Development of a GIS Within a Water Company

Development of a GIS Within a Water Company Introduction Geographic information systems (GIS) confirm every day, and with increasing popularity, that they are some essential tools for storing, managing, processing and mapping a large amount of georeferenced data, which related to a database shape a given geographical space. The increasingly widespread use of personal computers, along with a greater choice by software manufacturers allow an item, previously limited to powerful computers, can be treated by a large number of users. Geographic information systems make possible, among other things, the ability to extract different layers of thematic information relating to a particular spatial area, as well as all kinds of analysis and diagnosis in areas as diverse as territorial planning, or the environment or management resources This report aims to examine the development of a geographic information system within an organisation. More specifically it is a water company, as might be the case of Thames Water. This report will go into the operation of a large water company. The nature of the information included into geographic information system is varied. For example, data from network infrastructure projects are used as well as a geographical aspect, such as hydrologic basin boundaries, water bodies and other In this company there is also administrative information such as databases related to public use of water resources in a basin. Another type of information made available is the satellite image. For the development of the geographic information system it has been necessary to carefully define its own infrastructure of all the components involved in the process. These components are: hardware, storage, software, information structure in a server (done in a way that can be cost effective), tools for accessing and updating. Thus, it allows system users to access all information related to use them in tasks of water management. The idea of the implementation of a geographic information system in the company aims to provide technological and methodological solutions to the tasks of water management. The geographic information system is established to respond to questions that are not predefined in advance. Background An initial analysis of the company gives an idea of its size, and in base to this, the kind of infrastructure is chosen. Also, an study of the resources available is needed in order to meet the requirements of GIS that the company has. Services are put in place regarding maintenance of the geo-referenced information: infrastructure maintenance Within a water company, like Thames Water, several activities related to water management are summarised next in order to give examples of need for a GIS. First, there is a need to manage water resources, the public usage of water, water supply infrastructure and reservoirs GIS can help in the creation and implementation of water policies. Carry out the administration of public water usage and manage the use of water. Manage the implementation of works and water infrastructure, coordinate the exploitation and management of works and projects. Manage the recruitment, management and control of the earnings in the company A mobile system that reinforce the departments ability to manage field resources and service orders (Jacobs, D. et al., 2007) GIS sources As mentioned earlier, the company deals with information from different sources, each with its particular characteristics: information from infrastructure projects and other projects and other directly related to the natural environment, information from information systems information from satellite imagery and derived products. Information from infrastructure projects and other projects and other directly related to the natural environment The projects that the company deals with generate a lot of geographic information: major infrastructure projects (for example, water supply), environmental monitoring and planning (like flood zones and evacuation routes map (Mioc, 2008) and reference maps on issues relating directly to the environment (for example maps of rivers or watersheds). Once the company receives the information, the administrator of GIS adds value to information. One example is the case of water supply infrastructure: establishing topology, and enabling queries of what happens at certain point. Information from other systems The GIS of the company uses data from other information systems. The GIS software of the company is linked to external databases. Through database connectivity the company have access to information on Oracle format and Access format that contain administrative information with the records of the actions of the public with water resources (for example consume, discharges, building permits, etc..). It is also linked to other information systems with information directly related to the physical environment (network information system of surface water control) The company databases are based on a relational data model where data is stored in two dimensions tables. In this way theses tables are related and contain records for one entity. The company databases are also based in a georelational model where the tables are linked and contain data like topology, attributes etc. Using SQL language the company can query the data from the database and in this way can generate maps and tables with the information required by the users. The integration between databases and GIS software allows the end user to represent the elements of the database on a map, in that way many layers o different maps can be opened and overlaid and geographical relations between the elements mapped can be checked. The company uses Automated Mapping/Facilities Management AM/FM. With this application the non geographic and the geographic information can be integrated in one. The information of the company database is geocoded with the postcode address of their home. The process to geocode can be tedious, so another company does it. Once the information is geocoded analysis can be undertaken combined with other maps overlaid like a city map for instance. Like this the company can undertake different tasks. Information from satellite images and derived products Another type of information that makes use of GIS is the remote sensing information. Through contracts with other companies water company regularly receives processed images from satellites such as Landsat or SPOT. The images are geometrically and radiometrically corrected, the metadata is completed and is integrated into the GIS. The images are produced as a product of great visual interest. Compositions are created with true colour and false colour, easily accessible guide maps are made for quick access to view the images. This information is also used to track water requirements of crops, monitoring of snow cover and monitoring of water quality along the coast. On products derived from monitoring the area are creating databases, initially simple, storing the information, and are creating management tools to generate reports, graphs and maps to access quickly. On products derived from monitoring the area databases are created, that store the information, and management tools are created to generate reports, graphs and maps to access quickly. Maps can be created using this information of humidity index, cadastral parcels with water content, evapotranspiration, etc.. One of the problems that the company is facing is the lack of knowledge of the resources of remote sensing data. The GIS and Remote Sensing software used have been chosen according to the needs of the company: the key points when deciding which software to use in the company are: which benefits the software offer, the profile of users who will use it is also important, number of licenses needed and the price is also important. The technology is used by the company is ESRI because offers a high performance level in GIS: for example, has the necessary tools for analysis and interfaces hydraulic and hydrologic modelling (very important for a water company) and also offers the possibility of programming highly customized interfaces that are often very friendly welcome by users, but the disadvantage is its high cost that can limit the number of licenses. Hardware For hardware, the company has chosen to use a high-powered server as the company is a large size company and the amount of map information generated is very large. It is very important to choose a high performance hardware because as a large company, the amount of data to be processed is very high. When choosing the hardware is taken into account the time factor as the large amount of data that is received daily makes essential a technology that can provide mid-term capacity. Besides, the hardware has to respond to the addition of new series of maps and the continuing contribution of remote sensing imagery. It is essential to manage the huge volumes of geographical data in a efficient and effective way if the GIS is to be cost justified. Apart from hardware and software the structure of the data is also very important. The access to the information has to be easy to the users and also the maintenance and update. Information must be stored in a way that is structured in a objective way, scalable and easy to add new information. The structure of the data have been created according to the major thematic areas within the company. Here are the big four groups where the data has been divided into: Mapping management: maps and databases that include elements of the territory directly involved in the management, control, planning and land always in relation to the water business. These maps are generated within the company. (watershed, sewage systems, etc.). Thematic Mapping: mapping not linked to the water business, but that is related to environmental issues that the company is related to like natural reserves, Mapping of reference: map collections supplied by the Ordnance Survey (all sort of maps, from topographic to aerial photo rectified Other mapping: maps and databases of a part of the territory administered by the company, this mapping may also come from other entities as a result of specific studies Those who do easier tasks they dont need a full training on GIS and Remote Sensing because probably they are not going to use it, but what it is important is that these users have a personalised training on the task that are going to perform normally. For this reason within the company some personalised training is undertaken. Also step by step manuals describing the processes and above all the GIS office of the company is conducting ongoing advice on issues of GIS and Remote Sensing to the entire company. Conclusions Currently the GIS is an essential tool in the in the day to day in the company. Work of different sorts relating the water is undertaken with GIS. The GIS model of the company has allowed, despite some problems, enhance in each of the workspaces GIS as a tool for management, planning and analysis. Jacobs, D., Souza F., Ramey R. â€Å"GIS to the Rescue† Water Wastes Digest February 2007 Volume: 47 Number: 2 Darka Mioc, Franà §ois Anton and Gengsheng Liang On-line Street Network Analysis for Flood Evacuation Planning Remote Sensing and Gis Technologies for Monitoring and Prediction of Disasters. Berlin: Springer, 2008. Pages219-242

Performance Orientation

The degree to which a collective encourages and rewards (and should encourage and reward) group members for performance improvement and excellence. Assertiveness. The degree to which individuals are (and should be) assertive, confrontational, and aggressive in their relationships with others. Future Orientation. The extent to which individuals engage (and should engage) in future-oriented behaviors such as delaying gratification, planning, and investing in the future. Organizations in countries with high future oriented practices like Singapore and Switzerland tend to have longer term horizons and more systematic planning processes, but they tend to be averse to risk taking and opportunistic decision making. Humane Orientation. The degree to which a collective encourages and rewards ( and should encourage and reward) individuals for being fair, altruistic, generous, caring, and kind to others. Countries like Egypt and Malaysia rank very high on this cultural practice Institutional Collectivism. The degree to which organizational and societal institutional practices encourage and reward (and should encourage and reward) collective distribution of resources and collective action Organizations in collectivistic countries like Singapore and Sweden tend to emphasize group performance and rewards In-Group Collectivism. The degree to which individuals express (and should express) pride, loyalty, and cohesiveness in their organizations or families. Societies like Egypt and Russia take pride in their families and also take pride in the organizations that employ them. Gender Egalitarianism. The degree to which a collective minimizes (and should minimize) gender inequality. Egypt and South Korea were among the most male dominated societies in GLOBE. Organizations not operating in gender egalitarian societies tend to discourage tolerance for diversity of ideas and individual. Power Distance. The degree to which members of a collective expect (and should expect) power to be distributed equally. A high power distance score reflects unequal power distribution in a society. Countries that scored high on this cultural practice are more stratified economically, socially, and politically; those in positions of authority expect, and receive, obedience. Uncertainty Avoidance. The extent to which a society, organization, or group relies (and should rely) on social norms, rules, and procedures to alleviate unpredictability of future events. The greater the desire to avoid uncertainty, the more people seek orderliness, consistency, structure, formal procedures and laws to cover situations in their daily lives.

Abortion According to Aristotle Essay

Do you believe that abortion is morally correct? That taking away someone else’s life is an option? That abortion is following the Golden Mean according to Aristotle? Currently, many people believe that it can be an option, because the baby hasn’t been born yet. But others, including Aristotle will disagree. First of all, who is Aristotle? Aristotle was a philosopher who thought that an act is morally correct if it follows the Golden Mean. This is an action or a feeling responding to a particular situation at the right time, the right way, the right amount or/and the right reason. See more: Ethnic groups and racism essay Not too much and not too little. The key to the Golden Mean is in moderation. I picked Aristotle because I believe that he has the best ethical philosophy. I agree with Aristotle’s ideas about the Golden Mean because I believe that if you are a moderate person, you will not take anything to an extreme and you’ll make good decisions. He also believes in the Sofia Virtue which is that you have to think straight, learn well and act accordingly. This idea mostly settles in the consequences of actions and how you may respond on them. The Golden Mean also tell us that you need to require virtue because it shows how moral a person is, but what I don’t agree that if a person is virtues, they will know exactly when to stop on their own. I don’t agree with that idea because sometimes virtuous people are forced to do something they don’t like to do so they try to stop it, but they are unable. Currently, abortion is a major issue facing the world, especially for teens. Abortion is when there is a conscious or intentional termination in human pregnancy. There are two types of it: therapeutic and elective. Therapeutic is when the mother needs to abort because of health issues while elective, is when the mother wants to abort because she doesn’t want the baby. The two ways to abort are: medical and surgical. Medical is when the doctor gives the patient some drugs to terminate the pregnancy. The only problem with medical abortion is that it can only function for the first nine weeks after conception and the patient will receive strong cramps. The other way, the surgical is when the doctor removes the fetus by manual vacuum aspiration/dilatation/evacuation. These three different ways are by absorbing the organs or pulling the fetus part by part. This can only be practice for 15 to 24 weeks after conception. According to Aristotle’s thought, abortion is not following the Golden Mean because it is an action that doesn’t respond at the right time by making a decision at a wrong time, in the right way and the right amount of reason, by choosing an excess. Also, abortion is not following the Sofia Virtue because when you are making the decision to abort, you are not thinking straight, acting accordingly, and learning well because you are choosing an option that is an excess. Another idea that abortion is not following Aristotle’s beliefs is that people who are choosing to abort are choosing an excess instead the mean. In this case, the deficit will be keeping the baby and the mean will be giving the baby for adoption. Adoption will actually be a mean because it is what is morally correct and is the best for the baby because he/she will be with a family that will love them instead of a place where they won’t be loved. While keeping the baby will be a deficit because they might know that they weren’t wanted and that will harm the baby. Aristotle also thought that if someone was virtuous, they would know when exactly to stop on their own or begin. When we relate this thought with an example of rape and adoption, many people disagree because many girls want to stop the rape, but they can’t. Later, their consequences are that they are expecting a baby from someone who rapes them. According to Michael Smith, rape is the reason for 13,000 of 1. 3 million annual abortions (Smith, â€Å"Women’s Health†). It may not be too many people but you can ask yourself about how many babies are being aborted. 13,000 have been killed because of it, and I believe that it is morally incorrect, that the safest thing to do is give it to adoption. Instead of going to an excess, these girls should use the Sofia Virtue and think straight and make an appropriate decision that will not affect anybody. Based on the moral reasoning of Aristotle, the correct ethical response to abortion is abstinence. To have sex at the right time, in the right way by protecting yourself, and with the right amount of reason so that if there is an unexpected baby, you will be prepare for it. So when, you are in a situation that you’ll need to choose between an excess, mean, and deficit, you should consider the Golden Mean because it will make you think straight and act accordingly while making the decision and learning the consequences that it may bring. Work Cited 1. Aspiration. †08 Feb. 1009. Web. 05 Apr. 2012 http://www. rhtp. org/abortion/mva/. 2. Hill, Peter. â€Å"Contact Medical News Today. †Medical News Today. MedLexicon International, 27 Feb 2004. Web. 23. May. 2013 http://www. medicalnewstoday. com/contactus. php. 3. â€Å"What is Abortion? † What is Abortion? N. p. , 08 June 2010. Web. 22. May. 2013 http://www. bpas. org/bpasyoungpeople/what-is-abortion 4. Smith, Michael, W. â€Å"Woman’s Health. †Abortion- Reasons Women Choose Abortion. Healthwise 22, Feb. 2011. May 23, 2013 http://women. webmd. com/tc/abortion-reasons-women-choose-abortion.

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 - 1752 Words

The Great Chicago Fire was a major milestone in the city’s history. The fire started on October 8th, 1871 and did not end until October 10th, 1871. People never saw this fire coming which might have made it even worse. The only reason it spread so far was because everything was made out of wood, the ground was parched and the wind was blowing that night; the reason it stopped was because it had started raining. Although the fire destroyed most of the city, it was a positive turning point in history. The Chicago Fire improved firefighting and their equipment, new buildings that were made out of fireproof materials, and it brought big investors to the city. There were more than 334,000 people in Chicago at the time (Burgan). Ninety percent†¦show more content†¦Those industries kept the city’s finances stable and employed thousands of people. The fire destroyed the city’s business district, but it left the stockyards and packing plants untouched. The  "Hog Butcher of the World† processed more meat than anywhere else on Earth. The railroads were also undamaged. That allowed shipments of aid to come in from around the world. Book donations from England were part of Chicago’s first free library. In 1956, there was a Fire Academy built on the site where Mr. and Mrs. O’Leary’s barn once stood. The Academy trains new firefighters to this day (Schons). The rebuilding of Chicago started immediately, sometimes even before the architect and engineers had completed their designs. There were laws that were passed requiring new buildings with fireproof materials like brick, stone, marble and limestone because of the fire. These materials that are way more expensive than wood were held together by a strong, sticky substance called mortar. The construction technique using that substance is called masonry and the skilled groups of construction workers are called masons. 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