrun on time. In this case one might carry out a statistical significance test of the difference between the proportions.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Naoum, 2007) CHAPTER 4 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" DATA COLLECTION ANALYSIS References Bouma G.D. Atkinson G. B. J (1995), A Handbook of social science research, Oxford University Press, Oxford Cresswell J. (1994), Research Design: Qualitative Quantitative Approach, Sage, London. King, M. (2009) speech to CBI Dinner at Nottingham, 20.01.2009, online at https://www.bankofendland.co.uk/publications/speeches/2009/speech372.pdf. Naoum Dr S. G. (2007), Dissertation Research Writing for Construction Students, Second Edition, Elsevier, Oxford. Stanlake G.F Grant S.J. (1995), Introductory Economics sixth Edition, Longman Group Ltd, London. Stewart, J. (2009) partnership UK statement 2009 on investmesnt Stewart D. W. Kamins M. A (1993), Secondary Research: Information Sources and Methods, Sage, London. Skinner à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" strategy for national infrastructure 2010 Parahoo, K. (2006) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Literature reviewsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? from Parahoo, K., Nursing Research: Principles, process and issues. Pp. 121-147, Basingtoke: Palgrave National Statistics Organisation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 0.4% GDP https://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=192