Women Empowerment in Corporate America Research Paper - 1

Women Empowerment in Corporate America - Research Paper Example will analyze the reasons which have led to the empowerment of women in the corporate sector in the United States of America, effects of this empowerment of women in the corporate sector and finally the challenges that face women empowerment in the corporate sector in the United States of America. The fight for equal rights for women has greatly contributed to the empowerment of women in corporate America. Women groups have been pushing for women to b give same rights as men in job opportunities, education and in the political scene. The fight for these equal rights has resulted in many women undertaking education opportunities which equip them with the necessary skills required for them to join the corporate world. Another reason that has resulted in the empowerment of women in corporate America is the increasing number of women enrolling in universities to undertake professional programs. For example according to survey done in universities in the United States of America, the number of women who had enrolled to undertake various professional courses had increased significantly on the onset of the 21st century (Klein 96). This has resulted in the number of women in the corporate sector in the United States of America since this huge number of women in universities seeks job opportunities in the corporate sector after completion of their courses in their respective universities. The end of world war two greatly contributed to the empowerment of women in the corporate sector in the United States of America. During the war many American men had enlisted to be at the fore front in serving their country. This left a vacuum since there were no men to run businesses, farms and homes. Women had to take up the role of these men to ensure that life went on smoothly back at home. It created an effect in women since they realized that they could also do what men did instead of staying at home and taking care of their families. Women started looking for jobs in the

Customer Relationship Management and Systems Essay Example for Free

Customer Relationship Management and Systems Essay 1. What concepts in this chapter are illustrated in this case? Symantec Corporation started out with good intentions. Shortly after acquiring Veritas it began an ERP rollout that was designed to standardize and unify the Symantec and Veritas information systems. The goal was to create a single ERP system, within which all of the company’s extensive network of resellers, integrators, distributors, and customers could place orders for over 250,000 different products Symantec offered in the same way. That follows the basic concept of enterprise systems which are based on a suite of integrated software modules and a common central database. When new information is entered by one process, the information is made immediately available to other business processes. Although companies can rewrite some of the software in ERP systems, the software is unusually complex and extensive customization may degrade system performance, compromising the information and process integration. If companies want to reap the maximum benefits from enterprise software, they must change the way they work to conform to the business processes in the software. Although Symantec and Veritas had each used Oracle E-Business Suite 11d prior to the merger, both used highly customized versions of the systems that made integration a daunting task. An overhaul of the combined company’s enterprise systems was needed to join together Symantec and Veritas’s data from key business processes. Enterprise systems help large companies enforce standard practices and data so that everyone does business the same way worldwide. Enterprise systems help firms respond rapidly to customer requests for information or products. Unfortunately, the two companies bungled the implementation of the enterprise system almost from the beginning. 2. What management, organization, and technology factors were responsible for Symantec’s difficulties in overhauling its ERP systems? Management: Most of the issues were due to the company’s shortsightedness in implementing Project Oasis. The initial reaction to the launch of the new system was decidedly negative. Once customers reached a Symantec employee, they could spend up to 20 more minutes troubleshooting problems, and were often told that there was nothing that could be done. There was simply too much change occurring all at once for typical customers to handle. Partners were unhappy with Symantec’s slow response to many of the problems. Organization: The company was unprepared to meet the increased demand for customer support after the rollout. Symantec neglected to coordinate the development of its new ERP system with the launch of other products from different divisions within the company. The changes to the licensing system were not coordinated with the rest of the project. Customers were unhappy with changes to the stock-keeping unit product system (SKU system). Symantec had overlooked the needs of many customers while designing a technically sound but user-unfriendly ERP system. Technology: Both companies used highly customized versions of Oracle’s E-Business Suite 11d prior to the merger. Users struggled to process the large amount of information provided to them and were overwhelmed by the increased number of steps, all of them new, required to place orders. Some smaller distributors and partners didn’t update their systems to handle the new SKUs and were unable to submit purchase orders electronically. After the rollout, licensing became much more difficult for Symantec’s customers and partners, forcing them to wait multiple weeks before receiving their licenses. 3. Was Symantec’s response to the problem adequate? Explain your reasoning. The company initiated a follow-up project named Project Nero. The goal of the project was to recapture the loyalty of customers who were disenchanted by the changes brought about by Oasis. The project reached out to customers and fixed the problems with the information systems to improve response times and streamline operations. The company began by adding over 150 new customer representatives to handle the increased volume of calls, reducing wait times and increasing customer satisfaction. Executives traveled the country to improve relations with angered customers and partners. The company introduced a master list of product releases readily available and standardized its communication methods between departments regarding new projects and change management. Symantec used Net Promoter methodology to measure and increase customer loyalty. The results identified specific criticisms and customer problems and dramatically aided Symantec in correcting those problems. Project Nero helped the company weather the worst of the crisis. However, the company does not release the results of its Net Promoter surveys to the public so the extent to which it has repaired its reputation is unclear. 4. What would you have done differently to prevent the implementation problems that arose at Symantec? Student answers will vary but some of the principles that should be included in their answers are: Even the most careful planning and well-designed systems can quickly go awry if customers are unable to make use of the new system. Enterprise applications involve complex pieces of software that are very expensive to purchase and implement. The total implementation cost of a large system, including software, database tools, consulting fees, personnel costs, training, and perhaps hardware costs, might amount to four to five times the initial purchase price for the software. Enterprise applications require not only deep-seated technological changes but also fundamental changes in the way a business operates. Business processes must be changed to work with the software. Employees must accept new job functions and responsibilities. Most implementation projects fail or experience enormous problems because executives, managers, and employees did not understand how much organizational change was required. Specific Symantec problems that perhaps could have been avoided: †¢ Communicate with employees better to counteract the negative attitude towards the project. †¢ Communicate with customers and distributors better about the upcoming changes. †¢ Make sure all of the systems that were changing were coordinated throughout the organization. †¢ Not change as many systems all at the same time. Even though stretching the implementation out over a longer period may have cost more money, perhaps it would have prevented some of the massive problems overall. 5. If you were a partner or customer of Symantec, would you have switched vendors in response to the ERP overhaul issues? Why or why not? Student answers will vary. Some principles to keep in mind are: Enterprise applications introduce switching costs that make it very costly to switch vendors. Companies become dependent on the vendor to upgrade its product and maintain the installation. Many of Symantec’s partners and smaller distributors were reliant on Symantec and perhaps could not afford to switch vendors. That would mean they would have to switch all of their internal systems at great cost. Customers are often reluctant to switch vendors based on historical relationships. If the problems seem temporary, the customers will hang on. If the problems seem insurmountable, some customers will desert the sinking ship.

The Computer Aided Process Planning

The Computer Aided Process Planning Process planning is common task in discrete manufacturing. It is performs the task of determining the sequence of individual manufacturing operations needed to process a given part or product. The resulting operation sequence is documented on a form typically referred to as a route sheet. The route sheet is a listing of the production operations and associated machine tools for a workpart or assembly. In traditional process planning, there arises a problem of variability among planners. In addition to this, there are often difficulties in the conventional process planning procedure. New machine tools in the factory render old routings less than optimal. Machine breakdowns force shop personnel to use temporary routings and these become the documented routings even after the machine is repaired. For these reasons and others, a significant proportion of the total numbers of process plans used in manufacturing are not optimal. Because of the problems encountered with manual process plann ing, attempts have been made in recent years to capture the logic, judgment, and experiences required for this important function and incorporate them into computer programs. Based on the characteristics of a given part, the program automatically generates the manufacturing operation sequence. A computer aided process planning (CAPP) system offers the potential for reducing the routine clerical work of manufacturing engineers. At the time, it provides the opportunity to generate production routing which is rational, consistent, and perhaps even optimal. (Groover) Computer-Aided Process Planning (CAPP) Modern manufacturing is characterized by low volume, high variety production and close tolerance high quality products. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) is recognized as an effective platform for increasing manufacturing competitiveness. Computer Aided Process Planning is an essential key for achieving CIM. The integration of design, computer aided process planning (CAPP) and production planning and control (PPC) is becoming essential especially in a concurrent engineering environment where many product life cycle factors are of concern. An overview of the major development thrust in CAPP is presented along with some of the evolving trends and challenges such as rapid, generic, dynamic and/or distributed process planning. Related issued of quality and evolving standards are also discussed. CAPP works at the interface between CAD and Cam. It takes Cad data, converts it to production data, and feeds the later to a production system. Fig shows a CAPP model based on this interface concept. The CAPP model utilizes the flow shown in the fig. to convert Cad data into production data. After the CAD model is created, it is prepared for transfer into CAPP model. This preparation step is performed by a preprocessor, and it could involve producing an IGES or STEP file that the CAPP model can read. This step is necessary because both the models are independent of each other. CAD data also needs to be prepared to obtain the proper product definition as required by the CAPP model. The CAPP model applies its knowledge and rules to the prepared CAD data to produce its output, the process plan. The CAPP model performs necessary post processing operations on its output to produce output that production and scheduling systems can read and utilize in their own activities. Fig. shows that the components of the CAPP model are independent of both the CAD and production system. Thus the model requires two conversion steps: one to convert Cad data, and the other to convert the CAPP output itself. (Mastering CAD/CAM, Ibrahim Zeid) CAD system Pre-processor Production planning and scheduling Postprocessor Planning rules Input Output CAPP Knowledge CAPP model CAPP Approaches: (1) Variant CAPP (also called as Retrieval-type approach) Retrieval type CAPP systems use parts classification and coding and group technology as a foundation. In this approach, the parts produced in the plant are grouped into part families, distinguished according to their manufacturing characteristics. For each part family, a standard process plan is established. The standard process plan is stored in the computer files and the retrieved for new workpart which belong to that family. Some form of parts classification and coding system is required to organize the computer files and to permit efficient retrieval of the appropriate process plan for a new workpart. For some new work part, editing of the existing process plan may be required. This is done when the manufacturing requirements of the new part are slightly different from the standard. The machine routing may be the same for the new part, but the specific operations required at each machine may be different. The complete process plan must document the operations as well as the seque nce of machines through which the part must be routed. Because of the alterations that are made in the retrieved process plan, these CAPP systems are sometimes also called by the name variant systems. Part family matrix file Part family search User enters part code number. Machine routing file Standard machine routing retrieve Operation sequence file Standard operation retrieve/edit Other application programs Process plan Process plan formatter Figure will help to explain the procedure used in a retrieval process planning system. The user would initiate the procedure by entering the part code number at a computer terminal. The CAPP program then searches the part family matrix file to determine if a match exists. If the file contains an identical code number, the standard machine routing and operation sequence are retrieved from the respective computer files for display to the user. The standard process plan is examined by the user to permit any necessary editing of the plan to make it compatible with the new part design. After editing, the process plan formatter prepares the paper document in the proper form. If an exact match cannot be found between the code numbers in the computer file and the code number for the new part, the user may search the machine routing file and the operation sequence file for similar parts that could be used to develop the plan for the new part. Once the process plan for a new part code number has been entered, it becomes the standard process for future parts of the same classification. In figure the machine routing file is distinguished from the operation sequence file to emphasize that the machine routing may apply to a range of different part families and code numbers. It would be easier to find a match in the machine routing file than in the operation sequence file. Some CAPP retrieval systems would use only one such file which would be a combination of operation sequence file and machine routing file. The process plan formatter may use other application programs. These could include programs to compute machining conditions, work standards, and standard costs. Standard cost programs can be used to determine total product costs for pricing purpose. A number of variant type CAPP systems have been developed. These include MIPLAN, one of the MICLASS modules, the CAPP system developed by Computer Aided Manufacturing-International, COMCAPP V by MDSI, and systems by individual companies. (2) Generative process planning systems Generative process planning involves the use of the computer to create an individual process plan from scratch, automatically and without human assistance. The computer would employ a set of algorithms to progress through the various technical and logical decisions toward a final plan for manufacturing. Inputs to the system would include a comprehensive description of the workpart. This may involve the retrieval of part code number to summarize the workpart data, but it does not involve the retrieval of existing standard plans. Instead, the generative CAPP system synthesizes the design of the optimum process sequence, based on an analysis of part geometry, material, and other factors which would influence manufacturing decisions. In the ideal generative process planning package, any part design could be presented to the system for creation of the optimal plan. In practice, current generative-type systems are far from universal in their applicability. They tend to fall short of truly generative capability, and they are developed for a somewhat limited range of manufacturing processes. The integration of process planning and scheduling. Kumar Rajotia, (2003, p.297) contend that existing CAPP systems fails to consider scheduling while developing a process plan. It is done separately after the process plan has been generated, and therefore, it is possible that process plans so obtained may not be most favourable from the scheduling point of view. If process plans are generated without careful thought of machine shop floor information, many problems arise within the manufacturing environment. Some of the difficulties encountered are as follows: (i) Process planners assume that there are unlimited resources on the shop floor. Hence they plan for the optimum alternative process. Hence there is reputation in the selection of desirable machines by the process planners. When these process plans are executed, it results into an ideal machines and overloaded machines at shop floor and thus these optimal process plans become infeasible. (ii) Basically process plans gives importance to the technological requirements of the task while scheduling involves the timing feature of it. This results into the conflicting objectives of the two. (iii) The flow of the orders through the workshop suffers from disruptions caused by bottleneck machines, non-availability of tools and personnel, or breakdowns of machines and equipments. Hence the ready schedule becomes invalid and it has to be recreated. (iv) In many cases for both CAPP and scheduling, a single criteria optimization should be used to obtain desirable solutions. However, the real time production surrounding is best represented by considering simultaneously more than one criterion. (v) The time difference between the planning phase and execution may lead to difficulties. Due to the dynamic nature of production surroundings, it is very likely that when the design is prepared to manufacture, the constraints used in developing the plan have already been altered greatly, thus making the plan sub-optimal or totally disabled. Many researchers have tried to integrate process planning with scheduling. Some of the important contributors are by Torri et al. Halevi and Weill , Chryssolouris and Chan , Sundaram and Fu, Tonshoff et al., Khoshnevis , Khoshnevis and Chen , Liao et al., Usher and Fernandes ,Gu et al. and Yang et al. Methodology The method to integrate scheduling with CAPP by including the shop floor conditions of machines, i.e., initial cost, availability, operating cost, cycle time and breakdown conditions while allotting machines to various processes to obtain process plan is explained in this paper. This assists in developing feasible plan. This method may be called on-line process planning. On-line machine scheduling This step involves the alteration of the process to ensure that machine assigned is the best possible option among the others to perform the task after the scheduling criteria is considered. The selected machine should not violate the process planning criteria i.e. it should be capable to achieve the required tolerance and surface finish for the particular operation. The expected result of integration is to response rapidly and closer adherence to deadlines by reducing the mean time flow and the number of tardy jobs. In this system a scheduling factor, Â µ, is obtained as: Where C = cost of the machine, Co= operating cost of machine per unit time, T= the average cycle time for performing the operation on a machine, N= the number of alternative machines that can prepare the job. X1-X4 are the important ratings given to respective variable on a scale of 1-10 (1-least important and 10-most important). The machine with the highest value of scheduling factor is selected for a particular operation. This factor is directly proportional to C and inversely proportional to Co, T and N. The rationale for the direction of proportionality in this equation is explained below. Cost of machine (C): the purchasing value of the machine. It is important to utilize the companys investment effectively. Thus, scheduling factor prefers the expensive machines more. Operating cost (Co): the assignment of operating cost of the machine is an important factor and a machine with lower operating cost is preferred. Cycle time (T): the number of machines with lower cycle time is preferred since they reduce the mean flow time and the number of tardy jobs. The scheduling factor optimizes when the cycle time for regarding machine decreases. Number of alternative machines (N): the machine with lower number of alternatives improves the scheduling factor. Initially, the ideal scheduling factor is calculated under ideal working conditions known as ideal scheduling factor (Â µI). Ideal working conditions includes ideal tools, machines, cycle time etc. However, in a real time, the working condition may be distinguishable. The scheduling must try to include the actual number of machines with their capacities and features, tools, etc. Based on actual conditions, the actual scheduling factor (Â µA) is calculated. Thus: Ideal scheduling factor Where CIo is the ideal operating cost, and TI the ideal cycle time Actual scheduling Where CAo =actual operating cost TA= actual cycle time. The actual scheduling factor is calculated for all machines competent to do the required operation and the machine with larger value is opted for that operation. The procedure can be summarized as follows: Step 1. Verify for the breakdown condition of machines. A machine under breakdown or maintenance is not selected for assignment. Step 2. Check for the availability of each machine. A machine is considered unavailable when the cycle time of an operation (T) is longer than the time available on the machine (unassigned slots of time on the specific machine). Operation is not assigned for the unavailable machine. Step 3. Check capability of available machines by verifying its accuracy and surface finish produced, available feeds and speeds, dimensional limits and attachments. Step 4. Based on the scheduling factor, transform the ideal process plan into an actual process plan. A hybrid approach to CAPP: The various advantages, disadvantages, features, nuances of a certain type of system are a function of the application more than an inherent quality. This is primarily because we are trying to replicate the human brain of the production planner with an Artificial Intelligence unit. When a person designs the algorithm for a certain type of process, the same might not apply for another process or even the same process but under a different circumstance. Thus this algorithm is clearly at a loss when we use any one structured and rigid format, and is extremely vulnerable to make critical mistakes to changes. This might very well be expensive enough a mistake to offset the cost of automation of the process. Hence, the Hybrid Approach was designed in an attempt to make the algorithm a bit more flexible. This might not have the outright simplicity and speed of a variant approach or the reliability of the generative approach, but it attempts to make up for that by incorporating a high degre e of flexibility as far as adaptation is concerned. The concept is that if we manage to eliminate the demerits of both or other approaches and form an adaptive approach with the merits of all, we should have basic layout of a much more efficient approach to planning of CAPP, or in effect the integration of the processes right from design (CAD) to manufacture (CAM). This is attempted primarily by associating the work-piece in a family like the variant approach, however not as a rigid classification, but only as a generic classification. Here on the approach leans towards the generative approach and accesses predetermined information of all the aspects of manufacturing the particular family of parts. This leaves the designer to make the critical yet quick changes to the essential variables that are involved with the manufacture of the part. The goal is not to generate a definitive path or plan, but to quickly make available an efficient, reliable and feasible skeleton of the required ideal process plan. Hybrid approaches generally follow a heuristic approach where the critical input is the previous output, also known as discovery based decision making. This gives a good opportunity to learn from past experience and results. Thus, as the volumes of production are increased for similar parts, the data available is increased and as a consequence the efficiency of the hybrid approach also increases. Hybrid CAPP Systems: There are many different hybrid approaches applied to production processes in order to gain a seamless flow between CAD, CAM, CAPP and such elements of production process. Pham and Gologlu (2005) designed a hybrid system of CAPP called Proplanner, which adapted the hybrid method of knowledge representation. According to Xun Xu (2009), ProPlanner is restricted to prismatic parts with 2.5-dimensional features. Parts are also assumed to be machined from a near net form, and only simple geometric tolerance (straightness and parallelism) is implemented. Gologlu (2004) extended the ProPlanner system, by using an efficient heuristic algorithm (in the system operation sequencing module) for finding near-optimal operation sequences from all available process plans in a machining set-up. In the adopted approach, a four-level hierarchy was used: feature-level, machining scheme level, operation-level and tool-level Liu, Duan, Lei and Wang (1999) used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) a mathematical decision modelling tool to solve complicated process planning problems by decomposition, determination and synthesis. (Xun Xu, 2009) Future adaptations of CAPP related to Hybrid approach: The future adaptations of CAD-CAM integration will be largely driven by the requirements of future and the remnant disadvantages of the present systems. The major current challenges that are attempted to be overcome are: Requirement of many post processors for every level of local customization for a part Lack of standardization of syntax Lack of co-operation and common platform development due to commercial environment The potential of the Hybrid Approach to overcome the above: The inherent nature of hybrid systems gives us an advantage to bridge the gaps between non-standard communication lines and to force various independent systems to work together. This in itself is an advantage, however true synchronization can only be achieved with a common effort in the larger interest of more efficient CAPP frameworks. Various efforts to overcome barriers of independent non-standard systems: APT A general purpose language NC program that is independent of the manufacturer. This was a public domain code post-processor that is defined by the ANSI standard. APT was one of the early attempts to drive the machining process on the basis of geometry (Xun XU, 2009). BCL BCL is the numerical control data format standard initiated by North American Rockwell in the mid-1970s, and later became EIA Standard RS-494 in 1983 (Xun Xu, 2009) The co-ordinate system of a tool remains focused on the information that was originally used as the input. Though the system was relatively capable of achieving its goals, at was mainly restricted to the shopfloor. Common platform languages for programming automation tools There have been efforts to make CNC programs portable by use of coding languages that use basic G-codes, which in itself fail to match the merits of higher level languages. APL (Otto, 2000) and OMAC (Michaloski, Birla, Yen,Igou Weinert, 2000) are examplesof such efforts. This concept is based on the common platform on which all decision making processes are based on when planning a process, a typical example of which is entailed as follows: PREDICTING FUTURE TRENDS IN HYBRID APPROACH TO CAPP The problem remains largely to be the lack of synchronization among independent hardware and software elements of the entire system and this force the prospective improvers of CAPP systems to again focus on the ideal framework of a production process and then work their way to try and develop a practical, economical and commercially viable system. It is our belief that in a hybrid approach, such a production engineer will be breaking down the entire integration of CAD and CAM into smaller ideal flowcharts. This ideal flow of processes would be similar to the following example of a post design flowchart PART REQUIREMENTS RAW WORKPIECE MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS AND SEQUENCES MACHINE TOOLS TOOLS/WORKHOLDING DEVICES MACHINING CONDITIONS (Figure 1, Ideal flow chart of post-design sequence) Conclusions and Inferences: This is not to say that the conventional approaches contain demerits and have to be phased out. In fact, the hybrid approach is based on the above for a foundation. It is merely adaptation of techniques based on past experience, changing situations and increasing research. The changes will be incorporated on to present techniques and the same will be done to the hybrid approach based on need. This heuristic approach of adapting continuously and seamlessly with the workflow that integrates design and manufacture is believed to be the future of process planning, which will surely continue to undergo many further changes. However the tendency of one defined system to dissociate itself with the algorithm of another will be drastically reduced in the future. This will make the production process act as one harmonic set of functions rather than various scattered processes which may do well in their own right, but are not functioning in symphony with the rest of the processes.

Uncovering History in our own Backyard :: essays research papers

Uncovering History in our own Backyard   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Solberg has his own stamp on discovering American history. He has had a long interest in the ordinary person and was quoted as saying â€Å"People that carry history are a needed part of our past.† He did his doctorates on diaries from the 18th century. And has sent much of his time studying letters sent to Norway during the 1930s and 1940s. Dr. Solberg started the lecture by asking Olle and Marie Mellin to stand up in the audience they are both in the American Scandinavian foundation and have set up scholarships for Scandinavian studies. Solberg was quoted as saying â€Å"They where pillars of the American foundation.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Solberg told of a book that he felt had a connection with what he was doing in Solvang. The name of the book was Prairie Earth by â€Å"William least HeatMoon.† Heatmoon did a cultivation of land in the Midwest wand with that went through the history of the land from the Indians to the present. Almost like a de-mapping of the land.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slides came on the screen from the American Post magazine. This magazine was what covered American life during the time of Solberg's childhood, almost every American home had one. In an issue dated January 1947 an article told of Solvang being an â€Å"Original Danish community.† This article had a profound effect on tourism. Land prices went sky high and Solvang became a tourist town.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three areas that Solberg will cover in the lecture, the first being the background of Solvang, the second will cover the time from 1911 through 1916, and the third being his own experience from the 60s. After graduating from UCSB Solberg went to Europe and after his return he felt he felt a strong interest in cultivating history. It was at this time he decided to do Solvang. He decided to do an oral history. â€Å"If you fail to get oral history you lose parts of history.† Solberg did not tape anyone with out there permission was able to collect photos to give a human dimension to his oral report.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Large ranchos gave the backdrop for the Santa Ynez valley. With 40,000 acres the valley became a huge area for cattle. In 1804 the first mission was established. 1888 the first railroad became operational before this time Los Olivous was the business center but by 1888 it had died down and by 1911 Solvang was the center of the Santa Ynez valley.

Postmodern condition

Postmodernism can be called â€Å"a condition of contemporary culture†, It Is a modern movement which is strong, ambiguous, very popular and controversial. However, It is very difficult to explain the term because there Is no full clarity what the term really means. As one can read in The Condition of Postmodernist It Is â€Å"a mine-field of conflicting notions† and â€Å"a battleground of conflicting pollens and political forces†.There are so many Interpretations, definitions and evaluations of the term that It Is hardly possible to build a coherent definition, or to be brave enough to attempt to scribe It. Almost everyone has a different pollen about It, advocate â€Å"for† or â€Å"against† or are simply tired of all the fuss around It. For some researchers, the reference to postmodernist is equal to the attempt to recall something impossible to recall. Or to express the inexpressible, incomprehensible and unnecessary. In their eyes, talking abo ut post-modernism is the intellectual blindness, or at least a desperate search for something â€Å"new† and â€Å"different†.Some might think that postmodernism is a fashionable set of â€Å"new ideas† (postindustrial, postindustrial). But these ideas increased with time. Other researchers believe that postmodernism quite openly supports relativism, because it has some ability to explain certain things and at the same time is the enemy of the idea and the sole objective truth. Truth is elusive, polymorphous. Nevertheless, according to Frederic Jameson, postmodernism â€Å"creates more problems than solves†, and he also wonders if any other concept can dramatist the discussions so thoroughly and so effectively.Jean Baudelaire, the main initiator and most influential authority on the sociological reflection on the post-modern breakthrough in the society and culture, thanks to the saute diagnoses tries to warn us about all kind of threats that technological advances could cause. According to Baudelaire, they turned the post-industrial social world in hyper real reality shaped by the media codes and models, which were reproducing â€Å"simulacra† (the images of the world devoid of real prototypes).One of the hyperthermia images and the world of Imagination (Baudelaire writes) Is Disneyland, which is the perfect model of all those confusing orders of simulation. It Is primarily a game of illusions and phantasms. Imaginary world of Disneyland Is neither true nor false. It Is a space of regeneration of the world of Imagination, reminiscent of a recycling factory. Thus, the world of the Imagination of children and adults Is a rubbish, the first great collocation hyper real pollution. Disneyland Is a prototype of this new feature on the mental area.As one can read In Simulacra and Simulation â€Å"It Is no longer a question of a false representation of reality (Ideology) but of concealing the fact that the real is no longer real, an d thus of saving the reality principle†. Another example of† flipping † a deeper reality by its overriding, and hen hiding its deficiencies, through breaking any relations with it and finally achieving the status of its simulacrum, completely emancipated from the power of intellectual reliability in some American humanistic academic circles.That is why he decided to do the â€Å"experiment†, which consisted in checking whether the leading American Journal dedicated to cultural research will publish a text full of nonsense, if it only sound good. It turned out that publishers without a hint of discomfort printed the text devoted to quantum physics, not making the trouble to its decision to consult any specialist in this field. This has caused a storm of controversy not only on the pages of periodicals industry, but also the daily press. Shoal meant to indicate â€Å"abuse†, whose plenty, as it turned out, in the literature.

Rationalism in Architecture

IntroductionRationalism began as a seventeenth century political orientation that led to the Enlightenment, a period in history where ground was the primary instrument for warranting and understanding the aˆ?howsaˆ? and aˆ?whysaˆ? of things and fortunes. The Enlightenment was a clip where concrete grounds through scientific research flourished and Rationalism influenced all field of enterprises and even simple day-to-day undertakings. [ 1 ] In layperson footings, to be rational is to be apprehensible, mensurable or definite. Using this as premiss, Rationalism in architecture therefore pertains to accuracy in planing and constructing the tallness, comprehensiveness or deepness of a construction. Architectural Rationalism was a solid grounds of the Enlightenment influence in the field of architecture. It continues to prevail in the modern universe as an independent art motion though much of the modern Rationalist designs have small resemblance to Enlightenment architect ure. Henceforth, this essay attempts to contextualize Rationalism by distinguishing its two discrepancies: eighteenth century Rationalism and the recent twentieth century development. The similarities and differences of their several designs and, if possible, maps are noted to give us an thought on how Rationalism has evolved as an architectural political orientation. The essay besides includes treatments on sub-movements, their innovators and their hallmarks.eighteenth Century RationalismThe Enlightenment Architectural Rationalism was focused on being symmetrical, holding accurate measurings of authoritative forms, and functionality. It clearly reflected the spirit of the times where scientific discipline, mathematics and logic were at the extremum of their influence. Neoclassicism was a widespread motion under the Rationalist wing. It was established in reaction to the royal poinciana and apparently inordinate Baroque and Rococo manners. During the neoclassicist roar, many graphicss and structural designs of the classical Graeco-Roman epoch were recalled together with the architectural plants of Italian Andrea Palladio. [ 2 ] The motion was named aˆ?neoclassical, aˆ? as opposed to pure classicalism, as non every classical design was applied in this. Neoclassicists merely selected from the broad array of designs those executable to society. Neoclassicist designs were characterized as follows: symmetricalness, columns that functioned as support, minimalistic design composed of basic geometric forms, and an overlaid triangular gable normally known as pediment. The symmetricalness, functionality, and geometrical facets of the neoclassicist motion were specifying features of the Rationalist political orientation. [ 3 ]The Pediment [ 4 ] A Colu mn [ 5 ]Existing in the sixteenth century towards the apogee of the Renaissance period, Andrea Palladio was the first known designer to resuscitate and use the classical designs of Graeco-Roman society in many Villas, castles and basilicas. His architecture became an indispensable foundation of Enlightenment Architecture. As a dedicated follower of Vitruvius and his dateless rule of aˆ?firmitas, utilitas, venustas, aˆ? Palladio carefully ensured that his structural designs were lasting, utile, and attractive as stipulated by Vitruvius in his ten-volume chef-d'oeuvre aˆ?De Architectura.aˆ? Palladio was besides peculiar about proportions and seting a intent on every structural constituent. [ 6 ] For case, a portico or patio must be utilized in such a manner that the environing scenery was seen in its full glorification. He wanted geographical properties of the estate to fit with the house ‘s structural design. The palazzos, Villas and basilicas he designed displa yed the blending values of beauty and the societal environment and place of their several proprietors. An urban palazzo was different from a provincial palazzo ; similarly, an agricultural Villa was different from a residential Villa. Palladio designed constructions harmonizing to their context. [ 7 ] Palladio had contributed several design inventions in public edifices and churches. Most Palladian plants were made of low-cost stuffs, normally stucco, traditionally made with lime, sand and H2O, to cover and adhere bricks. His urban constructions for esteemed Venetian proprietors had high classical porticos with pediments that extended every bit far as the 2nd floor and were supported by elephantine colonnades. These porticos were raised above land degree and on the same degree as the remainder of the land floor. This raised floor called aˆ?piano nobile, aˆ? was reused in ulterior fluctuations of neoclassical architecture. Palazzo Chiericati in the metropolis of Vicenza was a all right illustration of this urban construction. [ 8 ]Palazzo Chiericati ( 1550-1557 ) [ 9 ]Rural Villas were instead different. Alternatively of the piano nobile, there was an elevated dais bordered by lower service wings, connected with an elegant curving flight of stepss. The proprietor maintained abode at the elevated part. Villa Foscari ( besides La Malcontenta ) was among the mid-16th century designs of Palladio that employed this celebrated edifice format.Villa Foscari ( 1559 ) [ 10 ]The 1570 publication of Palladio ‘s work aˆ?Quattro Libri dell'Architetturaaˆ? ( The Four Books of Architecture ) , stretched his influence far beyond his place state Italy. Palladio ‘s architectural drawings and treatments contained in the book set the phase for neoclassicist enlargement in the cardinal European states of France, Britain, Ireland, Spain and Germany. [ 11 ] Even more singular was his influence in colonial and post-colonial America, where his designs were replicated in the houses of well-known households, province edifices and even the private residence of Thomas Jefferson, the freedom President. [ 12 ] Along with Palladio ‘s treatise, the unearthing and find of Pompeii and Herculaneum, Roman towns destroyed by volcanic eruption during the classical period, was thought to animate the interior designs of eighteenth century European houses and buildings. [ 13 ]The Ruins of Pompeii [ 14 ] Interior View of a Herculaneum House [ 15 ]In Europe, neoclassicist architecture developed at different gaits. Some beginnings estimated that the motion reached its extremum in France with A†°tienne-Louis BoullA ©e and Claude Nicolas Ledoux. The two designers followed rules of reason into their Classical divine designs. BoullA ©e was known for blending geometry with the standard classics. This original neoclassical divergence might hold been influenced by his work as an pedagogue and philosopher at aˆ?A†°cole Nationale des Ponts et ChaussA ©es.aˆ? Like most neoclassicists, his designs were minimalistic, devoid of ornamentation, bold plenty to reiterate certain structural constituents, particularly if they were functional ( i.e. columns ) , and sought to stress the intent of the construction and its parts. BoullA ©e besid es proposed a empty tomb, an about 500-foot sphere rooted on a unit of ammunition foundation, for the English scientist Isaac Newton. This was non executable to construct but as a professional engraving, the manner gained prominence. BoullA ©e ‘s plants were subsequently revived by twentieth century Positivists and more popularly by celebrated Modernist designer, Aldo Rossi. Contemporary designers found his designs alone and really imaginative – although some would see them aˆ?illusions of grandeur.aˆ? The HA?tel Alexandre in Paris, known for its flanking courtyard doors and Corinthian columns, was one of BoullA ©e ‘s lasting plants. [ 16 ] Cenotaph for Newton ( 1784 ) [ 17 ] HA?tel Alexandre ( 1763-66 ) [ 18 ]Like his compatriot, Ledoux was really idealistic in his architecture, ever desiring to aˆ?build with a purpose.aˆ? For this he and BoullA ©e were branded aˆ?Utopians.aˆ? [ 19 ] Ledoux designed many theaters, hotels, residential places, and edifices, supplied with rotundas, columns and domes from the Graeco-Roman period. His known architectural invention was the aˆ?architectonic order, aˆ? best exhibited through his design on the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans. He was appointed Royal Architect for the express intent of constructing a structural design for expeditiously pull outing salt. The Royal Saltworks became a important illustration of eighteenth century Architectural Rationalism for its extended usage of geometry and logical agreement of forms to ease the extraction and transit procedures. Another design was drawn after the first was disapproved. [ 20 ]Facade of the Royal Saltwork s, France [ 21 ]Aerial View of Ledoux ‘ Second Design ( 1804 ) [ 22 ]There were many other outstanding figures under the neoclassical motion but few were every bit Utopian as the plants of BoullA ©e and Ledoux. Gallic writer-teacher-architect Jean-Nicolas-Louis Durand influenced several German Positivists by adding rules of economic system and convenience to the bing architectural Utopia. [ 23 ] The ulterior renderings of neoclassicism in Britain, America, and Spain disregarded the fond regard to symmetry and geometry that Palladio himself and the Gallic neoclassicists were really peculiar. However, they did retain much of the functionality facet. For illustration, neo-Palladian British designers William Kent and Indigo Jones invented the flanking wings to give more infinite in the house inside. [ 24 ] This concern for using infinite was still an original of eighteenth century Rationalism.twentieth Century Rationalismtwentieth century Rationalist architecture was interchange ably called Neo-Rationalist. Although the designs were different from eighteenth century rationalism, neo-Rationalists continued to pattern of import rules of Rationalist Architecture. The simplistic signifier and ornamentation was still retained ; the functionality facet became known as aˆ?theme.aˆ? In fact, as many historiographers claimed, neo-Rationalism was an development of eighteenth century Enlightenment Architecture. [ 25 ] The demand to warrant architectural plants remained strong as it had so. The Enlightenment brought about the Industrial Revolution around 18th-19th centuries. The effects lasted and were carried over to the twentieth century, where industrialisation became a craze. Economic promotion was no longer associated with brick and wood but with new elements like steel, Fe and glass. As industrialisation reached its extremum in the twentieth century, the turning importance of machinery led to the development of an aˆ?industrial architecture, aˆ? c omposed of those new elements. [ 26 ] Modernism was the dominant rationalist motion of the 1900s. It fundamentally aimed to use new stuffs suited to the spirit of industrialisation and free designers from the bondage of manners, which curtailed single touches. The plants of early Modernists Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius in Germany and Frenchman Le Corbusier were largely merchandises of socio-political revolutions. Following World War I, the German Modernist ventured into new constructions that aˆ?meet societal needs.aˆ? [ 27 ] The Bauhaus design school resulted from this venture. Bauhaus became identified as the aˆ?International Style, aˆ? adopted by many Modern structural designs in assorted states. [ 28 ] The following are celebrated illustrations of Bauhaus architecture:The UN New York Base by Le Corbusier [ 29 ] The Gropius Residence in Lincoln [ 30 ]The International Style was characterized by rational rules of minimal art and functional design and construction. Neoclassic pediments, co lumns and flanking wings were replaced by rectangular forms of concrete cement, steel, and other new elements. There were barely hints of peculiar civilizations or societal context and a impersonal architecture that was universally applicable prevailed. [ 31 ] Modernists like Frank Lloyd Wright tried to equilibrate nature and structural designs. [ 32 ] Later, Postmodernist motions emerged to deconstruct the catholicity of Bauhaus and inculcate aˆ?local identitiesaˆ? into modern architecture so it can link with people ‘s sentiments. [ 33 ] Aldo Rossi, Italian theorist-architect-designer-artist, was among the famed Postmodernists. His valuable part to urban architecture was constructing modern-day constructions without pretermiting the historical value of the metropolis or site where it would be built. He stressed the societal significance of memorials and graveyards and besides advocated that constructions be strong plenty for wining coevalss to witness. [ 34 ] San Cataldo Cemetery expanded by Rossi ( 1971 ) [ 35 ] Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht by Rossi ( 1990-1994 ) [ 36 ]Decision18th and twentieth century Architectural Rationalists are linked by the ancient rules of aˆ?utilitas, firmitas, venustas.aˆ? Their several motions were by and large non-ornamental and utile in construction, design and subject. In the country of symmetricalness, the usage of geometrical forms, and projecting cultural and single sentiments, the two Rationalist governments differ. eighteenth century Positivists were unified in recommending truth and beauty in architecture while neo-Rationalists had single contradictions. [ 37 ] Nevertheless, both strands justified Architecture ‘s major functions in society and in people ‘s lives. [ 1 ] Hackett Lewis. ( 1992 ) aˆ?The age if enlightenment, aˆ? History World International at hypertext transfer protocol: //history-world.org/age_of_enlightenment.htm [ 2 ] Steve Fallon & A ; Nicola Williams. ( 2008 ) Paris: metropolis usher, United Kingdom, Lonely Planet Publications, p. 48. [ 4 ] University of Pittsburgh at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/pediment.htm [ 5 ] Old House Web at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.oldhouseweb.com/architecture-and-design/greek-revival-1820-1850.shtml [ 6 ] Bernd Evers, Christof Thoenes & A ; Kunstbibliothek. ( 2003 ) Architectural theory: from the Renaissance to the present, Germany, TASCHEN pp. 6-7. [ 7 ] Sam Smiles & A ; Stephanie Moser. ( 2005 ) Visualizing the yesteryear: archeology and the image, Maine, Blackwell Publishing pp. 98-114. [ 8 ] Douglas Lewis, Andrea Palladio & A ; International Exhibitions Foundation. ( 1981 ) The drawings of Andrea Palladio, Texas, The Foundation, pp. 158-163. [ 9 ] Essential Architecture at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.essential-architecture.com/STYLE/STY-E14.htm [ 11 ] Caroline Clifton-Mogg. ( 1991 ) The neoclassical beginning book, New York, Rizzoli, pp. 88-175. [ 12 ] David Watkin. ( 2005 ) A history of western architecture, London, Laurence King pp. 114-513. [ 13 ] H. Keethe Beebe. ( 1975 ) aˆ?Domestic Architecture and the New Testament, aˆ? The Biblical Archeologists, volume 38, figure 3/4, pp. 89-104. [ 14 ] Virtual Tourist at hypertext transfer protocol: //cache.virtualtourist.com/1898061-Pompeii-Pompeii.jpg [ 16 ] Helen Rosenau. ( 1976 ) BoullA ©e & A ; airy architecture, New York, Harmony Books pp. 1-27. [ 19 ] Barry Bergdoll. ( 2000 ) European architecture, 1750-1890, New York, Oxford University Press p. 97. [ 20 ] Elizabeth Basye Gilmore Holt. ( 1966 ) From the classicists to the impressionists: art and architecture in the 19th century, Connecticut, Yale University Press pp. 227-311. [ 21 ] United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at hypertext transfer protocol: //whc.unesco.org/en/list/203 [ 23 ] Joy Monice Malnar & A ; Frank Vodvarka. ( 2004 ) Sensor design, Minneapolis, The University of Minnesota Press p. 8. [ 24 ] Inigo Jones, William Kent. ( 1727 ) The designs of Inigo Jones: consisting of programs and lifts for publick, England, W. Kent pp. 1-73. [ 25 ] Christopher Crouch. ( 2000 ) Modernism in Art Design and Architecture, New York, St. Martin ‘s Press pp. 1-10. [ 26 ] aˆ?Industrial architecture, aˆ? EncyclopA ¦dia Britannica Online at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/286910/industrial-architecture [ 27 ] Richard J. Evans. ( 2003 ) The coming of the 3rd Reich, New York, The Penguin Press, pp. 122-123. [ 28 ] Henry Russell Hitchcock & A ; Philip Johnson. ( 1997 ) The International Style, New York, W. W. Norton & A ; Company, pp. 1-5. [ 29 ] aˆ?International Styleaˆ? at hypertext transfer protocol: //architecture.about.com/od/20thcenturytrends/ig/Modern-Architecture/International-Style.htm [ 30 ] The Digital Archive of American Architecture at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/gropius.html [ 31 ] Hazel Conway & A ; Rowan Roenisch. ( 1994 ) Understanding architecture: an debut to architecture and architectural history, London, Routledge pp. 22-24. [ 32 ] Kathleen Karlsen. aˆ?Saving Civilization Through Architecture – Rationalism and the International Style, aˆ? at hypertext transfer protocol: //ezinearticles.com/ ? Saving-Civilization-Through-Architecture — -Rationalism-and-the-International-Style & A ; id=888138 [ 33 ] Hazel Conway & A ; Rowan Roenisch. ( 1994 ) Understanding architecture: an debut to architecture and architectural history, London, Routledge pp. 22. [ 34 ] Terry Kirk. ( 2005 ) The architecture of modern Italy, volume 2: visions of utopia 1900-present, New York, Princeton University Press pp. 208-214. [ 35 ] Cornell University Blog at hypertext transfer protocol: //blogs.cornell.edu/tim/2008/09/21/cities-sites/ [ 36 ] Brian Rose at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.brianrose.com/portfolio/bonnefanten/bonnefan.htm [ 37 ] Sarah Williams Goldhagen. aˆ?Ultraviolet: Alvar Aalto ‘s corporal Rationalism, aˆ? Harvard Design Magazine at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sarahwilliamsgoldhagen.com/articles/Ultraviolet.pdf