Planck mission explores the history of our universe Research Paper

Planck mission explores the history of our universe - Research Paper Example With the help of NASA, Planck was able to construct a composite image from observations of the Milky Way Galaxy made at wavelengths of light longer than what we see with the naked eye. According to Charles Lawrence, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Planck is equipped enough to see not only the old light from the origin of our universe, but also gas and dust in today’s galaxy. Planck stated that it would make the data (that will be detailing all the observations made in the entire mission) available to the public on 5th February (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California para. 4). With this data, that has informed research in matters including dark matter, theories on the cosmos will be put to a test and the knowledge we have on the universe revolutionized. There are several points of interest in Planck’s mission. For any study on the origin of the universe, there are some issues that need to be addressed. Dark energy is said to have had a lot of power over the formation of the universe. Today, it is still believed to be affecting the survival of the planet probably due to acting against gravity. Researching on how the dark energy can affect the planet or the universe is imperative to understanding what effects it had during the creation of the universe. The milk way, also, is another important part of the study. Our planet is found in the milk way, and it is, therefore, crucial that proper knowledge of the region is acquired. Among some of the most striking findings is the length of time the universe was supposed to have remained in darkness. Planck’s data show that the universe may have remained in darkness during its infantry period for a hundred years or so (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California para. 5). This research, however, is inconclusive and subject to review. During this period, dark energy is a major factor of consideration. According to Planck, dark energy does exist, and it is working against gravity at an increased

Modern Asian Theatre Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern Asian Theatre - Research Paper Example In this regard, this paper will be divided into three parts. The first part will provide a brief review on what theatre is and its basic foundations, as well as describe the common characteristics of Asian theatre. The second part will zero in on Indonesian theatre and its tight connection with the country’s socio-political history. The last part will present a conclusion that justifies the paper’s thesis—that modern Indonesian theatre is a strong reflection of the birth and growth of a nation. Theatre, unlike painting and sculpture, can be regarded as a unique art form for it consists of actors that perform in real time before a live audience. Although it is difficult to trace the exact origin of theatre, most scholars and historians agree that the first known dramatic presentation happened in Africa, possibly as early as 3300 B.C. The basic foundations of dramatic presentations are anchored on the culture and tradition of people. As such, theatre is comprised of two essential elements—ritual and storytelling (Cohen 222). A ritual is a collective ceremony performed by members of society for religious and cultural reasons. Ethnic plays are usually filled with activities that aim at impressing or advocating a specific belief over its intended audience (like the killing of an animal to worship a god or dancing uninhibitedly to celebrate an important occasion). Storytelling as a key component of theatre, on the other hand, necessitates an audience to artistically relay a significant message. Because of this, storytelling plays often generate character impersonation and utilize a more coherent narrative. Asian theatre, unlike Western ones that put premium on the clear narration of a story, is more sensual and melodic. Thus, it is claimed that there are five common characteristics of Asian theatre (whether it be an Indian Sanskrit drama, a Chinese Xiqu or a Japanese Kabuki): Its language are

The Holocaust Essay Example for Free

The Holocaust Essay Question: Explain how the experience of the Holocaust might affect the faith of a Jew. (7 marks) The Holocaust also known by Jews as Shoah was a tragic time in Jewish history whereby 6 million Jews were killed. The event poses deep questions about the nature of God, evil and reasons for suffering. Many Jews ask how and why God let this happen. The Shoah really tested many Jews believe in God. Judaism teaches God created everything. So therefore did God created evil? Surely God is all loving and therefore created evil for a purpose but what is it? The covenant relationship made between God and Abraham states that if Jews obey the mitzvoth and the 10 commandments and serve God, God will in return protect them and provide them with the Promised Land. Why did he not protect them here? Was the promise broken is what some Jews might say. Jews may question the existence of God as a result of the Holocaust. Where was God and why didnt he stop it? In this discussion the problem of evil arises. This states, How can an all loving and omnipotent God let suffering into the world? If God is omni benevolent (all good) why did he allow evil to happen? If God is omnipotent (all powerful) why didnt he stop it? Unfortunately there is no one right or wrong answer on this but individual Jews will carry their own opinions. Some Jews might as a result have lost all faith in God all together. Why wasnt he there at the time? Why did he not intervene in the matter, is what some Jews would say? They might now believe there is no God and use the Shoah as proof of their views. Therefore their faith in God may have been greatly weakened and broken by the event. On example of a Jew greatly affected by the Holocaust in a negative way is Elie Wiesel. He was deported to Auschwitz as a teenager and therefore suffered the traumatic time but came out as a survivor. In his book entitled Night he says boldly, For the survivors death is not the problem. We learned to live with the death. The problem is to adjust to life. His accounts of anger with God are among the most powerful to emerge from the Shoah. An extremely powerful line of his book is, Never shall I forget those moments which murdered by God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Elie Wiesel has lost all hope and positive thoughts about God which can be evidently seen through his writing. Despite the fact he is a survivor he does not feel lucky for this but questions why? On the other hand for some Jews their faith has been strengthened by the event of the Holocaust. They see now that God could not intervene in the matter and feel they have gained answers as a result of the Holocaust. God gave everyone free will and bad overpowered good. One example of a Jew who was affected in a positive way as a result of the Holocaust is Emil Fackenheim. He was a rabbi in Germany in the 1930s and spent a short time in a concentration camp. He wrote, As Jews we must continue to practise our faith. If we stop practising Judaism Hitler will have a victory from the grave.We have a service to the worldGods chosen people will survive and this will be a testimony of life over death, on behalf of all mankind. He approaches the event of the Holocaust in a very different way to Wiesel. He feels lucky for surviving the tragic event and sees it as a blessing from God that he was chosen to survive. He describes survivors as chosen people by God. Lastly the question of why God allowed evil and suffering is explored in the Bible in the book of Job where God took away everything from Job yet his faith remained strong. Why did God do this; either as a test of his faith or as punishment. Job kept his faith strong no matter what the reason. Jews may follow this as an example of how to behave. So therefore to conclude the faith of individual Jews has been affected in different ways by the Holocaust. Some have experience positively from the event and have increased faith in God whereas for others their faith has weakened as they question the presence of God at the time. Does the Holocaust go against what Judaism teaches about the role of God?

Communication Strategies in Nursery Settings

Communication Strategies in Nursery Settings This essay will be exploring the importance of effective communication strategies within nursery settings; also highlighting potential barriers which could be faced by practitioners and managers. It will also be discussing the benefits of staff appraisals, along with implementation strategies for appraisals, grievance and disciplinary procedures. Employment processes will also be discussed within this essay, with particular reference to policies which must be in place within nurseries; in compliance with national standards. Effective management within a setting is important as â€Å"the quality of management is one of the most important factors in the success of any organisation† (Mullins, 2010, P.786). In order to become an effective manager background knowledge and understanding of certain areas is required. Communication takes place within the daily running of a nursery through many different forms, including; verbal and non-verbal communication. However communication may be misread by the receiver if the communicator’s facial expressions, body language or lack of eye contact is misleading; a good connection between the communicator and receiver is essential as it ensure the message is received correctly. Effective communication ensures good working practice and a welcoming atmosphere within settings for practitioners, children and parents. â€Å"Communication is therefore a central component of effective business operations† (Hargle, et al, 2004). Although managers must practice good communication skills with their staff team, it is a two-way process requiring all participants to effectively practice these skills; ensuring positive outcomes. However this is not always possible, as some participants are not always willing to listen to or accept others ideas or opinions. By becoming active listeners’ individuals are consciously practising effective listening skills and promoting good practice; however this may not always happen in daily practice, as the environment plays an important role in effective communication. If the setting is busy or not all members of staff are in the same area, communication would therefore be more difficult; resulting in some messages not being passed on or forgotten. There are three general categories for communication; aggressive, assertive and passive. Good managers and leaders aim to be assertive communicators, to ensure the goal is reached but also ensuring all parties feel valued. Whereas passive and aggressive communication are not effective forms of communication for leaders and managers; as passive communicators do not like to put their ideas forward and go along with others to avoid conflict. Aggressive communicators are â€Å"generally perceived as selfish and unwilling to compromise† (About.com, 2012). These will form barriers to effective communication as some recipients will not be willing to listen to aggressive communications, as they may feel they are being dictated to. The ability to guide practitioners through situations which may arise ensures effective leadership and positive outcomes for children. Although managers are required to implement new requirements, such as the reformed EYFS, many members of staff may not be comfortable with the change. â€Å"Effective leaders understand that any organisational change can have a major impact on the lives of those involved or affected by it† (Rood, 2006, P.186). The leadership continuum, developed by Tannenbaum and Schmidt, shows â€Å"a range of action related to the degree of authority used by the manager and to the area of freedom available to non-managers in arriving at decisions† (Mullins, 2007, P.372). Effective leadership empowers staff members to work towards a shared goal, achieving positive outcomes for children, practitioners and the setting. To achieve this, leaders must inspire others through positive role modelling, collaboration, open-ended conversation and encouragement. Isabelle Albanese’s 4 Cs of communication are comprehension, credibility, connection and contagiousness. â€Å"The 4Cs quickly provide a pocket tool to evaluate the effectiveness of every kind of communication† (PMP, 2014); ensuring communication is precise, understood, captivating and progressing in achieving goals. Therefore by using the 4 Cs managers and practitioners alike are able to focus on essential information within their communication, ensuring the effective running of the nursery. Appraisals are usually carried out within nursery settings on an annual basis, in order to discuss evaluate and track individual practitioner’s performance, progress and future ambitions; with particular reference to training needs and future professional targets. The appraisal form provides a documented account of what has been discussed by management and staff members, with a signed copy of individual action targets agreed by all parties involved in the process. It must also comply with the UK Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which states that â€Å"It is unlawful to discriminate, harass or victimise job applicants, employees or trainees on the grounds of age† (Compact law, 1996-2014); all correspondence recorded in the appraisal process should not discriminate against the individual due to their age, race, religion or disability. Management training on how to deliver effective appraisal is beneficial as it ensures management are motivating their staff to reach their full potential; whereas ineffective appraisals will make practitioners feel demotivated in their job role. Effective appraisal systems must measure, debate and plan individual development and targets, generating useful feedback in both directions (Hay, 2008). Appraisals also offer practitioners the chance to voice their opinions and ideas on the running of the nursery; therefore managers must be open to ideas and opinions of their staff in order to maintain positive working relationships and improve their setting in the best interests of staff and children. Appraisals are a chance for both managers and practitioners to raise any concerns they may have over working practice, whilst also reflecting on their own performance within their role; both positive and negative. However some practitioners may see appraisals as a chance for management to be ne gative and list issues they may have; therefore it is essential for managers to take into account the views and opinions of practitioners, and offer constructive targets for improvements. â€Å"New staff should be given copies of policies and procedures as part of the induction process and given the opportunity to discuss them with their line manager† (Daly, et al, 2009, P.287).This should include the nursery’s appraisal policy, and should be easily accessible for practitioners to access when they require. The policy should clearly state what is expected from both practitioners and management during the appraisal process. Employees are often required to fill out an appraisal form prior to meeting with management, where they are able to reflect upon their own job performance. It is important for managers to provide practitioners with the last year’s appraisal, to allow them to reflect on whether they have achieved their own personal development targets; also giving them the chance to complete targets they may feel they haven’t achieved. However it could be argued that self-appraisal should be continuous practice throughout the year, in order to maintain high standards of care and learning for the children. â€Å"Self-appraisal should not only be seen as part of the appraisal process. It is also, in a more or less informal way, a regular feature of nursery work† (Sadek and Sadek, 2004, P.140). Performance appraisals are a good tool in identifying particular individuals who are progressing well in their job role, and who may be eligible to progress to the next pay and job level; within some bigger nurseries. They also prove worthwhile in motivating individuals within their role, through personalised discussion and development targets. â€Å"Managers of effective settings provide intellectual stimulation for their staff, along with respectful individualised support† (Miller, et al, 2012, P.288). Although the appraisal process provides a private personalised time where individuals are able to discuss their concerns with managers, it is important for managers to address any pertinent issues with staff as they arise. This therefore ensures that issues are resolves quickly and effectively, rather than being left to escalate. However this is not always possible within larger nurseries whether staff members do not always come into contact with management. Like the appraisal policy the disciplinary and grievances procedures must be clearly set out within a policy, and kept in an easily accessible place for employees to refer to as required. These procedures ensure the safety and protection of all staff in the setting; in accordance with the ACAS code of practice and current legislation, including the Employment Act 2008. They provide â€Å"clear and transparent structures for dealing with difficulties which may arise as part of the working relationships from either the employers or employees perspective† (CIPD, 2014). The policies should also set out what is expected from staff members, in relation to their conduct; therefore trying to avoid such issues; however this is not always possible. Issues which may arise include lateness, capability, bullying and performance of individual practitioners. Disciplinary and grievance procedures aim to deal with these issues in house, without the involvement of a tribunal. The three stages of the disciplinary procedure are as follows; issuing a letter to the employee, a meeting between management and the employee and then finally a chance for an appeal. The ACAS code of practice states that â€Å"employers would be well advised to keep a written record of and disciplinary or grievances cases they deal with† (ACAS, 2009, P.2). This is an important aspect of the procedure, as the records provide evidence in case the issue goes to an employment tribunal. Training is essential in order for management to conduct an effective disciplinary interview; â€Å"Having the appropriate training and knowledge enables you to be in control and manage any situations that arise† (Niched, 2012). Employees should be given advanced notice of the meeting in the form of a letter, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. All facts surrounding the case should be examined and investigated prior to the meeting, ensuring management are aware of all the facts. It is essential that another member of management records notes during the meeting, to guarantee that evidence is collected in case a tribunal is called. All parties involved must be able to put their side across, with plenty of time; this may include relevant witnesses to the case. In order for the manager to make an informed decision they must remain impartial during the meeting, then deliver the verdict to the employee in writing; along with information in case they wish to appeal the verdict. In conclusion to the interview the outcome may involve no action being taken, a warning being issued or the dismissal of the employee. The manager with decide which of these outcomes is appropriate due to the nature of the case; however they must be able to prove their decision is appropriate and reasonable. Instead of filing a formal procedure employees should be able to approach their managers on a daily basis to discuss any issues; however they may not always feel comfortable doing this. The employment of new staff within nursery settings follows three stages; advertisement, selection and recruitment and induction. Nurseries are required to have policies in place to reflect these stages, stating how they aim to employ high quality staff whilst maintaining equal opportunities for all applicants. The wide deployment of advertisements at the same time allows a wider range of applicants to apply for the job, with equal time to apply. The vacancy should be advertised to all areas of the community, which is essential to maintain equal opportunities. To select potential candidates from all the applications managers must review their curriculum vitae against the job description. This is an effective way to avoid discrimination, as they are not being deterred by race, gender or age; it is focussing on their individual skills and attributes, which are appropriate to the role. Having two members of management involved in selecting new members of staff promotes equal opportunities and avoids discrimination; all decisions should be recorded and delivered in writing. Settings must have an induction policy which clearly sets out how new staff will be introduced to the setting; effectively informing them of the daily running of the nursery and settling them into the environment. This should also include the new member of staff being given the nursery policies to look at, making them aware of the policies and procedures; also identifying children with particular needs or allergies. This is an effective tool during the induction as it avoids mistakes being made, for example a child with a dairy intolerance being given milk to drink by accident. In an ideal world the shadowing of a current member of staff would provide the new employee with a mentor and a chance to familiarise themselves with the daily running of the setting. However this is not always the case or possible within settings, as due to the busy nature of the environment existing staff members may not have the time to show them certain things; resulting in the new employee not gaining the relevant knowledge needed. The staff development policy must take into account the ever changing needs of the children in the setting, as well as the changes in legal requirements; such as the reformed Early Years Foundation stage. The key elements of effective practice (KEEP) states that effective practitioners must have, â€Å"knowledge and understanding in order to actively support and extend children’s learning in and across all areas and aspects of learning† (Surestart, 2005, P.3). Individual staff personal development plans identify the training needs of individuals, ensuring they receive this training is essential as high quality care and education is important in ensuring positive outcomes for all children. â€Å"Effective practice in the early years requires committed, enthusiastic and reflective practitioners with a breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and understanding† (Wilcock, 2012, P.50). The settings promotion policy should clearly set out how promotions will be identifie d and given at appropriate times, in accordance with the recruitment policy and equal opportunities; staff appraisals also help to identify potential candidates for promotion. In conclusion effective communication is essential within nursery settings to ensure the smooth daily running of the setting, whilst also achieving the highest outcomes for children. There are many potential barriers to effective communication, which must be overcome by all practitioners to maintain effective practice, and positive working environments. Appraisals are an important factor within staff development as they identify positive aspects of practice, whilst also identifying improvement targets; improving the environment and care of the children. Disciplinary and grievance procedures must be carried out effectively in order to resolve issues quickly and appropriately, within the best interests of all involved. The employment of new staff should reflect equal opportunities, whilst retaining high quality staff appropriate to the role.

Jim Morrison Essay -- Religion, Culture, Elvis

I preface this paper by a consideration of why Jim Morrison can be discussed within the discourse of religious studies. I suggest four possibilities. The first is the place of religion in late modernity; that is, as individualized, subjectivated and deinstitutionalized. These factors contribute to the circumstances under which Morrison may be understood in religious terms because of the conditions they create. Religion may be deinstitutionalized (Luckmann 1967; Bibby 1990), but people are still religious (Chaves 1994). This enables religion to exist in other ways; one way is through dead celebrity. In an article entitled â€Å"Is Elvis a God? Cult, Culture, Questions of Method,† John Frow (1998, 208-209), after discussing the apparent failure of the secularization thesis,1 remarks, â€Å" . . . religious sentiment . . . has migrated into many strange and unexpected places, from New Age trinketry to manga movies to the cult of the famous dead . . . we need to take religion ser iously in all its dimensions because of its centrality in the modern world.† Further, religion as individualized and subjectivated (Hervieu-Là ©ger 2000) allows people to create their own systems of meaning and transcendence. Dead celebrity, using Morrison as an exemplar, is one system. The second possibility follows from the first. Regarding the changing nature of religion in the 1960s, religious studies scholar, Gail Hamner (2003, 447), wrote that â€Å"popular culture became subject to deification or at least spiritualization.† Although this paper does not intend to provide an account of the process by which some celebrities were sacralized in the twentieth century, it should be noted that literature on the subject does exist. A seminal work, in this regard, is The Work o... ... supplemented by relevant scholarly literature and popular biographies of Morrison. It is with these four possibilities, religion in late modernity, scholarship on religion and celebrity, the way we think of, and define religion, and Riddell (2008), that I consider Jim Morrison and religion. There is a paucity of academic literature on Jim Morrison, yet a reasonable amount of popular literature, which I am engaging in my evaluation. Scholarship on dead celebrity fandom has progressed in the last decade; however, in 1998, John Frow (1998, 200) claimed that â€Å"we lack almost completely the tools to make sense of [the process by which dead celebrities are sacralized].† My hope is that by outlining the role of Morrison in self-propagating his own myth, combined with a posthumous documentation of this process, I will contribute to literature on dead celebrity fandom.

BLOOD AND BELONGING :: essays research papers fc

This is a critique of the book, Blood and Belonging, by Michael Ignatieff. This paper will explain the subject of the book and its relevance, discuss Michael Ignatieff's methods and conclusions on the subject and finally include a personal critique of the book by the author of this paper. The author of the book travels on what he terms "the six journeys." On these "journeys" he encounters different cultures, as he travels to six different coinciding areas of the world. He examines the unique expression of nationalism that each populace displays by interviewing various members of that particular society. The six areas that he travels to are specifically chosen for the clarity which nationalism is expressed in society. Nationalism is a factor contributing toward both present possible future instability in these areas. These areas are former Yugoslavia (specifically Croatia and Serbia), Germany, Ukraine, Quebec, Kurdistan and Northern Ireland. According to Ignatieff, in Croatia and Serbia there is a desire for a separate identity between the two nations. The fear of losing one's national identity has caused ethnic hatred. A terror so strong and historically persistent, it has driven people to a desperate state to do anything. This is a large contributor to the reasons for the extreme violence present there today. The author states, "A Croat, thus, is someone who is not a Serb. A Serb is someone who is not a Croat." This quotation profoundly expresses the short-sighted mentality present in their conflict. In his travels in Germany, the author points out an important question. Does the nation make the state, or the state the nation? This question by far does not stop here, especially when Germany is the subject. The essence of the German people is seen by some as aggressive and offensive, thus the existence of the German problem. If the nation makes the state then Germany will always be a threat. If the state makes the nation, then the aggressive nature of the German nation, which lead the world into two global wars, can be harnessed and redirected. The question has its roots and answers in the recent reunification of Germany. The Ukraine is concerned with not being Russian. It is here Ignatieff receives a complete vision of what nationalism is. He states, "I understand what nationalism really is: the dream that a whole nation could be like a congregation; singing the same hymns, listening to the

Project success: success factor and success criteria Essay

1.Since the 1960s there have been an increasing number of Project Management scholars that have expressed concerns regarding the ways to manage the success or failure of a project. Crawford (2000) theorised that there are two major avenues of thought in this area being: how success is judged and the factors that contribute to the success. These two avenues were later crowned ‘success factors’ and ‘success criteria’ respectively of which both will be discussed in depth during this essay to provide an insight for future project management scholars. SUCCESS CRITERIA 2.The way by which a project is judged as to whether it is successful or not has long since been deliberated by many Project Management scholars. Crawford’s (2000) efforts to detail these criteria has helped however a better understanding is required such that each project manager or key stakeholder can choose as to what criterion will defined whether the project is a success or failure. This section will elaborate on Crawford’s (2000) studies by drawing on one of her principle advisers, Atkinson. Atkinson uses the Iron Triangle as the foundation of the work and then building on it to develop a robust methodology for success. 2 Figure 1: Iron Triangle (Atkinson, 1999) 3. Iron Triangle. Oilsen (1971) over fifty years ago stated that the Iron Triangle (Atkinson, 1999) of Time, Cost and Quality were the key success criteria for any project. This triangle was reduced to just time and budget by Wright (1997) however Turner (1993), Morris (1987), Wateridge (1998), deWit (1988), McCoy (1987), Pinto and Slevin (1988), Saarinen (1990), and Ballantine (1996) all agree that the Iron Triangle should be used albeit not exclusively. Temporary use of criteria can be used during certain parts of the project to ascertain whether or not a project is going to plan. An example of temporary criteria that was used by Meyer (1994) was the earned value method. The Earned value method in a project can demonstrate it the project is on track, specifically when earned value (what the project is worth at that time) is less than actual costs it means the project is over budget. This is countered however by deWitt (1988) that states when costs are used as a control they manage progress rather than project success. Atkinson (1999) adds that some projects may need to be bound by time; he uses a Millennium project (e.g. a computer system with a potential year 2000, Y2K, bug) as an example, if the project doesn’t meet the time constraint it could have catastrophic consequences. 4. Alter (1996) considers process and organisational goals as another measure, utilising the concept of ‘did they do it right’ and ‘did they get it right’; this gives rise to the concept of measuring success both during and after the project. Atkinson (1999) reflects this concept by the introduction of the ‘Square Root,’ which proposes three additional criteria to the Iron Triangle. The three additional criteria for determining project success are: the technical strength of the resultant system, the benefits to the 3 resultant organisation (direct benefits) and the benefits to the wider stakeholder community (indirect benefits). A detailed breakdown of the Square Root is explained in table 1. Iron Information Benefits Benefits Triangle system (organisation) (stakeholder community) Cost, Maintainability, Improved efficiency, Satisfied users, Social and Quality, Reliability, Improved effectiveness, Environmental impact. Time Validity, Increased profits, Personal development, Information– Strategic goals, Professional learning, and quality use Organisational-learning, contractors’ profits. Reduced waste Capital suppliers, content project team, economic impact to surrounding community. Table 1: The Square Root (Atkinson, 1999) Figure 2: The Square Root (Atkinson, 1999) 5. The Information System. Whilst Atkinson (1999) doesn’t detail the information system success criteria other than what is described in the table it is reasonable to suggest he was concerned with the ‘ilities’ of the project. Essentially Atkinson was considering the maintenance of the project to ensure that it was not only resourced but also governed that the information would support its continued success. 4 6. Organisational Benefits. Success of a project must not only be considered from an individual perspective, rather it must look at how it will also benefit the organisation. Table 1 presents these areas however there are two areas that must be considered individually, namely efficiency and effectiveness. Success of a project is not necessarily guaranteed due to efficiency, reducing the amount of workload due to shortening of processing won’t necessarily help without the consideration of effectiveness. Effectiveness considers whether or not the goals are being achieved thus when placed with efficiency it ensures that the goals are being achieve quickly and in full. 7. Stakeholder Community Benefits. The final area of the Square Root that Atkinson considers is the success criterion that benefits the stakeholder community. These criterion consider the wider benefits of not just the direct outcomes of the project rather this area considers the stakeholder satisfaction and the social and environmental impacts that the project provides. These areas in a house project for example are criteria that  improve the socioeconomic factors of the community around the actual house. Thus this project could use improved gardens or visual impacts of the housing project that will improve the community’s view of the suburb rather than just that particular site. These secondary and tertiary impacts provide success criteria for the project. Furthermore in the acquisition of a new aircraft for military the stakeholder community benefits that could be used as success criteria could be the level of host nation employment or involvement to improve their knowledge base. Thus whilst it may not improve the actual new aircraft it will allow the host nation to build the aircraft themselves next time that that nation wishes to purchase a new aircraft. SUCCESS FACTORS 8. Since the late 1960’s Project Management scholars have been trying to establish the factors that lead to project success (Baker, 1988) (Pinto, 1988) (Lechler, 1988), which have led to conclusions being published for project management practitioners. Despite decades of research and countless articles being written (Kloppenborg, 2000) (Morris, 1994) projects continue to disappoint stakeholders (O’Connor and Reinsborough 1992) (Standish Group, 1995) (Cooke-Davies, 2000). So what factors actually lead to successful projects? Cooke-Davies (2002) states that project success 5 factors are based upon answering three separate questions: â€Å"What factors are critical to project management success?†, â€Å"What factors a critical to individual success on a project?† and â€Å"What factors lead to consistently successful projects?† 9. What factors are critical to project management success? Cooke-Davies (2002) analysed a selection of 136 mainly European projects which varied in size and scope however had an average of $16M over a period of two years, a  detailed breakdown is at (Cooke-Davies, 2000). The analysis found a surprising differentiation between the correlation of schedule delay and cost escalation, only a small amount of cost escalation was accounted for schedule delay. This analysis found that when adequacy and maturity specific project management practices are compared with the performance of each criterion then different practices are found to correlate significantly. This correlation relates to nine factors (the first nine factors depicted at Table 1). The analysis for â€Å"Adequacy of documentation of organisational responsibilities on the project† is depicted at figure 1 with the vertical axis showing the 95% confidence interval of time predictability and the horizontal axis showing ‘not at all adequate’(1) to ‘fully adequate’(4). Essentially it shows that the more adequate the factor the more confidence can be shown that the project will achieve its schedule target. Figure 3: Adequacy of project documentation improving schedule confidence (Cooke-Davies, 2002) 6 10. What factors are critical to the success of an individual project? Cooke- Davies (2002) suggests that there is a single factor; which leads to individual project success. He states that the existence of an effective benefits delivery and management process that involves the mutual co-operation of project management and line management functions (Table 2, Factor 9). Without this factor an individual project is likely to singularly fail. Essentially this factor requires a process to which the project outcome is delivered and managed. This factor further requires the cooperation of a project team with a single goal to achieve this project benefit outcome. 11. What factors lead to consistently successful projects? Cooke-Davies (2002) now moves away from the individual project and considers that corporate functions that enable a project to succeed. Whilst this analysis was complex to derive from analysis it was found via extensive questionnaires three main factors corporate influenced the factors for project success. These three factors are identified at Table 2 (Factors 10-12) however directly relate to resourcing, feedback loops and learning from experience. 12. Resourcing (Table 2, Factor 10) being governed by corporate is essential to project success, for if a project is not able to have the right people or assets at the right time a project is unlikely to succeed. If a project management corporation sets up the correct plans, processes and procedures to ensure that each one of its subsidiary projects are adequately resourced, Davies-Cooke (2002) envisages that it is set up for success. An example of this is the development of Standard Operating Procedures for purchase of support equipment in a large-scale acquisition project. The standardisation of this resource alignment by corporate enables the factors for success later in the project. 13. Feedback loops (Table 2, Factor 11) are essential to a line manager knowing if what they are doing is appropriate and in line with the project manager and the stakeholder’s perceptions of what the project needs to succeed. Whilst it is acknowledged that if a feedback loop is too short it will tend to misguide a line manager rather than improve the chances of success. This is the job of the project manger to ensure that the loop is correct for the particular project, for example a long lead time project is suited to a larger feedback loop whereas a rapid prototype project 7 needs to have potentially daily feedback to key line managers to ensure the project is going in the right direction given the potentially fast  innovations in technology. Cooke-Davies (2002) finally proposes the success factor of learning from experience (Table 2, Factor 12). Corporations should in order to succeed implement plans, programmes, and procedures to ensure that the lessons learnt from previous projects are not re-learnt the hard way. Constantly (Pinto, 1990) (Robertson, 2006) (Baker, 1988) (Atkinson, 1999) when project scholars analyse how a project has performed it is recognised that a lot of issues that cause failure are not ground breaking rather they are just repeated with a delay loop. Thus project management corporations should endeavour to ensure that as a project is finding solutions to problems they are documented to ensure that in the next project they are not realised again. 14. These three questions relate directly back to a vicious ‘oval’ of influences as depicted by Cooke-Davies (2002) of four key elements (Figure 4). These influences from a project management, individual project and corporate area all play out to enable success of a project. Figure 4: Corporate Project Success Model (Cooke-Davies, 2002) 8 Factor F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 Factor Type Project Management Success Factor Project Management Success Factor Project Management Success Factor Project Management Success Factor Project Management Success Factor Project Management Success Factor Project Management Success Factor Project Management Success Factor Individual Project Success factor F10 Corporate success factors F11 Corporate success factors F12 Corporate success factors Description Adequacy of company-wide education on the concepts of risk management. Note Factor that correlates to on time performance Maturity of an organisation’s processes for assigning ownership of risks. Factor that correlates to on time performance Adequacy with which a visible risks register is maintained. Factor that correlates to on time performance Adequacy of an up-to-date risk management plan. Factor that correlates to on time performance Adequacy of documentation of organisational responsibilities on the project. Keep project (or project stage duration) as far below 3 years as possible (1 year is better). Allow changes to scope only through a mature scope change control process. Factor that correlates to on time performance Maintain the integrity of the performance measurement baseline. Factor that correlates to on budget performance Factor that correlates to on time performance Factor that correlates to on budget performance The existence of an effective benefits delivery and management process that involves the mutual co-operation of project management and line management functions† Portfolio and programme management practices that allow the enterprise to resource fully a suite of projects that are thoughtfully and dynamically matched to the corporate strategy and business objectives A suite of project, programme and portfolio metrics that provides direct ‘‘line of sight’’ feedback on current project performance, and anticipated future success, so that project, portfolio and corporate decisions can be aligned. An effective means of ‘‘learning from experience’’ on projects, that combines explicit knowledge with tacit knowledge in a way that encourages people to learn and to embed that learning into continuous improvement of project management processes and practices. Table 2: Success Factors (Cooke-Davies, 2002) 9 CONCLUSION 15. This essay has discussed the ways to manage success of a project via two means being how it is judged and the factors that contribute to its success. The success criteria have been shown to be wide and varied however they ultimately boil down to the Iron triangle, the information system, organisational benefits, stakeholder community benefits. Furthermore the factors that lead to this success are multiple however they are mostly governed on the project mangers competence to ensure that the project is maintained within the triangle of time, cost and scope. 10 BIBLIOGRAPHY Alter S. Information Systems a management perspective, 2nd ed. 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