How Much Does It Cost to Have an Abortion

Figuring out what an abortion will cost depends on the method of abortion you choose in consultation with your health care provider. The true cost for you will vary by state and provider and some health insurance policies do cover abortions. How Much Does an Abortion Cost? The actual cost of an abortion is going to vary. There are some averages that can give you an idea of what to expect. First, however, you must understand the different types of abortions. Around 90 percent of abortions in the U.S. are done within the first trimester (the first 12 weeks of pregnancy). Many more options are available during this time period including medication abortions (using the abortion pill mifepristone or RU-486  within the first 9 weeks)  or in-clinic surgical procedures. Both can be done through clinics, private health care providers, or Planned Parenthood health centers. In general, you can expect to pay between $400 and $1200 for a self-pay, first-term abortion. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the average cost of a non-hospital first-trimester abortion was $480 in 2011. They also noted that the average medication abortion cost $500 that same year. According to Planned Parenthood, a first-trimester abortion can cost up to $1500 for an in-clinic procedure, but it often costs far less than that. A medication abortion can cost  up to $800. Abortions performed within a hospital typically cost more. Beyond the 13th week, it can be extremely difficult to find a provider willing to perform a second-trimester abortion. The cost of a second-trimester abortion will be significantly higher as well. How to Pay for an Abortion When youre making the  difficult decision  of whether or not to have an abortion, the  cost is a factor. Its a reality that you do have to consider. The majority of women pay out-of-pocket, though some insurance policies do cover abortions as well. Check with your insurance company to see if they offer coverage for this procedure. Even if youre on Medicaid, this method may be available to you. While many states ban abortion coverage from Medicaid recipients, others may restrict it to when the mothers life is in danger as well as in cases of rape or incest. Its important that you discuss all of your options for payment with your health care provider. They should be briefed on the latest guidelines and help you navigate the costs. A number of clinics, including Planned Parenthood, also work on a sliding-fee scale. They will adjust the cost according to your income. Things to Keep In Mind Again, there are ways to reduce these costs, so do not let this information add to your stress. You also must remember that these are national averages and that even two clinics in the same state will have different rates.   The 2011 reports given by the Guttmacher Institute seem to be holding true as of 2017. However, we must also take into account recent state and federal government actions that may affect the costs. It is unknown where these matters will lead or what effects they will have on abortion services or costs.

The And Childhood Environment Defines A Person - 929 Words

I believe one’s upbringings and childhood environment defines a person. In addition, I believe one’s life experience forms one’s sexual orientation as well as biological factors. I have been very sheltered in life and was not expose to a lot of things. For example, I don’t remember seeing gay people as a child. However, I do remember my parents talking about gay people, but whenever I asked what gay meant, my parents refused to answer. Therefore, I didn’t really know there was an option other than heterosexual. I question how exactly not knowing about homosexuality has played a role in my own sexual orientation; On one hand, I believe by not being exposed that led me to be heterosexual, and on the other hand, I believe I just don’t have the biological factors of a homosexual person. I do not know what makes me heterosexual and other homosexual. Furthermore, I don’t truly remember having an aha-moment about my sexual orientation, mainly because I haven’t truly had any relationships with people in general. However, it was very clear I liked guys beginning in high school—I fan-girled at every friend my brother brought home. I do find it strange that it took me until high school to actually want a relationship. I don’t know if this is due to being sheltered and told not to have a relationship until after twenty-five or if I developed later. I distinctly remember friends asking me why I didn’t fangirl at guys in gym class in middle school. Instinctively, the very next moment, IShow MoreRelatedChildren With Multicultural And Diverse Experiences849 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Early childhood providers do many difficult tasks. The hardest task is to provide the children with multicultural and diverse experiences. Since the beginning of time, the extended families, clans, and the communities raised the young children. Even today, many early childhood programs and family child care institutions tend to be similar and homogeneous to the children’s home backgrounds. The common criteria parents use to choose the early childhood programs, and the child care facilitiesRead MoreTheories And Concepts Of Social Work1645 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Work Hawra Alakhdhair Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis My view of theory and concepts As humans develop, social scientists utilize theories and concepts to define and explain behaviors. Each tenet of theories and concepts defines these frameworks difference. I will begin to define theories and concepts using the scientific and social field lenses. Scientific and social theory The definition of theory and concept in the scientific field is different than in society.Read MoreInterpersonal Relationships Analysis1607 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationships. The concept of attraction foundations shows four different stages of attraction beginning with social and interpersonal communication skills forming a bond between two people. The social environment promotes building of interpersonal relationships for both the professional and private environments. The unique exchanges between interpersonal relationships involve more than verbal communication between two people. The interpersonal relationships form the basic idealism for professional, andRead MoreChildhood Obesity And Its Effect On Children1273 Words   |  6 Pagesthe incline, childhood obesity is one of the most important issue. Often times, parents are willing to do anything for their child with the idea that it is â€Å"healthy.† When they figure out that not everything is healthy, some even take e fforts to sue the company. Parents do not realize the underlying factors that cause this type of obesity. Childhood obesity can be a result of many factors in this upcoming society. Many consider genetics and hormonal development as a proof for childhood obesity. HoweverRead MoreLeadership Of The Early Childhood Sector1529 Words   |  7 Pagessuch a habitual word but hard to expound, the exposition to one person is inconsistent to another. So what is leadership? Waniganayake, Cheeseman, Fenech, Hadley Shepherd (2012, p. 11) elude that leadership has many aspects and different elements that come together and change over time. They propose â€Å"the person, the place and the position† (2012, p 12) are connected and all work together when enacting leadership. Each facet of the person, the place and the position hold a different value in individualRead MoreThe Theory Of Self Esteem760 Words   |  4 Pagesthe self-esteem of a person is a gauge of one’s perceived past, present and future relational value or interpersonal relationships. This is due to the fundamental need of the human beings to belong, which is rooted in our evolutionary history (Mruk 124). How does self-esteem develop? Self-esteem develops across the lifespan of an individual. The development is tied to the cognitive and the social growth and extends through childhood, adolescent, and adulthood. During childhood, self-esteem is stillRead MoreHow Personality Changes Within Adulthood1227 Words   |  5 Pageshas unique motivations that, describes thoughts and behaviors that can be observed by an individual. In the past, changes in personality were only thought to happen in the developmental stages in childhood up to adulthood. Personality psychology is the scientific study of the whole person. After childhood or adolescent, personality can be seen changing through adulthood (p. McAdams 2008). Therefore, a recent study show how personalities do change in adulthood, during the later years of adults, atRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Other Wes Moore 1211 Words   |  5 Pagesuses his tone and diction to reflect on how the environment people grow up in can influence the ways they act and to explain that the people closest to you can change the opportunities you may have later in life, while using imagery and parallelism to show that no matter who you are or what background you come from, it can’t restrict or confine you from doing extraordinary things. Moore uses his tone to help the readers comprehend how the environment he grew up in influenced the way he acted andRead MoreEnduring Issues797 Words   |  4 PagesCharmaine Williams Professor Gordon Sociology January 21, 2015 The five enduring issues that draw Psychologists together are person versus situation, heredity versus environment, or nature versus nurture, stability versus change, diversity versus universality, and mind versus body. Each of these issues pertain in one or more ways in a person’s life, although not everyone is aware so it is not really something we pay attention to unless we really have to. These issue together are the issuesRead MoreHow Personality Changes Within Adulthood1227 Words   |  5 Pageshas unique motivations that, describes thoughts and behaviors that can be observed by an individual. In the past, changes in personality were only thought to happen in the developmental stages in childhood up to adulthood. Personality psychology is the scientific study of the whole person. After childhood or adolescent, personality can be seen changing through adulthood (p. McAdams 2008). Therefore, a recent study show how personalities do change in adulthood, during the later years of adults, at

Analysis Of The Twelfth Night - 1651 Words

For Bakhtin, carnival â€Å"offers the chance to have a new outlook on the world. To realise the relative nature of all that exists, and to enter a completely new order of things† To what extent do you feel that the â€Å"carnivalesque† conventions of comedy convey a meaningful challenge to the existing order of things? The Twelfth Night perhaps manifests around the continuous abolishment of social norms and traditional customs. The events that take place within the play are intertwined with typical connotations that surround abnormality and could possibly support the entry to â€Å"a completely new order of things†. Carnivalesque settings within any play radiate a sense of danger, excitement and a chaotic absurdity that essentially shapes the world as a whole. During the Elizabethan era, hierarchies were heavily implemented within society. Carnival and its comedic structure is too vast in nature to give one clear-cut definition, as it consists of numerous conventions and rituals, however one of the simplest and general ideologies behind Carnival is its eradication of social hierarchies. Carnivalesque undermines those who possess higher authority; perpetrating them to lack intelligence and act patently pompous. Parodies and degradation of those who possess power are portrayed with the use of costumes and masks; the archetypal relationships are presented through on going travesties, undermining and mocking the â€Å"indestructible† structure of the social order. Bakhtin suggests that CarnivalShow MoreRelatedTwelfth Night Analysis779 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a well-known Christmas play, it is considered as one of the most successful comedies. The play starts when Viola and her twin brother, Sebastian, survive a shipwreck. When they cannot find each other, each thinks the other may be dead. Then they move on to two separate ways, establishing two story lines that finally meet with each other after involving funny mistaken identities. The love bug in the comedy bites not only Olivia and Orsino, but also SebastianRead MoreScene Analysis Of The Twelfth Night1351 Words   |  6 Pages Our group proposed, presented, and directing the stage performance for the Twelfth Night. In the beginning of the semester I had no clue of what to expect from this course, and reading the syllabus made Shakespeare’s Plays seem complex. I am somewhat familiar with William Shakespeare’s plays stemming from a Shakespeare course that I had taken at Harold Washington (City College of Chicago). My professor (Hader) informed the class that if we were looking to go on to a four-year university as an EnglishRead MoreTwelfth Night Character Analysis987 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Twelfth Night† is one of many different themes. Two of the most recurring themes are sexuality and gender identity. It is these themes that make twelfth night a wonderful and revolutionary tale for that time period. It is hinted throughout the play that some of the characters may indeed be a tad bit gay. This helps support the claim that being attracted to membe rs of the same sex is not just a modern thing. The character of Antonio can be seen flirting with and doing thisRead MoreTwelfth Night Character Analysis1739 Words   |  7 PagesTwelfth Night is a romantic comedy that questions the nature of love, gender, and class. Viola disguises herself as Cesario, and this transformation into Cesario by Viola draws the admiration of Olivia. While Olivia is trying to attract Cesarios attention, Orsino is trying to catch Olivias eye which only creates a comedic love triangle. This love triangle creates the comedy in the book, while also questioning what love is, and the roles that gender, and class creates in Twelfth Night.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   TwelfthRead MoreAnalysis of Twelfth Night Essay685 Words   |  3 Pagesquickly became one of the most popular playwrights in the city of London, and a favourite of the monarch, the powerful Queen Elizabeth I. Shakespeare wrote thirty-eight plays. Twelfth Night was written near the middle of Shakespeare career, around 1601, and most critics consider it as one of his greatest comedies. Twelfth Night is about illusion, deception, disguises, madness and the consequences of love. In the final scene of the play, all the confusion and complexities that have occurred areRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Twelfth Night 998 Words   |  4 PagesThe introduction of Twelfth Night, written by M.M. Mahood, provides a cultural setting for readers to better understand the play. Although Mahood wrote the introduction for Twelfth Night, the information also allows readers to appreciate the magical freedom that A Midsummer Night’s Dream encompasses. Mahood delves into the cultural significance of Puritanism early in the 17th century through the character of Malvolio. Although Twelfth Night is a comedy, the presence of morally strict PuritanismRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Shakespeares Twelfth Night Essay933 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a play with themes that parallel the folly of the festival it is named after. The main storyline of the p lot plays on this a lot by mixing up the stereotypes around gender that were very present at the time. However, a sub-plot involving secondary characters defines this theme even more. It takes the idea even further by relating servants’ attempts to blur the lines between social classes. Twelfth Night’s Maria and Malvolio both have great aspirations to rise aboveRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s The Twelfth Night 1246 Words   |  5 PagesCharles 1 Bradley Charles Professor Eddie Coleman English 100 14 November 2016 Writing Devices in Shakespeare s The Twelfth Night William Shakespeare is one of the most well-known writers of all-time. William Shakespeare was born in the United Kingdom in April of 1564, to a family who was neither noble or wealthy (http://www.shakespeareinamericancommunities.org). He attended the local grammar school, where he was taught Greek mythology, Roman comedy, history, grammar, and Latin. He didRead MoreCritical Analysis of Shakespeares Twelfth Night Essay examples992 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a comedy, first published in 1623. Love is a key aspect of Shakespeare’s comedies in which self-identity is found through the development of love from infatuation to acknowledgement of character. Orsino is the epitome of Shakespeare’s transformation of self. In the beginning of the play, Orsino is self-absorbed and head-over-heels for Olivia. In this stage of love we see Orsino’s infatuation and selfishness in his feelings of love. As the play moves on, ViolaRead MoreA nalysis Of Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew And Twelfth Night 702 Words   |  3 PagesDisguise and Trickery One of the many factors that William Shakespeare implements throughout all of his comedic plays is the element of disguise and trickery. This element is shown through his works of As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew, and Twelfth Night. The primary purpose for using disguise and trickery is for deceit. The deception involved with changing characters’ identities is used for momentary gain. In the end, the concluding outcome of such deceit leads to exposure of a higher truth

Nietzsche Dionysis Essay - 1347 Words

What method does Nietzsche use to become the Dionysian Overman? What perspective on life does the Overman adopt? How does it enable â€Å"amor fati† and express optimum Yes-saying to our present natural life in the world? How does this overcome â€Å"slave morality or religion†? Nietzsche uses acceptance of fate, its obstacles, adversity and also its divinity to become the Dionysian Overman. He believes by affirming life in both its cruelty and beauty that we can achieve joy in the present without the need for beliefs in an afterlife or future existences. Nietzsche states the Overman holds a love for natural life, with no grudges or sense of resentment whilst others hold spitefulness despite their religious beliefs and hence they cannot enjoy life†¦show more content†¦This is because, â€Å"The child is innocen[t]†¦a new beginning†¦ the spirit now wills its own will, the spirit sundered from the world now wins its own world...† (Hollingdale trans., Penguin, pg 55.) Now with a mindset free from societal pressure and preconceived ideals one may become overman and go forth with a joyful perspective on life. The Overman adopts the perspective that beauty, cruelty, happiness and sadness despite their definitional differences are to be appreciated all the same. He explains that it is the obstacles in life that spurn the greatest happiness, it is explained in this Chinese Proverb: The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all. Nietzsche believes that as â€Å"there is no adversity in Heaven there can be no such beautiful flowers blooming there† (PHIL1087 #4) and hence no chance for courage, generosity and personal growth. There is hence no chance to adopt a Dionysian perspective and be at one with all of what is natural, to thence be able to find true Dionysian virtue. This virtue lies in the acceptance of all that is pleasurable and painful. It then brings happiness as Nietzsche argues that â€Å"vice sprouts from disaffection†¦resentment, spite, from the†¦lack of inner power and its joy†. As the Overman can hold no sense of resentment, or grudge and through metamorphosis has a strong sense of

How Fracking Is Used For The Environment Essay - 1099 Words

Article 28: This article tries to advocate fracking by giving insights on how safe fracking is for the environment. To begin with, a brief description is given as to how fracking is done to extract natural gas. Views of Manhattan Institute senior fellow Robert Bryce which compare the CO2 emissions in 2002 and 2012 show a drop of 8% due to surge in shale gas production, which reduced coal usage. Water usage and other resources like land and habitat protection for wild animals has been presented in the article to highlight how fracking is much environment friendly compared to other energy sources, even wind and solar. My Take – The writer here does try to show just how ecofriendly fracking is, and to an extent even I’m convinced by his views. But the writer quotes a private energy company Andarko who takes care in conserving wildlife which can’t be taken at face value as such companies have quite a few environmental violations against them. Over and above I’m agreement with the writer’s views. Article 32: The article by Spencer Jakab treads the path to explain the effect of drilling rig numbers in North America and its effect on oil prices. Baker Hughes Inc. report shows how the number of rotary oil rigs has been low and crude oil prices have seen a downward trend. Natural Gas has been a different story comparatively with the gas dedicated rig count at its lowest. Along this there’s also a situation building up where due to the surplus gas available there might not be anyShow MoreRelatedFracking and the Halliburton Act Essay1132 Words   |  5 Pagespressure to create fractures in rock that allow the oil and natural gas it contains to escape and flow out of a well (Energy From Shale).† Fracking has served to extract natural gas and oil where other methods would not be as successful but many environmentalists argue that fracking is affecting the environment and our drinking supply of water. Although fracking is still a controversial topic, it provides Americans jobs, incr eases the economy of the region, and the natural gas and oil are cleaner andRead MoreTaking a Look at Hydrauling Fracturing829 Words   |  3 Pagesuse of fracking. Fracking is the extraction of natural gasses from shell rock deep beneath the earth’s surface. With the new scientific technological advancements of fracking we can obtain natural gasses in ways that were once un-thought of before. In many ways fracking is beneficial, fracking can provide vast amounts of natural gasses which can be used not only in our everyday lives, but can also be beneficial from an economic stand point as well. However, along with the benefits of fracking thereRead MoreThe Effects Of Fracking On The Environment1267 Words   |  6 Pagescertain process used to help harvest natural gas. This process has brought about many view points and people arguing for the good and bad of it. This paper will examine views from both sides, its effects on the environment, review journal entries, and then sh ow the conclusion reached about this process. The process you might have guessed that I am referring to is that of hydraulic fracturing or otherwise known as fracking by most people. First let me explain what this process involves and how it works.Read MoreFracking : Fracking And Fracking1524 Words   |  7 PagesResearch Paper Hydraulic Fracturing (also commonly known as fracking) is a process used to extract natural gasses deep within the earth. This is done by drilling vertically into the ground until the desired depth; then drilling horizontally; and pumping millions of gallons of water, sand, and other chemicals into the drill at a high pressure to create fissures through which the gas can escape. Currently, hydraulic fracturing is extensively used in the United States in order to access fossil fuel energyRead MoreThe Effects Of Hydraulic Fracturing On The American Economy1398 Words   |  6 Pagesfracturing is physically crippling our environment with the injected fluids. With over 600 different types of chemicals added into the water mixture, how sure can we be that it isn’t contaminating our food and agriculture? The only 2 solutions to this energy crisis are to slow down, maybe even end it all together, or find an alternative. One alternative that has already made its way to our neighbor u p north, Canada, is a process known as Gas Fracking. Gas Fracking proves to be much safer and quickerRead MoreFracking is considered one of the most controversial methods of obtaining Earth’s natural gases. It900 Words   |  4 PagesFracking is considered one of the most controversial methods of obtaining Earth’s natural gases. It is also known as hydraulic fracturing, which is drilling and introducing fluid (mostly water) into the ground to get certain rocks to produce natural gases. Fracking could cause devastating effects to the environment. According to the article â€Å"Hydraulic Fracturing 101† on the web-site earthworks.com, fracking can not only use up a lot of water, but it can also contaminate groundwater. Two to ten millionRead MoreFracking : The Gas Boom1352 Words   |  6 PagesHydraulic fracturing, which is more commonly known as â€Å"fracking†, is a term that many people may have heard about, but actually have very little knowledge on. Fracking is a topic that is highly controversial between people who work in the industry, scientists, and environmental professionals. Fracking has been around for a long time, but it’s only been in the past thirty years that it’s really taken off in what is known as the shale gas boom. As our sources of energy dwindle down it becomes importantRead MoreThe Need, Risks And Impacts1396 Words   |  6 PagesFRACKING-â€Å"The Need, Risks and Impacts† Hydraulic Fracking, which is the extraction of natural gas which was earlier protected, has become a major problem today. It is an environmental as well as a health hazard. The large firms which are linked to fracking have tried to justify fracking by citing that the benefits of it outweigh the harm that it might potentially cause. But before buying that argument, it is important for us to understand if the idea of fracking is really good for a long term scenarioRead MoreFracking And Its Effects On The Environment856 Words   |  4 PagesFracking is one the most recent and efficient methods to create energy. In order to obtain this controversial natural gas, new jobs are created in rural areas, and as expected, electric bills decreased. Furthermore, Fracking creates enormous amounts of gas at an inexpensive price making the production of any other form of energy practically obsolete. Although not all countries or states in the United States think alike, some of them dispute the claim that fracking negatively affects the environmentRead MoreHow Do Energy Coursing Through The Twenty First Century?1156 Words   |  5 Pagesever wondered how energy just†¦ happens? We used to burn wood in furnaces to warm our houses, but in recent years we have switched into a modern world of air conditioning and indoor heating. We plug our chargers into the wall when we sleep and our iPhones and laptops are fully charged the next morning. Oil lamps and stoves have become things of the past. We used to know exactly where warmth and light came from, but with all these new advances and inventions, we’re not so sure. So again, how does energy

Activity Analysis free essay sample

As instructed by the professor, the group composed of Lima, Lindsey, Jori, Becky, Latreece, Brandon and Ike engaged in an activity that was named â€Å"Bed Pan Model.†Ã‚   Such activity was divided into two 20-minute sessions.   For both sessions, the professor supplied all the needed materials that were to be used in making bed pan models – papers, scissors, tape and a pen.   The goal was for the group members to work together on making as many bed pan models as they could within the time allotted for the sessions. Needless to say, an effective communication system among the group members was necessary for them to work successfully as one whole, more so because the task at hand was initially ambiguous (Cheney, et al., 2003, p. 58).   Organizational communication covers the exchange of ideas, instructions, feedbacks, encouragements, updates, inputs and opinions among persons within an organization. An important aspect of it is the exchange among members of groups formed within organizations for specific functions or roles therein.    Each group in an organization will have to have clear communication lines within it; at the same time, the groups that make up the organization must have the same clear communication lines with each other.   Organizations with effective communication systems are better equipped to attain sustainability and proficiency.   Similarly, groups that are composed of members who understand and enjoy working with each other are bound to excel. This group activity is, hence, designed to demonstrate the importance of effective organizational communication.   The group members were evaluated in the following areas:   participation, decision-making procedures, influence, styles of influence, group atmosphere and feelings. The group members came up with the name â€Å"EZ† for their bed pan model.   Coming up with the name was a spontaneous thing for the group.   They all agreed to use a name that would not be difficult to inscribe as their product logo.   When Ike said that â€Å"EZ† is just what they needed, there was no objection from the rest of the group.   Each one of them was asked to voice his â€Å"yea† or â€Å"nay† vote on the proposed name.   Thus, it could be said that all the members had a say in matters concerning their group and that everybody actively participated in the entire activity.   Furthermore, the group clearly implemented democratic decision-making procedures; the rule of the majority was upheld.   The foregoing lines adequately describe the group members in terms of their participation and decision-making procedures as a whole. The group members got along well with each other; there was never any major disagreement on decisions that had to be made as a group.   In the area of influence, Brandon seemed to be ahead of the others because of his confidence and his track record as an outstanding student.   Thus, when he suggested that an assembly line had to be created amongst themselves for the production of the bed pan models to be a systematic and orderly process, everybody readily agreed. During the first session of the activity, each of the members was bent on learning to be approachable, likeable and easy for the rest of the group to work with.   Even Latreece, the most timid and subdued one among them, found himself enjoying the exchange of views and points as to the best way to achieve their common goal as a group. In the end of the first 20-minute session, the group’s efforts yielded 15 bed pan models.   The items were of satisfactory quality, but there was quite a lot of wastage.   The quantities of paper and tape actually used were much more than the expected usage based on the number of bed pan models produced.   Thus, they group lost some points.   There initially were murmured accusations regarding alleged culprits among the members.   Lindsey grumbled about Becky’s tendency to be counter-productive by talking too much while working.   Lima, on the other hand, was lamenting about the delegation of specific tasks which, she said, could have been improved.    Brandon, however, was quick to take on the role of the peacemaker.   As such, he influenced the others to resolve to do much better in the second session instead of blaming specific members for mistakes committed or dwelling on negative thoughts regarding how the first session went.   Everyone saw the sense in Brandon’s lines and so the finger-pointing accusations were dropped.   With that, the group atmosphere was relaxed and friendly again.   Indeed, there was merit in Brandon’s style of influence.   His being the respected peacemaker in the group brought back the peace and order therein. During the second session, everyone in the group was intent on producing more than 15 bed pan models.   Better quality and less wastage were, as well, the common targets.   To dispel the serious atmosphere that seemed to have prevailed in the group since the start of the second session, Jori was quick to remind the rest of the members that what they were into was just a course activity.   If they were not having fun while onto their specific tasks, then the purpose of the entire thing as a learning exercise would not be attained at all. With that, Latreece and Lima lightened up a bit, and the professor next provided the twist in the activity that totally dispelled the solemn and stern moods of the rest of the members.   Brandon, Lindsey, Becky and Ike were all smiling again.   It was evident, then, that in the area of group atmosphere, the group members unanimously preferred the congenial and cheerful kind. Meanwhile, the group members were transparent in terms of their feelings throughout the duration of the activity.   One could tell by their happy smiles when they were excited, and it was also easy to figure out when some of them was displeased.   There were both verbal and nonverbal expressions of feelings, and none of them attempted to block or hide their feelings. The mechanics of the second session served to make the activity more challenging.   Given on intervals, the additional instructions of the professor were like sudden and unexpected difficulties that the group members had to deal with without losing their sight of the established goals.   At different points in the middle of the session, the professor declared that Ike’s right eye was henceforth blind, that Brandon had just one hand, and then that Lima was injured.   The rest of the group just had to cope with the limitations caused by such adverse developments. It was then that Latreece, usually the quite one, took charge of coordinating the members’ individual efforts so that they were all steered toward a common direction.   Lindsey and Becky, too, ended up discovering that they were alike in more ways than one.   By the end of the second session, the group produced only 10 bed pan models, and the quality of workmanship obviously deteriorated. Despite it all, the members of the group were happy and pleased with their collective output. In conclusion, the group activity was a fun way to learn the importance of communication in all undertakings of an organization and throughout all the internal structures therein.   Through effective communication, instructions were relayed clearly to the group members and they were guided to work for a unified purpose.   Through effective communication, the work process for achieving the group’s targets was set in place.   It would have been further improved also through exchanges of ideas and inputs among the group members. Effective communication also fosters good relationships among members of a group.   Fellow members get to know each other and discover things they have in common amongst themselves through regular communication. The barriers of shyness, lack of familiarity, cultural and personal differences, and intimidation are all eventually crossed through open communication.   Healthy working relationships are, thus, spawned by encouraging regular communication within groups and within organizations. The first session of the activity unearthed differences amongst the group members that needed to be ironed out by open and continuing communication.   The second session presented a vital proof that any sort of complications or problems could be handled by the group adequately if they stay united and committed to the best interests of the group as a whole. The group members may have generated better output during the first session, but they bagged a bigger prize during the second session.   They produced more bed pan models during the first session, but they evolved into a stronger group with good working relationships during the second session.   As such, they would henceforth be a lot more competitive in dealing with all kinds of situations and in setting out for the targets of the group. Reference Cheney, C., Christensen, L., Zorn, T. Ganesh, S.   (2003).   Organizational Communication in an Age of Globalization: Issues, Reflections, Practices.   United Kingdom:   Waveland   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press.

Construction Management Sustainable Construction

Question: Describe about the Construction Management for Sustainable Construction. Answer: Introduction In the last few decades, Oman has been experiencing a huge economic growth owing to the flourishing of its oil and gas production. This development has added to the blooming of construction sector in the form of several new infrastructure projects. However, owing to the countrys deteriorating environmental condition, the country is coming up with strategies to implement sustainable construction practices. The following report identifies the ways and to what extent has the Omani Government been successful in promoting sustainable construction practices and what are the immediate challenges in the way. Construction Sector in Oman Oman is ditching the stereotypical building designs to incorporate environmental friendly constructions. Several construction projects have already started working to follow sustainable building practices. A government-owned investment, asset, and development Management Company called Omran is presently developing four tourism sector projects following sustainable building practices. Omans gas and oil production is relatively lower than the other GCC countries and comes with increased production cost (S. Saleh and Alalouch, 2015). Due to rapid growth in economy and population, the demands for power and water are increasing at a rapid rate. Omans government is promoting sustainable construction practices to reduce water and power consumption and to minimize the ill effects of the rapid growth of construction. To ascertain the practice of sustainable building construction, a case study has been carried out by Sultan Qaboos University to identify challenges in implementing such practice s. The case study involved designing, building, and operating a house which will be both energy and cost effective. The building design assessment included assessing the conceptual design and the designs were compared to LEED models designs for sustainable building designs (S. Saleh and Alalouch, 2015). The Research Council is conducting more such events and competitions to promote innovative ideas and research on green building, eco-designs, sustainable construction practices, and environmental protection. A nonprofit and non-governmental organisation, Oman Green Building Council was established in the year 2012 with an attempt to promote green building concept and sustainable building practices (Zainul Abidin and Powmya, 2014). The council is actively promoting green building concept through seminars and conferences. Presently, Oman has over 15 sustainable building projects registered with the green building promoting company LEED. Notable establishments in Oman joining hands for LEED certification include Oman Botanic Garden, The Oberoi Resort at Bander Al Khiran, Salalah Internationa; Airport, Muscat International Airport, the Novotel hotel, Muttrah, Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, and The Ibis Hotel, Sohar (Zainul Abidin and Powmya, 2014). The Alila Jabal Akhada resort, developed by the Oman Tourism Development Company SAOC, is the countrys first to have gained the LEED certification for green building (Jabal Akhdar, 2015). Green buildings developed by LEED are constructed by following environment-friendly procedures and are fully resource efficient throughout a specific buildings life cycle (Norplan, 2016). Role and effectiveness of current government strategies within Oman to delivering sustainable construction One of the effective and essential driving forces in encouraging sustainable building practices in Oman is the countrys Governments involvement. The government offers monetary support, incentives in order to encourage building construction companies to turn to green building concepts. Financial incentives in the form of fee reduction or waiver, tax credits or abatement, and loans and grants are being offered by Omans government to encourage developers to follow sustainable building practices and green building concepts (Zainul Abidin and Powmya, 2014). The countrys government has also established a set of corresponding policy instruments to help the building industries in Oman. Oman government is actively engaged in encouraging more and more sustainable constructions. A local funding organization and policy developing body called The Research Council was established in the year 2005 with aims to promote innovations in Oman. The government body is actively promoting green building concept and sustainable practice research efforts by conducting Oman Eco-House Design competitions (S. Saleh and Alalouch, 2015). This and many other such competitions are open to universities, colleges and higher education institutes in Oman to come up with innovative ideas and designs on sustainable constructions. The competitions prove to be challenging academic exercises. Such kind of initiative by the government will pull young minds into thinking in the path of sustainable and green building practices. The Governments approach to promoting sustainabl e building concept is being supported by The Oman Green Building Council (OGBC). OGBC established in the year 2012, further, supports studying and researching into Omans nascent eco-construction designs. OGBC is also actively promoting green building concepts through various seminars, conferences, forums, and other public meetings wherein the ideas and the advantages of such sustainable ideas are put forth and explained to the common public and construction industry (S. Saleh and Alalouch, 2015). Key barriers which are restricting the progress of delivering sustainable construction in Oman Many recent studies have found out the existence of potential challenges and barriers restricting the implementation of green building concept and following sustainable building practices. Economic challenges When constructing any kind of building, the main objective of investors is the economic revenue. Economic revenue is thus an essential factor that impacts the implementation of environment-friendly green buildings. Building a green building with efficient energy and cost effectiveness is no doubt going to increase the construction costs. Many construction industries operating in Oman apprehend that the cost of constructing sustainable buildings will awfully raise the cost of construction and the economic revenue from the same will not be profitable. Studies show that for building green structures, the cost will go high by almost 18-20%. Besides, construction time is also a big factor. Construction delays will surely further increase the cost of construction as the construction of sustainable buildings will require incorporating green technologies along with other construction requirements (S. Saleh and Alalouch, 2015). Societal Challenges Public awareness about the looming environmental problems is a big task and further explaining them the need of highly expensive environment-friendly buildings is an added task. This is a very critical barrier to the success of delivering sustainable building practices. Furthermore, even though a major portion of Oman population is aware of the rising environmental problems, they often opine that environment protection is solely the local governments responsibility. Lack of sufficient fiscal incentives from the government of Oman is another critical barrier to the implementation of green buildings and sustainable building practices (S. Saleh and Alalouch, 2015). Technological challenges To construct buildings that follow the sustainable building practices and have efficient cost and energy effectiveness, it is important to use advanced technologies. Use of equipment and green materials for constructing such environmental friendly buildings is of primary importance. Limited availability of such technologically advanced equipment and green materials in the indigenous markets poses a significant challenge in implementing sustainable building practices. Another big challenge is the performance uncertainty of such materials and technologies. Building constructing industries and investors consider it economically risky to utilize such equipment and green materials for constructing green buildings and later finding out they have no useful functions (S. Saleh and Alalouch, 2015). SWOT analysis to evaluate how the construction industry within Oman can become a global leader in sustainable construction Strengths Governments strategy to divert its economic revenue from Omans oil-producing sectors is being positively developed. This step to reduce the countrys dependency on their oil-producing sectors will help reduce environmental stress to some extent. This strategy will also help to increase the growth of infrastructure and the development of the tourism industry. The Omani government has expressed its interest in doing business with foreign investors and companies. Omani government is trying to attract the private sector so as to do more business with them and reduce their dependency on oil exports. Omani government has also expressed their keenness to take measures which will attract capitalized banks. This step will attract well-capitalized banks that can fund Omans financial activities (EBSCO Host Connection, 2012). The government is also promoting sustainable building practices in the public building constructions and tourism sector. This will, in turn, attract a number of foreign investors; help reduces environmental problems, and reduce the increasing demand for energy and water (EBSCO Host Connection, 2012). Weaknesses The country does not yet have any kind of railway networks. The absence of railway networks has weakened its trade relationship with neighboring countries. The country is only dependent on its network of roads, these road networks need to be expanded. Political unrest is yet to disappear completely. Even though public protests regarding various political and cultural issues have eased, uncertainty continues near the border areas, mostly in Yemen. This kind of unrest and issues is a serious blow to Omans economy as the number of foreign investors and tourist is dwindling. The continuous geopolitical tensions have the potential to cause dramatic changes in Oman (EBSCO Host Connection, 2012). Opportunities The tourism network apart from being threatened by political unrest is growing at a rapid speed. The country also inaugurated their first sustainable designed resort in association with Omran. This and other exclusive resorts and well-maintained tourists destinations have increased the number of tourist walk-ins in the country. The government is providing huge incentives and investments for infrastructure and transport development. This kind of offers has immense potential for opportunities. Diversification of economy decision taken by the Omani government is expected to give rise to several new construction contracts. This kind of diversification will also lead to a number of investments towards infrastructure (Business Today, 2013). Threats The countrys attempt to extract more and more oil and gas is expected to pose an alarming threat to the countrys environment. Any kind of downward movement of raw prices will negatively affect oil revenue thereby limiting the Omani governments investment supports for newer infrastructure projects. Political unrest can pose a serious threat to the countrys economy by turning away potential foreign investors (Business Today, 2013). What lessons can Oman draw from the experience of the United Kingdom in developing a more sustainable path for the future of its construction industry? The United Kingdom is leading the world in terms of sustainable construction practices. Oman should draw an inference from the kind of strategies the UK government is implementing in order to follow sustainable building practices. The United Kingdom is working towards reducing the countrys carbon footprint and also reducing consumption of non-renewable natural resources. Oman is one of the leading countries when it comes to producing oil and gas. Oman needs to come up with alternative sources of fuel so as to gradually reduce their consumption of oil, gas, and other non-renewable resources (Newman, 2008). By doing so, they can divert their investment in constructing green buildings. The Omani government needs to implement research strategies like the United Kingdom. They need to first research, design, and construct structures and examine their certainty and also cost as well as energy effectiveness. Only when such an approach sees positive results, then only Omani government should go forth with the development of green constructions on a larger scale. Buildings are responsible for more than half of the carbon emissions and water consumption of a country. Oman needs to invite expert construction engineers from the United Kingdom to help them build structures that will release reduced amount of carbon dioxide and reduce the amount of water consumption. This way they will have the best architects and engineers who are an expert in the field of developing green buildings (Newman, 2008). Omani government also needs to implement awareness programs like the United Kingdom to educate the citizens of Oman regarding the concept of Sustainable Building practice and the ways of implementing it. Oman must identify potential strategies like the United Kingdom so as to increase the profitability by making use of resources more efficiently. Oman can join hands with the United Kingdom for making its environment pollution free and building more and more green buildings. They c an import green materials and equipment from the United Kingdom too (Newman, 2008). Conclusion The following report concludes that even though Oman has done a fruitful job in promoting sustainable building practices, such construction practices are only in the initial stages in Oman. The government of Oman needs to come up with more strategies to encourage the construction industry to build green buildings and follow sustainable construction practices. The implementation of such innovations can effectively contribute to Omans development by reducing the countrys consumption of non-renewable natural resources. In the face of rapid growth of economy and population, this kind of implementation will also help in reducing the countrys dependency on water and energy and divert its economy to various infrastructure developments. References Business Today. (2013).Construction industry shows great promise. [online] Available at: https://www.businesstoday.co.om/Issues/TOWARDS-A-CONSTRUCTIVE-FUTURE/Construction-industry-shows-great-promise [Accessed 25 Nov. 2016]. 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